A Specific Word from the Lord

Like apples of gold in settings of silver
Is a word spoken in right circumstances.
Proverbs 25:11

 

Have you ever felt prompted by the Holy Spirit to share with someone what seemed like a general word? A word that was so generic that surely it was of your own doing? Something that seemed to lack an edge to really hit home within the person’s heart?

I have. Many, many times. But I’ve been amazed to see the Lord’s hand in it all. I want to share an example of such a story from our small group to encourage you.

Recently Aneta and I launched a small group at our church, National Community Church, called Basic Training for Prophetic Ministry. We’re utilizing the resources from Bethel in Redding, California. Each week we watch a short teaching by Kris Vallotton; then we engage the questions in the study guide. At the end of each session, we have a time for activation.

For our first meeting I shared a bit from my own journey in learning to hear God’s voice. At the conclusion, I gave each person a slip of paper with instructions to write what the Lord was saying for someone else. Some of the attendees looked around somewhat nervously. For some, this was the first time they’d ever sought to hear God’s voice for another. However the anonymity of the submissions gave a boost of confidence to step out. Upon completion, I gathered all the slips of paper and had each person grab one as they slipped out.

Recently I heard from one who attended our first meeting, Paul Kwak. Due to an impending move to the California, he wasn’t able to join us again. Here’s what Paul wrote.

I’m glad I was able to at least go to one meeting! Actually, it was quite timely. The day after our meeting, Susanna, Christian, and I were driving north on route 28 when a 17 year old rear ended us. To make a long story short, our car was totaled. Miraculously none of us were injured. Emotionally, it was a very difficult and traumatizing experience. And it was only a few days before we were flying out to LA for Christian’s first birthday celebration with extended family.

Fast forward to us coming back home—we were in the midst of dealing with the car, and our business responsibilities. I went to pick up the rest of the items left in the totaled car. I unexpectedly found my prophetic note from the exercise you had us do on the first night of the small group. Initially I could not find it after small group that night as I got in the car. But I did find it after the car was totaled.

I picked it up and read these words: God is with you through the hardships and tough times.

It can seem like such a general message, but that note seriously encouraged me so much. As you can imagine, it was really tough dealing with the loss of our new car, running the business, and the stress of packing to move back to California—on top of being away from Christian for several weeks. All that to say, God is good and I’m so thankful for everything.

Whoa! What an amazing story of God’s protection in their lives. Furthermore, what an amazing confirmation of a prophetic word. He knew what Paul and his family were about to endure. What might have seemed like a general word that evening as someone scribbled on the slip of paper, became the very next day a specific “word spoken in right circumstances” (Proverbs 25:11).

In learning to hear the Lord’s voice on behalf of others, we must learn obedience. Share what He reveals to you in that moment. What seems to our limited understanding to be a general word in that moment, could very well be from the Lord a specific word that galvanizes moments later.

You never know when a general word is actually a specific word from the Lord that forever touches a heart with the kiss of heaven.