RISE Training Series - June 15 Kingdom Leadership and Prophetic Role in a Movement of Hope

Kingdom Leadership – Part 3

By Duane Huck

•Kingdom leaders are committed leaders…no one has ever led something great without first being committed to that which they were leading

•Committed leaders are engaged and passionate about a particular course of action…commitment separates those who get things accomplished from those who dream of getting things accomplished.

•Commitment is what drives a leader past the obstacles and challenges that life presents…when a kingdom leader faces adversity, commitment will inspire them to keep going.

•We’ve all heard the saying, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going” – the committed ones are the tough ones, they’re the ones that press on no matter what the circumstances may be.

•David McNally commented, “Commitment is the enemy of resistance, for it is the serious promise to press on, to get up, no matter how many times you are knocked down.”

•Every meaningful relationship, from our relationship with the Father to the relationships with our spouse, our children, and those that we are leading and influencing requires a level of commitment in order for that relationship to remain in a healthy state

•When it comes to commitment, there are four categories that people can typically be associated with

•Cop-outs – these people have no goals, no ambition to see things improve, and so they do not commit to anything – these people will show up when it’s convenient, they are perfectly fine with sitting back, allowing others to serve and take care of the details

•Holdouts – these people operate in fear, doubt, and unbelief and therefore don’t have the level of faith and trust in God to commit to anything – in their hearts they may want to commit to something, they may want to serve God and others…but then the flesh begins to whisper to them, “you don’t have what it takes” or “you don’t have time for that”…and so they don’t commit

•Drop-outs – these people commit to doing something, but at the first sign of adversity they bail on their commitment…they lack perseverance and confidence to get through their trials

•All-outs – these people set goals…and are fully committed to reach those goals – these people are confident in themselves, they persevere when trials come, and they are not easily swayed by the opinions of others.

•Kenneth Blanchard puts it this way: “There's a difference between interest and commitment. When you're interested in doing something, you do it only when it's convenient. When you're committed to something, you accept no excuses - only results.”

•Commitment is what causes some to come into leadership reluctantly…they hesitate to begin anything that they might not be willing to complete.

•The fear of becoming bored or of being put in a position or a relationship that requires more than they might want to give causes them to resist.

•They don’t want to be responsible for others because that means commitment…and they’re not willing to pay the price of leadership.

•Not being able to commit doesn’t necessarily mean the person doesn’t care…they may very well care enough to not want to let others down when they don’t hold up their end of the commitment.

•Commitment always comes before achievement…before a leader can make a difference in other people’s lives, they have to first look in their heart to see what they are truly committed to.

•The real measure, the true test of commitment, is action…it’s easy  to say you’re going to do something...it’s something completely different to actually live by your words day after day.

•It’s easy to say “til death do us part” at the wedding altar…commitment determines whether that is the case when “all hell breaks loose” in the marriage relationship.

•True commitment leans heavily on another leadership characteristic…courage.

•Courage doesn’t mean that there is an absence of fear in your life…but rather it’s doing what you’re afraid to do (in your flesh), by putting your complete faith and trust in God.

•It’s the ability to step out of your comfort zone, to let go of the familiar, and venture into unfamiliar territory.

•Courage is what enabled Joshua to stay committed to doing what God had commanded him to do when he led the Israelites from the familiar desert territory into the unfamiliar “land of giants” on the other side of the Jordan.

•God knew that Joshua would need courage to carry out the mission…He knew that Joshua would need courage to face the enemies awaiting them in the Promised Land.

•And He know that Joshua would need courage to stay committed when things didn’t go well, when they experienced defeat because of Achan’s disobedience

•It’s why God told Joshua 3 different times in the first 9 verses of Joshua 1, “Be strong and courageous”

•When a leader exhibits courage, it inspires commitment in his/her followers.

•“Courage is contagious,” asserts evangelist Billy Graham. “When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are stiffened.”

•Leadership carries with it a responsibility that requires constant courage…every leader must have the courage to try new things, even at the risk of failure…courageous leaders realize that failure is simply an opportunity to learn something new.

•Courage is what enables a leader to stay committed when some of those you are leading turn against you, when the fear of disapproval is all in your face…will you succumb to the pressures of disappointment and ridicule? Or will you stay committed and persevere?

•Kingdom leaders make it clear to what and to whom they are committed…first and foremost they should be committed to bringing God glory.

•Kingdom leaders are not concerned about recognition for themselves and popularity…but rather how is what they are doing, what they are leading, pointing others to Jesus and making Him famous?

•In John 17:4 (NLT), Jesus is our example of being committed to bringing glory to the Father while carrying out his earthly assignment:

•4 “I brought glory to you here on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.”

•Jesus was committed to carrying out the Father’s will while on earth, but He did it in such a way as to make sure He brought glory to the Father.

•The wise leader commits to a certain set of principles, values, or beliefs and behaviors that adhere to them…and when life’s storms come their way, there is no wavering

•Genuine commitment stands the test of time and the storms that life brings. It gives us the motivation to be responsible and care for those we lead, unselfishly giving them our best and empowering them to grow and develop into their best.

•It enables us to create an environment in which people can accomplish things that otherwise they would not accomplish.

•The danger that leaders have to watch out for is this: a mindset where we think the higher level of commitment I have and the more things I commit to, then surely that will bring God more glory, right?

•Commitment is required of leaders, over-commitment is not

•Commitment is healthy; over-commitment is a dangerous way to live.

•Commitment with periods of spiritual and physical rest is beneficial, productive, and necessary; over-commitment with no rest is damaging and puts us in a place of striving outside of God’s grace.

•Over-committed leaders put unrealistic expectations on themselves and those they are leading

•As leaders we all want the people we are leading to be committed, but what tends to happen is that only a few are actually committed to the level we would like people to be – and then we tend to over-commit ourselves and those who are committed…and the next thing you know we all end up in the mode of striving to make something happen.

•Leaders who are over-committed tend to lose focus easily, jumping from one task to another without giving each task or assignment the quality time required.

•Over-committed leaders tend to bring stress and frustration into the environments they enter.

•Over-commitment can cause us to get out of alignment with what God has called us to do and out of alignment with the gifts with which He has graciously given us to carry out our assignment.

•The next thing you know we are involved in things that we are not gifted at and we experience no joy in doing them…but we are leaders, and we don’t want to let others down, we don’t want to disappoint others, so we struggle through another day.

•Kingdom leaders need to be aware of a spirit of pride taking up residence in their hearts…where the more and more they accomplish, then they think the more and more they can commit to…where they say, “well look at all the stuff I’ve done, yeah I can do that, no problem…I got this”…and they get so consumed in doing, they forget all about whether God is being glorified.

•Over-committed leaders commit to things because they think they have to…that if they don’t, then no one else will either…and I wonder how often we keep someone else from stepping up, because we do without any hesitation?

•Just as it takes courage to stay committed to something, it also takes courage to admit when we’ve missed the mark…when we’ve committed to things we shouldn’t have.

•Jesus understood the principle of rest, of not over-committing:

•Luke 5:16 (NLT)

•16 But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.

•Jesus understood the need to maintain balance during his ministry…he had crowds following him everywhere he went, people wanting to receive healing…but yet he still found the necessary time to get away with the Father.

•If you find yourself being over-committed, ask God to show you how to bring things back into balance in your life…there may be some commitments that you just can’t all of a sudden drop and you may need to get a transition plan in place…but get that plan in place.

•Do it for the sake of those you are leading (your family, your brothers and sisters in Christ, your employees) and for the sake of bringing glory to the Father.

•As kingdom leaders, we don’t commit to the call that the Lord Jesus has placed on our lives because we hope that “if we do our part” things will get better…we commit because things are better…by the GRACE that the Father has extended to us, we “get to”,(not “have to”) commit to the cause of bringing heaven to earth…we are in a place of victory…not trying to get to a place of victory.

•Commit to resting in Him. Commit to trusting Him. Commit to living by faith alone.

Prophets of Hope

By Eric Reeder

EZ 42:15 - measured inside and then outside

- prophets of a movement of hope prioritize the heart of the matter. They look to call hearts to measure by hope

- they properly asses what's going on at the core (fear or hope)

- they measure what's going and hold the rod of hope to how things are functioning.

Ez 47:3-5

- prophesy is centered on the increasing, enlarging, and advancing work of hope

- speaking to the overcoming nature of the Kingdom that is swallowing up what is "eastward"

{ east = what has moved away from God

Rev 21:15

- measures how we're living the pattern of God (God's pattern is: hope, security, victory, advancement, freedom)

Rev 21:22

- prophets of hope call us out of systems, religious structures, ways of earn from God

Rev 22:1

- prophets of a movement of hope always reveal Father's place of glory

- communicate what is proceeding from His throne that causes life to flourish

- prophets of hope will speak what provided healing

A movement of hope needs companies of prophets that are deep in the understanding of hope and can speak Father's heart that unlocks advancement.

We need those that know how to speak prophetically in a receivable way in business, in congregations, homes, regions and to nations.

I want you to open your heart to hear His voice speaking hope. Then just start sharing what you see through the lens of assurance His goodness is prevailing.

Teach and train others to do that.

Spiritual Fathers, Teachers, and Mentors

by Eric Reeder

The longer I have walked in ministry leadership and relationships, the more I see clarity on different aspects and roles of those God leads into one’s life.  The more understanding we have with different relationships, the more we can maximize them and benefit.  When certain roles of relationships are not understood, the result is often confusion and heartache.  This is a beginning effort to help us see what is available to us through Fathers, Teachers, and Mentors.

It’s easy to understand not every relationship in our lives are to be the same or provide the same things.  There are many aspects of relationships that develop in life.  Some are short-term, some long-term.  Some are for certain seasons, and some are for a specific reason.  Being able to identify what relationship is for what can help you receive from and offer the most in each case.

I’ve noticed in our spiritual lives, God helps arrange meaningful relationships that will help us know Him more deeply and express Him more fully.  When someone first comes into Christ’s Kingdom or has been in Christ for a while but hasn’t had someone really give into their life, it becomes easy to park any relationship that gives toward them at the highest measure of status.  This is mostly because our hearts value someone that gives meaningfully into our lives.  Not every relationship is designed to be where we park the fullest part of our heart or commitments.  We certainly need to value and honor all meaningful and healthy relationships, but we need to see to which measure we offer ourselves to different relationships. 

To help give insight to this, I am presenting 3 key spiritual relationships to consider and evaluate in your life:

·         Spiritual Fathers/Mothers

·         Teachers

·         Mentors

For even if you had ten thousand others to teach you about Christ, you have only one spiritual father. For I became your father in Christ Jesus when I preached the Good News to you. (1 Cor 4:15 NLT)

For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel. (1 Cor 4:15 ESV)

1 Corinthians 4:15 tells us there is opportunity for many “teachers, instructors, guides, mentors” in Christ, but there are not many fathers for you.  The more I walk in leadership, the more I see the value in understanding this.  There is a desire and ache in all of us to have a “father” in our lives and often times a significant “teacher” can seem like a father.  This usually leads to setting that teacher up in our hearts as a father.  Teachers can offer a lot and are intended by God to develop parts of us and strengthen our walk.  But teachers are not fathers.  When those things get mixed up it often leads to damage, as the wrong expectations and commitments are made and can’t be lived out.  To embrace a teacher as a father puts each party in a difficult place. 

A “mentor” has a great role, but is still not a “father”.  Mentors can be many and varied for certain areas of development, but they can’t be walked out like a father.  When Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians telling them that they will have many teachers/mentor, he made a distinction between himself as a father and those mentors.  Paul was something different in their lives than other leaders that contributed in their lives.  Reading the next few verses even reveals how Paul (father) sent Timothy (mentor) to help the Corinthians walk out their journey.  Yet Paul had a different role in the relationships.  If the Corinthians started taking Timothy as their father, it would have created many challenges that wouldn’t have been benefical.  There is a need for each of us to recognize those distinctions.

There will be those we gain from, appreciate, and honor as teachers in our lives.  Then there is a father.  I’ll be a teacher to many.  I’ll even be an apostolic leader to many, but then there will be those that I am their father.  For those that I am a father, that creates an entirely different situation than where I am a teacher or mentor.  I’ve taught many, but I desire many sons and daughters to give to and bless.  For those that I am their father, I want to encourage them to receive from and gain from many teachers and leaders that can add to their lives.  As a father, part of my role is to offer clarity and protection from areas that can be damaging.  It’s important to prayerfully consider and understand the roles of the gifts God provides through a father and also other teachers and mentors. 

Here are some points to recognize:

·         Teachers/Mentors are often for a season.  Fathers are for a life time. 

·         Teachers/Mentors offer what they know.  Fathers impart who they are. 

·         Teachers/Mentors enhance.  Fathers propel.

·         Teachers/Mentors help you know.  Fathers help you mature. 

·         Teachers/Mentors are those you can select to gain from.  Fathers are who you know God used to bring you forth into who you are. 

·         Teachers/Mentors have an important part in your life.  Fathers have authority in your life.

·         Teachers/Mentors have insightful words.  Fathers’ words carry weight. 

·         You want to know what Teachers know, but a father’s heart matters most.

·         Teachers/Mentors tell you how it should be.  Fathers show you how it is to be. 

·         Teachers/Mentors give you their wisdom.  Fathers give you their life. 

·         Fathers are teachers and mentors, but Teachers/Mentors are not always fathers. 

Here are some qualities Fathers carry:

·         Fathers care about you – have interest in you (for you not just what you offer)

·         Fathers come toward you – they don’t stay distant

·         Fathers are vulnerable – they open their life to you; the faults, fears, successes, and joys.

·         Fathers desire more for you than themselves

·         Fathers reveal who you are

·         Fathers set a path of growth for you

·         Fathers provide the place of belonging for you

·         Fathers show you your future

·         Fathers are enjoyable to be with

·         Fathers secure your heart

Teachers/Mentors offer many things, but Fathers provide what your heart needs beyond what your mind is looking for.  When you see the father in your life, you’ll recognize that you sense something different with them than you do with teachers.  Knowing these differences causes that ability to relate to the leaders in your life accordingly.  To see these distinctions will help you not perceive a teacher in your life as a father or vice versa.  That is a valuable recognition to have.  I’ve experienced and seen many experience the pain and damage from thinking a teacher was a father or a father as just a teacher.  God is looking to heal “father wounds” most of us have.  Understanding these different relationships can add to that healing and not further damage.   

RISE Training Series Call May 18, 2015 - Kingdom Leadership and Prophetic Companies in a Movement of Hope

Kingdom Leadership – Part 2

by Duane Huck

• In this session we will continue to look at some of the key attributes of Kingdom Leadership
• Last time we talked about how, as leaders, we are influencing those around us and that we want to make sure we are having a positive influence on those we are leading
• And we talked about as kingdom leaders, we need to have Godly character…and that our character is further defined each time we make choices in life.
• When we are faced with adversity or tough situations, will we make the right choice and refuse to compromise? Even if it’s not the popular choice or if it’s a choice that will cost us?
• Kingdom leaders refuse to compromise and in particular they refuse to compromise the truth of God’s word and what He has to say about the particular situation you are dealing with.
• I believe another key element to Kingdom Leadership is Servanthood.
• When the world thinks of Servanthood, or the condition of being a servant, they often think of someone in a lower level position serving someone in a higher ranking position. And while this is certainly one aspect of serving, it’s not the only form of it.
• Jesus teaches us about Servanthood in the book of Mark when two of his followers, James and John, came to him with a request to sit in places of honor next to Jesus on his glorious throne…and Jesus basically said, “You’ve got it all wrong”.
• Picking up the story there in the book of Mark,  we read this:

Mark 10:41-45New Living Translation (NLT)
41 When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant. 42 So Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. 43 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. 45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

• And so we see Jesus saying, if you want to be a leader, start serving those around you, those you are connecting with.
• Jesus modeled servant leadership during his ministry on earth. He was always looking for opportunities to serve and pour into the lives of those around him.
• Jesus’ words to his first followers, Peter and Andrew, were “Come follow me, and I will SHOW you how to fish for men.”
• Jesus was saying I’m going to share with you what I know; I’m going to teach you, I going to help you understand how to live the abundant life that God desires for you, so you then can pass this on to others.
• Servant leaders stay in tune with those they’re leading, are aware of their needs and desires, and are available to help them or get them help when needed…and they do this without expecting anything in return.
• When serving others, don’t look at it as just an act of helping someone else, but also see it as an opportunity to connect with that individual and further develop your relationship and influence in their lives
• Sometimes leaders, especially those of us who are task oriented like myself, can miss the whole point of servanthood. We can just go through our daily “to do” list and check things off and feel as though we’ve accomplished everything and in the process we’ve served those around us as well.
• We need to broaden our focus to be not only on the tasks but also on the people we are leading…allowing time for those divine appointments.
• Servant leaders are willing to do anything and everything that he/she would ask those they are leading to do…and they’re not only willing to do it, they actually do it.
• They don’t just say things like, “Well I could do that, but that’s why I’ve got you.” – Instead they recognize opportunities to “pitch in” and help others when they need it.
• Status and position are unimportant to a servant leader, and a true leader has a desire to serve others and put their interests ahead of his own…they serve out of love for others…servanthood is not motivated by manipulation or self-promotion.
• A servant leader will not use or abuse power to advance their position in an organization.

Philippians 2:3-4New Living Translation (NLT)
3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

• Servant leaders are always finding ways to make sure others know they are valued, appreciated, and important by being willing to serve them and meet their needs.
• Leaders are able to serve others because they are secure with who they are…they are able to love others because they love themselves.
• Insecure leaders are continually looking for validation, acknowledgment, and love...and they become wrapped up in this cycle of trying to find security, rather than instilling it in others.
• Insecure leaders have a hard time celebrating the successes of others and giving power to others.
• On the contrary, leaders who are secure are able to believe in and bring out the best in others because they believe in themselves.
• Servant leaders are good listeners; as John Maxwell states in one of his books on Leadership: “A good leader encourages followers to tell him what he needs to know, not what he wants to hear.”
• A secure leader is not afraid to hear the truth and make adjustments when necessary to better serve those they are leading.
• Servant leaders go out of their way to connect and listen to what their followers have to say and in the process a relationship of mutual respect is developed.
• Secure leaders are not concerned with getting “credit” for successes and are willing to support and encourage the ideas of others…and they give credit where credit is due.
• The great Industrialist Andrew Carnegie said this: “No man will make a great leader who wants to do it all himself or get all the credit for doing it.”
• Kingdom leaders are first and foremost concerned with giving God credit…giving Him the glory that is due, recognizing that He is the one that brought the idea that led to the success in the first place.
• And if an idea that someone else has is put into place and it fails, the Kingdom leader is quick to extend grace…not blame, not pointing a finger…but rather, they’re able to say, “You know what, that didn’t work out so well, but at least we know what not to do next time!”
• Kingdom leaders refuse to “throw others under the bus” for the sake of saving their own reputation…they’re willing to take responsibility, even if they’re not at fault…they’re determined to put things in place so that the same failure doesn’t keep happening again and again.
• Kingdom leaders are able to make others accountable and hold them responsible for their actions without condemning them…they do it in a loving, restoring manner…they don’t discard others when mistakes are made, but rather come alongside them and help them move forward.
• Kingdom leaders serve other well when they don’t make excuses and they never embrace a victim mentality…they recognize that each individual chooses whether to be responsible and accountable for their actions.
• Responsible leaders are willing to “go the extra mile” to get the job done…they are motivated by excellence, which means doing things to the best of their God-given ability…and they finish what they start...they persevere to the end.
• Just as our heavenly Father refuses to leave us in the state that we’re currently in, and is constantly leading us to grow and mature, Kingdom leaders refuse to leave others in their current state…they are always looking for ways to further develop those they are leading.
• Servant leaders must be aware of burn-out…where they are constantly giving, serving, and pouring out into others, but never really taking time for themselves…just as everything else in life there has to be balance.
• If you’re constantly serving others while neglecting to take care of your own needs, then eventually you will burn-out, your passion to serve will dry up, and you’ll have nothing else to offer.
• Jesus understood the danger of burn-out during his ministry on earth…we see in Luke chapter 5, after Jesus had healed the man with leprosy and large crowds were gathering around to hear his teaching and receive healing, that Jesus found time to get away…

Luke 5:16New Living Translation (NLT)
16 But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.

• If Jesus “got away” often, then this means it was important to him and he understood the need for times of refreshing, of renewal, of receiving from the Father.
• And so Jesus once again is our example of how to maintain balance in our lives as servant leaders.
• Servant leaders inspire those they are leading to serve others as well…to see the best in people, to help them reach their God-given potential…to make a difference in their families, their organizations, and their communities.
• Respect is earned when a leader keeps the interest of others in mind…when a leader’s focus is on what can be put into his people, rather than what can be gotten from them, they’ll not only respect you, they will be better positioned to help you and your family, your business, your church, or whatever it is you’re leading reach its full potential.
• Serve… Lead…Influence

"Recovering the Prophetic Company in the Movement of Hope"

by Eric J Lynch

2 Kings 6:1-7 states, "The company of the prophets said to Elisha, 'Look, the place where we meet with you is too small for us. 2 Let us go to the Jordan, where each of us can get a pole; and let us build a place there for us to meet.' And he said, 'Go.'

3 Then one of them said, “Won’t you please come with your servants?” “I will,” Elisha replied. 4 And he went with them. They went to the Jordan and began to cut down trees. 5 As one of them was cutting down a tree, the iron axhead fell into the water. “Oh no, my lord!” he cried out. “It was borrowed!” 6 The man of God asked, “Where did it fall?” When he showed him the place, Elisha cut a stick and threw it there, and made the iron float. 7 “Lift it out,” he said. Then the man reached out his hand and took it.

We discussed in the last RISE conference call the importance and role the prophetic company plays in the movement of hope. However, we must go beyond talking about its importance, and begin restoring it within the body of Christ.

In 2 Kings 6, we see a company of prophets who are in need of a more spacious meeting place, so they set out to begin building. While chopping wood, an axhead flies off the handle and into the water. Similarly, the body of Christ has recognized the need to build up a larger movement of hope, however, in the process it seems the axhead of the prophetic and true prophetic companies has become lost. It has been lost to pride, it has been lost to new age mysticism, it has been lost to pastors who refuse to embrace its full operation within the church. Despite all of those things, in this hour God is desiring to recover the axhead of true prophetic ministries/companies in the body of Christ, and the movement of hope.

A crucial part of seeing anything restored requires something to be built and constructed, so I want to discuss for a moment how to establish and construct prophetic companies.

 The general structure of the prophetic company includes anywhere from 5 to 15 leadership and service positions, and I have selected 6 to highlight in particular:

1. Apostles

2. Senior Pastor

3. Overseer of the Prophetic Company (the prophet who is most matured and experienced)

4. Staff Prophets (the company of prophets)

5. Prophetic Worshippers/Singers (those who are gifted to prepare at atmosphere of worship, where prophecy can flow easily)

6. Intercessors

When structuring a prophetic company, it is important that the number of service positions and prophets is proportionate to the level of ministry work needed. If the ministry assignment/mission is smaller, then having around 9 prophets on staff (for the purpose of being able to rotate from service to service in groups of 3) is sufficient. The main thing is that you don't want the company to be so large that it ends up taking away from the effectiveness ministry that could take place.

Next, I want to discuss preparing an individual to serve (in some capacity) on the prophetic company:

1. Training: Once an individual is selected by the existing senior leadership (i.e. apostolic leadership, senior pastor, or the prophetic company overseer) they need to begin taking whatever prophetic training/teachibg that church or ministry has in place.

2. Teamwork Mindset: Becoming a part of a prophetic company requires that each individual be willing to set aside being a loose canon, and wirk in unity with the rest of the company.

3. Accountability & Screening: The integrity of the prophetic ministry taking place is non-negotiable. 

Therefore, those who are serving as staff prophets, as well as the prophetic worshippers and intercessors, should be willing to share the words God gives them with the senior leadership before releasing them in a corporate setting. This helps protect the integrity of the whole team.

Lastly, when we talk about constructing a prophetic company, I want to briefly outline the general responsibilities the team/company carries out:

1. Prayer: The prophetic company coming together for regular, set times of prayer as a group is very crucial to its ongoing success and effectiveness as a ministry team.

2. Counsel: As a part of the initial training, each person serving on the prophetic company should be equipped to help counsel various members of the congregation they are serving. This prevents all the responsibility for counseling falling onto the senior pastor or apostolic leader's shoulders.

3. Mentoring: Each member of the prophetic company should be equipped to both identify potential individuals who could serve on the company in some way, and help mentor those who come onto the team (i.e. current intercessors helping mentor new intercessors, current prophetic worshippers helping mentor new prophetic worship leaders etc.)

4. Prophetic Ministry: I believe it goes without saying that being that it is a prophetic company, each service position whether an apostle or intercessor, prophet, or prophetic worshipper should be trained and equipped to know how to tap into the prophetic and prophesy whenever and wherever.

God is restoring the axhead of tge prophetic company and it begins with being willing to take the time to establish a well-trained and mature prophetic company. The prophetic company is essential to the movement of hope, and it is time for prophetic companies to take their place again within local church bodies across the nation and the world.

Prophetic Insights to Consider

A few weeks back, I reached out to a few connected with RISEmovement who are prophetically gifted to share what they are hearing from Father.  Here is some encouraging insight for you to pray over and use in your advancement.  



From Elexio Baillou of the Bahamas

Hope is Here

God’s Movement amongst New Covenant Leaders

There is a continual progression and penetration of God's truth throughout the Western church, particularly within the North America Christian community. With teachers echoing the message of God's grace and the New Covenant within every arena opening up to them, we are being made once again to adjust to and accept what the Lord is clearly saying to His churches.

This penetration of our Christian church world with a once lost truth and kingdom reality has been a source of controversy, confusion, and confrontation to say the least. It is not unusual to see the names of men and women who have been mandated by God to carry this banner being persecuted, maligned and unsupported on one hand while being accepted and embraced on the other.

This is because whenever God begins to speak in this manner within His Church, there is a dividing that ultimately occurs. Like the children of Israel who were promised that they would possess the promised land, there are those who are willing to move forward with the Lord no matter what, and there are those who are more committed to their religious ideals and self-righteous disciplines, and would thus reject anything “new” the Lord speaks if it goes against their pre-conceived ideals and Christian paradigms (even if they are in fact based on scriptures taken out of context and doctrines of devils.)

Nevertheless, HOPE is HERE! HOPE being JESUS unveiled and manifested in the midst of this generation in a way that we have not seen before in previous eras. With the continual proliferation of who HE is to US and in US NOW, we can be assured that there will be a progressive and permanent shift in God' Body here in our part of the world as more and more people are liberated by the knowledge of who they are in Him and what He can do through them.

That being said, it is my intention to now provide you with brief insights into what I believe we can expect because of what God is speaking now (on a macro-level/large scale). My statements are both prophetic as well as predictable, as our Father has a way of doing things and His Word contains trends and typical results that can be seen wherever Jesus is unveiled and His people are freed from the demonic ideals enforced upon them by unknowing spiritual leaders and Christian culture that is not rooted in the nature of Christ.

Essentially, whatever we saw in the life and nature of Christ and the ministry of Paul will be seen in us. The world will see Him in us!

That being said, it is my hope that you understand that the following trends are consistent with “Normal Christianity”, because God’s agenda is to realign and restore Kingdom Normality within His Church until it is a beautiful reflection of that which is happening in heaven. Therefore, understand that that which we have attempted to accomplish through our own power will now occur because of the Lord Jesus Christ working in and through us in this hour!

Here is what I see occurring amongst New Covenant Leaders in this Hour

1.       Access into organizations, leaders, and individuals of high influence that were previously unreachable.

The Apostle Paul was able to take the message of God’s Kingdom into some of the most unusual places. Armed with revelatory truth regarding the person of Jesus Christ, he stood before men and women of great influence and power within today’s world and presented the gospel with great persuasion and compassion until even the most ungodly of leaders were forced to listen and consider the words he spoke.

In this hour I perceive that God will grant those who preach this truth access into the hearts and lives of men and women who possess great influence in order that they may understand the power of God to change and work through them, enabling them to lead their organizations, churches and corporations with a level of wisdom, revelation, and power previously unseen through them. Truly the power of Christ to change will be seen.

2.       Special administrations and demonstrations of God’s power in signs, wonders, and miracles.

There must be unique manifestations of God’s power to confirm His Word through New Covenant Leaders. Therefore, we will see the kinds of healings, miracles, and deliverances that set Paul apart from the other apostles. It must occur otherwise many within the Body of Christ will perceive that which we speak to be simply another “good message” or passing truth, which will soon fade away as another fad.

Yet, when the “hand of God” is seen in tangible ways there will be increased influence and notoriety to those graced by God to walk in this way. We will see the Lord confirm and endorse His servants work in such ways.

3.       The declaration of mysteries and revelatory truths that confound the hearts and minds of hearers.

Those leaders who function with a New Covenant mentality will begin to understand the deeper things of God’s Word, and declare the mysteries of the Kingdom as shown through the breadth of the entire Word. We will listen as they show us Jesus again and again throughout the Word of God and unlock before us mysteries that will cause us to be confounded and left amazed at the wisdom of God in His dealings with humanity. Truly we will begin to comprehend the height, width, depth and breadth of the love of God for us.

4.       Affliction and Great Challenges

With great revelation comes great controversy and challenge. We will see how those who speak His Word in this way are once again maligned, disrespected, rejected, and dishonored by many, even within His Church. However, this will be the minority, though I suspect that it will come from those who are in leadership and would rather uphold their Biblically-errant truths rather than humbly admit their own faulty understanding of God’s Word. Instead, we will see how even in the midst of such “warfare” the Lord will cause His servants to shine and rise above the waters sent by the adversary to overwhelm them.  The demonic forces that rule in concert over entire communities, organizations, churches, and corporations will be forcefully overthrown as God’s truth penetrates and transforms His people.

It is for this reason that we must “count the cost”, we must recognize that what we are called to do is unpopular, sobering, necessary, and challenging. We will be made to love those who have made it their agenda to afflict and curse us for preaching that which they consider heresy. Do understand my friends that JESUS revealed in this way will is not simply another truth, it is THE TRUTH. Thus, we must move forward knowing that ours will be a path of great joy even in the midst of great challenge.

5.       The birthing, establishing, and progressing of a new order of churches.

Apostles and 5-fold leaders functioning in the New Covenant will establish a new culture and Christian community. Therefore, we will see a different model of churches established. We will see Antioch type churches that are in fact hubs where people can come to receive from the Lord and experience His changing love and power. We will see churches that function based upon relationship and honor, not authoritarian hierarchies and religious ideals that burden God’s people and keep them forever in need of another message from their pastors, like heroin addicts craving the next “hit”.

6.       The manifestation of creativity and innovation to reach this culture.

Jesus was and is creative in nature; in fact He is the CREATOR. Therefore, it goes without saying that out of our community there will be the manifestation of the spirit of innovation and creativity where our works will be relevant to our world and not simply those who flock to our centers.

We will see men and women who have truly interacted and engaged the angels of heaven and the Spirit of Revelation to such a degree that they will create films, engineer technologies, and invent products that are of great benefit to mankind. For it is the nature of God within us to lead in every field and industry. Therefore, we must not be surprised when it happens.

7.       The fruit of the Spirit.

Sexual misconduct and shameful behavior will decrease. As we discover more of who we are in Christ and who He is in us, we will see holiness demonstrated through the lifestyles of New Covenant believers in a phenomenal. We will be living expressions of the person of Christ, without even attempting to do so. Among us there will be a radically decreased level of scandal, hypocrisy, and evil behavior. Instead, we will  stand as lights in a dark world, beacons of hope, people marked by pure motives, Christ-like character, and humble spirits who function as servant kings.

     

       God will be seen through us and be evidenced through our lives.

8.       A renewed passion for prayer, worship, fasting, and the study of God’s word.

Constantly we are told that as believers we MUST pray, we MUST worship, we MUST fast, we MUST study the Word of God. Yet, such activities have become unattractive, boring, and ritualistic as they have been taught to us.

However, I sincerely see a time in which we will find doing all of the above no longer a burdensome task, but rather actions of our affection for the Savior. They will flow out of lives given to Him and hidden in Him. We will do them all with great fervor, passion, excitement and joy not to attain something or attempt to appease the Lord. Rather it will because of how He works through us and in us as we do so.

Essentially I believe that the Father is pressing on us in this way and will NOT be stopped, all that we must do is allow Him to do what HE must and watch as the tide shifts in the Body of Christ in our era and the next!

From Michelle Harding of Easton, MD

                                               Politics or Governance?

In light of recent events flooding the news, social media, and many conversations with other Believers, I came to a place in prayer that led to a very interesting question being stirred in me by Holy Spirit. "Is the mandate from heaven to the church a political one or is it spiritual?"  "Of course it's spiritual", we say! We know that the mandate is to be His witnesses (Acts 1:8), preach the gospel (Mark 1617) and to make disciples of all nations (Matt. 28:19-20).  But, I wonder, have we exchanged the centrality of the Gospel to a broken world for the idea that we can create a better society through politics and legislating morality? The responsibility of cultural reform lies upon the Church and her ability to transform humanity through the power of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and our representation of His love through our love for Him, one another and our world. Anything less than that falls short of our call.

 I am not saying that we are not to concern ourselves with government, but our focus is not to be upon the politics of our day, but rather upon the governance of God. We, the Church are the Ecclesia, God's governing agents in the earth. Politics brings division, anger and bitterness. Every election cycle I watch my Facebook wall divide right down the middle as the church divides between Democratic and Republican lines. A chasm of political mayhem divides brothers and sisters, churches, and races. All rising from a political spirit rather than the reality of Kingdom governance. Psalm 89:14 says, " Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you." Kingdom governance places righteousness and justice at its foundation and from it proceeds love and faithfulness.

The political spirit that has risen out of the church has made us seem mean spirited, judgmental, and critical. We have a responsibility to speak truth into our nation and to represent the authority of our King and His Kingdom. But it is also important that we speak the truth in love with words filled with grace. It is vital we show honor not only to those we agree with but, also to those we disagree with.  Paul tells the Colossians in Col. 4:5-6, " Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person." The Apostle Peter sums it up well in 1 Peter 2:17, " Honor all people, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king".

                

Our hearts are right to desire true reform and cultural transformation, but we must reorient our hearts to the throne of God and the plumb line of the Gospel. True reformation and transformation will only come as we win the hearts and minds of men not the power of protest, petition or pettiness. We may have a few temporal victories, but lasting change comes not through legislation in America but through the bowing of hearts to the Lord and King.

                

The reality is, our nation is in the condition it is in because of a culture filled with broken people lost in sin. We must also understand that sin isn't even the real problem. Sin is the fruit of broken relationship with God and the loss of identity which leads to sin. The process of reconciling  men to God awakens them to a life of freedom outside the bondage of sin. Our own salvation experience points us to this truth. First, we are reconciled to God through the spirit of adoption and our spirit cries out Abba, Father. Through Christ we became sons of God, empowered by the Holy Spirit to live righteous and godly lives. The result being, the greater our relationship with our Father grew, the less we sinned. The Kingdom of God is the only kingdom with authority over the hearts of men, and its power doesn't rest within its rules but within its love. We cannot continue to confront the moral issues of our day with the politics of our times, but rather let us look to the governance of God who is our Judge, Lawgiver and King (Isa. 33:22)! "Do not trust in princes, in mortal man, in whom there is no salvation" (Psalm 146:3); "Thus says the Lord, ‘Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind and makes flesh his strength’" (Jeremiah 17:5).

               

I believe the true hope of America is in a Church walking in the revelation of Kingdom governance rather than politics, and a Church walking in her identity as the God-given governmental authority  in the earth. There is a battle for righteousness in our nation, but it's solution is spiritual not political. This of course in no way diminishes our responsibility as citizens of our nation or those called into government. It brings clarity to the call to be righteous and just, and the need to align ourselves with the King, His Kingdom, and His love. This is righteous governance and God says that is what exalts a nation.

Prophetic Word:

God is dealing with the political spirit in the church and it is coming on the wings of social justice, as we awaken to the fact that it is only the Kingdom of God that has authority over the hearts of men.  As we move from legislating in political spheres, as more and more of the Christian or right wing agenda fueled by Christian zealots, continues to be fruitless; we will move to legislating in the heavenlies through prayer and declaration.

Here is where hearts of sacrificial love, like Christ modeled will be brought forth, voices of awakening will move from sounding the alarm of what the enemy is doing to declaring what God is doing.

The court of heaven will begin to shift the laws of men through hearts awakened by love, and things we worked generations for will come easily as we begin to gain the understanding of how Christ, the Apostles, and the early church walked in the midst of a demonized political and religious system. With this let us approach the throne of grace and authority, seek His counsel, hear His words and release His truth in love.

In this season are coming forth carriers of the Father's heart, those who like Jesus will RE-Present a loving Father, it is this that will turn the hearts of men and a nation.

RISE Training Series - April 20, 2015

Kingdom Leadership – Part 1

by Duane Huck - senior executive, business owner, pastor

·         There are many different ways to define leadership and there are many different styles of leadership.
·         Some leaders are great motivators, others are great teachers or visionaries, most leaders possess all of these abilities to one extent or the other.
·         Great leaders know how to engage people and how to get them to work together for the common good of the whole.
·         Great leaders have the uncanny ability to inspire greatness in people and help them accomplish more than they ever thought possible.
·         Managers focus on the tasks to be accomplished, leaders focus on developing people.
·         God is accomplishing his task of redeeming the earth by focusing on developing His people, by helping them grow and mature to become more like His son.
·         Believers who embrace the call to leadership are critical in God’s plan of transforming culture. As leaders, we reproduce who we are.  
·         Dysfunctional, broken executives, managers, parents, teachers,etc. reproduce dysfunctional, broken environments.
·         There will be poor attitudes, poor decision making, lack of integrity, lack of accountability, lack of trust.
·         But healthy, thriving leaders reproduce healthy, thriving environments. I believe this is true, not only in families and the church, but in businesses as well.
·         Leaders that “have the mind of Christ” exhibit good attitudes, make wise decisions, operate with integrity, accountability, and trust.
·         Kingdom leaders conduct business with the kingdom in mind. They view every day, every meeting, every encounter as an opportunity to advance God’s kingdom. They understand that every day is another opportunity to release hope into the lives of those they lead.
·         In his book, Developing the Leader Within You, John C. Maxwell writes, “Leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less.”
·         If this statement is true, then then we are all leaders. We all have a measure of influence, whether it is at work, in the home or with our friends.
·         Where we spend our time is where we have influence…it’s why we monitor very closely at a very young age who our children’s friends are.
·         Who are they spending their time with? Who is influencing them?
·         Those of us in business, or in the marketplace, likely spend 25% of our overall time there and roughly 35% of our waking hours there.
·         So if leadership is about influence and connecting with others, then leading in the workplace with a Kingdom perspective is imperative if we are going to influence our culture for God’s Kingdom.
·         When we look at what the key principles for Kingdom leadership are, I think we need to look no further than what Jesus said were the greatest commandments.
·         Matthew 22:36-40New Living Translation (NLT)
·         36 “Teacher, which is the most important commandment in the law of Moses?”
·         37 Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’[a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[b] 40 The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”
·         If Jesus was able to summarize all of the law in these two commandments, then how we respond to them will impact every area of our lives, including our ability to be effective leaders.
·         When we love someone, we are concerned about them, we care about them – Kingdom leaders care about those they are leading.
·         Our ability to lead in such a way that we are shaping the culture for the Kingdom of God is solely dependent on our willingness to live out these two commandments.
·         And it’s really not our ability, because you and I are not capable of loving people the way Jesus commanded on our own…but rather our willingness to surrender daily to the leading of His Spirit will enable us to do so.
·         It’s interesting that Jesus clarified that “loving God with all of our heart, soul, and mind” was the first commandment.
·         Jesus’ number one goal while on the earth was to please the Father…to accomplish what the Father had sent him to earth to do.
·         As leaders, our number one goal as we lead others should be to lead in such a way that we please the Father, that we honor Him above all else.
·         This love that Jesus is referring to is a purposeful commitment to sacrificial action for another.
·         It means being fully committed to our relationship with God, to the point that it costs us something – our time, our money, our pride…maybe even our popularity or approval from others.
·         If we are to have any chance at being effective Kingdom leaders, the first thing we need to do is make sure our relationship with the Father is in order.
·         Great leaders are effective at what they do because of who they are on the inside – in their heart, soul, and mind.
·         Great leaders are able to forge healthy relationships in all aspects of their lives – but it starts by having a healthy relationship established with God the Father.
·         When our relationship with our heavenly Father is in a healthy state, the outcome of that is Godly character.
·         Character is defined as one of the attributes or features that make up and distinguish an individual.
·         Most, if not all leaders, will face times of crisis when important decisions have to be made…it’s in these times when a person’s character is revealed.
·         Adversity is an opportunity for leaders to either choose character or compromise…it’s like coming to a crossroads…which path will you take?
·         Will you choose the easy path or the hard one? I believe this is what Jesus was talking about in Matthew 7 -  Matthew 7:13-14New International Version (NIV)
·         The Narrow and Wide Gates
·         13 “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
·         Will you make the popular decision…the one that will make you look good or cause you the least amount of grief? Or will you make the RIGHT decision even if it cost you something?
·         Notice in these verses, both paths LEAD to somewhere…one to destruction, the other to life.
·         Our character is further created every time we make choices – choices that don’t compromise our beliefs, our values, or the moral standard that we carry as an image bearer of God
·         Character isn’t just “talking the talk”…action is the real indicator of character.
·         Will you do what you say you’re going to do? Every time? Even when it’s not convenient?
·         I know a high-level executive who will be talking with those he leads on the phone, and just abruptly end the conversation with “I’ve got to go, I’ll call you right back”.  And come to find out in talking with others who know and work for this same executive, he really never does call back. So there’s this general lack of respect by those who work for him.
·         Kingdom leaders are men and women of their word. They do what they say they’re going to do when they say they’re going to do it. Now I realize that from time to time things come up and plans change. But in those times we must communicate ahead of time that we can’t keep our commitment and need to reschedule. And we should make it a priority to reschedule whatever it is we are cancelling as soon as possible, not just when we can get around to it.
·         We choose whether we are going to have godly character or not. A lot of things in life we don’t get to choose. Where we are born, who our parents are, where we live when we are growing up. But we do get to choose our character.
·         In tough situations, will we cop out or dig in and persevere? Will we compromise the truth or stand for it at all costs?
·         Taking responsibility as a leader means you come to terms with the fact that, plain and simple, your life affects others…when I make choices as a leader, it not only affects my life, but it also affects the lives of those I’m leading.
·         Leaders should always make decisions based on what’s fair, what’s right, and what is best for the overall group they are leading. Making decisions based on what’s best for one individual, either yourself or someone you’re leading, can lead to dissension and lack of trust.
·         All leaders make mistakes at some point or other. How you respond to those mistakes is what sets great leaders apart.
·         None of us are perfect, nor is perfection a requirement to lead. But growth is. Effective leaders have a hunger to grow.
·         They want to become more and more whole spiritually, emotionally, and mentally. They understand that the environments they are called to influence need them to be as healthy as possible in these areas.
·         True leadership always involves other people. If there are no followers involved, then you’re not really leading.
·         When followers recognize that a leader has flawed character, they will not continue to follow.
·         So what are some practical things we can do to improve our character as leaders?
·         If character is foundational to our ability to lead others effectively, then we must looks for cracks in this part of the foundation.
·         Looks for places or times where you’ve cut corners, compromised, or let others down.
·         Look for patterns where the same issue keeps surfacing, an area where you may have a particular weakness. Then ask God and the Holy Spirit to help you in this area.
·         If you need to repair some damage done in the past due to flaws in your character, be humble and willing to admit your mistakes. And realize that God’s grace is greater than those mistakes.
·         Face your flaws head on and deal with the consequences. Apologize if necessary to those you’re leading. You will gain a tremendous amount of respect from those you’re leading when they see your sincere willingness to admit that you’ve messed up and want to make things right.
·         Make a plan that will help prevent you from making those same mistakes and move forward in God’s grace.

The Role of the Prophetic Company in the Movement of Hope

by Eric Lynch - prophetic gift and teacher

The world is asking:

Job 17:15 -where then is my hope? Who can see any hope for me?

                Romans 8:19-“For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed.” In much the same way, the world is awaiting the manifestations of God’s prophets to release a word of hope!

The assurance of our hope:

                Hebrews 11:1-Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

                Before we can have the assurance of faith, we must first have something we are hoping for. This requires clarifying what our hope is: 1. What is the vision? 2. What is the intended goal?

What is a Prophetic Company:

A prophetic company is a community of prophets who are members of a local church body or other organization for the main purpose of providing service, prophecy, and supervision to those they serve and those under their care.

If you take a moment to reference the picture attached to this article, you will see that I used a unique looking photo. The photo depicts a larger circle of people surrounding a smaller, inner circle of people. A prophetic company can be understood as a shield. It is a divine force that deflects the attacks of the enemy and demonic activity from infiltrating, influencing, and touching the lives of those that company of prophets is assigned to protect.

For example, let’s look at 1 Samuel 19:19-20, which says: "Word came to Saul: 'David is in Naioth at Ramah'; so he (Saul) sent men to capture him. But when they saw a group of prophets prophesying, with Samuel standing there as their leader, the Spirit of God came on Saul's men, and they also prophesied." This passage is a clear picture of how the prophetic company functions as a shield from demonic attack. When Saul's men came to capture David, you had a community of prophets, organized by Samuel, ready to confront and thwart the attack on David’s life.

The Role of a Prophetic Company in a movement of Hope:

Referring back to 1 Samuel for a moment, I want to point out something very interesting that God showed me. The very first time we ever see the prophetic company mentioned in scripture is in 1 Samuel 10. 1 Samuel 10:5 records a conversation between Samuel and Saul, and the Prophet says to Saul: “When you arrive at Gibeah of God, where the garrison of the Philistines is located, you will meet a band of prophets coming down from the place of worship. They will be playing a harp, a tambourine, a flute, and a lyre, and they will be prophesying.” Now, when I researched this passage, I was blown away!

When 1 Samuel 10:5 says that the band of prophets, “will be prophesying”, the word prophesying didn’t mean predicting future events, it actually meant that the prophets were singing praises as a form of prophecy; they were releasing a sound of hope and joy! I don’t believe it is any coincidence that the very first introduction we have to the prophetic company commences with a sound of hope being released! According to 1 Samuel 3:1, “…In those days the word of the LORD was rare; there were not many visions.” However, the prophet Samuel is a “type” symbolizing prophetics in the New Testament, and his ministry marks the beginning of a new era in the prophetic—an era characterized by prophetic companies of hope.

When we look at Isaiah, he was a prophet of hope, and in Isaiah 43:19 Isaiah prophesies, “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?” A prophetic company is those who God sends to answer the question Job asked in Job 17:15, ‘where is hope?’ They are the ones God enables to see hope for those who cannot see it themselves, prophesying it into existence!  

Characteristics of the Prophetic Company in a Movement of Hope:

Ezekiel 37:1-4; 7-12: The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. 2 He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. 3 He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I said, “Sovereign Lord, you alone know.” 4 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! 7 So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. 8 I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them. 9 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’” 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army. 11 Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ 12 Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel.

Ezekiel 37 is a picture of the House of Israel that had been scattered and become spiritually dead during the exile that took place. This passage is a picture of a people with no probability of hope. So, God sends Ezekiel to this hopeless, dried up, lifeless people and tells him to prophesy into two main areas: 1. The body, and 2. The breath. Not only did the bodies and lives of this hopeless nation need to rise again and be unified, but a refilling of life needed to take place. For what good is a form that has no life in it?

There are four primary goals and/or elements that characterize the job of the prophetic company in a movement of hope:

1.       Assemble the body into a unified condition (Eze. 37:7-8).

2.       Provide spiritual covering (Eze. 37:8).

3.       Speak life into the Body of Christ, and all those who are in a state of hopelessness (Eze. 37:10).

4.        Prophesy the will of The Lord to bring them into a manifestation of God’s destiny for their life (Eze. 37:12).