By Andrew Williams
Series: The Year of the Prophet- Month 7: Character, Authority, and the Five-Fold Synergy
Week 29: The Five-Fold Ecosystem
Anchor Scripture: “…that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another… Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.” — 1 Corinthians 12:25, 27 (NKJV)
The Teaching
One of the final tests of prophetic maturity is the Test of Priority. As a Prophet, you carry an intense, high-value gift. You see what others miss, and you feel the weight of the King’s heart. Because of the intensity of the office, it is very easy to fall in love with the Gift and forget the Body it was meant to serve.
Submission to the “Whole” means you have reached a place where you value the health, unity, and peace of the local church more than you value your right to be heard. Many prophets cause “schisms”—divisions or tears in the fabric of the community—because they insist on releasing a word or an “insight” at the wrong time, in the wrong tone, or without regard for the current capacity of the people. They claim they are being “faithful to God,” but if their faithfulness results in the destruction of the Body, they have missed the heart of Christ.
In the spirit realm, the Prophet is like an eye. An eye is a magnificent organ, but an eye that is detached from the head is a tragedy. Your gift only has life and purpose when it is fully integrated into the “Body of Christ.” This requires you to lay your gift on the altar of Corporate Love. It means being willing to stay silent if the “Hand” (the leader) says it’s not the time. It means caring more about the sheep than the “sharpness” of your revelation.
Prophetic Insight
True prophetic authority is measured by how much you love the people you are called to address. If you love your revelation more than the Bride of Christ, you will eventually use your gift to “scold” her instead of “beautify” her. Submission is the proof of love. A mature Prophet realizes that God is the Head of the whole Body, not just the “Prophetic Department.” When you submit your gift to the whole, you are trusting that the Holy Spirit is capable of speaking through the Pastor, the Teacher, and the Apostle to govern your word. You lose the “stardom” of the soloist, but you gain the “security” of the army.
The Activation
Identify a “revelation” or a “point” you have been trying to push in your church or group. Today, perform a Sacrifice of Silence. Say to the Lord: “I love Your Bride more than my insight. I submit this word to the peace of the Body. I refuse to cause a schism to prove I am right.” Spend time praying for the unity of your local church, specifically asking God to bless the other “members” (offices) that you usually find difficult.
Daily Prayer: Lord Jesus, I thank You for the beauty of Your Bride, the Church. I repent for any way I have prioritized my gift over Your people. I choose today to submit to the Whole. Forgive me for my pride and my divisive spirit. Help me to have the same care for others that I have for my own calling. I want to be a healthy member of Your Body. Use my gift to heal and to unify, never to tear or to destroy. Amen.
