By Andrew Williams
Series: The Year of the Prophet- Month 1: The Anatomy of a Prophet
Week 5: Recognition and Receiving
Anchor Scripture: “He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward.” — Matthew 10:41 (NKJV)
The Teaching
As we near the end of our first month, we look at the spiritual “law of transaction” that Jesus established concerning the prophetic office. He spoke of something called a Prophet’s Reward. This is a profound mystery: you do not have to be a prophet to walk in the benefits of a prophet; you simply have to know how to receive one.
The Greek word for “receive” is dechomai, which means to welcome, to take to oneself, or to give access to. Jesus is teaching that the office of the prophet is like a “delivery vehicle” for a specific kind of blessing. However, that blessing is not automatically released to everyone. It is only released to those who receive the person “in the name of a prophet.” This means you aren’t just receiving them as a friend, a speaker, or a nice person—you are recognizing and honoring the divine office they carry.
When you honor the office, you “tap into” the anointing of that office. If a prophet carries a specific grace for breakthrough, for healing, or for divine clarity, that grace flows into the life of the person who receives them. The “reward” is the spiritual fruit of the prophet’s own life and struggle, made available to you because you opened the door of honor. Honor is the currency that buys you access to the prophet’s well.
Prophetic Insight
The “Prophet’s Reward” is often the very thing you have been praying for but could not attain on your own. God frequently sends the answer to your prayer wrapped in the life of a person. If you treat that person as “common,” the reward stays locked. But the moment you recognize the “gift of the person” (Ephesians 4:11), the seal is broken. The Prophet’s Reward is not just for the prophet—it is God’s gift to the receiver. By honoring the messenger, you are actually honoring the King who sent them, and the King responds by releasing the specific blessing that messenger was carrying for you.
The Activation
Identify a prophetic voice or a person in the office of a prophet who has spoken into your life or who serves your community. Today, perform an act of “Reception.” This could be a prayer of thanks for them, a note of encouragement, or a seed of honor. Explicitly say to the Lord: “I receive [Name] as a prophet in my life, and I open my heart to the reward You have placed within them for me.”
Daily Prayer: Lord Jesus, I thank You for the gifts You have given to the men and women You called as prophets. I repent for any time I have treated Your messengers as common or ignored the office they carry. Today, I choose to honor the prophets You have set in my path. I receive them in Your name. I open my life to the ‘Prophet’s Reward’ and ask that the grace they carry would flow into my life and my family. Amen.
