By Andrew Williams
Series: The Year of the Prophet- Month 3: The School of the Wilderness (Preparation)
Week 12: The Crucible of Testing (Character over Gift)
Anchor Scripture: “Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be clothed with humility, for ‘God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’” — 1 Peter 5:5 (NKJV)
The Teaching
One of the most intense tests in the Crucible is The Test of Submission. There is a common and dangerous myth that the Prophet is a “lone wolf”—a person who answers only to God and is therefore above the correction or direction of any human authority. But in the School of the Wilderness, God destroys this myth. A prophet who is not “under” authority has no right to be “in” authority.
Submission is the “safety harness” of the prophetic office. Because the Prophet “sees” (Day 3) and “bubbles up” (Day 2) with revelation, there is a natural tendency toward spiritual pride. The “lone wolf” prophet eventually becomes an “isolated” prophet, and isolation is the breeding ground for deception and the “strange fire” of the ego.
In the wilderness, God will often place you under a leader who doesn’t see as well as you do, or who may even be slower to move than you are. The test is: can you submit your “revelation” to their “leadership”? Can you hold your “word” until they give the “signal”? Submission does not mean you agree with everything; it means you recognize that God has placed a structural order in His house. When you submit to human authority for the Lord’s sake, you are proving that you trust the God who placed the leader more than you trust your own ability to lead.
Prophetic Insight
Submission is the proof of a “tamed” spirit. A prophet whose spirit is not tamed is a liability to the Body of Christ. If you cannot be told “no,” or “not yet,” or “rephrase that” by a leader, you are not a prophet; you are a rebel with a gift. The Crucible is where God breaks the “Absalom spirit”—the spirit that thinks it can do a better job than the current leader. Remember: God “resists” the proud. If you try to operate outside of authority, you will eventually find yourself fighting against the very God you claim to represent. True authority is only given to those who have mastered the art of being under it.
The Activation
Identify a leader in your life (a pastor, a boss, or a mentor) to whom you have been “resistant” or “critical” in your spirit. Today, perform an act of “Radical Submission.” Ask them for their feedback on something, or simply say, “I am here to serve; how can I support your vision today?” Practice “holding your word” in a meeting until you are asked to speak. Feel the strength that comes from being properly aligned.
Daily Prayer: Lord God, I thank You for the protection of authority. I repent for my independent spirit and my pride. I choose today to be ‘clothed with humility.’ I submit myself to the leaders You have placed over me. Help me to honor the office even when I don’t understand the man. Tame my spirit, Lord, so that I may be a safe and useful vessel in Your house. I am a person under authority. Amen.
