Prophesying in the Opposite Spirit
CLASS ASSIGNMENT:
PROPHESYING IN THE OPPOSITE SPIRIT
HEARING SOMETHING NEGATIVE
The other day I was having my nails done, and when a lady came through the door and sat down behind me, I heard, “Liposuction.” About 10 minutes later another lady sat down next to me and I heard, “Back biting.” Due to the environment, I silently prayed for them and then left them in the hands of the Lord.
I pondered these later and wondered, “What if those were Words of knowledge given to me to launch a prophetic Word for them?” I honestly did not know if I was hearing the Lord and it was the gift of discerning of demonic spirits, or if I was hearing demons declare their names, or if I was hearing the hidden motives in people’s hearts. But what mattered to me, was that my spiritual ears were opened and I turned to the LORD about what I heard, rebuked any demonic and asked HIM about these things. When I got up to leave, I turned around and the lady sitting behind me was about 350 pounds or more, so that was my confirmation, although I didn’t know why I heard it.
I had the intuitive sense that even though I silently prayed for them, I heard those because of our stirring our spiritual gifts class. I had an in-the-flesh conversation with the Lord on the way home, basically telling Him that giving me such Words of knowledge were not helpful and what is a person supposed to do with such things?
In His loving patience, He reminded me that when we prophesy, it has to start from somewhere. As I saw a group of people learning to prophesy, I saw a hand in the sky pour out tiny pieces of paper, like confetti over the crowd. I heard Him say, “Piece and part.”
1 Cor 13:9-10 NKJV
For we know in part and we prophesy in part.
1 Cor 13:9 AMP
For our knowledge is fragmentary (incomplete and imperfect), and our prophecy (our teaching) is fragmentary (incomplete and imperfect).
I realized that each person in the crowd was only given one tiny piece of confetti! We are given a starting point, and then as we step into that word on that tiny piece of paper, He reveals more. The more we share, the more they receive, the more He gives us more pieces of confetti!
But what do we do if when we read the word on our confetti and it is a negative Word?
Sometimes when we lay hands on someone, or go to pray for them, or they have asked for a prophetic Word, we discern something that is negative. And once that happens, it can trip us up because all we can think of is the negative stumbling block.
Words of warning, correction and admonition come through a different kind of ministry, usually related to leadership teaching, words of wisdom and counsel. Scripture tells us that NT prophesying, on the other hand, is to comfort, build us and encourage us. So we have a safe boundary to understand the grid of prophesying. That scripture grid helps us understand that even if we hear a negative word, HOW we are to respond to it.
1 Cor 14:2-4 NKJV
But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men.
The Lord has told us to overcome evil with good. He is our good Shepherd and works everything for our good, because that is Who He is and because we love Him.
Heb 5:14
But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.
Rom 12:21
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
Rom 8:28
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
TIPS ON HOW TO MINISTER TO REVEALED STUMBLING BLOCKS
1. Consider understanding the actual negative “word” better by looking it up in the dictionary or thesaurus.
In real life, you probably wont have time to go look up a word. But if you can understand the idea of pondering the meaning of the word, using as many different definitions as you can, it helps you get a well rounded grip of the subject.
2. Consider searching the opposite positive meaning of the “word” by looking it up in its antonym.
Considering the opposite meaning of the word is going to help you think of scriptures that talk about that opposite meaning.
Once you have a good grip on understanding the nature of what the Lord has revealed, and its opposite concept:
3. Ask the Lord for a scripture that is the opposite, “positive” side of the subject.
It might be a promise, it might be a decree, it might be a true story of someone in scripture, it might be a Word of wisdom, etc. Scripture has the greatest power to dethrone the negative in someone’s life. When Jesus was tested by satan, He quoted the Word of God: “It is written.”
4. Consider asking the Lord what kind of things took place for this negative concept to happen.
It is usually the root issues that the Lord wants to minister to, when a person is dealing with a stumbling block in their life. Then perhaps instead of actually stating the negative concept, go back and minister to the part that caused the negative concept. You might hear a small phrase, you might see a picture or receive an impression.
5. Consider how the person who is dealing with the stumbling block FEELS.
You might prophesy the opposite of shame, grief, anger, sorrow, disappointment, self blame, self rejection, self destruction. (perhaps look up the opposite antonyms to understand what these words are, and then ask for a scripture that talks about that opposite good subject.) You might actually emotionally feel something that does not belong to you. Identify that as a Word of knowledge and go for it.
One time I laid hands on a women and I was overcome by grief. My heart hurt and I had such a heaviness I could barely stand up. I immediately started to cry and asked her if she had just lost a loved one. She had not only lost her husband, but she lost her home and had just moved in with her in-laws and had just returned to work. When she told me this, it was like a dead person talking… no face expression, monotone and totally numb on the outside. I held her in my arms and cried and cried for her. She broke down in tears and it was only then I was able to really minister to the need so deeply entrenched inside of her.
6. Ask the Lord to give you a quickened memory about the subject.
Memories are almost always stories of some sort. They can be happenings in your life, in someone you know, someone you heard about, or any story you heard, saw or read from somewhere. This memory is probably your key to understanding the person, their event, their response, the entire scene. This memory is the bigger picture surrounding your first tiny piece of confetti.
7. Prophesy according to your measure of faith.
You may be choosing positive words that say the victory is a done deal and already happened. Or you might choose words that say where a person has been, where he is now and where he is going. Both ways are the Lord, and both take degrees of faith to speak it and also receive it. Sometimes your word choices need to be honed to the person’s ability to receive. Sometimes your word choices are outlandish because they are directly challenging demons and the person will get deliverance from the power of what you speak. In all cases, be sensitive to let the Holy Spirit fill you with His Words and His measure of faith for that situation.
8. Honor the person and the environment.
If you have heard a negative buzz word that identifies what the person is dealing with, sometimes these are really strong labels. They can sometimes be very painful for a person to admit. They can be very sensitive issues that is not conducive to other people hearing what you know.
Most people feel that whatever has happened to them is their fault. It may or may not be true, but the Lord never points a finger and the enemy always points. Just be sensitive that most of these negative buzz words are bad news and so the more we know how to describe the word without actually saying it, might be a loving, wise and humble service to the person.
Consider Jesus and the woman at the well. She already knew she was an outcast, being a Samaritan speaking to a Jew. He didn’t say she was an adulterous woman. He did not say she was a sinner. Nor did He say she was breaking the laws of God. Each of those were true labels. He did not go through her house overturning her tables, like He did in the temple. Rather He said that she had 5 husbands, which she obviously was not ashamed of, else she would not have lived in such a way. The way He portrayed His knowledge of her life reached her and she became the town’s evangelist bringing others to Him.
LESSON: PROPHESYING IN THE OPPOSITE SPIRIT
For this assignment we are going to prophesy the positive over a negative stumbling block. Here are the negative issues that we will be dealing with in this lesson. Some of these happened to a person, and some of these identify the person’s behavior.
1. Abused
2. Falsely accused
3. Abandoned
4. Failed
5. Bitter
6. Anger
7. Rejected
8. Critical
9. Controlling
HOW TO WRITE YOUR ASSIGNMENT
You will not be prophesying to a specific person this time. You will be prophesying over a specific condition or behavior. You will be speaking about the subject in a positive way. You will be speaking ways to conquer the past with God’s goodness, mercy, favor, wisdom, and reward. Here is an example to follow.
1) Identify the stumbling block.
2) Describe the stumbling block as though it were a person. You can use the descriptions you found in a thesaurus if you want.
3) Focus on the scripture, the picture, the feeling, root issue or the memory that came to you… and prophesy resolution to that negative.
EXAMPLES:
BACK BITING: I sense that you are disappointed in people. They rarely meet your expectation and you want them to make different choices than they do. It temporarily helps you to talk about these to unload your soul, but this is hurting you and others. I am reminded of the cat who hissed in the mirror. One day she walked past the mirror and it scared her. She hissed and her hair stood on end. She batted her paw and felt the cold, hard surface of the mirror and realized it was herself. It is true that what we stumble over the most in others, is what is inside ourselves. Sometimes God loves us so much that He puts a mirror in front of us. It may be a surprise, but He does this because He loves us and He wants to deliver us.
The Lord is going to fill your mouth with His Word. He is going to give you a mouth and wisdom that even your adversaries wont be able to resist. The Lord is going to give you rivers of flowing waters, which will spring forth life to everyone around you. Your mouth will testify of God’s goodness to all who will listen. As to those whom once disappointed you, your heart will be filled with so much understanding that your mouth will be filled with the wisdom to God to speak into their situations and turn them around for good. He will use your mouth for praise and honor and it shall be His greatest gift in your life.
Prov 25:11-12 NKJV
A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver. Like an earring of gold and an ornament of fine gold is a wise rebuker to an obedient ear.
Ps 19:14 NKJV
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer.
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LIPOSUCTION: I know how badly you want to be “normal” and just fit in with those around you. I understand how hard it is to be constantly reminded that you are different. The Lord feels your pain of self rejection and how you do the very thing you hate yourself for, to try and cover over your pain. He wants to heal you from the inside out. He wants you to know that you are accepted in the Beloved. You are highly favored and He loves you with His everlasting love. There will come a day that what you believe on the inside will radiate with His beauty on the outside. And this beauty will not be what man can create, but only what God can create.
When we are formed into Jesus’ image, God alone carves us. He whittles here, and He whittles there. It is not a instant experience, it is a process. What He carves within us is an eternal work, something lovely and pure. What He is fashioning within you is so glorious that you will not recognize yourself once He is done. I rejoice with you, as I witness the angels surround you with rejoicing songs of victory as you begin to see yourself as God sees you.
Rom 8:29-30 NKJV
For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
CLASS RESPONSES TO THE ASSIGNMENT
FALSELY ACCUSED
Precious one, I silently watched when you were put on trial and accused. The enemy sought to destroy you, but you stood your ground and trusted Me in every step. Your testimony revealed My manifold wisdom to the principalities and powers and it was your trust in Me and My Word that overcame all.
Precious, let the shame and nakedness wash off you, and walk no more in such. For I see you differently, My beloved one. I see you as willing and yielded to lay your life down for Me. I see you laying low to change when you see yourself not measuring up to My Word. I AM so proud of you, for being My witness to all the spiritual world. You overcame the accuser by standing upon what My Word says and you submitted to Me in every place that the enemy pointed. Even unto death to self will, did you lay your life down before all. Thank You My child.
The enemy’s voice has been silenced. Please stop blaming yourself, for I have pounded my gavel and completely exonerated and vindicated you. Case dismissed.
Eph 3:10-13 NKJV
…to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.
Rev 12:10-11NKJV
Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.
Apprehended,
Charged and
Criminated.
Utterly cast down.
Slandered yes, but now FORGIVEN.
Exonerated, now you stand through
Death to self.
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FAILURE
My beloved child,
Stand up on your feet. Lift up your head and incline your ear to Me.
This has been a difficult season for you but you must not give up now. I am not disappointed in you. I know your heart and your longing to walk by My Spirit in obedience. I will help you in the matter which concerns you.
You are learning to depend on Me and not upon your own strength. All good things which last an eternity are worked through My Spirit in you.
Lay this failure down at the Cross now for I have good news. You shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth fruit in season; your leaf shall not wither; and what ever you do shall prosper.
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FAILURE
My Beloved –
I know that sometimes you look back on your life with anguish and regret. Take heart – I redeem the past and today is a new day. Seek my plans which will give you a hope and a future. I have called you and will use your past failures to carve your character and influence everything you do in the coming days. Learn from your past experiences and don’t let them torment and capture you with words of failure, but trust Me and I will fill you with peace and joy . I will redeem the time for you.
“For I know the plans I have for you, ” declares the Lord, “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future.” Jer. 29:11
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CRITICAL/CRITICISM – OPPOSITES
Beloved one, He loves you so! He sees all your faults and failures and missteps, and He knows everyone of them. He knows every word that is on your lips, and even with that knowledge, He loves you unconditionally. You are so hard on yourself; so quick to find fault. Your inward sense of failure has caused you to withdraw and to quickly become critical of any and all who may come near you. You have trained yourself only to see the flaws and not the good, both in yourself, and in others. This fault-finding has caused a deception of self protection, which has really resulted in your being isolated and alone. But He is wooing you back to Himself, back to His love, back to His grace, and back into fellowship with others. And that boomerang of criticism, where you get hit from an unexpected point by your own judgements that have come full circle, He is going to break that cycle and cause that to cease once and for all.
The Lord wants to flood your heart with mercy and grace. The exacting that you have required of yourself and other people, He wants to remove. He is expanding your heart with His love so that no longer will you feel that it is a narrow and tight place to walk, but it is open and spacious, bec ause He is pouring out His GRACE ALL OVER YOU. No longer will you look at sins with a tweezers and microscope: neither the sins that belong to you, nor the sins of others.
He wants to wash away the tendency to focus on the faults of yourself and others. He wants you to sit at the Mercy Seat and receive His healing love. He wants you to bring the hearts of others to Him in intercession, and He wants you to release all judgements you have pronounced over others and over YOURSELF. He will defend your heart. He will cover you with His love, and He will cover them too.
Then when the unlovely come to you, you will be able to love them, and they will begin to love themselves. You will see the potential in them, and not just their present condition. You will see where people are ensnared and know how to pray for them. And as you sit close to His heart, you will walk out many merciful intercessions on the behalf of many needs. But all He wants right now is for you to let Him love you exactly the way you are.
“For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you. Matthew 7:2
Heb 4:16 Amp
Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace (the throne of God’s unmerited favor to us sinners), that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find grace to help in good time for every need [appropriate help and well-timed help, coming just when we need it].
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ABANDONED
My Chosen Child,
I HEAR your heart cry, I FEEL your loneliness, I KNOW your thoughts and I SEE you. MY gaze is upon you! Those times when you feel like you had been forgotten, left out, rejected, deserted, unworthy, I have never left you or forsaken you and I never will! You have been chosen and pre-destined. You are hemmed in, behind and before. I knit you together in your mother’s womb. I have plans for you, to prosper you; to give you a hope and a future. Remember the great leader Moses, when he was a baby placed in the basket in the Nile by his mother…even then, I had my eye on baby Moses for MY higher purpose, position and calling. MY eye is always on the sparrow, and it is also watching you. In fact, you are the apple of MY eye. I carry you close to ME and underneath are My everlasting arms. Draw near to ME, MY child! Just as the sheep know the shepherd’s voice, so you will hear MY whispers, MY beckoning. I will leave the 99 to come after you…the one…my chosen lamb.
Please know that you are MY treasure. You are valued, needed and significant. You have an assignment to be part of furthering MY Kingdom here on earth; anointed and appointed, you will be a person that is quick to notice, invite and include others simply because you are sensitive to MY Spirit inside of you. You have a heart of compassion for the lost and lonely, pursue them as I have pursued you! I cherish you and want you to know how wide, long, high and deep is MY love for you.
Josh 1:5 – As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.
Eph 1:4-5 – In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will-
John 14:16-21 – I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever- the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.”
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ANGER:
Beloved, do not be upset by the things that you see with your natural eyes, but come to Me and focus on Me and I will teach You how to live in My Kingdom. Come away with Me, My Bride! You are My delight and know that I do delight in you. You were created in My image, for My purpose and My delight! Come away with Me and I will give you the peace that your heart desires!
Song of Solomon 2:3
As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my Beloved among the sons. I sat down under His shadow with great delight, and His fruit was sweet to my taste.
Isaiah 62:4
Thou shalt no more be termed Forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed Desolate: but thou shalt be called Hephzibah, and thy land Beulah: for the LORD delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married.
Psalm 37:4
Delight thyself also in the LORD: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
Psalm 37:11
But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
Main Entry: 1an·ger
Pronunciation: \ˈaŋ-gər\
Function: verb
Inflected Form(s): an·gered; an·ger·ing
Date: 13th century
transitive verb : to make angry intransitive verb : to become angry
Synonym/Antonym:
Entry Word: anger
Function: noun
Meaning: an intense emotional state of displeasure with someone or something
Synonyms angriness, furor, fury, indignation, irateness, ire, outrage, rage, spleen, wrath, wrathfulness. Related Words aggravation, annoyance, exasperation, irritation, vexation; animosity, antagonism, antipathy, bile, bitterness, contempt, enmity, grudge, hostility, rancor; envy, jaundice, jealousy, pique, resentment; malevolence, malice, spite, venom, virulence, vitriol; belligerence, contentiousness, contrariness, disputatiousness, orneriness, pugnacity, querulousness; blowup, flare-up, outburst; dander, dudgeon, huff, pet, rise, ruffle, temper; delirium, heat, passion, warmth
Near Antonyms calmness, forbearance, patience
Antonyms delight, pleasure
This was from my daily devotional regarding the offerings we bring before the Lord:
In Genesis 4:3-5, it is written,
“As time passed, it happened that Kayin (Cain) brought an offering (minchah) to HaShem from the fruit of the ground. Hevel (Abel) also brought some of the firstborn of his flock and of the fat of it. HaShem respected Hevel and his offering (minchah), but he didn’t respect Kayin and his offering (minchah). Kayin was very ANGRY, and the expression on his face fell.”(HNV revised)
The word used in this text is “minchah”,[5] which means “gift”, “sacrifice”, “offering”, “meal offering”. The word minchah is normally used to describe offerings that have no blood, but in this case we see that it can include blood sacrifice as well. Hevel’s offering was an animal, which possibly was sacrificed by fire. Kayin offered a meal offering of grain and fruit from the ground. That is why Kayin’s offering was not accepted. He was, as we know, not a poor man and he could have offered an animal.
What were the reasons for Kayin’s (Cain) offering not being received?
· He did not have the right attitude toward HaShem. He did not give Him of the best and the most valuable.
· He did not have the right attitude toward his brother. Relationships with neighbors is key when presenting an offering before the Eternal, compare with Matthew 5:23-24.
· He did not offer an animal, but only the growth of the ground, even though he had the possibility to.
· He did not care about the revelation of the shedding of blood that was given in the Garden of Eden, when HaShem sacrificed a lamb in order to clothe man and thus cover the nakedness that was caused by the sin.
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BITTERNESS
Some very hurtful and damaging things have happened to you that bring devastating memories and a root of bitterness. Bitterness is a simmering combination of anger and fear from the past. It lies deeply within like a hurting animal caught in a trap, biting and snaping at anyone trying to help. This prevents love from operating in your life as it should. Instead of being open to trust and love, you have found yourself suspicious of the motivations of others and keep fleeing instead of advancing in love.
The Lord will take this burden from you and pull it out by the root so that you can open up and flow in His love. You will be able to forgive those who have hurt you. You will be wise as a serpent and harmless as a dove. He wants you to be rooted and grounded in His love, to have His wisdom, and to have a sweetness of spirit like Jesus. He sets you free from the fowler’s snare.
“Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler” Psalm 91:3a
” looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled” Hebrews 12:15
“that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height; to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” Ephesians 3:16-19
“(Love) thinks no evil…..bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. ” 1 Corinthians 13:5b, 7-8a
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REJECTED
You have come to this fountain, where I am offering you a drink and you would not accept it, simply because you have suffered so much rejection that you have not comprehended or even mustered the strength to decipher. Says the Lord! Know that in this place where I have placed you, I have anointed and appointed you in this hour to overcome all obstacles that have been placed in your way. You will no longer be the tail, but you are the head now. Above and not beneath in every situation that will confront you. In this hour rejoice in Me, know that no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me,” declares the Lord. Isaiah 54:17.
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ABUSE–
You are hurt and wounded and so you sometimes lash out to protect yourself. You want to love but are often afraid to. You guard yourself so no one can see in very far. You are often lonely but don’t connect that you are pushing the others away and closing the doors. The Lord is there with you but you must turn towards him and open the door of your heart to receive the healing He has for you. You were not abandoned. He cried as he saw what happened. He was the one who helped you to pick up the pieces and has kept you even today. There is much he wants to show you about what happened. Much you do not know. He paid the price once for all. For all. Open your heart and receive his love for you. His love is an overcoming love, a love so incredible it will sooth, heal and restore much you thought was lost to you forever.
Ps 38:18 The Lord is near the brokenhearted, and saves the crushed in spirit.
1 Thess 5:15 See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and all.
Mt 5:11 Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted (abused) the prophets who were before you.
I am always amazed at the stories of survival that surface from the lives of the saints. The devil has always tried to wound, hurt, demoralize, and outright kill the saints. It is as though we are marked in a way. We are marked by the presence of Almighty God and the Devil wants to destroy the seed before it grows and produces its abundant and everlasting fruit. We are overcomers, we saints. And the promise and beauty of our reward in heaven will always outweigh the hurt. God promises us this.
Lk 12:4-5 “I tell you friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that can do nothing more. But I will warn you whom to fear; fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell.”
We all will give an account. Let our account be of love and forgiveness and let the Lord repay.
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