WHY PERSONAL PROPHECY MUST NEVER BECOME A SUBSTITUTE FOR BEING LED BY THE SPIRIT

Sue and I were driving across the parking lot of an Albertson’s having just picked up a few grocery items. Suddenly and unexpectedly, Sue broke forth with an utterance in tongues. I had the interpretation and said aloud, “The time is approaching when you will be going to England.”

We found this prophecy interesting for we had never ministered in England and had no contacts in England. Knowing, however, that if this was of God, He would open the doors, we went about our business and did not try to make it happen.

A short time after this, a friend emailed and invited me to accompany him to England where he had been invited to speak at a large conference. I prayed about it but had no sense in my spirit that I was to accept his invitation, so I politely declined.

A few weeks later, I received a totally unexpected invitation to participate in a panel discussion on the Holy Spirit at Oxford University and to present a 90-minute lecture based on my book, 2000 Years of Charismatic Christianity, which is published by Charisma House. I immediately knew in my spirit that this was the fulfillment of the prophetic word we had received in the Albertson’s parking lot. 

We spent two days at Oxford, and it was a wonderful experience. The panel discussion and my lecture took place in the very same hall where John and Charles Wesley formed the Holy Club, which gave birth to the great Methodist Revival. After my lecture, in which I explained how God has visited His people again and again throughout history with Holy Spirit revival, we laid hands on students and guests to be filled with the Holy Spirit, and some broke forth speaking in tongues. 

God also used the open door at Oxford to open another door to preach in a Sunday morning service in London, which turned out to be an incredible blessing. All in all, it was more than we could have ever imagined but it required being led by the Spirit each step of the way.

In over 50 years of ministry in Pentecostal and charismatic circles, I have encountered similar situations where it was obvious that personal prophecy could not be substituted for being led by the Spirit. Here are two important lessons I want to leave with you from these experiences.

First, never run out and try to make a prophetic word happen. This is what Abraham did and he produced an Ishmael.  If God has truly spoken, He knows all the details of how that word is to unfold, and you must be guided by His Holy Spirit to see it fulfilled according to His plan.

Secondly, never assume that the first opportunity that presents itself is the one God was speaking of. When my friend invited me to accompany him to England, I could have jumped at it and said “yes,” based on the prophetic word I had received. By this time, however, I had learned better and chose to pray, listen, and wait upon the Lord. I am so glad I did.

In conclusion, God may providentially bring a personal prophecy our way to affirm, alert, or encourage, but we must never seek to be led by prophecy. That is not God's plan for the New Covenant believer. We are to be led by the Holy Spirit, as Paul said in Romans 8:14, For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God.

Dr. Eddie Hyatt is on a mission to help "Save America" by directing her back to her founding roots of faith and freedom, which he has documented in books such as America's Revival Heritage (Second Edition), Pilgrims and Patriots (Second Edition) and 1726: The Year that Defined America. These books are available from Amazon and his website at www.eddiehyatt.com.