From Stephen Mansfield:

“The Celtic Christians understood God as the “Destiny Weaver” and I find this an apt summary of what scripture tells us. We are each unique creations, potentially endowed with great gifts in order to achieve a glorious destiny determined before time by a sovereign God. The original language of one verse even tells us that we are—

“God’s carefully crafted poem, written in advance for divinely ordained moments still ahead of us.”

Few words excite me more than the word destiny. Jeremiah 29:11 and God’s revelatory promise to the prophet:

“I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations” (Jeremiah1:5).

Have you wrestled with those words? Are they limited to Jeremiah or does God set each of us aside or apart for a purpose? Destiny? I want to honestly exegete those words. Are the Four Spiritual Laws specifically accurate, “God has a wonderful plan for your life” or just generally true?

I do know that every person is formed, set apart, and appointed by someone or something.

Howard Schultz founder of Starbucks grew up in poverty in the home of a brutal and careless father. In a moment of rage, the father pulled Howard out of the shower and beat him which set them at silence for over a decade. It was when the younger Schultz learned about PSTD among soldiers that he understood what drove his father who came home from the war emotionally wounded. Now Starbucks is a participant in caring for such soldiers. But words and action set Howard on a different track.

A common sermon from the Apostle Paul is “encourage one another.” He even said, “I wish that you all would encourage.” To “encourage” is one of the elements of personal prophesying. It is my bet that most of us receive more negative prophetic statements than positive, guiding words from the Body of Christ. Observations or corrections or diagnosis can become life-defining.

I’ve been prophesied over a few times. (Prophesying meaning that a person speaks what they are hearing from God about the destiny, work, calling, family or discernment about a question.) Sometimes those prophesies over me were akin to, “God, help this boy grow taller.” Hardly helpful!!

I want to flush all the ignorant, well-intended, but misguided and those who speak curses. Calculate God-directed and Spirit-anointed “words” that give direction, guidance and open the soul to possibilities and God’s plan.

What is clearer to me is that the recipient of a prophet word is not given a “grace-gift.” It is not a present to be received like a birthday gift to which it would be awkward to say, “Thanks. What do I owe you for this?” A prophetic “word” (meaning an image or a verbal paragraph of what is to happen in God’s plan for you) is an implanted image of what is to be—what can be.

Passivity is a prophetic-word killer. (Usually.) We are generally given prophetic words or visions to tell us what God intends to do so we can prepare. Using another charismatic word—I think such a prophetic word should be accompanied by an “impartation”—instructions on what we are to do to prepare to effectively utilize what has been prophesied.

“Lord, what should I be doing to prepare myself and everyone affected by your insight into my destiny?”

If God is the Destiny Weaver, and I believe He is, He works best with us as co-workers. If we have a sense of where we are headed to accomplish X then we can learn what skills we are to acquire, what knowledge we need to add and partners we are to gather around us. Some of us give up too soon and question what happened to the promise or how  we screwed up so severely that God backed out of the deal. Perhaps we have not yet prepared to receive.

The last few days, through a political source and also from a promise 2-3 decades old, a song has added insight.

“Don’t Give Up on the Brink of a Miracle.

Mike Adkins

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TU9wxi6HXZY&list=RDTU9wxi6HXZY&start_radio=1

Don’t give up on the brink of a miracle

Don’t give in God is still on His throne

Don’t give up on the brink of a miracle

Remember you’re not alone.

Copyright ©2019  D.  Dean Benton           Writer, Wonderer, Witness