The Word Through Flesh

Through the anointing of the indwelling Christ, all believers are called to operate as prophets in the currently advancing Kingdom of God. We are a prophetic people who identify with, carry, and release His Word. Prophets manifest the Word of God in speech and action.

As New Covenant prophets, we have access to the mind and heart of God through the indwelling Christ. John calls Christ the logos (John 1:1-3). Jesus is not only God incarnate, but the revelation of God’s mind and heart for humanity, and the operating system which runs the entire universe. Through the indwelling Spirit, we have become plugged into this logos. We have been given access to the infinite database of God’s knowledge (1 Corinthians 2:10-16). With the Holy Spirit, we can log on and surf this database whenever we want to. This is how we communicate and develop relationship with the Lord - by logging into His heart and hearing His voice.

Old Testament prophets represented God’s heart to His people. God used their unique life experiences to shape them into servants who could deeply identify with a particular area of His heart. The prophetic writings are God’s divine Word, but this Word is clothed in human style, circumstances, and personality. This is how God has always chosen to reveal Himself: perfect divine power emanating through human brokenness. Jesus Himself, fully God throughout eternity, assumed the weak form of a man to accomplish His task on earth (Philippians 2:6-8). Jesus, God Himself, wrapped Himself in flesh to love and rescue humanity.

The prophetic language of the Old Testament is indeed the Word of God, but God partnered with the personality of the human writer to transmit the divine message. Thus, when we read the Old Testament prophets, we are receiving the Word of God via uniquely formed vessels. We are encountering God’s heart through the personal lens of each prophet.

This understanding of the Old Testament prophetic reveals to us how the logos dwells and flows through us (Colossians 3:16). God intends all of us to manifest the power, love, and glory of His Son, Jesus. God has planned for each of us to manifest this glory on earth in uniquely powerful ways (Ephesians 2:10). His goal is for every person to grow into their God-intended destiny, living in the fullness of who He has designed them to be.

We now identify with God’s heart, and He with ours, through the death and resurrection of His Son (Hebrews 1:2). Spiritually, we were buried with Him, and have risen again to new life. We are an entirely New Creation. This is the entire basis of our ability to hear and declare the logos of God. We have access to everything He is. The logos embodied is Jesus, who fills all in all (Ephesians 1:23). We have His mind that fills and knows all things. It is the mind of Christ.

As prophets, we are tasked with actively manifesting the logos in order to advance the Kingdom of God. Spiritual gifts are examples of the logos made manifest in the natural. We must always remain sensitive to hear exactly what the Lord is saying over any given person or situation, and how to release what is being said. Acting in a specific way to respond to what is being spoken by God is called a prophetic gesture. Prophetic gestures done in obedience release great power.

Let’s envision this principal in action. Imagine that you are with a body of believers and the Lord begins to highlight someone else to you. This is a great indication that the logos of God is coming to you. Rather than simply assuming it will be a word of encouragement or wisdom, you should ask “Lord, what is the Word for this person and in what way should it be brought into the natural?” These acts of obedience, as simple or as risky as they may be, should always be done out of love for Him and others. Love is God’s power channel.

The goal is not clever theatrics or a miracle, but obedience. Obedience glorifies Jesus by revealing a yielded vessel, through which the Spirit’s power can flow in any way, shape, or form. The total abandonment of pride for His glory and honor pleases Him. Physical acts done in cooperation with the logos release great spiritual shifts.

The Word of the Lord came to me recently during a church service. He highlighted a man in a wheelchair. The Lord asked me to go to him, share a vision I had earlier that day about a man in a wheelchair being healed, and dance around him. I was given vivid instructions for this “Holy Spirit dance,” including what to say to the man after I was finished. I could feel the Word burn in my heart, but I hesitated to act on it, thinking it too “out there.” Soon, the man left. I ran outside, hoping to catch him, but he was already gone. I knew I had missed, at the very least, a good learning opportunity. I asked the Lord to set up a similar situation so I could have another shot.

Weeks later I was in another service and the Lord began to highlight another man in a wheelchair. This was it. The logos was again an instruction to dance around the man. I hesitated and asked God to grace me with confirmation. As we were worshiping, a woman came over and whispered in my ear, “This room needs the fire and power you are carrying. You need to release it.” That was my confirmation.

I got up and approached the man in the wheelchair. I danced in circles around him, praying and chanting in the Spirit, trying hard to enjoy the risk I was taking. I stopped, grabbed his hands, and looked into his eyes. The Lord told me, “Tell him to stand up.” I hesitated and instead asked him how he was feeling in his body. He told me he wasn’t feeling anything. The Lord said again, “Tell him to stand.” I didn’t want him to feel like I was just targeting him to see a miracle, so I bit my tongue. Finally, I asked him, “How about standing up?” He politely declined my request. I nodded understandably and headed back to my seat, trying not to feel stupid for trying.

I began to wonder the whole point of it, until I reached my seat. The moment I did, I felt the power of God come through me and I fell to the ground, shaking uncontrollably. The Lord spoke. “Well done good and faithful servant. Physical obedience releases spiritual power.” I immediately felt a new grace and boldness manifest in my mind. I knew in the moment God was releasing something in the Spirit to me, a reward for my obedience to Him. All along, Jesus had intended it to be a learning experience for me.

Any time that we hear from the Lord, chances are that He wants to invade the situation and reveal His character to us or others. He has chosen us, His prophets, to carry and manifest His Word. This is not just speaking out biblical truths over people or situations. Partnering with Jesus involves us yielding ourselves completely - body, mind, and spirit - in order to manifest His spiritual logos into the natural realm. Our co-laboring with Christ (1 Corinthians 3:9) means partnering with Him in both word and deed.

Everyone carries a unique expression of the prophetic that the Lord wishes to release. Like the Old Testament prophets, He uses our personalities and life experiences to shape us into specialized vessels of His glory. Prophets respond to the Lord’s heart in both word and deed. Jesus, the greatest prophet who ever lived, only did what He saw His Father doing (John 5:19). Our goal should not only be to listen well, but to also act in accordance with what our Father is doing. When we do, we release a greater measure of the love, power, and authority of the indwelling Christ.