At Sutton Vineyard, we believe in the gifts of the Holy Spirit, given to us to be used in our daily lives (1 Corinthians 12:8-10). Prophecy is just one of those gifts that we all have the opportunity to experience. But what exactly is prophecy, and why is it exciting news for each of us? I want to take some time in this post to unpack it a little bit, share some stories, and let you know about an exciting opportunity to develop more in this area of our spirituality.
We do not believe that prophecy is reserved for a chosen few. Instead, we believe that all believers can hear from God. These messages, taking the form of words of encouragement, correction, or even glimpses into the future, are God's way of actively speaking to His people today. Imagine prophecy not as booming pronouncements from a mountaintop but as a gentle nudge, a whispered message from the Holy Spirit directly to you. It can of course come in other forms, but we usually experience nudges, prompts, words or pictures.
The prophetic should usually encourage and edify. It is a beautiful way that God uses each of us to spur each other in our own faith journeys, as individuals and as a church family. All of us can hear from God, and as well as receiving words for others, we should also weigh up words we are given against scripture. At the heart of all we do, including the prophetic, love for one another should be at the heart.
If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.
1 Corinthians 13:2
As we get to know God better, we learn to hear the voice of God and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Prophecy is a gift for all, a beautiful invitation to play a part in the vibrant symphony of the Holy Spirit's work within the church. So open your heart, listen closely, and get ready to hear God's voice in you and through you.
If you would like to explore the prophetic more, we have a Prophecy Training day on Saturday 6th July, our next Development Day! We would love for you to join us - find out more here
Below are a few encouraging stories about experiences of prophecy from some people at Sutton Vineyard:
Julie
Our small prayer group, Walk the Walk, visits churches in Sutton to pray for them; it was put on our hearts to be visible, to lay hands on the buildings and to pray that the Holy Spirit will reign in power, grow His church, blesses its leaders and that love will seep from His house into the community.
Three of us recently visited some churches, praying for protection and to be a blessing. At one church, which we felt we should visit at the last minute, the words "unfinished project" wouldn't leave me. We were delighted to find the church was unlocked and the vicar was present. We prayed for him, his wife, and the new curate. My team members offered beautiful prophetic words, but I felt compelled to share what God had put on my heart – to deliver a message about revisiting and completing a shelved project. It felt mundane compared to the words brought by my team members, but the vicar shared that he would not normally be there on a Friday and he had only come in to revisit a project that had been shelved and to look at the finances to see if they could commence some hefty, much needed building work, so I hope we helped with that decision!
This showed us the power of being a team, and the power of prayer. The vicar referred to our prophetic prayers in his sermon on the Sunday, recounting “a visit by three angels". It is amazing to see how our prayers aligned with God's plan for the church.
Heather
At a recent online prayer meeting, The Fireplace, I had an amazing experience. We were in breakout rooms of three, and during our prayer time, the other women shared incredible things about me, even though they didn't know me beforehand.
The first lady said I was like a "carpet layer," weaving vibrant prayers in all directions. She said I play a key role in God's plans, praying strategically and connecting heaven's power to situations.
The second lady called me a "special fracker," meaning my prayers break ground and pave the way. She even saw my prayers as a giant web catching all the bugs, flies and nasties before they could cause harm.
How gracious of God to encourage me in my praying and with the words I get. I don’t know what happens when I give out the words I get or to the prayers I pray. But given these encouraging words from ladies who don’t know me, don’t know anything about me, It had to be the Holy Spirit, it was awesome.
Tana
Giving a Word:
I recently participated in a student weekend as part of a prophecy team. While praying for a student, the word "Thumbelina" popped into my head. It felt strange, but I trusted the feeling and shared it. The student was incredibly touched! It turned out she'd been asking God for confirmation about becoming a nursery teacher – working with little ones, just like Thumbelina. My word felt like a direct answer from God to her.
Receiving a Word:
Just a week before retiring from my 40-year career, I participated in a virtual prayer group. During the session, someone shared a powerful image with me. They saw me in a tiny, dark room with locked gates. But when you pushed them open, there was a beautiful meadow bathed in sunshine, with meadows and birdsong! It felt like God was saying I'd been feeling boxed in, but a time of newness and transformation was coming, a big open space. Sharing that I was retiring soon from a 40-year career, it felt like a clear message about a new, exciting chapter filled with freedom and light.
Two months in, I can tell you – it's true! I am experiencing this beautiful new way of life described in the picture and looking forward to continuing to move forward into all that God has in store within this new freedom.
Susanne
At a prophetic meeting, called the Fireplace, I attended, I had one word that the Lord gave me which was "tapestry", which led to the word "weaving" for a lady I was praying for. I felt that the Lord wanted her to know that He saw her and that she was weaving Gods' love in all the lives she touched and everything she did.
He gave me Colossians 2:2, a verse about being woven together in love. The lady then showed me a basket she had woven!
Another time, I was at the theatre with my sister and brother-in-law beside me; the woman in front kept blocking my view by hunching over and straightening up. It was infuriating! But during intermission, I felt convicted when I saw her struggling with crutches! I apologised to God for being grumpy and judgmental. He nudged me to pray for her, even though it felt awkward - a stranger, in the middle of the show! I agreed, only if the opportunity arose.
Luckily (I thought), the play started right after intermission, and I thought I’d avoided needing to pray! But then, leaving the theatre, there she was, waiting by the wall. My heart thumped. It felt like God was giving me that chance. "You did promise me Susanne if the opportunity arose, you would pray for her," a voice inside me whispered. Right, I had. My sister, bless her, disappeared into the toilet just then, leaving me alone. Taking a deep breath, I approached the woman. "Would you mind if I prayed for your back?"
She readily agreed. Right there, in the crowded hallway, I placed my hands on her and prayed for healing and peace. She shared that in 15 years of attending church, no one had ever prayed for her like that. When we step out in faith and bless others, we too are blessed. She even said she'd share the story with her church family.