The Dictates of Prophecy

Sometimes it will seem like you are helping prophecy, a thing that seems odd. For His word is supposed to return void without any intervention — or so I thought.

Some prophecies portray how the scripts of certain lives are supposed to be played out; defining or dictating those lives. Take the example of Jacob & Esau. Rebekah inquired of the Lord when her babies kicked within. He said,

“Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.” (Genesis 25:23)

God didn’t explain why the younger would be served by the older, and Rebekah didn’t ask. That was the script. When Esau gives up his birthright therefore, he was in hindsight playing out prophecy.

We call Jacob a supplanter for ‘stealing’ Esau’s blessing. But, Esau had already given up the mandate that preceded his father’s blessing. Since he was no longer holding position as ‘first born’, the spiritual blessing of first borns was not after him, but another who held the birth right.

Rebekah ‘helped’ the prophecy by making Jacob wear skin to appear hairy as Esau. If she hadn’t eavesdropped, I think prophecy would never have been fulfilled. Esau could have come back and cooked for his father. Rebekah even made the venison as special as Isaac liked it.

In the end, what God spoke truly came to pass. This was beyond sibling rivalry. Jacob represented the New Testament sons of God who come in the likeness of Christ — gentiles who have believed on Him inclusive, who relate with God not according to works (represented by Esau’s hard work and ‘outdoorism’) but by faith and rest in the finished work of Jesus (represented by Jacob’s abundant tent dwelling) on the other hand.

So, the prophecy was much more than a first born’s offence (even if the gap between these twins isn’t that significant). God’s grand plan was already being foreshadowed millennia prior.

Now prophecy varies, and even if it’s meant to dictate a path, or define one’s steps, it may be hindered if these other things are not done as well;

1. If it is not known
2. If it is not remembered
3. If it is not believed

Jacob feared Esau, and yet Esau was the one to serve him instead. If Rebekah had clearly stated it out for him, he would not have been timid to face his brother. He didn’t know.

In 2018, I received prophecy that I’d board a plane around the same time the year following. None in my nuclear family had. I journaled it and forgot about it.

The following year, under a church leadership program, we were tasked to board for a Kenyan conference. Ends weren’t meeting. I was frustrated. And one time as I fasted and prayed, God led me to where I had written the prophecy.

Once I read it, the power to perform availed. I had about a week to pay up for my plane ticket and accommodation, and as surely as the Lord is faithful, the money located me quickly. And … I flew!

Now, even if I remembered that prophecy, if I had not believed it, perhaps the power to perform could not have been birthed!

There was a man (a lord infact) who doubted Elisha’s prophecy during a severe famine in 2 Kings 7 that by the following day the famine would be o’er. God didn’t discount the else that believed. Only the man that doubted vocally died! And he died  as the prophecy unfolded before him.

While the locals ran to the camp of the enemy to gather loot, the unbeliever was trampled underfoot in some sort of stampede, and died!

Don’t be him today.

Know which prophecy (both generic and custom that) pertains to you, remember it (recite or revisit it), and believe that He that promised is faithful. When these are adhered to, it’s hard to miss the fulfilment of it.

Rebekah did all she did because she knew and remembered what was spoken. Therefore, when life was going a different direction, she intervened.

Helping prophecy only follows if your life seems to be walking out the given script. If you are experiencing strife at work for example, and a lot of resistance, and even demotion; you must know that you are the head and not the tail, destined to be above ONLY and not beneath.

After knowing it, remind yourself of it, believing it despite what you are seeing; walking by faith and not by sight.

Eventually, that prophecy will dictate and mold your life to be exactly what it says of you!

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Psalms 78:19-22 They even spoke against God himself, saying, “God can’t give us food in the wilderness. Yes, he can strike a rock so water gushes out, but he can’t give his people bread and meat.” When the Lord heard them, he was furious. The fire of his wrath burned against Jacob. Yes, his anger rose against Israel, for they did not believe God or trust him to care for them.

Hebrews 4:2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

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The word will only profit you, if you (firstly know it, and secondly; if you) mix it with faith)