Living Close to God
A prophetic life is one that is close to God and carries His Presence. It is a life that pleases God because it is a life lived for Him. People who make an effort to include God more in their lives are adopting a prophetic lifestyle because they are allowing God to lead and guide their decisions, aspirations and goals. Most all religions of the world have one thing in common is a belief in God. Most Christians believe that God is a Supreme Spiritual Being who loves His people and wants to be part of their daily lives.
However, different denominations interpret and practice this belief in different ways. Some denominations are content to keeping God within the confines of their little physical house, i.e. the church, and are happy with visiting Him once or twice a week to learn a bit more about His ways. Other denominations are very much into worship and praise and vocal displays of their devotion to God. Yet others have a more passive approach to their faith, keeping it a very personal and private matter between God and them. Regardless of your outward manifestations of your faith, God knows your heart, and that is what will determine the kind of life you live.
The Way Jesus Walked
Living a prophetic life is akin to living the way Jesus lived when He walked on earth. By studying the Gospels you can get a pretty accurate picture of His words and deeds which reflect His lifestyle. Through His teachings and practices He expressed His views on love, understanding, forgiveness and happiness quite clearly. For the same reason, He was very clear regarding His feelings about self-righteousness, selfishness, lack of love and greed. Jesus practiced and preached many concepts that were contrary to the norms of society of His day. In fact, by studying more about His life on earth, you will discover quite a few contradictions between His ways and the ways of man. Yet He lived a prophetic life.
Jesus lived a prophetic life because His teachings came from God. The fact that it went against the grain of man’s teachings revealed how far man had strayed from God during that era. However, if you take a good look at the world today, many similarities remain. If you choose to live a prophetic life today, you still have to buck the tide of man’s ways to follow God’s ways. Living a prophetic lifestyle means walking in Jesus’ footsteps, regardless of what the rest of the world is doing. That may be just as difficult today as it was in His time. But He came to show the world that living for God could be done. He led the way. Now it is up to His followers to do the same.
The Road Less Traveled
Living a prophetic life is no cakewalk. But it certainly is a rewarding and joyful life! When you live this life, people can more readily see God in you. You, in essence, reflect God to others. You allow Him to show His power through you via the spiritual or physical gifts He gives. Some of God’s physical gifts include the gift of healing and the gift of miracles. His spiritual gifts include faith, the gift of prophecy, discernment, wisdom, knowledge and more. When you live your life the way God has ordained you to, you accomplish His purpose and fulfill your destiny. At the end of your earthly days, you can return to your heavenly abode with the satisfaction of knowing you completed your mission here on earth to the best of your ability.
The more of God’s presence you allow in your life, the closer you become to the Source of all that is loving and good. That is what Jesus was trying to show us when He lived among us in the flesh. Jesus is the ultimate sample of living a prophetic life. By following in His footsteps, we take up the same challenge. It is a challenge to modern day discipleship and to continue the work that He began so long ago until His glorious return. It is a life all Christians should strive for and encourage others to do the same.