The Prophetic Ministry

(Ezr 4:24) "Then the work of the house of God at Jerusalem ceased. So it ceased to the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia."

(Ezr 5:1) "Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them."

The work of the house of God ceased in Ezra (4) because of a decree from King Artaxerxes and their enemies went up against the Jews, and by force of arms made them cease.

When we are pursuing the will of God, opposition from our adversary is to be expected. False help and Discouragement will come... Finally for the Jews, the governmental authorities ruled against them, and their enemies stopped the work through violent means.

But what a difference the prophets make... Ezra (5) is a new beginning, not because of any change in the circumstances but, then the prophets prophesied to the Jews. So Zerubbabel and Jeshua rose up and began to build... Afterwards, they sent a letter, through the governor, to the new King Darius... and the rest is history.

Definitely, all Christians can flow in the prophetic, and I believe that Zerubbabel and Jeshua must have understood the prophetic purposes of God even before they returned to Jerusalem. But when the going gets really tough, the prophets of God were with them, helping them.

The prophetic ministry will be critical as we enter this new season of building and warfare. True prophets of God must be allowed opportunities to mature and to make mistakes. After they are tried and tested, they have to also obtain a platform to speak to the people so that their words can take effect.

"But that you, speaking the truth in love, may in all things grow up to Him who is the Head, even Christ; from whom the whole body, fitted together and compacted by that which every joint supplies, according to the effectual working in the measure of each part, producing the growth of the body to the edifying of itself in love. " (Eph 4:15-16)