The Eagle Way No 9

The New Testament Prophet

"And in these days prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch. Then one of them, named Agabus, stood up and showed by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius Caesar. Then the disciples, each according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea. This they also did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul" (Acts 11:27-30).

Agabus is an example of the “office” or “ascension gift” in the New Testament. (Ephesians 4:11, 12) “And He Himself [Christ] gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers. V12, for the perfecting [equipping, making fit, making fully qualified for service] of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying [building up] of the body of Christ.”   
A prophet is a spokesman for God, one who speaks forth by divine inspiration, moved by the Spirit of God and hence a spokesman, solemnly declares to men what he has received by inspiration, especially concerning future events, and in particular such as relate to the cause and kingdom of God and to human salvation. 

This role differs from the manifestations “phanerōsis” [an expression of] the gift of prophecy in the life of the believer (1Cor 12:7).  A prophet [pro, “forth” and phemi, “to speak”] therefore, entails a Christ - appointed ministry of a person rather than the Holy Spirit – distributed gift through a person. 

In the New Testament, this office was not sensationalized as it tends to be today. 
Such an attitude is unworthy, both in the prophet and in those to whom he miniseries, and is certain to result in an unfruitful end. Paul the apostle was addressing such assumption of the prophetic office when he issued the challenge in  “If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord. But if anyone is ignorant, let him be ignorant” (1 Corinthians 14:37, 38).
  The spiritually minded will receive Paul’s instructions with apostolic authority. Those who reject them are responsible for the consequences of their ignorance. There is a calling for submission to spiritual authority rather than self-serving independence.

The office of the prophet cannot be taken lightly. There is nothing in the New Testament  that reduces the stringent requirement for serving this role and ought to be regarded seriously, as written in (Deuteronomy 18:20-22) “But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in My name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.' "And if you say in your heart, 'How shall we know the word which the LORD has not spoken?'— "when a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.”

Prophecy is nothing to be “experimented” with, for souls are in the balance in the exercise of every ministry.

Further wisdom may be gained by noting that on biblical terms there is more than one type of ministry by a prophet. The measure for us is the remarkable predictive gifts of prophets like Daniel, Isaiah, Zechariah, and John. The other traits of the prophetic office are seen:

1)    Preaching- especially at a national or international level (John the Baptist)

2)   Teaching- especially when unusual insight is present and broad impact is made in serving God’s people (Ezra).

3)   Miracles – as remarkable signs to accompany a prophet’s preaching (Elijah).

4)   Renewal – as with Samuel (1 Samuel 3:21; 4:1) or that called for by the psalmist and by Amos (Psalm 74:9 and Amos 8:11, 12).

This incident of Agabus resulted in effective action by the church rising to meet a challenging situation. This is a valid test of the prophetic office and calling. It is for edification and not for self promotion, but to build, enlarge, forth-tell and foretell into the body of Christ whether locally or globally.

The Eagle Way No 8

John The Baptist Ministering

We need to become Strong in Spirit

"So the child grew and became strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel" (Luke 1:80). NKJV

"And the child grew and became strong in character, and lived in the Desert till the time came for him to appear publicly to Israel" (Luke 1:80). WNT  

We read in the last verse, of Luke chapter one verse eighty, a short account of John Baptist training and lifestyle. Though he was the son of a high priest, he did not, like Samuel, go up, when he was a child, to minister before the Lord in the temple. John the Baptist was in the deserts of Israel there he was prepared and made ready to preach a different message a message of the kingdom and to prepare the people for the coming of the Lord Jesus.

1)    John’s life prior to his public ministry:  
    John was in the wilderness, prophets used the isolation of the uninhabited wilderness to enhance their spiritual growth and to focus on their message and mostly on God’s call.

By being in the wilderness, John remained separate from the economic and political powers so that he could prepare his life and message. He also remained separate from the hypocritical religious leaders of his day. His message was to be different, and his lifestyle was proof of his obedience.

2)    Luke tells us about his spiritual growth during his early years:  
    “the child grew and became strong in spirit” [character].   This emphasis is on the inward man; by his reputation; by reason of conscience (the candle of the Lord) his character had become strong. He had strong judgment and strong resolution “waxed strong in the spirit” (KJV)

By this it appeared that he was filled with the Holy Spirit; for those that are strong in the Lord are strong in spirit. "For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb (Luke 1:15). How important is our spiritual development to God not what we look like on the outside, or where you were born, or what kind of clothes we wear?  God looks at the heart, and if you want to prepare yourself for ministry, start with your heart. 

3)   Preparation for John’s ministry took place in the desert, a place of solitude:  
    “He was in the desert;” not that he lived as a hermit; or cut himself off from the society he lived in. It appears he went up to Jerusalem at the feasts, and frequented the synagogues on the Sabbath day.  But his regular residence was in the wilderness of Zuph or Maon, which we read of in the story of David. There he spent most of his time, in contemplation and devotion. His ministry education was not in schools, or at the feet of the rabbi.

John Baptist, ministry was in a place of obscurity at the age thirtieth years until God called Him forth “was in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel.”  There is a time when your calling and ministry will be ready for public appearance a predetermined time, “For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.” (Habakkuk 2:3).

4)   Some important principles to remember:

1. Many feel like God will never use them, I’m too old/too young, too something – wait for Him do not be impatient, wait for the appointed time; God's timing;
2.  Be faithful where God has placed you;
3.  Develop your life and get ministry training so that you will be ready for His call;
4. God will promote you from your wilderness place, when He has completed the training in your life, even from that place of obscurity to a place where His spirit will manifest in and through your life to the glory of God;
5. One of the reasons God has being giving you desert training, is to toughen your resolve, to deepen your determination, to enlarge our capacity for more of Him; to strength your character to be able to over come daily temptations;
6. In the desert you will learn things you cannot learn in the synagogues and the church; the intensity of increased pressure cause you to become strong in spirit;
7. In the desert the heat gets turned up, the fire burns on the outside and the inside of us, the fire burns up the dross, the impurities rise to the surface so that they can be dealt with;
8. The fire of the Holy Spirit also ignites a passion for our God, a hunger for the Bread of heaven a thirst for the Living water, a weeping for the joy of the Lord.  “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled” (Matt 5:6).

The Eagle Way No 7

Earnest Perseverance in Prayer

Luke 11:10 -13 “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. v11 "If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? v12 "Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? v13 "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"

We are told to keep on asking, seeking and knocking. All three verbs are continual: Jesus is not speaking of single event, but of those that continue in earnest perseverance. These metaphors speak of a seriousness and passion; all too often, our prayers are merely desires cast up to heaven, this is not real prayer. 
Jesus encourages fervency and constancy in our prayer commitment. We must come for what we need, as a man does to his friend or neighbour. If God does not answer our prayers speedily, yet He wills, in an appropriate time, if we do not lose heart but continue to pray.


We need to ask for the Holy Spirit, to show us what is necessary to pray for and to ask our heavenly Father for all His spiritual wisdom. For it is by the influence of the Holy Spirit that we are brought into the knowledge of God and ourselves. He leads us to repent, to believe in, and to love Jesus as our Lord.


All these blessings our heavenly Father is more ready to bestow on everyone that asks for them, more than a generous parent is to give food to a hungry child. And this is the advantage of the prayer of faith, that it quiets and establishes the heart of God. What can we expect from God, especially when we recognize that He doesn't owe us anything and that we don't deserve His grace and favour? 


Jesus used this illustration of late-night guest to teach his listeners an important principle about how God treats us in contrast to the kind of treatment we might expect from friends or neighbors.


The rule of hospitality in biblical times required the collaboration of the entire community in entertaining an unexpected late-night guest. Whether the guest was hungry or not, a meal would be served. In a village it would be easy to know who had baked bread. Bread was essential for a meal because it served as an instrument for dipping and eating from the common dishes. Asking for bread from one's neighbour was both a common occurrence and an expected favour. To refuse to give bread would bring shame because it was a sign of inhospitality.


If a neighbour can be imposed upon and coerced into giving bread in the middle of the night, how much more hospitable is God, who, no matter what the circumstances, is generous and gracious to give us what we need.

In conclusion Jesus makes a startling claim:
“How much more will the heavenly Father give!” v13 "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"

The Lord is ever ready to give us not only what we need, but more than we can expect. He gives freely of His Holy Spirit that we may share in His life and joy.


Do you approach your heavenly Father with confidence in His mercy and kindness? "Heaven Father, you are merciful, gracious and kind. May I never doubt your love nor hesitate to seek you with confidence in order to obtain the gifts, graces, and daily provision I need to live as your disciple and child."