Never Think To Highly of Yourself or Your Gifts

Copyright 2009 Theresa Harvard Johnson

One of the major gripes that I have with prophetic writer's is that many of them think "they have arrived." They believe that what the Lord speaks to them is "the end all" to all things -- and they fail to understand that what they write or record is a part of a CORPORATE MOVE in the earth. In other words, there are people in every region who are releasing and declaring things that "once fit together" will reveal a very important, right now message from the Lord.

In the realm of the spirit, the Lord is always outworking Isaiah 61. In this, I mean that 24 hours a day, seven days a week he is performing the following work in and through His sons on earth:

1. Preaching good tidings to the meek

2. Binding up the broken hearted

3. Proclaiming liberty to the captives

4. Opening the prison gates to those who are bound

5. Proclaiming the acceptable year of the Lord

6. Proclaiming the day of vengeance of our God

7. Comforting all who mourn

8. Granting consolation and joy to those who mourn inside the church (and in this, he gives out recognitions and awards of beauty for ashes, oil of joy for mourning, garments of praise of heaviness, and BUILD THEM UP so that they might be strong and sturdy.)

9. Rebuilding ancient ruins (Now this is one of my favorites... as the Lord revealed to me a while back that many of us have ancient roots in the Lord Jesus in our families that have lay desolate for generations. Our very root of salvation is to REVIVE that legacy. The mere fact that I am standing here amid an unsaved people, causes me to understand that someone, somewhere in my lineage loved Jesus... and sought after him.)

10. Raising up former desolations and ruined cities. (The word is not only referring to the broken soul; but to actual cities, governments, and institutions.)

11. Rebuilding the devestations of generations. (You see, there has been great damage done in many of our families by sin. BUT YOU AND I, have an opportunity to REBUILD for the generations to come.)

12. Seek our and bring hope to the lost, the aliens -- those who do not know our God.

Now, the Father is doing these things THROUGH US, so that HE MAY BE GLORIFIED. These are OUR exploits and the GREATER WORKS that Jesus Christ spoke of. Take a look at your HOLY SPIRIT INSPIRED WRITINGS  and go down this list and check off the things that have been written that reflect these various elements of the Heart of God.

He is GOD and he does not change! He is the same today, yesterday and forever. So how dare ANYONE minimize the prophetic writing gifting of another! Yet, I've seen it. One person my write an acrostic poem, while another may have an amazing flow of imagery through spoken word. Is one better than the other?

One writer may write powerful comforting messages of peace and joy; while another reveals the warning and judgments of the Father. Is one on target and the other out of season?  No. At any given TIME, God is accomplishing EVERY ASPECT of Isaiah 61 in the earth.

As I looked at the ORDER in which these things were listed in the scriptures, it became more evident to me that the biggest work is inward. It is that "individual" accomplishment of these things that must take place. As I approached the end of this list, I could see the outworking of God's hand through the lives of His people who have been inwardly set in order.

Now, as SCRIBES... we must learn to not only recognize what is IN US and what the Lord is doing through us; but to also recognize how He meets others. One of the cries of my heart is that we understand that the LORD USES EACH OF US TO REACH A SPECIFIC PEOPLE. Our focus must never be on what other people are doing because we have SOULS assigned to us! Yet, even in the midst of this..... we cannot think that "WE" are too special, or that "OUR GIFT" is the one that the Lord needs.

When people walk under a spirit of entertainment (seeking to please the flesh of others at any cost); then they take ownership of the very tool that has entrusted to them to do the work of the ministry. (HELLO THERESA! DO YOU REMEMBER HOW YOU USED TO BE? Yes I do, and it is for this reason that I write to you today.)

Bible scribes were known for their narcissism -- or self love. Pride was something they relished and loved. They tended to look down on others based on their "perception" of one's worth. They even believed that they had all the answers and that the wisdom, knowledge and understanding of others was, well, "just not that important." They wanted men to FOLLOW THEM and not Jesus. So, they sought out to make a name for themselves.... instead of doing things for HIS NAMESAKE.

Don't we see that today? You can barely turn a corner without seeing a "believer" branding their flesh instead of seeking God for His directives on getting the "message" of His son out to those assigned to them. Look inside your heart and ask yourself this very tough question: "Father, is the perception I'm presenting to your people one that exploits me... or is it one that saturates others in your word.... in you?"

I beg you -- never ever think to highly of yourself or your gift. Lord, I wish I could write all of this out.

Jeremiah 9:23-25 says:

Jeremiah 9:23-25 (Bible.Logos.com: NKJV)">Jeremiah 9:23-25 (Amplified Bible)

²³Thus says the Lord: Let not the wise and skillful person glory and boast in his wisdom and skill; let not the mighty and powerful person glory and boast in his strength and power; let not the person who is rich [in physical gratification and earthly wealth] glory and boast in his [temporal satisfactions and earthly] riches;

    ²⁴But let him who glories glory in this: that he understands and knows Me [personally and practically, directly discerning and recognizing My character], that I am the Lord, Who practices loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth, for in these things I delight, says the Lord.^(A)

    ²⁵Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will punish all who though circumcised [outwardly, in the flesh] are still uncircumcised [in corresponding inward purity]-

There is so much in this passage. There are tons of scriptures in the New Testament spoken by Jesus to support everything written here; but I wanted to stick onto Jeremiah 9 a little bit...

Let's inspect verse 23. Scribes of the King, I beg you... please do not let your life be one in which your circumcision (your salvation) is based only on the flesh -- or the outward appearance of righteousness. Don't be people who only look the part but lack a true passion and heart for Isaiah 61 "IN ITS ENTIRETY." Every line of this passage of scripture is still in effect under the New Covenant with Jesus Christ. We just have to seek the spirit for a greater understanding....

Our circumcision must be of the heart....

When it is.... then we will SEE GOD and GIVE GOD CREDIT for everything that He has written through us and for all that's been accomplished in the lives of others through the JESUS IN US.

"How great" you write or "How many people applaud you" has no weight or measure in the Kingdom of Heaven. But what does matter is having what has been released to you MEET its assignment. I pray that the understanding and the revelation of the Lord flows through the hearts of those who are assigned to read and glean from this message. I pray that it blesses you, as much as it blessed me when the Lord spoke it into my spirit.

May the peace and blessings of the Lord; and an INCREASE in The Scribal Anointing overtake you in this season.

Prophetess Theresa Johnson