Four Things A Scribe Must Do

Copyright 2008 Theresa Harvard Johnson

NUMBER ONE:  Forget everything the world has taught us about writing (or what defines good writing).

 Forget everything the world has taught us about writing. At some point, we must come to realize that this world system does not have ANYTHING it can offer to God. Instead, our minds from "the womb" have been trained to reason with unrenewed intellect. The Holy Spirit wants us to think in the "spiritual realm" all the time. So literally, ask the Lord to take away everything you learned from the world concerning what "creative writing" or "Christian writing" should be. Then ask the Holy Spirit to teach and guide you in perfecting the gift for the kingdom. (He will do this through people, through ministers in the body, through your experiences, through dreams, etc.)

The sooner the strongholds from the world system are released from your spirit the better. For example, I knew God wanted me to write this book. But every time I sat down to write it, my mind went into overload. I was concerned about finding an editor, a publisher, raising the money to get the book printed, how to lay it out, how to market and distribute it, and everything else you could think of. Researching and reading information on how to get all of this done cost me months and months of my time, and I found myself entering a place of frustration.

One day I was complaining to God and asking him, "Why isn't all of this stuff falling in place for me?" Then I heard a plain and simple answer in my spirit, "Theresa, all I told you to do was write the book." That was it. That was my answer. Instead of listening to God, I was listening to all the clutter in my mind. At that moment, I surrendered my will to God and let him write the book through me. Later, I realized that it was not up to me to make provision for the publishing of it; but it was up to God and God alone. It was his book, his project – not mine. I had to purge my mind of "how man does things."

Another perspective to consider is this.

I majored in communications in college and took several creative writing classes. We focused "good literature" -- you know -- the books that put you to sleep in high school. (smile) At one point, I considered making this my graduate school major. Looking back, I now know that the scribal gift was already in me. It was just pressed under sin and the traditions of man. The poetry I wrote was crafted according to the skills I learned in my creative writing classes. There was no anointing, but the elements of "good writing" were present and those who read my work were "intellectually" stimulated.

My focus was on making the poem look good, sound good and standout. I wanted my writings to win contests and to be recognized. Impact – for whatever reason - was always a second thought. In addition, my subject matter could be dark, meaning ungodly, or it could be bright, bringing a positive spin on a negative situation. As long as it was well written and people liked it, I was okay with that. My entire attitude was rooted in the mechanics of the writing even though I loved to write.

In God's realm our writing has nothing to do with technique.  His focus is on releasing his word to others and drawing them into the presence of God. That's it. This means that we critique our work for soundness of doctrine, the presence of the fruit of the spirit, and the ability of a piece to encourage, edify or bring comfort to someone in its broadest since.

In John 7:17 Jesus said, "If anyone wills to do His will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority."

The bible tells us that if we desire to do the will of God then what we do will be based on the doctrine! We can determine whether what we have done is from God or from or own flesh. Prophetic writing does not follow a technique and is not based on mechanics. It isn't dependent on our intellect, although we can draw from it, and it doesn't have to correlate with traditional writing standards.  Prophetic writing is dependent solely on the Holy Spirit. We can't sit down and decide what to write. God sets the agenda. We simply pick up the pen, pencil or keyboard and write his words.

 In John 7:16 Jesus said, "…my doctrine is not mine, but he who sent me."

We must forget the world's way of doing and thinking. 

Romans 12:12

 says, "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."

 Closing Note: As we refresh our spirit man, we will learn to put the things we've learned in this world in their perspective places. Only then can we earnestly go back, and edit the piece to be "right" by skilled or technical standards. It's amazing ... but God has a way of making this work too.