I am sometimes asked by people who have attended my prophetic training sessions, “How do I get started in activating my gift of prophecy?” In other words, ‘Where do I go from here?’

If this is something you have wondered about, here are some suggestions to help you get started:

11 Ways to Activate Your Prophetic Gift

1. Make a Decision to Activate Your Gift of Prophecy

It has been said that the journey of 1,000 miles begins with a single step. That vital step is preceded by a decision to move forward.

Activating your prophetic gift starts when you acknowledge before God that you are willing to move ahead in this area, and choose to take your first steps forward.

You do not need to know for certain that you have a gift of prophecy—in the early stages you may be unsure. [1] This is about being a good steward of:

• The desires Father has placed in your heart (Ps 37:4)
• A sense of God’s call on your life
• Signs that you have an emerging prophetic gift

You may also have had affirmation by church leaders that you have a God-given prophetic ability.

2. Activate Your Prophetic Gift in the Context of a Church Community

The New Testament context for activating the gift of prophecy is a local church where there is leadership and accountability. (1 Cor 12-14)

‘But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort. Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves, but the one who prophesies edifies the church.’ (1 Cor 14:3-4)

This enables you to activate your prophetic gift where there are leaders to give you feedback, those with gifts of wisdom to help guide you, and others with prophetic gifts who can provide more insights.

3. Talk to a Pastor or an Appropriate Leader within the Church

If you would like to activate your prophetic gift, the first action you can take is to share your interest in prophecy or call to prophetic ministry with your pastor/minister or a leader in the church who is responsible for this area.

It is important to make your desire to grow in the gift known, so that you can follow the next steps:

4. Find Someone to be Accountable to

Find a leader or mentor to whom you can be personally accountable concerning activating your prophetic gift.

This person should be:

• Someone your church’s oversight is comfortable with
• A person who will be able to help you weigh up the prophetic insights and will not hold back when you need to be redirected.

Wise feedback, along with encouragement, is a powerful way to sharpen your prophetic gift.

5. Begin Activating Your Gift of Prophecy in Your Personal Devotional Life

The first place you can start to activate your prophetic gift is in your devotional life, learning to receive insights from the Holy Spirit.

• The best way to begin is by studying the Bible and listening to what God is saying through the scriptures
• Record any insights that you receive from the Holy Spirit—one way that you can do this is by journaling [2]

A leader can help you weigh up these insights and confirm that you are hearing from God. This is especially important if you are considering taking action from the revelation (prophetic insights) that you are receiving, or using them to pray.

6. Develop a Lifestyle of Encouragement

When you are keen to begin activating your prophetic gift, remember, prophetic ministry requires us to see others and ourselves as the Father sees us.

Nurture the Father’s perspective about others. He is a God of grace and love! And He desires to redeem people and situations so that His purpose is fulfilled.

Develop a lifestyle of encouragement—this will spill over into your prophetic ministry. (1 Cor 14:3)

7. Activate Your Prophetic Gift by Staying Tuned in to the Holy Spirit

Develop an intimate relationship with God and be open to receiving insights from the Holy Spirit throughout your day.

Learn about the different ways He can speak to you, including through scripture, pictures, thoughts and impressions, dreams, prompts, inner urges, and Divine appointments.

8. Ask about Protocols in your Church

Find out the protocols and guidelines for passing on prophetic insights in your church—and follow them.

Be open to these being adjusted by leaders as prophetic ministry develops in your church. Guidelines in church life are not there to be ‘controlling’, but rather are a means of bringing freedom and safety in the operation of spiritual gifts.

Knowing you are on the right track will help you gain confidence as you activate your prophetic gift.

9. Begin Activating Your Prophetic Gift Simply

The best way to begin activating your prophetic gift is to start in a very simple way. This may be through words of encouragement, or exhortation, or sharing scriptures that God puts in your heart.

• Be natural in the manner you share an insight that you believe is from God
• If you are starting out, it is best not to call your words a ‘prophecy’—in fact, you do not always need to state that you have heard from God
• Allow the fruit of your insights to be the evidence that you are hearing from God

As people are impacted and encouraged, your emerging gift of prophecy will be acknowledged.

10. Find an Appropriate Environment to Practice

Some areas in church life where a prophetic gift can be activated include:

• Prayer meetings
• Small (home group) meetings
• Ministry areas such as worship, evangelism, and so on
• Prayer departments and altar call ministry

Find out the appropriate protocols and guidelines for each area. Then—step out of the boat and have a go.

11. Stay in the place of Learning

Ongoing learning about the prophetic gift will encourage you to continue activating your gift of prophecy. [3]

Read further in the post, How to Prophesy Simply: 7 Steps to Prophetic Activation

Enliven Prophetic School: Activate Your Prophetic Gift and Take it to the Next Level

The Enliven Prophetic School is now open!

This self-paced, video lecture school is for anyone who would like to learn and grow in the gift and ministry of prophecy and includes classes for discerners as well.

Discover ways to activate your prophetic gift and begin to put it into practice.

Modules currently include:

• Foundations of prophetic ministry
• How to hear God’s voice, begin and grow in prophecy
• The Seer gift: how to grow in pictures and visions
• Discernment and prophetic warnings: How to respond and share a prophetic warning
• Prophetic Guidance Master Class

You can currently join the school for as little as USD 7.95 (monthly subscription) or make a single payment to join with no end date.

Visit the Enliven Prophetic School here.

Notes:

[1] Even if you do not have a specific gift, every Christian benefits by learning how to hear from God and receive insights from the Holy Spirit. You may explore this area and find out that prophetic ministry is not for you—that is OK.

[2] The following are some articles to help you activate your prophetic gift through journaling:

• Sharpen Your Prophetic Gift Through Journaling
• S.O.A.P. Journaling from Scripture
• Prayer Journaling: Activate Your Prophetic Gift Through Prayer Journaling

[3] Enliven Blog is an online resource of Enliven Ministries, containing many articles to help Christians grow in the gift of prophecy. ‘Grow your Prophetic and Prayer Gifts’ is an e-book about the stages of growth in gifts of prophecy and prayer, and contains many practical tips to help you activate your prophetic gift and take it to the next phase of development.

© Helen Calder Enliven Blog – Prophetic Teaching
Enliven Ministries: Prophetic Ministry for a Revival Generation

Helen Calder

Helen Calder is a prophetic minister and writer, and founder of Enliven Ministries. Helen has a unique gift of equipping in prophetic ministry and prayer. She is known for Enliven Blog (est. 2009), an online resource that reaches thousands of people globally.