Prophetic Insight: The Giant and the General at Your Destiny’s Doorway

Today, I believe the Holy Spirit is highlighting a truth from Scripture that is key to releasing many of you in your prophetic calling.

The Biblical pattern is this: at the doorway to your destiny, there will be a giant to defeat, and there will also be a general to honor.

Neither of these is easy! Both test our submission to God.

The giant tests our courage—but honor tests our character.

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Caleb Honors Joshua, Before He Takes Hebron

When it comes time for Caleb to receive his inheritance in Canaan, he approaches Joshua and asks:
“Now give me this hill country that the Lord promised me that day… the Lord helping me, I will drive them [the Anakites] out just as he said.” (Joshua 14:12, NIV)

Caleb knows his inheritance is this hill country occupied by Anakites. It doesn’t matter to him that these people are descended from giants, or that years ago, other leaders in Israel said, ‘we are like grasshoppers in their sight’ (Numbers 13:33).

He has an unswerving belief in his God-given capacity to take the land.

Caleb loves God, he has the prophetic promise and he’s unquestionably in his time of Divine appointment. He is a great leader in his own right. And yet, he pauses.

Caleb takes time to address Joshua, the man of God appointed as leader of Israel, and ask him for his God-given inheritance.

Before he overcomes the giants, Caleb honors the general. He obtains Joshua’s blessing.

‘Then Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave him Hebron as his inheritance.’ (Josh 14:13, NIV)

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David Receives King Saul’s Blessing Before He Overcomes Goliath

When David visits his brothers on the front lines of battle and sees Goliath, he is filled with faith. He knows, without a shadow of a doubt, that giant is no match for the anointing of God on his life (1 Sam 17).

But he doesn’t stride out onto that battlefield and take that giant down, without doing something of great significance first.

David is brought before King Saul and he says, “Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.” (1 Sam 17:32)

Offering his service to King Saul is possibly one of David’s greatest acts of faith.

He does not look like a warrior. He has neither age nor battle experience, nor armor. What David does have are faith, a calling, and an anointing.

At this moment, David expresses honor towards God’s appointed leadership, even though Saul arguably does not deserve such honor—he has long ago lost the Holy Spirit’s anointing on his life and is now shaking in his boots with fear, as is every other soldier on the sidelines.

Honor is a powerful expression of faith—and in this moment of destiny, King Saul says to David, ‘Go, and the Lord be with you.’ (1 Sam 17:37b)

And so it is, that a shepherd boy takes down a giant.

Esther’s Example

We also see this powerful principle at work in the story of Esther. Before she can expose and defeat the enemy of the Jews, she has to honor the king; a leader who isn’t Jewish and doesn’t believe in God. He extends his favor toward her.

• No leader is beyond the reach of the Holy Spirit’s influence.

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The New Testament Principle of Commissioning

As we move into the New Testament, we see many who have a prophetic calling, who are chosen by God and anointed. There is something else they have in common; they wait for their commissioning.

Like Timothy, Stephen, Philip and others, our greatest act of faith may be waiting for God’s time of promotion and choosing the way of honor.

One of my favorite examples is that of the Apostle Paul.

He has a powerful encounter with Jesus, a prophecy that he will go before kings, an apostolic calling to reach nations with the Gospel (Acts 9). And yet, years later, Paul (formerly Saul) is still serving as a teacher and prophet in the church in Antioch, waiting for the timing of God.

It is not until the church leaders hear from God and commission Paul, that he moves into the fullness of his calling (Acts 13).

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It Takes Faith to Wait

Let’s be honest.

Many times, it takes more faith to wait and to honour God’s appointed generals in our lives, than it does to go out against the giants.

This is something my husband and I have learned—it’s something I’ve discovered the hard way—through failure and repentance. But it’s the best lesson of my life.

And I know there are many of you who may be saying, ‘this is an area I struggle with’. Perhaps you don’t currently have a leader you can relate to—or one you respect—or you have leadership who does not see the call of God on your life, the way you do.

I pray that you will be inspired by God’s Word and the example of those heroes of the faith that have gone before. The God who has opened the hearts and minds of kings and revealed His plans to leaders is the God of your calling.

No gatekeeper, no general is beyond God’s influence. No giant is too strong for you to defeat in the power of His Spirit.

And no gate is too heavy for Him to open.

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10th Anniversary: Prophetic People in a Changing Church

If the obstacles facing you today in regards to being released in your ministry loom large, take heart from my story. Nothing is impossible for our God.

‘Prophetic People in a Changing Church’ is my personal ‘true confessions’ story of hurt, failure, and restoration in prophetic and prayer ministry. Incredibly, it is also the book that launched Enliven Blog.

This book is not only a powerful testimony—‘Prophetic People in a Changing Church’ is a teaching tool that explores how you can:

• Overcome the unique challenges facing people with prophetic gifts in churches today
• Learn how to escape the battles of the mind and heart that discouragement in church life can bring
• Break into a new era of empowerment in your ministry and relationship with leaders
• Also included: a significant teaching chapter on prophetic leadership for pastors and senior leaders by Prophet David McCracken

‘Prophetic People in a Changing Church’ will provide you with keys to transformation and personal renewal in your church and ministry life.

For more information, and to purchase ‘Prophetic People in a Changing Church’ visit our online store here.

Note: All transactions are secure using PayPal and we do not pass your information on to third parties. Prices are listed in Australian dollars – our store will convert to your currency.

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© 2018 Helen Calder Enliven Blog – Prophetic Teaching
Enliven Ministries
A part of the David McCracken Ministries family