For those who desire to understand prophecy, whether receiving it or delivering it, a key principle is to understand that there is a spirit behind all true prophecy. This should not surprise us because prophecy is essentially the receiving and communicating of God’s will, and God himself is spirit (John 4:24). Furthermore, understanding what the spirit of prophecy is will also help us weigh or test prophecy (1 Corinthians 14:29).

The power of testimony

When we talk about a testimony in a Christian context we often mean ‘my personal story of how I came to accept Jesus as my Lord and saviour’. But a testimony can also be about other experiences of Gods divine intervention too. For example, for a transformed life, a healing miracle or for any unexpected blessing. A testimony is something we may share in public, in front of an audience, but it can also be shared with an individual in a simple everyday way.

In The book of Revelation the apostle John tells of an amazing prophetic experience. He is shown the end of the age and the beginning of the one to come by an angel. At one point he is so overwhelmed by the glory of the angel that he falls down to worship it, but the angel quickly stops him:

And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” Revelation 19:10

What did he mean by that? Well, putting it very simply, the testimony of Jesus is that he died and rose again to make all things new (Revelation 21:5). He is the saviour of the world (John 3:16). And this testimony is at the heart of all true prophecy.

Getting back to our testimony or witness to the work of God in our lives, the act of testifying to Gods goodness has the essence of prophecy within it because every time we honour Jesus like this we are releasing the power of the gospel; to save, heal and deliver. Let me explain…

The Ark of the Covenant

Part of the root Hebrew word for testimony means to be a witness but it also means ‘to return, repeat, do again’. That’s why one of the names for the ark of the covenant was also, ‘the ark of the testimony’ (Exodus 25:16), because it contained elements which testified to Gods promises made in the past (Hebrews 9:4). But also it was the place of present and continuing encounter (the place of meeting). It was where God would ‘return, repeat and do again’ the miracles and wonders that he’d done before.

The power to overcome

Every time we testify to the reality of the power of God in our lives it contains the testimony of Jesus and therefore the spirit of prophecy. And when we testify like this it releases present and future power to save again, heal again or deliver again…

That’s why in revelation we are told that the saints overcame their enemy, the accuser, “by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony” (Revelation‬ ‭12:11‬). Because testimony (about the work of Christ in our lives) releases the power of God.

This doesn’t mean that every time we testify to Gods goodness in our lives we have to explain the whole gospel message, any more than it does when we prophesy. We may prophesy over someone’s life, “God loves you and has great plans for you”, or “I see you going to the lost, to the dark places and ministering in healing”. We don’t explicitly explain the gospel, but the reality of it is behind or within the words.

You may not think of yourself as being ‘prophetic’ or having ‘prophetic gifting’ but if you speak to others of God’s goodness in your life then you are already operating according to the spirit of prophecy. The testimony you release is prophetic in nature because it releases the power of God to ‘return, repeat and do again’. I’m not suggesting that prophecy ends here (with testimony) but that the testimony of Jesus is the source, the spirit, the very beginning of the prophetic flow. So the next time you speak of the goodness of God in your own life to others, whether great or small, miraculous or commonplace, remember that you are releasing the power of God to bless others too, and that is the spirit of prophecy; the testimony of Jesus.

If you’ve ever been hill walking you may have come across a cairn; a pile of stones or rocks heaped up in a significant place. The most common of these sites is at the highest point of a hill or prominence – often marking the top of a big climb. It lets you know you’ve arrived, you’ve done it! Just like many who have been here before you, it’s time to sit down and enjoy the view, and if you’ve packed one, have a spot of lunch. I’ve got a video to show you in a moment that I took at the top of a mountain in North Wales recently…

Photo: A cairn near our cottage in North Wales

The cairn is a place of pause and appreciation. Every stone represents someone who passed through here before us. There may have been some hard climbs and bad weather on the way up and we feel a sense of relief and achievement. Placing a stone on the cairn helps to mark this achievement and share it with others who come after us.

The turn of the year is a good time to reflect on life and particularly our journey over the past year. We can consider what we feel good about as well as the difficulties and challenges that we’ve had to face. Articulating these or even writing them down can help us move forward with a renewed sense of purpose. It can be a bit like sitting on that hill top and deciding to place a stone or two on the cairn. This can create a meaningful moment that can become a monument, not just for us but for others too.

Reflecting on the past year

First it’s good to focus on the positives. One of the oldest descriptions of a cairn is in the book of Joshua as the Israelites cross over the Jordan River to enter their promised land. This passage over the river was accompanied by an amazing miracle as God held back the flood waters to allow the thousands of Israelite families to cross over. Joshua gave this instruction to 12 of the Israelite tribal leaders:

“Go over before the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, to serve as a sign among you. ‭‭Joshua‬ ‭4‬:‭5‬-‭6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Then…

“Joshua set up the twelve stones that had been in the middle of the Jordan at the spot where the priests who carried the ark of the covenant had stood. And they are there to this day.” ‭‭Joshua‬ ‭4‬:‭9‬ ‭NIV‬‬

So place a stone on the cairn (or write a note in your journal) that represents those times of Gods blessings and provision in your life. Let it be a testimony to his faithfulness and goodness. When I think back on this past year I think of special events, new friendships, the kindness of people letting us stay in their homes, and all the times God made a way where there was no way.

And then there are the stones that represent hardships and pain. I’ve had a tough year in many ways this last year, particularly with an accident I had with a circular saw (fingers damaged but well on the way to a full recovery). But often it’s the hardships and difficulties of life that shape us most of all and times of reflection can help us to see beyond the hardships. In this way we can begin to appreciate the preciousness of our relationships more than ever and thank God for what others have imparted into our lives.