Meet me: The Bathrobe Prophet
The profile contours of a new breed of prophets is starting to be recognized. When I say this, I don't mean they bring something which never existed before, but rather that it's easy to forget or be oblivious to them due to the type of church culture we have, stage/pews, even in the prophetic/charismatic movement.
Their existence is a collective force we have to recognize, embrace, validate, affirm, mentor, nurture and cherish, because it is a breed of believers which touches ground zero in terms of an incarnated prophetic lifestyle, a much needed model for everyone.
Many of them are survivors of tragedies and traumas, have difficult issues with their health, physical and emotional, and don't fit in the present paradigm of mainstream "ministry" types. However, they are like hound dogs joyfully hitting the prophetic trail, joined by kindred hearts, running in the direction they feel the Lord lead ing them, scouting the land for those coming behind.
They love God with a consuming passion. Seasoned through trials and tribulations, they walk a path of eagerness to know more of Him. They journal, write on forums, have their own blog, support and pray for ministries and people, in fact, the Internet is their preferred vehicle. They spawn virtual communities all over the world. Their ministry of encouragement is outstanding and their compassion runs deep.
They recognize each other when they meet, and form spiritual friendships anointed with a fierce passion to share blessings and discoveries, working tirelessly to mentor each other and witness the establishment of spiritual revival at a level never seen before. They are usually recognized for having visions much bigger than their own lives, visions that can't be beaten into smaller packages to fit the mainstream "box" paradigm. They speak of heaven as if it's next door, pray and intercede for strangers with dedicated passion, they worship with tears and usually can be prophetically ministering at deeper levels than any counselor could expect to reach, all this without even knowing it!
Some dream of bigger "ministries" but what they mostly mean is that they would like to see their lives be a greater blessing to many. They can't flow as well within the boundaries of rigid religion, but will find patches of sun anywhere they can. They give sacrificially, long for meaningful spiritual fellowship, dream big dreams and often live a hidden, almost anonymous life. But they are giants. We have heard it say in many ways that praying moms may be of greater stature in heaven than 100 great preachers on earth. These are chips from the same block.
Their destiny is the Bride's. Their song is for the Bride's to awake and walk in her prophetic stature and maturity; Jews and Gentiles united in Christ; purity in the media and in our cities; unity in the Body of Christ; daily signs and wonders on a very, very large scale; power and miracles through faith-based prayers; no-nonsense leadership in our churches and government; prophetic understanding of social and international events, and subsequent prophetic strategies applied to specific tasks in response to the Lord's guidance and assignments, etc.
Most of these people don't have a secular day job, a huge number of them are women, many mostly home during the day, some are 'stay at home' moms, many are people living with a disability, dealing with debilitating conditions. But if you try running with them, you could end-up out of breath! They tirelessly read, pray, minister, worship, all the while tackling difficult life situations. Yet, they grow by leaps and bounds, cross-pollinating through the vast international network of home-based communications that the Internet has become, creating a new breed of anointed ministers who are, to use a prophesied term: "the nameless and faceless."
I call them "Bathrobe Prophets." I don't use the term "bathrobe" in a derogatory way, like in "couch potato." I use it because at times, that's what many would wear most of the day, due to their condition.
They write tons of dreams and miles of prophetic words, thirst for the Presence of the Father, hunger to see the kingdom of God be all it can be. They love to speak words that bring life and healing, encouragement and truth, they are ever learning about proper prophetic "etiquette" so they walk in love and not arrogance, and will astound many with their tireless scribing activity and vibrant need for fellowship.
There are so many prophetic "ministries" today, our attention will usually be solicited by the most noticeable and loud ones, but these here are the creme de la creme. Like Mary Magdelene, the apostle John, Daniel and many others, loving God's presence and fellowships with Him as friends is their utmost passion.
If you recognize yourself in this, blessed are you. You have not been overlooked, passed by or ignored by God. You simply may be part of one of His secret armies. Your prophetic life is not barely lived on a stage before thousands, or addressing a limited number of issues relevant to the latest prophetic fad. Your life is a rich and glorious prophetic canvas where God is weaving the words of His heart as they resonate and transform your daily life. You are not ignorant of the enemy's fire and brutal attacks on your life, but you still pursue God's fire.
Healing is in His wings, and you believe it, yet, as broken and disabled as you are, you do not give up, trusting with a robust, unpretentious and unadorned faith that He will come through some day. Many of you believe that their sickness or conditions are used by the Lord as intercession material, and so it is. We know little about how much we are carrying in our bodies the prophetic assignment of intercession for His Body on earth...
A voice of one calling:
"In the desert prepare
the way for the LORD;
make straight in the wilderness
a highway for our God." (Isaiah 40:3)
Prepare a way. For the Lord. As you are in the desert. A highway (huge and faster traffic). Not just a trail. In the wilderness. Isolation. Barrenness. The pace can increase full speed on a highway. Multiplication. We are to prepare this highway for the Lord. Not ourselves. Making straight a highway so we won't have to make detours. In the desert, detours can cost you your life if water is not present.
I just can't keep from thinking: "Bathrobe Prophets of the world: UNITE!"
1 Cor 12:14, 18 - "Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. [...] But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
1 Cor 14:5 - I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may be edified.
1 Cor 14:24 "But if an unbeliever or someone who does not understand comes in while everybody is prophesying, he will be convinced by all that he is a sinner and will be judged by all, and the secrets of his heart will be laid bare. So he will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, "God is really among you!"
By Andre Lefebvre
