This week we are going to continue with our look into the function of a prophet. One of the main reasons the Lord calls one to be a prophet is to restore the people to the ancient paths set forth in the Scriptures. They are to give warnings concerning politics and give positive visions in many different areas . They will rebuke or give positive instruction and move to restore in any given area. Listening to the Lord is essential and there are many different ways the Lord speaks, so let’s look at a few. We must test our listening and stay away from the occult. Another obstacle to clear hearing is the desire to feel “special” because being chosen does not make you special. A prophet must devour God’s word because it is the exercise track of their training and the structure of their thoughts and memory, the guard house, if you will, against bad doctrine. It is the basis for ideas, the checkpoint, the boundary.    God speaks through dreams and one must learn his own dream language. Symbols can have external meanings and have little to do with our personality, character or internal meaning. It has to do with their inner being. Colors can have double meanings. For instance, red can mean blood or anger, green can mean life or envy and so on. People can be symbols. To dream about the death of a person can be literal or it can mean the person is dying to themselves, and giving birth can be literal or the new birth to an aspect of their lives.  Visions can flash in pictures across the inner screen of their mind, very short in duration or a picture can “pop-up” before them. A vision can also be like watching a movie outside of themselves, or a trance. If the meaning is unclear, pray and ask questions and wait on the Lord. Recurring dreams or daydreams need to be examined (Job 33.14,29). God may show the prophet their sin to save them from the effects of it. It is a time to rejoice if that happens and it doesn’t mean it disqualifies them but means they are still relying on the Lord. Another way the Lord speaks is dark speech. This is  a pun, a puzzle, a parable or an allegory and is non-direct. Direct speech is hearing the voice of the Lord plainly and clearly like He spoke with Moses and others. He may also speak through messengers that he sends. The Scriptures themselves is a very common way He speaks. God speaks through circumstances and also what is called the “still, small voice” that one hears within himself. A mature prophet will be silent before the will of another. They are silent observers of what God does, a watchman or witness. If they have something revealed to them in secret that would create turmoil or frighten people but has no unction to say anything, it is a clear call to intercede. This goes for blessings as well. They must be careful on how they hear. Don’t solidify a revelation in too many concrete terms. They could add to what God is trying to communicate and confuse the whole thing. They must make sure the words that they say are from the Lord, so they should counsel with others who have functioned as a prophet (Prov 24.6). Ask the Lord to confirm what He says. But, once He does they should not let anything deter them.  In addition,  prophecy  can be expressed  in other ways such as  speech, a flow of words, sayings and  burdens. Next, we are going to look at the function of Old  and New Testament prophets and look at how prophets will function in the Last Days.