Leaders, Beware of the Partial Word

God has been dealing with me about how so many of us have been deceived by words of incomplete prophecy. Many of us are hearing and receiving messages that trust are from God, but still seem to betray us. Just over the last few weeks, God has reminded me of prophecies and I’ve been told of prophecies shared, particularly with leaders, seemingly beneficial to the recipient. Yet, not many days after, a betrayal takes place. Yet, there is a common thread. The word appears to be from God. It bears witness. It seems relevant, anointed and accurate.

I asked God about this deception that seems to be taking place. There are many STRONG leaders who have doubted themselves because of recent events involving ANOINTED prophets and followers who are abandoning their positions. What is it God? The Father began to speak to me about the incomplete word, and I must share this with the leaders. It is a rebuke and an encouragement, revelation and instruction.

God explained very clearly that many of His people are falling victim to the partial word. We forget that prophecy is a gift, and that it can come from a vessel with a hidden agenda. Even when the word is from God, it can be partially withheld. Oftentimes, withholding evidence is a crime people commit but are never prosecuted for. Why? We assume that when we hear truth, the totality of the thing has been shared.

God quickly reminded me that we prophesy only in part. We have adopted this idea from the ‘church’ that when a prophetic word comes forth, it should not be judged. We have been taught that no one should add to it or take away from it. God’s word so clearly explains this is not the case.

1 Cor 13:9 For our knowledge is fragmentary (incomplete and imperfect), and our prophecy (our teaching) is fragmentary (incomplete and imperfect).

1 Cor 14:29 So let two or three prophets speak [those inspired to preach or teach], while the rest pay attention {and} weigh {and} discern what is said.
1 Cor 14:30 But if an inspired revelation comes to another who is sitting by, then let the first one be silent.
1 Cor 14:31 For in this way you can give testimony [prophesying and thus interpreting the divine will and purpose] one by one, so that all may be instructed and all may be stimulated {and} encouraged;
1 Cor 14:32 For the spirits of the prophets (the speakers in tongues) are under the speaker's control [and subject to being silenced as may be necessary],

Yes, we are practicing a “courtesy” that God never ordained. Once again, God has been dealing with me about “checks and balances.” The Father reminded me that He has authored a system in the Church that would prevent us from being deceived, but we have chosen another way. We have chosen to call walk in weakness, but call it courtesy. We have chosen to lay down authority and call it order. As a result, many have fallen pray to the incomplete word – a partial word yielding deception.

2 Kin 8:7 Elisha came to Damascus, and Ben-hadad king of Syria was sick; and he was told, The man of God has come here.
2 Kin 8:8 And the king said to Hazael, Take a present in your hand and go meet the man of God, and inquire of the Lord by him, saying, Shall I recover from this disease?
2 Kin 8:9 So Hazael went to meet Elisha and took a present with him of every good thing of Damascus, forty camel loads, and came and stood before him and said, Your son Ben-hadad king of Syria has sent me to you, asking, Shall I recover from this disease?
2 Kin 8:10 And Elisha said, Go, say to him, You shall certainly recover; but the Lord has shown me that he shall certainly die.
2 Kin 8:11 Elisha stared steadily at him until Hazael was embarrassed. And the man of God wept.
2 Kin 8:12 And Hazael said, Why do you weep, my lord? He answered, Because I know the evil that you will do to the Israelites. You will burn their strongholds, slay their young men with the sword, dash their infants in pieces, and rip up their pregnant women.
2 Kin 8:13 And Hazael said, What is your servant, only a dog, that he should do this monstrous thing? And Elisha answered, The Lord has shown me that you will be king over Syria.
2 Kin 8:14 Then [Hazael] departed from Elisha and came to his master, who said to him, What did Elisha say to you? And he answered, He told me you would surely recover.
2 Kin 8:15 But the next day Hazael took the bedspread and dipped it in water and spread it on [the Syrian king's] face, so that he died. And Hazael reigned in his stead.

When the Lord took me to this Scripture, I screamed, I cried, and then I became angry. I saw how easy it is to get an accurate word of prophecy, and only share a part, leading to deception. God began to show many how many leaders have been hurt because of this very thing. The Word of God is shared until it begins to reveal the heart of the one delivering the message. We think that because someone hears from God, they have our best interest at heart. This is not always the case.

Even as we see in the biblical account, the man shared the Word of God only to the point that it revealed his own motives. He rejoiced with his leader, knowing that his own plan was to kill him and take the power and authority he walked in. Too many of our leaders are walking into the same trap because they recognize the prophesy as true, but fail to allow that same prophesy to be judged by another prophet. Leaders, beware of prophets that speak but attempt to silence another prophet from doing the same!

In the same manner, God also revealed to me another problem that is affecting his leaders. It also concerns the prophetic word. On Monday night, God spoke very clearly to me and explained that many who call themselves prophets have learned to quote the Father. They may even know the type of thing God may say, but that does not mean they are speaking what GOD IS SAYING!

What do I mean? I know and understand that my husband is a fan of NC State basketball. Because of that knowledge and past conversation with him, when his NC State team beats my UNC Tarheels in basketball, it may be accurate for me to say something like, “I could just hear Chris now, laughing and cheering for his Wolfpack team.” My statement is accurate based on EDUCATED ASSUMPTION. Even still, I can make such a statement without ever hearing or seeing what is really going on. Oftentimes, when the prophetic begins to move, those in the midst begin to prophesy just as Saul did. It “sounds” accurate and even anointed, but the word is based on assumption. “It may sound like something I’d say,” says God, “but that doesn’t mean I’m speaking it.” We must realize that the Word of God is ALIVE.

May I bring your attention to a biblical example and well-known account of what who prophesied a word that “sounded like God,” though GOD NEVER SPOKE IT…

1 Kin 13:6 And the king said to the man of God, Entreat now the favor of the Lord your God and pray for me, that my hand may be restored to me. And the man of God entreated the Lord, and the king's hand was restored and became as it was before.
1 Kin 13:7 And the king said to the man of God, Come home with me and refresh yourself, and I will give you a reward.
1 Kin 13:8 And the man of God said to the king, If you give me half your house, I will not go in with you, and I will not eat bread or drink water in this place.
1 Kin 13:9 For I was commanded by the word of the Lord, You shall eat no bread or drink water or return by the way you came.
1 Kin 13:10 So he went another way and did not return by the way that he came to Bethel.
1 Kin 13:11 Now there dwelt an old prophet in Bethel; and his sons came and told him all that the man of God had done that day in Bethel; the words which he had spoken to the king they told also to their father.
1 Kin 13:12 Their father asked them, Which way did he go? For his sons had seen which way the man of God who came from Judah had gone.
1 Kin 13:13 He said to his sons, Saddle the donkey for me. So they saddled the donkey and he rode on it
1 Kin 13:14 And went after the man of God. And he found him sitting under an oak, and he said to him, Are you the man of God who came from Judah? And he said, I am.
1 Kin 13:15 Then he said to him, Come home with me and eat bread.
1 Kin 13:16 He said, I may not return with you or go in with you, neither will I eat bread or drink water with you in this place.
1 Kin 13:17 For I was told by the word of the Lord, You shall not eat bread or drink water there or return by the way that you came.
1 Kin 13:18 He answered, I am a prophet also, as you are. And an angel spoke to me by the word of the Lord, saying, Bring him back with you to your house, that he may eat bread and drink water. But he lied to him.
1 Kin 13:19 So the man from Judah went back with him and ate and drank water in his house.
1 Kin 13:20 And as they sat at the table, the word of the Lord came to the prophet who brought him back.
1 Kin 13:21 And he cried to the man of God who came from Judah, Thus says the Lord: Because you have disobeyed the word of the Lord and have not kept the command which the Lord your God commanded you,
1 Kin 13:22 But have come back and have eaten bread and drunk water in the place of which the Lord said to you, Eat no bread and drink no water--your corpse shall not come to the tomb of your fathers.
1 Kin 13:23 And after the prophet of the house had eaten bread and drunk, he saddled the donkey for the man he had brought back.
1 Kin 13:24 And when he had gone, a lion met him by the road and slew him, and his corpse was cast in the way, and the donkey stood by it; the lion also stood by the corpse.
1 Kin 13:25 And behold, men passed by and saw the corpse thrown in the road, and the lion standing by the corpse, and they came and told it in the city where the old prophet dwelt.
1 Kin 13:26 When the prophet who brought him back from the way heard of it, he said, It is the man of God who was disobedient to the word of the Lord; therefore the Lord has given him to the lion, which has torn him and slain him, according to the word of the Lord which He spoke to him.
1 Kin 13:27 And he said to his sons, Saddle the donkey for me. And they saddled it.
1 Kin 13:28 And he went and found the corpse thrown in the road, and the donkey and the lion stood by the body; the lion had not eaten the corpse or torn the donkey.
1 Kin 13:29 The prophet took up the corpse of the man of God and laid it upon the donkey and brought it back, and the old prophet came into the city to mourn and to bury him.
1 Kin 13:30 And he laid the body in his own grave, and they mourned over him, saying, Alas, my brother!
1 Kin 13:31 After he had buried him, he said to his sons, When I am dead, bury me in the grave in which the man of God is buried; lay my bones beside his bones.

Hmmm… Leaders, how many have caused you to fall, then mourned your loss? How many times have you felt honored because someone prophesied to you, saw you fall, but stood beside you in the failure? Our prayer is this season must be that God opens our spiritual eyes and allows us heightened discernment.

Leaders, this word of encouragement is for you. Think on these things. Return to the authority you have been given. Do not allow the enemy to convince you that judgement is not of the Father. Remember, the Spirit searches all things. Selah.

In HIS Favor,
Prophetess Joy Allen