5 Ways to Grow Your Prophetic Gift
Julian Adams • November 25, 2019
Keys For Developing Good Prophetic Character
One day, after ministering to a crowd of thousands, a man approached me and asked, “Who do I have to pay to get up onto that stage? I want a platform like yours!” In that moment, his insecurity and need to be recognized meant that he would misappropriate any favor that was given to him.
What he needed was not a stage like mine but a greater value for intimacy with the Father. I remember making the same mistake at one point in my own life. I nearly burnt out in prophetic ministry because I didn’t know how to manage the favor God was giving me. In that season, I got caught up in my identity being prophetic, rather than being a son. Like that gentleman, some may want to get into a place of ministry and influence quickly without understanding the process of stewarding favor.
It was during that time that I came to realize that your character is of immeasurable significance when it comes to the prophetic. You may speak of your great encounters, but people will see your fruit.
Here are just a few keys which I have found important in developing my character in the midst of pursuing prophetic encounters:
1. COMMUNICATE WELL (NOT WEIRD)
It is an issue of character when we resist any effort to find language that can assist people in experiencing what God has for them, whether it be an encounter, word of knowledge
or sermon. Godly character seeks to avoid carelessly offending people because it does not want people to miss the inheritance that God has for them. We also need to prophesy with clarity because prophecy does not need the gift of interpretation; tongues does. If the prophetic does not make sense to the hearer, how can it build them up?
Let wisdom guide your prophecy as you consider your audience and context. We must seek to ‘package’ the word appropriately so people engage with God.
I often get to prophesy over business people and, on occasion, the Angel of the Lord will come and stand on my right side and begin to tell me the secrets of their hearts. Aware of the context, I don’t blurt out, “The Angel of the Lord has just appeared to me!” This would not only totally unsettle them, but they would probably stop listening after hearing ‘the Angel of the Lord’, preventing them from hearing what the Lord actually wanted to communicate to them.
What I have learnt, walked through, and fought for in the prophetic I want to give away, so that my ceiling is the next generation’s platform and they can walk into things more easily than I did. But, what I cannot do is impart my history with God.
You have to develop your own.
Because the revelatory realm can be so powerful, you can be accelerated quickly into a place of prominence without having dwelt enough in the realm of intimacy. God is so kind that He will give us favor anyway, but how we steward that favor is very important.
Voyeurism is looking in on someone else’s intimacy. The Church practices spiritual voyeurism when we see the intimacy of others and say we want it, without comprehending the journey they’ve gone through to get there. Let’s not be like Judas, who wanted the kiss of intimacy in the garden but would not join himself in covenant.
3. WAIT FOR GOD'S TIMING
Another thing prophetic people need to learn is to incubate their prophetic and mystical encounters. Too often, after an encounter, we immediately want to tell everyone about it. Growing in the prophetic means becoming someone God can trust with His secrets. Also, incubating can mean the difference between a prophetic word being aborted in its infancy or something being carried to full term and birthed.
Ask the Lord for the right timing before you share a word with someone, this will not only increase your intimacy with Him, it will increase the effectiveness of your words.
4. PRACTICE PROPER DISCERNMENT
We also need to learn how to discern properly. Discernment from the place of insecurity is simply suspicion. Most of the Church, unfortunately, operates in suspicion, not discernment. Proper discernment is the ability to discern not just where the angelic hosts are but why they are present. This is so that we can partner with the angelic and minister accordingly. It’s the same when phenomena like gold dust appear. Get in the habit of not simply enjoying those supernatural signs, but asking God what they are for. If God is responsible for something, I know it is significant and requires a response.
5. ASK GOD FOR MORE
Lastly, I would encourage you to read about prophetic encounters in scripture and ask God for them. Whether you’ve experienced similar encounters to those I’ve mentioned above, or have yet to, there is always more with God. Moses, hidden in the cleft of the rock, saw God’s glory pass by but, in the new covenant, we get to see His glory with an unveiled face.
God has so much for us in this covenant!
This blog post is an excerpt from AMPLIFY: Refine Your Prophetic Gift
If you want to grow in the prophetic, it doesn’t begin with what you say. It begins with what you see. The prophetic is rooted in perception. Not just natural insight, but spiritual awareness—what Scripture calls “the eyes of your heart.” Paul prayed that the church in Ephesus would have their hearts enlightened so they could truly see what God was doing. “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you…” (Ephesians 1:18) God isn’t distant or withholding. But if we’re going to hear Him clearly, we have to see differently. We need Heaven’s perspective. And that means learning to quiet the noise, tune into His voice, and let Him train our inner vision. You don’t need to wait for a dramatic vision or audible voice. Often, God speaks through a nudge. A mental picture. A scripture that lingers. A sense of burden or joy that feels holy. These are the first signs that your spiritual eyesight is awakening. But it takes time. It takes attention. It takes trust. Just like physical muscles grow with use, your spiritual senses grow as you spend time with Him—not just talking, but listening. Not just asking for answers, but asking for His perspective. You were never meant to live according to what the world says is true. You were meant to live by every word that flows from the mouth of God. A Prayer for This Week: “Lord, open the eyes of my heart. Teach me to see what You see—not just in others, but in myself, in my circumstances, in the world around me. Give me clarity and confidence to trust Your perspective more than my own. Amen.” This week, pay attention to what you notice. The way you see is often the way He speaks.
In this live session, Sean Smith and Julian Adams share their prophetic perspectives on 2025, offering honest reflections on what they sense God is doing across the earth. With hope and expectancy, they discuss the spiritual landscape ahead and how we can prepare for what’s to come.
We are living in a world of dramatic change. The relentless pace of development often leaves us breathless and exhausted. The demand for innovative ways of communicating, inventing, and staying ahead of cultural trends can feel daunting and demoralizing. It can push us into a space where we find ourselves trying to copy rather than be authentic, to imitate rather than create. This pressure can lead us to believe that we need to be more creative, and that our individual stories do not matter. But nothing could be further from the truth. Your story, no matter how small, matters and is powerful. One of the remarkable aspects of ancient manuscripts, like the Bible, is that they tell the stories of individuals whose lives may seem small and insignificant. Yet, God chose to make their lives a memorial of what He could do with a life that the world deems insignificant. The incredible power of the gospel is that it changes lives one at a time. God is as interested in the individual story as He is in redeeming the cosmos. The aim of the gospel is not just dealing with personal sin; it is about restoring individuals to a relationship with a kind Father. In his book Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis beautifully said, "The Son of God became a man to enable men to become sons of God." Justification addresses our standing before God, but our adoption invites us into a relationship with the Father. It allows us to partake of who He is and to live in a place of deep joy from who He is. Romans 3:23 reminds us that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Many of us forget that the work of salvation has turned this verse around. Through Jesus, we have been restored to the glory of God. One description of the word "glory" refers to the divine quality, the unspoken manifestation of God, and splendor. It is the revelation of God's intrinsic worth and beauty. Do you see that? We have been restored to His divine quality, splendor, and beauty. In a world where it can be easy to feel like just another face in the crowd, remember that your story is significant. Your experiences, your journey, and your voice matter. Embrace the unique narrative God has given you and let it shine. You are not just a spectator; you are a vital participant in God's grand story. Your authenticity, creativity, and individuality are valuable. As you navigate the rapid changes of our world, hold on to the truth that your story has power and purpose. God sees you, knows you, and has a plan for your life that is uniquely yours. Let us celebrate the beauty and significance of each individual story, knowing that together, we contribute to a tapestry of divine splendor and glory.