The Prophecy That Changed My Life Forever
JESHUA GLANZMANN • June 4, 2018
I remember the very first prophetic word I ever received. I was 17 years old sitting at church, in the same seat I found myself in on a weekly basis. Church was a part of my routine, I always knew what to expect, so I was shocked when a stranger came up to me claiming she had a “word from the Lord”. But I was desperate for something. I was in the midst of a depression… lost, confused and afraid. At a turning point in my life.
“God sees you, and He’s standing beside you, with His hand on your back,” she said.
Those simple words impacted me. Not only did they touch my heart, I actually felt them physically. I felt the warmth of a hand on my back comforting me, but when I opened my eyes I saw no one there. And with that, I was convinced. This woman does hear from God.
Fast forward a few months, and I found myself in a new context. As a pastor’s kid, I grew up highly involved in church life. But I don’t remember prophecy ever being spoken about, let alone encouraged. It was one of those things I thought wasn’t for today. So when someone invited me to check out this big “charismatic” church, I entered with as much scepticism as I had curiosity. This church was the kind of church I used to make fun of, with people who claimed they could “see angels” or “speak in tongues”. I had no evidence that those things were legit. I wasn’t interested in miraculous healings, tongues or the other gifts of the Spirit. But there was one thing that drew me out of my comfort zone into a context I considered unorganized, excessive and too emotional.
Prophecy.
The memory of that moment, when someone spoke the right word at the right time, kept playing in my head. If that woman could hear God’s voice, maybe I could too.
When I stepped into this church, it was as if everyone in the room knew God’s heart for me. I had people come up to me and tell me my past, my present and my dreams for the future. Once someone gave me a detailed description of the last 4 months of my life and then went on to describe God’s plans for the next 4 years of my life. How did people have such boldness? Because they were convinced that God does speak, He wants to speak, and He has nothing but love to speak.
I have to be honest here though, at times the prophetic still scared me. To me it seemed unmeasured and dangerous. I even got letters from loved ones warning me of the dangers of the prophetic. “Why do we need to hear God when we have the scripture telling us what to do?”
And yet God kept calling me back to the prophetic, time and time again.
I have since become more jealous for the prophetic. It was a year after that first prophetic word that I enrolled in a ministry school focusing on the “supernatural”. Yes, it was uncomfortable and challenging at first, but with each prophetic word, I became more convinced that God does still speak.
My very first prophetic word was the doorway that brought me into the “more” of God — not only a different expression of my faith, but a greater revelation of the goodness of God. It was prophecy that opened up my heart to other gifts, like tongues, and gave me the courage to pray for the miraculous in my every day. I desire the prophetic because it is biblical (1 Corinthians 14:1), and it’s prophecy that stirs even more hunger for his written word. Now, the prophetic has become not only something I enjoy receiving but something I am confident in delivering.
Those simple words, “God sees you,” changed my life forever.
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.
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