By MariaMaria #544 CM/FM 3310 3/00

Cover quote:

My gift of prophecy is as a magic looking glass which allows you to see situations and circumstances through My eyes and perspective. What wonders this mirror reveals, what depths of time and space you can travel into—even into the very heart‚ soul and life of another—by gazing into My magic mirror of prophecy.

Please read this series very carefully, taking time to study and reread when necessary. This is a complex subject, and one that can't be understood with a quick skim of the ma­terial. If you do not seriously apply yourself to fully grasping and under­standing this instruction, you're undoubtedly going to come away with wrong impressions or wrong interpretations, and then you'll be going on that wrong information for who knows how long. Prophecy is mysterious, fascinating, and very deep! If you like things that are "heavy" or "meaty" or not the "party line," then read this, because this series is all those things! But you have to commit to studying it, because your understanding of prophecy is crucial and will give you more faith and help you have a stronger connection to your lifeline, Jesus!

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Dear, wonderful Family,

1. Peter and I love you so very much! We pray that this series has been a help to you so far. There's so much to learn about prophecy; it's such an adventure! We in the Family are blessed to under­stand this wonderful mystery probably better than anyone who has ever lived, because we have asked more questions and received more answers from our Answer Man, the One Who knows it all. Some of it He has explained in great detail, while other points are still quite mysterious. We might have to wait until we get to Heaven to fully grasp the whole intricate, marvelous picture, but in the meantime, we can be very thankful for the tremendous insight our dear Lover has given.

2. When we were working on this series, the Lord had the following to say about the need for Peter and me to publish these questions and answers, so you could understand how to handle some of the complications and difficulties that come up when using prophecy.

3. (Jesus speaking:) The Family has made so much progress in their faith in the prophecies published in the GNs. They've become accustomed to the New Wine, and they revel in it!

4. Many of them also have begun to use prophecy a lot in their personal lives, for their encouragement and to get answers they need on a daily or weekly basis. But much of this is private, because they don't want to get "complicated." They don't want to have any hassles related to prophecy or the difficulties in understanding or interpreting prophecy. For this reason, many Homes and leaders don't use prophecy as much as they could or should, because it's still quite controversial and problematic; and since the answers to the controversies and problems are not yet in print, they don't have the faith to sort out the difficulties, so they have to just let things ride. This is a shame‚ because they could get so much more detailed, specific counsel, but they lack faith because of the problems related to getting counsel for others or for the Home's situation, which must be public—that is to say shared with others, not private.

5. So if you hope to have Homes and shepherds use prophecy as much as they should, they need to have the answers and solutions to prophecy problems. The Family is ready for this now. They've grown sufficiently that they can take the meat of the Word regarding this new weapon. Had they received these answers earlier‚ they would have stumbled or been fearful‚ confused, or overwhelmed. But now that they've had sufficient opportunity to practice with their gifts of prophecy at their own rate‚ and they've seen the pitfalls and the difficulties‚ instead of being afraid and pulling back when they read this meaty counsel, they'll welcome it with open hearts and minds, and it will cause them to rejoice and to go further in their use of their gifts. (End of message from Jesus)

6. (Mama:) We pray that these GNs continue to answer your questions and give you greater faith and understanding to use your gift of prophecy more extensively—not just in your personal life, although that is very import­ant, but also in your Home decisions and in your witnessing and your shepherding of ­others.

How to look at seemingly
conflicting prophecies

7. (Question:) Sometimes if two people pray about a decision or a question about what to do, the answers in the two prophecies will be different. Why is that? What are the spiritual principles behind this?

8. (Jesus speaking:) There are many factors in the spirit world that come into play when you receive a message from Me. There are also many factors in the physical world that make a difference:

9. Number 1: The question that you ask can affect the answer given. How your question is worded‚ how specific it is and from what angle, all affect the answer that's given. For example, if two people are praying about the poss­ibility of starting a band with their young people, and one person asks, "Lord, we really need something to challenge the young people in our Home, and they seem to have the burden for this band idea. Is it okay to go ahead with this plan?" And the other person asks, "Lord‚ what would be the best way to get out more tools? This band idea is one option. What do You think about that?" Well, the person who asked from the standpoint of challenging the young people might get a general message about how the young people really do need a challenge, they need to get out witnessing, and this band idea is a good idea. The person who asked from the standpoint of getting out more tools might receive the answer from Me that the band idea is not the best way to get out more tools at all—it will be time-consuming and not all that fruitful in the way of tools out.

10. At face value, the prophecies are contradictory. But if you would come back to Me and ask Me again, I would tell you that the band idea is a good idea and something that the young people would enjoy doing as a ministry, if you're able to devote the personnel, shepherd­ing, and finances toward it; but that you shouldn't count on it for tool distribution, but rather try something else to get out the tools. If you don't feel you can handle both ministries—the band and another form of tool distribution—I would tell you which is more important for you to concentrate on at the moment.

11. Can you see how the question directly affects the answer? It's impossible for Me to out­line every aspect of any given situation when you ask Me about it, so you must ask Me specifically what you want to know, and I will answer specifically what I know you need to know from that angle. If you're not sure what question you should ask Me, then begin with the question, "Lord, please help us formulate the question to ask You. What are the most import­ant points we need to ask You about?"—and I'll tell you.

12. Number 2: People's decisions and changing circumstances affect the answers that I give. Maybe one person will ask Me a question one day, and I'll give the go–ahead. The next day, someone else will ask Me the same question, and I'll say it would be better to wait. Don't automatically assume that one person got it wrong. Bring it back to Me and ask Me about it, and maybe I'll explain that something has changed due to a decision someone made‚ or I'll bring up another factor which is about to enter the equation which you're not yet aware of.

13. Number 3: I'm also limited by the faith of the channel. If two people are asking Me the same question, but they receive different answers, it could be that one of them didn't have the faith for something that I would have given, so I gave them the answer that I knew they would have the faith for, and that would work out best for them and those that they're involved with according to their faith. I'm limited by your faith, My children, and as it is with the ministries that I lead you to, the miracles that I'm able to do for you, even the ways that I choose to work in your life‚ I'm limited by your faith and your desire to obey and the choices that you make. Even so it is with receiving prophecy. If the channel doesn't have the faith to give it, I will temper the message so that they can still be within My will, but I will not give the full message. Also, if there are several options that they could do, I'll give the option that I know would be according to that person's faith.

14. When I know a person lacks faith, yet they're trying to stay within My will to the best of their ability‚ I also might lead them according to their faith at the time, knowing that as they keep coming back to Me for more answers and guidance along the way, and as their faith grows and is strengthened step by step as they obey, then I will be able to reveal more of My plan to them. I lead according to their faith, and I give instructions according to their faith‚ to help them receive the message and keep following Me. I trust that with time I'll be able to lead them more into My perfect will.

15. Number 4: I also give answers according to a person's desire, when I know that there are various answers and leadings from Me that would be acceptable and fruitful.

16. Take an example where you're asking Me whether to do a Holy Ghost sample type of wit­nessing excursion in the park or to do personal witnessing. To one person I might say that it would be better to do personal witnessing‚ bringing your guitar, and that I will lead you to the sheep individually. To another I might give the go-ahead for a Holy Ghost sample, because that person has such a great desire in his heart to do it‚ and I know that I can protect him if he remains within My will and follows the instructions that I give. Because of the difference in the desire or burdens of those asking Me, they might receive different answers.

17. Again, if this happens, you should bring it back to Me to receive further instructions if you're not sure where to proceed next.

18. Number 5: At times I'm limited by the lack of yieldedness of the channel. Two people can pray about a situation, but if one person isn't yielded to the full message and would reject it, then I'm not able to give the full message. In this case the two messages can appear quite different. Sometimes when the channel is determined to have things a certain way and they're set in their mind, then I can't give the full mess­age. I have to somewhat tailor the message because I know their unyieldedness would make it impossible for them to receive the full message, as it would be contrary to their desires. In these cases, the prophecies received by two people can appear quite contradictory, but it's because one message is incomplete, affected by the un­yieldedness of the channel. (See ML #3275:35-42, GN 875, for more on how a lack of yieldedness can affect your channel.)

19. Those are the ways that the channel or circumstances can affect the message that is given. Here are other reasons why prophecies about the same subject can be different.

20. Number 6: At other times I allow conflicting answers because I want to bring you back to Me, for I have something else to teach you‚ something to show you that you wouldn't have opened your channel to receive when you were asking the first question. You only wanted a specific answer, but because I wanted to speak to you further, I allowed you to get what you would consider "crossed signals" so that I might further teach you and give you more counsel when you come back to Me.

21. Number 7: Also, sometimes two prophecies on the same subject or answering the same question can sound quite different because I'm bringing up the pros and cons of the situation, or different sides of the coin, or I'm explaining two different options that would both be within My will.

22. Number 8: Another reason that I make it necessary for you to keep coming back to Me in the event of seemingly conflicting proph­ecies is because I want to work hand in hand with you. If you didn't have the need to seek Me for more answers, how much we would miss; what wonderful fellowship and what a precious deepening of our relationship we would forfeit! So in some ways you could say that I have My Own personal, almost selfish reasons, which are to keep you close to Me, dependent on Me, needing Me and working hand in hand with Me—so I can enjoy you, My delicious, wonderful brides! (End of message from Jesus.)

23. (Summary of answer: ) If two people pray about something and the answers they receive are different, it could be because they worded their question differently and therefore got a different "angle" from the Lord. Also, the circumstances surrounding the situation you're praying about could have changed, or the people involved could have made choices that caused the Lord's counsel to be slightly different. The Lord also goes according to our faith when He gives counsel, and according to our preferences when they are within His will and He knows good fruit will come of it; this can cause the messages received by two people to appear quite different. There are times when the Lord can't give a complete message to someone due to their un­yieldedness, so He gives them what they want and are willing to receive.

24. Two different–sounding prophecies could be the Lord presenting the various pros and cons, or two options that would both be within His will. He also sometimes deliberately has the answers be different so we'll keep ­coming back to Him to get further information that He has for us. Not only does this keep us humble and dependent on Him, but He likes it that way, because we stay close and deepen our relationship and have more frequent communication with Him.

25. (More from Mama:) It's very import­ant to not have an automatic negative reaction when there are seeming contradictions in prophecies. It's best to immediately assume that the Lord has an answer and a good explanation‚ and ask Him about it. As you can see, there are some very good reasons why answers might be different. Don't let the Enemy use seemingly conflicting prophecies to cause division or ­problems in your Home when the Lord has the answers you need! Please ask Him!

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26. (Dad speaking:) If you ask Him for more information, more details, for an explan­ation‚ He'll often give it—more than often, because He wants to increase your faith! He's on your side and He wants you to keep on ­believing‚ and if you ask Him in humility and faith‚ He'll tell you why something seemed to contradict. He'll explain it, and very often He'll show you something you never thought of‚ and He'll give you the reasons why He said two different things.

27. If one person gets a prophecy that says "Do this" and another person gets a prophecy about the same subject which says "Do that"—the opposite—does that mean that one is true and the other is false? And does it infer that one channel was right and the other was wrong? No. You have to be very prayerful and very careful that you don't assume the negative.

28. Your best starting point is to assume that there is an explanation, to assume that both channels were doing their best, were desperate, and that what they received was the Lord's will in some way. Your next step is to ask the Lord for more on the subject.

29. Ask Him, "Why did so-and-so get that we should go north while so–and-so got that we should go south? What does it mean? Can You please clarify for us what You're trying to say to us by these two different messages? If You really want us to go north, can You please confirm that? And if so, can You also please explain why You talked about going south?"

30. If you ask the Lord about it in faith, with an open mind and an expectant attitude, He'll tell you why He chose to do it that way, and why He chose to tell you two things. You might be surprised to find out that He really did want to tell you to do both things! Maybe He wants you to go both directions, but at different times. I don't know, but He does, and you can find out if you ask Him.

31. So even if there are cases of people receiving conflicting prophecies, or parts of the prophecies that conflict, the best thing to do is to walk in faith, assuming that the Lord has an explanation and that He's willing to give it when you ask. Keep going back to the Lord and asking Him for more. (End of message from Dad.)

32. (Jesus speaking:) I want to teach you not to judge with haste, not to assume anything, but to study My Word thoroughly and prayerfully, and if you have questions about the things I've said, to ask Me about each one. I have the answers, and I'll explain and clarify what is not clear to you, and I'll do so until it's clear in your mind and you have a good understanding of My Words.

33. You must not assume that something is wrong with the prophecies given if they seem to conflict or be contradictory, and therefore one is wrong and one is right. When you have questions about specific points in the messages I give, it's very important that you ask Me about them. That's the next step in finding My will and finding My complete counsel.

34. Ask Me specific questions to receive specific answers. Ask Me as many questions as you need, as often as you need, even if it means asking about the same point several times, until you have a peace of mind that you clearly under­stand My will. I'm never in a hurry and I never tire or get upset or bored or frustrated with My brides coming to Me. I'm always here for you and I delight to talk to you and give you the answers you need. (End of message from Jesus.)

35. (Jesus speaking:) I might say different things to different people, depending on how they form the question, what their receptivity is, and what they're able to bear. I might show My highest will to one person and to another person I might show what is according to their faith. When you feel that this has happened, or you think maybe this has happened, all you have to do is come back to Me and ask Me again.

36. I might speak to one person a little differently than to another because I know he or she can bear it, because he or she may be a little more removed from the situation. Whereas when I speak to someone who is more involved in a situation, I know that the pure, unvarnished truth, like the meat of the Word, may be too much for him or her. So I have mercy on their frame and I give them what I know they can bear. This doesn't mean that the prophecy that I give to them is untrue or false. It simply means that I speak to them where they're at‚ but to another person I might reveal My higher or more complete will. (End of message from Jesus)

37. (Jesus speaking: ) Judge the prophecies, for out of the mouth of two or three witnesses My Word shall be established. Much is within the judgment of the words that I have spoken. For many times I speak many words‚ and some seem to contradict others. But these are not contradictions; these are a well-rounded, full picture. He that judges must do so prayerfully‚ wisely, seeking Me‚ that he may see as God sees, not as man sees. They that judge must judge prayerfully and wisely, that they may understand the full counsel of God, the well-rounded counsel of God. (End of message from Jesus)

When to leave off asking
and proceed in faith

38. (Question:) When going back to the Lord about seemingly conflicting or contradictory prophecies, surely the Lord will eventually settle on one plan or the other, or else some entirely different course of action. But whatever happens, it often looks like the Lord changed His mind.

39. There has to come a point where you believe that what you got in prophecy is what the Lord wants, and just do it in faith, right? Or do we keep bringing additional questions before the Lord if we don't like the answer He's given, hoping that He'll change His mind and go with what we're wanting to do?

40. (Jesus speaking:) Yes, there are times when I appear to change My mind. Sometimes the messages I give change, even radically, because of different factors: circumstances, your burdens and faith, the lessons I want to teach you or have taught you‚ or your receiving important details or "other sides" of the message that change the direction considerably.

41. You can't be stuck in a rut or dig your heels in regarding hearing from Me in prophecy, because if you do, it will only cause you to get confused. I want to teach you to flow, to be flexible, to be open-minded. I want you to see that I'm also flowing, flexible, and open-minded. I reserve the right to supposedly change My mind if it's in the interest of My work, My will, and the lessons I want you to learn. But even if I do seem to change My mind, don't worry about it. Just accept it and be happy that you can follow Me whithersoever I go, knowing as you seek Me and follow closely, I'll keep you and provide for you. I will not lead you astray.

42. I've opened the door for you to ask questions, to come before Me time and again, to receive clarifications, to petition Me about things that you don't understand. I know what questions you're going to ask, how much faith you have, and how much each of you will come back to Me for the answers.

43. Sometimes I deliberately give you a mess­age that is less clear or specific, in order to teach you to come back to Me. It's not that I'm unable to be clear; it's that I'm trying to teach you something through it, or exercise your faith in a certain area, or your muscles of prophecy and patience in coming back to Me time and again.

44. I know when you will leave off asking and when you will believe that the matter is settled, and thus I give you the needed information so that if you're seeking Me and pleasing Me and searching to do My will, you'll have all that you need and you will not go awry.

45. But you don't need to fear whether you've asked sufficient questions. Don't worry that you've forgotten one question and that per­haps My answer was just waiting to change. Don't fear that you'll do the wrong thing—that which I have told you to do, but which I was just waiting to change My mind about but didn't have a chance to, because you didn't ask the right question. I do not do this to you, My children.

46. I put the correct feelings within your heart when you're yielded and close to Me. I even put the questions within your heart so that you'll draw close to My side again and again and hear My voice. I put the wonder in your heart so that you'll ask Me, and understand‚ and become more a part of My divine nature.

47. Likewise‚ when I do not put the questions within your heart, but answer the question to your satisfaction and to the satisfaction of all concerned‚ then you don't need to fear whether you're missing more. If there's more to be given and you're close to Me and in tune with Me‚ then you'll feel the definite need and longing to hear more from Me.

48. So to summarize what I've said to you: If I give an answer and another side of the ­picture comes up or there are more questions‚ then you can, in faith‚ come back to Me about these things, without feeling that you're an unbeliever or that you lack faith. Ask Me in faith and I will answer you in good faith. I will increase your faith, not weaken it, through these times of questions and answers. And in time, I will answer your questions. Depending on how complex the situation is, it may take a few more times of coming back to Me and hearing My voice before you get every piece of the puzzle from Me. But be patient and do this, and in due time it will all be sorted out and you will understand. And even if you don't understand why it had to take such a long time or so many sessions with Me, you will realize in Heaven that these times spent in My presence have shaped your spirit and fine-tuned your channel, and this is priceless.

49. And when you come to Me with a question and I answer it‚ check to see if there is anything else I want to tell you through the burdens and leadings I've put on your heart, or through the circumstances that I allow to come up that make further clarifications necessary. You can even ask Me, "Jesus, is there anything else I need to come to You about concerning this matter?" If I put a tug or pull on your heart or on the heart of someone else, or something happens or comes to light that makes you or others feel unsure about the answer you've received from Me, then you'll know that there's more that I wish to speak to you about. But if not, and if you and others have no more questions on that particular subject and it all seems clear in the light of My Words, then you may proceed prayerfully, in faith, knowing that I only wish to give good things to My children. If you've asked for bread—the answer to one of your questions—then I will not give you a stone—a wrong or misleading answer. I'll give you good things, good answers and guidance. (End of message from Jesus.)

50. (Summary of answer:) The Lord does sometimes seem to change His mind on some things, but you don't need to worry about that. That's His business! He's the One calling the shots, and if He chooses to not disclose some details right from the start, or if He seems to change His plans according to circumstances or your faith and burdens, then that's okay. If after you've learned whatever lessons He wants you to learn, He then makes His plans clear—which might be quite different than what He originally revealed—that's just fine. It doesn't mean you're doing anything wrong; it's just another confirmation that God works in mys­terious ways His wonders to perform!

51. The Lord is flexible and flowing, and He wants us to be the same. So we need to remember that when working with Him through prophecy. He cautions us to not dig in our heels or get so set in our ways when following Him step by step, but to be open to change.

52. The Lord promises that if you're seeking Him and pleasing Him, if you're yielded and close to Him, then He'll make sure you have the information you need to make good decisions. You won't miss important factors from lack of asking‚ because you or others will either get checks from the Lord, such as feelings of uneasiness in your heart, or circum­stances will come up that make it obvious that you need to confirm His will or get more details.

53. Of course, even when the question is answered to your satisfaction and to the satis­faction of everyone concerned, as a double check you can ask the Lord if there's anything else you need to ask Him about concerning the matter. If not, you can proceed as He has led, and know, in faith, that He has given you the information you need.

54. (More from Mama:) These are wonder­ful promises from the Lord, but it goes without saying that a key in this working is being open to the Lord's checks when He's trying to get through to you. If you feel something isn't quite right, or some change of circumstances comes up that causes you to wonder about the direction you're going, then you need to be faithful to check back in with the Lord. Also, please be open to the fact that others might be the ones receiving the checks, so you need to be humble and willing to consider others' opinions, especially if they're affected by the decision being made.

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55. (Jesus speaking:) If you feel uneasy about something or get a check from Me that there's more that I want to say, then take a few minutes to come back to Me. I will make the need to hear further from Me known by giving you or others feelings or checks, or making the circumstances such that you know you need more counsel or details or further instruction or promises.

56. You should only proceed with the instruction I've given you in prophecy when you feel a peace about it, and when those you work with are in agreement with it. If there's any conflict, dis­agreement, or lack of unity, then you should definitely come back to Me for further word on the subject.

57. As I'm teaching you about asking Me about everything, you should become more and more frequent with your requests, so that you will not wonder whether you've asked Me enough about something. Communing with Me will be so natural to you that any time you receive a check about some­thing, or you come across something which is not clear, or you wonder why something came up, you'll ask Me about it—and thus we will have a constant line of open communication, and I'll be able to tell you when I have further instructions to give you, or a change of plans. (End of message from Jesus.)

58. (Jesus speaking: ) Pray without ceasing. If you will pray at every turn, at each step, and if you will stay sensitive and close to Me, then I can give you the checks and the direction you need. I can warn you if there's been a change of plans, or if circumstances and conditions have changed and you need to refigure.

59. If you're desperately seeking Me and I give My answer‚ but circumstances and conditions change later‚ then I can still get My directions to you. I can use others, I can give you a check, I can cause situations to come up which force you to pray again. There are all kinds of ways that I can work to lead and guide you to perform My will.

60. The key is to pray and ask without ceasing. The key is to be diligent to seek Me in all things and to only want to do My will and to follow My leading. If you'll do that, then I will do the rest.

61. So pray each step of the way. For the most part, when you seek Me for answers and I give My response, you should then continue to ask questions if there are things you don't understand. And usually when you come to the end of your questions and you're satisfied with the answers, then it's okay to follow through with the counsel I've given.

62. When things do come up or when things change and I need to give you new direction, I will intervene and guide you. But stay in prayer. Pray without ceasing and stay sensitive to the checks and the moving of My Spirit. (End of message from Jesus.)

63. (Mama: ) You and all those involved, as much as possible, should have a peace about it before you proceed with what the Lord has shown you in prophecy. If you or others have any checks that you might be missing something or that something isn't quite right, ask the Lord again. If those you work with are not in agreement or there is any lack of unity regarding the direction the Lord shows in prophecy‚ then ask Him for more counsel. If some new factor comes up‚ something that might affect the situation that you either weren't aware of or didn't consider before, don't just say, "Oh well, we already prayed about it"; ask Him again!

64. The more we get in the habit of asking the Lord about everything, the easier it will be for us to be sure to get all the information we need from the Lord, because we'll be in constant communication with Him.

65. It's extremely important to go to the Lord about any questions that come up about the prophecies you receive. If you just ignore them, those unanswered questions can easily turn into doubts, which, with time‚ will weaken your foundation of faith. So even if you think it doesn't bother you when prophecies don't seem to be fulfilled as you expected, it's important to not just try to ignore it and forget it. You should try to get the Lord's explanation, because that's how your faith will be strengthened; otherwise your faith in prophecy can slowly be weakened, because the lingering thought that remains in your heart, long after the specific details have been forgotten, is that prophecy doesn't always work; you can't really trust it, because sometimes it's "wrong." If you want to grow in the use of prophecy and your understanding of how the Lord works with prophecy, ask Him your questions!

66. A good motto to remember is that the Lord always has an explanation, and He wants to give it to you if you'll just ask!

When things don't turn out
as you expected

67. (Question: ) Why does the Lord tell you to go ahead with something when He knows some­thing will come up that will make it impossible to fulfill what He said to do? If the Lord leads us to do something and then there's some obstacle that makes that impossible, we can only assume that either He knew all along about it and didn't want to tell us, or we didn't hear from Him cor­rectly. Or are we triv­ial­izing prophecy by asking Him about every little detail of our lives? The Lord might have a different reason in every case, but there certainly must be some principles at work regarding when He gives us the go-ahead for some action or plan, and then there is some­thing that blocks our being able to do it.

68. (Jesus speaking:) I work in mysterious ways My wonders to perform! You will not always understand why I lead you the way I do or why I work the way I do, but I can promise you this: You'll never go wrong by looking to Me and asking Me for My counsel and direction in prophecy. Even if it seems to you that things worked out differently than you expected, or even differently than I led you to believe they would work out, you can still be sure that you did the right thing in coming to Me and asking for My help and guidance and direction in prophecy. I will tell you some of the reasons why things might work out differently than they originally seemed.

69. First, there's the obvious reason of circumstances changing. I can't always tell you in advance when things are going to change, because sometimes it depends on choices that people need to make, and even I have to wait for them to make those choices.

70. Second, sometimes I'll lead you to think that something will be a certain way, when in fact it's different than that‚ because I need you to begin going in a certain direction so that I can fulfill My plan. If I told you from the very beginning how things would end up, you would have a very different idea of how to get there‚ and it wouldn't involve the lessons that I would teach you and the help I've planned for you to be to others along the way. Many times your plan is different than Mine‚ but I choose to lead you step by step within your general plan, for it's easier for you to obey that way; and together, as you keep asking and checking in with Me, we're able to arrive at the proper destination and plan.

71. Third, sometimes you don't ask the right question‚ or you're not open to receiving the full answer when you ask Me about something, so I refrain from answering you specifically or from including further details that you may wonder about later. Sometimes I choose to work this way so that you will have to keep coming back to Me‚ for in this manner I am able to teach you many lessons along the way. In addition, as I lead you through this step-by-step process, it is My desire that with this buffer of time‚ you will become more open to receive the full answer which I want to tell you.

72. Of course, there are also times when you do ask a more open, general question‚ or you do leave yourself open to receive more, but I choose not to tell you because I want you to begin along a certain path in order to accomplish a certain purpose or to learn a specific lesson, or things are not yet concrete because we're waiting on someone's decision; or possibly if I told you everything now, you wouldn't have the faith for it, or would become weary or fearful, and so it's best that I lead you one step at a time.

73. I'll give you an example. Say you ask Me whether you should stop by to see a certain person on the way home. I say yes, that would be good. But then your vehicle won't start, you get off to a late start, and there's no time to see that person—you barely make it home at a reason­able hour. You wonder why I said that you should go ahead and stop and see that person if I knew that your car wasn't going to work well. Why didn't I tell you that when you asked? If you'd stop and ask Me about it, I could explain to you that I answered your specific question by telling you that you should plan to stop on the way home, so that you would start out earlier. If I'd said no, you would have gotten a much later start, and so would not have made it home in good time after facing the car trouble. Or if I'd told you that your car was going to have trouble, you would have made other arrange­­ments, when I knew that the best was for you to go ahead and experience the car trouble, learn specific lessons, and then go home.

74. Fourth, often My words of prophecy and the promises I give are misunderstood by those reading them. You see one thing and latch on to that‚ and you fail to see the "if-then" clause; you fail to see the requirements you must meet in order for Me to fulfill My promise. You must look for the "if-then" clause, such as when I tell you, "if you ask for united prayer and the laying on of hands, then I will deliver you," or when I say, "if you will be faithful with your Word time, then your faith will grow." So many mistakes are made and so many pitfalls are fallen into because people tend to overlook this very important phrase.

75. Often you misread or make mistakes in your interpretation of My Words. This is when you must pray for the gift of interpretation and the gift of knowledge. You must come back to Me and say, "Lord, this is my interpretation of this promise—am I getting it right? Is this the way You want it interpreted? Am I missing anything? Did I fail to see some other requirement or caution You gave? Am I going ahead in my own spirit, or is this truly Your leading?"

76. Fifth, sometimes I give you something to test your faith‚ like I did with Joshua. I told him to march around the walls of Jericho for six days‚ and on the seventh day the walls of this massive city would fall merely at the shout of his men. This was a great test of Joshua's faith, for he had to believe My instructions first of all, which went contrary to common sense and the sight of his eyes‚ and next he had to wait patiently for the proper day to fulfill My plan. If he and his men had not had faith and obeyed‚ the walls would not have fallen. If he had been impatient to do it his own way and done it earlier than I had asked, the walls would not have fallen. Only I knew when the wind and weather conditions would be exactly right to carry the sound at the precise velocity that‚ along with the miracle-working power of My Spirit‚ would shake those walls down to their foundation.

77. Once I tell you something, don't rush off and say, "I heard it‚ and that's all I need to hear!" I admire your utter faith and belief, but it's unwise to drop all communication with Me just because I tell you one thing. You must stay in constant communication with Me to hear if I change plans or if I change the circumstances.

78. My precious ones, I do all things well. Even if you don't always understand it, or sometimes things work out differently than you think they will, or even differently than I allow you to think they will, still, if you've given Me your will and sought Me for My counsel and direction, you can trust that I have not led you astray, but that I will perform My perfect will through you. Don't let the Enemy discourage you from coming to Me in prophecy, but fight for that which is rightfully yours—the privilege of hearing My Words‚ My counsel, My direction for you at every opportunity. (End of message from Jesus.)

79. (Summary of answer:) The Lord makes it clear that we should not stop asking Him about everything in our lives, even the little details, just because sometimes things don't always turn out the way we thought they would, based on what He tells us. We can rest assured that He knows best, He has a plan, and He won't cause us to suffer harm or loss because we followed His instruction the best we could.

80. Some things are a mystery, and this is one of them: We can't understand all the reasons why the Lord doesn't tell us everything in advance, and sometimes He even lets it look like we got it "wrong." Ultimately we have to trust the Lord and not take it too hard or worry when the prophecies we receive don't always work out exactly as we thought. You just have to trust that the Lord knows what He's doing and not get down, feeling like you got a tainted prophecy or did something wrong.

81. There are good reasons why He some­times deliberately leads us one way to begin with, even when He knows good and well that things won't actually work out that way in the end. Those reasons are:

82. Ø Circumstances change. The Lord has to wait for people to make personal choices.

83. Ø He wants you to start moving a certain direction, so He gives a message that He knows will prompt you to do so, even though He knows it doesn't necessarily jibe with how things will work out in the end. At times He does it this way because there are lessons for you to learn along the way, or people for you to meet, etc. Also, if He knows the "full truth" would be too much for you and you'd be overwhelmed, scared, or lacking in faith, then He makes it easier for you by giving you a message that you have the faith for and that will get you started in the right direction.

84. Ø Sometimes He refrains from giving you certain "specifics" in His answer. If you haven't asked the right question, or you are lacking in faith to receive a full answer, He may not include certain details in His reply. In this way He's teaching you to keep coming back to Him. Often it is through this process you become more open, with time‚ to receive a full answer. He doesn't usually burst through with information until you are ready to receive it.

85. Ø Sometimes He chooses not to tell you. He is God, after all‚ and that's His prerogative. But if He does so‚ there's a good reason‚ such as those mentioned above.

86. Ø The prophecy was misinterpreted or the "if-then" clause or other requirements on your part were not fulfilled. This is why it's so important to pray for the gift of interpretation and knowledge. A key in interpreting prophecy properly is to keep asking Him about the situation and not narrowly latch on to one phrase or tenaciously hold on to one prophecy.

87. Ø He's testing your faith and teaching you the importance of staying in tune with Him, even after you've heard His voice, as Joshua did.

88. Regardless of the various problems and difficulties that come up when following the Lord's counsel in prophecy, asking Him everything is certainly much better than trying to fumble along in your own wisdom without His counsel in prophecy. He promises, "If you've given Me your will and sought Me for My counsel and direction, you can trust that I have not led you astray‚ but that I will perform My perfect will through you."

89. It's extremely important that you don't let the little problems that come up keep you from using your gift of prophecy as often as you possibly can. The Enemy will try to discourage you from it, and will blow these little incidents way out of proportion. But don't listen to him. Just don't worry about it. Fight‚ like the Lord says, for that which is rightfully yours—the privilege of hearing His Words, counsel‚ and direction for you at every opportunity!

n  Additional reading:

90. (Jesus speaking:) At times I will give a message that is fairly specific, to get you started on the path of My will. But that doesn't guarantee that the message is complete in itself. I give what I know will serve you the best, and sometimes specific messages from Me increase your faith that you're on the right track. But even when a message is specific, I still expect you to come back to Me for further details and confirmations. I also ask that you leave yourself open to Me, knowing that I don't usually reveal every­thing the first time I speak‚ especially in matters that involve other people, or are complex, or have a big impact on your Home or future.

91. It stands to reason that I will trust that we'll continue to carry on our conversation on this point and I won't feel pressured to fit in every detail or caution or possible hitch or difficulty the first time we talk. My interactions with you are similar to your interactions with each other: You discuss and then touch base again and share your views over and over. In the end, if things don't turn out exactly as you'd planned when you first conferred on the matter, you don't look negatively at each other or criticize or think your communication was a waste of time. You just look at that as the natural course of events, knowing and accepting that things take time to fine-tune. It's the same in your teamworking with Me and your spirit helpers.

92. Your Father David worked this way with you many times. He would receive an idea from Me, a revelation, a new direction in which I wished to move you. So he would give his thoughts—which I had given him—and give you the specifics as he saw them, but then he would leave with you much of the details that needed to be worked out and fine-tuned.

93. You didn't look on him as a false prophet when something needed to be changed or didn't work out exactly as he'd seen it originally. You knew that the general direction was right, and sometimes I moved you in a certain direction to keep you away from another direction that would have been less fruitful. Then, when you were safely on a certain path, I would change the course. As long as you followed Me, it worked out perfectly according to plan—not necessarily exactly the plan that you saw originally, but the plan that I had from the beginning.

94. I give specifics to get you started on the path that I wish for you to travel. Take the ideas into consideration and work with them, but don't be bound by them if I show you something new and different.

95. The secret to success is to continue coming back to Me for My direction. This is how you'll know whether I intend for you to hold steadfast to the original course I've set, or whether I allow for your personal faith or opinions to change that course slightly, still winding up at the original destination that I have set out for you. Sometimes the course will change and sometimes it won't, but you can't know unless you ask Me.

96. This is but a small illustration of a great principle that you must learn as you practice with the weapon of prophecy. This is imperative, for without wisdom and without the faithfulness to come back to Me, you can be led off course or be confused or discouraged. But coming back to Me will always bring the peace and clarity you seek, and ensures My full blessing and power. (End of message from Jesus.)

97. (Jesus speaking:) Why don't I tell you everything at the beginning? My mysteries are boxes which aren't opened all at once. Treasures are not handed out in the streets; they're buried deep in the mines. Similarly, you must dig deep and come out of the wings and into the quiet to receive My Words and thoughts and counsel.

98. I may seem to lead you awry‚ but it's not trickery. It's but a way I have of leading you closer to Me. And in so doing, I gain your ear more permanently. For once you see that plans can change and that even the counsel I would give you one day could be outdated the next, then you learn to ask and seek Me more. This is what pleases Me.

99. This is part of the process of hearing from Me. I must lead and guide you along the maze of My will, and as you learn and become more accustomed to asking Me continually‚ then I make My will more easily accessible, and I make the paths clearer and more plain, for I know you will continue to come to Me. Incidents that seem unclear to you or that raise questions in your minds cause you to ask and seek and knock‚ and stretch your channel to hear more from Me about what I would have you do. You hear from Me about the overall concept of My plan, and you learn more about how I operate and how I think and move and engineer things in the world of the spirit. I wish to give these good things to you, but if you don't ask, how can I speak? So I set up roadblocks and detours.

100. So fear not. Worry not. Let this not be a stumbling block to you. I will reward your faith and trust in My Words‚ and will give you this wisdom and understanding in your heart in My good time. (End of message from Jesus)

101. (Jesus speaking:) If I told you everything the first time, you wouldn't have to come back to ask again. But I purposely leave some things unsaid—"you cannot bear them all now"—so that when you come across these new factors you will have to come to Me again.

102. I love it when you come before Me with these questions, so I make sure that I leave enough questions open for you so that you'll have to come again. Not to mention that you just wouldn't have the time or strength to get everything in one sitting. My power and My answers are limitless, but not your time nor your capacity to receive. So I'm leading you along step by step, always leaving you something more to ask Me about, so that you may come before Me again and get your next set of instructions.

103. This is so very important‚ and it will become increasingly important in the days to come, when perhaps I'll tell you to go and rescue your loved ones, so you rush off and dash into the house where they are, only to find it's a trap! In times like this I would have you come back to Me as you approach to see if I want you to enter the house, and if so, by the front gate, the back gate, or by the window. When you get that answer, ask, "Where do You want me to go next? Upstairs? Downstairs? Through the living room or through the kitchen?"

104. In every step you must acknowledge Me and seek My approval and direction. Because in the days to come, your very life and the lives of others will depend on your hearing clearly and constantly from Me. (End of mess­age from Jesus.)

How much does the wording of
a question affect the answer?

105. (Question: ) How much does the wording of the question affect the answer received? If the question is not specific enough, do we risk missing important information? If we ask the wrong question, will the Lord punch through anyway with the right information?

106. (Jesus speaking:) My precious ones, I delight to give you what you need the most—the clear‚ pure, complete answers from the stores of My wisdom and omniscience. But I must also teach you how to refine your gifts, your receptivity, your sensitivity to My Spirit, your yieldedness. Thus, for the most part, I limit Myself to answering the question which you ask.

107. Yes, there are times that I override even the question that you ask, if I know that you desperately need some additional counsel, or if in your heart you're crying out for a complete message and now is the time when you must receive it. But most of the time I limit Myself and will give you the answer which corresponds to the question you've asked. That's why it's important to bring even your questions before Me, to consider them prayerfully, to put within your question the different angles and aspects that you want Me to cover.

108. Taking the time to consider the question prayerfully and include the different aspects which must be covered, and ask the question from the right angle, also gives you the chance to evaluate the situation, to present your heart before Me in yielded­ness, to become more avid and desirous of the specific answers.

109. I have limited Myself in this way for your benefit. Through creating the spiritual principles in the way that I have, it gives you the opportunity to learn more from Me and about My Spirit. It gives you a greater opportunity to commune with My Spirit. It makes you more desperate with Me. It makes you suck more fervently in the spirit. It helps you to understand better what the situation is, and even prepares your heart more for the answer that I will give, and gives you greater faith when you receive the answer that it's exactly what I want, because you've taken time to consider the different aspects and have brought it prayerfully and carefully before Me.

110. That's why sometimes it's helpful to discuss the question together, if the answer affects more than one person, or to ask for counsel about exactly what question you want to ask Me if it's on a matter of great importance. Because, yes‚ the question that you ask directly affects the answer that I will give, in most cases.

111. As I said earlier, there will be times that I will choose to make an exception and completely override the question to punch through with some information that I know you need, or that you would not receive any other way. But for the most part I confine Myself to answering the questions that you ask. Through this I teach you many things, our relationship is strengthen­ed, you're forced to keep coming back to Me, we stay in closer communication‚ you learn more about how I work, how I see things‚ and you have greater receptivity and hunger for the ­answer.

112. So when there's something that you need My answers on, take time to consider the question carefully. Ask from different angles, or keep coming back to Me with further questions that you think of as you receive the answers. This will ensure that the messages you receive are complete, that you're seeing the picture as fully as possible‚ and that you will not be led astray. I fill the hungry soul with good things. (End of message from Jesus.)

113. (Summary of answer:) The Lord has chosen to limit Himself, for the most part‚ to answering the questions we ask. Of course, He can do otherwise, if He so chooses, and if you're desperate and there's information that you must have right then; but normally He answers the ques­tions you ask. For this reason‚ formulating well-balanced, specific questions is essential if you wish to receive complete messages in prophecy.

114. Having to take time to really think and pray about what to ask the Lord is good for us. There are all kinds of benefits, such as:

115. Ø It gives us a chance to evaluate the situation and to understand it better.

116. Ø We become more yielded and desperate.

117. Ø It creates more spiritual hunger for the answers, and we suck more in the spirit.

118. Ø We learn more about the Lord and how He works.

119. Ø It prepares our heart for the answer.

120. Ø It gives us faith that what we receive is what the Lord knew we needed to receive.

121. Ø If you're going to pray about something that affects other people, it can be helpful to counsel with others about what question(s) to ask the Lord. It pays to take time to consider the wording of the question and make sure you're approaching the Lord from the right angle, or else keep going back to the Lord with other aspects of the situation as they're made known, which will help the direction you receive to be more complete.

What to do about
contradictory prophecies

122. (Question:) Many Homes and shepherds don't know what to do about contradictory prophecies, or prophecies that don't seem to come true, or even where the opposite seems to come to pass. What should we do when that happens?

123. (Jesus speaking: ) These complications and questions are why many orthodox, traditional church Christians don't like to use prophecy. Some close the door on it completely and even deny that I speak today. In times past, some were even persecuted and ostracized because of their use of and belief in prophecy. Many lose faith because of the differences in interpretation, differences in opinion as to what the message means, or what seem like contradictions. If a prophecy didn't come to pass or it wasn't fulfilled as expected, some wrongly conclude that it must be a false prophecy.

124. But you need not lose faith because of these seeming contradictions or difficulties in interpretation or understanding, or even if a prophecy seems not to come to pass as you expected or believed. Even if the opposite happens sometimes, you need not lose faith or feel that prophecy is not a good way to find My will.

125. These things are spiritually discerned, and you must apply the spirit of truth to the mess­age in order to see with the eyes of the Spirit. How do you discern My word of prophecy?—By reading it, studying it, and applying it—not with your carnal understanding and reasoning, but by asking Me for My Spirit of interpretation and My understanding and way of thinking; by not doubting, criticizing or assuming, but by having faith that I have a reason for what I'm doing, even if you don't understand; by coming back to Me for more information and explanation.

126. If you've received a prophecy that said to go and meet your bread contact and follow up on him and minister further to him this week, and when you go to see him you find that he's not there, but is out of town, does this mean that it was a false prophecy because it didn't come to pass? Does this mean that I told you to do the wrong thing, and that you can't depend on prophecy as a means of finding My will? No, these things are not necessarily so, even if it looks like it on the surface.

127. If you look further and explore further‚ you'll find the real reason I sent you on this mission. If you look further and ask Me again about it, you may find that I only used the bread contact as a means to get you to go where I wanted you to go, but I really have someone else, or something else, or some other mission in mind for you for that day. Now that I have you in position, in the right place, I can show you the next step.

128. But you must seek Me about it and ask Me again, not just assume there was something wrong with the channel. Seek and ask and receive further instructions. Be open to what I want to show you, and have no plan of your own. Simply be open to My plan for you at the moment, and you'll be given the answers you seek.

129. You will at times receive answers that even seem to contradict, but I will show you the right answer, the right way, and why it happened as such, but you must ask. And you must ask the right questions. You must really think and pray about the question that you ask Me, asking specific questions so that I can give you specific answers. In the case where you are not sure of what to ask, stop and ask Me to help you formulate your questions and I will. If you will acknowledge Me and ask Me what the questions should be to start with, I will give you the questions, and then give you the answers.

130. If something seems contradictory, ask for help in interpreting it. Ask for the help and counsel of your shepherds or of those who are exercised in using prophecy. Seek them out and ask for their support, prayer and discernment.

131. Do a Word study on prophecy and ­really search the Word for the faith that you need and for the direction and explanation that has already been given in the Word. Many specific questions have already been answered regarding prophecy, and the answer you need might be right there waiting for you.

132. And don't be too quick to vocalize your disagreement or negative comments about some­one's message. Don't you be the reason to cause someone else to lose faith or doubt‚ but speak faith and words of encouragement and trust. Go to your shepherds to share your questions.

133. Keep trying and keep believing. Fight to keep your channels open and receptive and full of faith. The day will come when your initial learning stage will be behind you and you'll be thankful that you kept fighting, persevering and trusting, even if you didn't understand. (End of message from Jesus)

134. (Summary of answer: ) This very en­cour­aging answer should help relieve some of the pressure that you might feel when hearing from the Lord about everything. If you realize that even if things don't turn out as you expect, that the Lord has a good reason and you can seek Him further about it‚ then you won't worry about getting things "wrong" and you won't feel embarrassed giving prophecies for fear they won't be fulfilled.

135. When you're faced with seeming conflicting or contradictory prophecies, or ones that don't come to pass, don't just ignore them. Do the following:

136. Ø Ask the Lord for the gift of interpretation; then read and study the prophecy with the eyes of the Spirit.

137. Ø Have an attitude of faith that the Lord has a reason for what He does, even if you don't understand it.

138. Ø Go back to the Lord and ask for His explanation. Don't just assume the channel "got it wrong."

139. Ø Ask specific questions to get specific answers.

140. Ø Counsel with your shepherds or others who are experienced in using prophecy.

141. Ø Study the Word that's been published on prophecy to increase your faith and find the answers you seek.

For more on prophecy‚ please see:

•"Prophecy Questions You May Have Always Wanted to Ask," ML #3019,
Lifelines 22.

•"Prophecy Questions You May Have Always Wanted to Ask, Part 2‚"
ML #3035, GN 667/Lifelines 23.

•"Prophecy Questions You May Have Always Wanted to Ask‚ Part 3,"
ML #3036, GN 668/Lifelines 23.

•"Spirit Stories," ML #3119, GN 733/Lifelines 24.

•"Mama's Surprise," ML #3133, GN 742/Lifelines 24

•"Mama's Surprise, Part 2," ML #3134, GN 743/Lifelines 24.

•"Mama's Surprise, Part 3," ML #3139, GN 749/Lifelines 24.

•"Endtime Prophecy Power," ML #3140, GN 756/Lifelines 24.

•"Hearing from the Lord Step by Step," ML #3149, GN 754/Lifelines 24.

•"Ask Me Everything, Part 1," ML #3270, GN 872.

•"Ask Me Everything‚ Part 2," ML #3271, GN 873.

•"Ask Me Everything, Part 3," ML #3272, GN 874.

142. Ø Don't say negative things about a prophecy.

143. Ø When there are conflicts or you have questions about prophecy, go to your shepherds and discuss it so the things you're wondering about can be prayed about further and clarified with all concerned.

144. Ø Don't lose faith in prophecy even if things don't turn out as you expect.

145. Ø Keep prophesying, even if you don't understand everything! You will understand more and more as time goes on.

Are unfulfilled prophecies false?

146. (Question:) If a prophecy doesn't come to pass or if the opposite comes to pass, doesn't that make it a false prophecy?

147. (Jesus speaking:) A message is not false simply because it does not come to pass. In fact, even if the opposite comes to pass and there seems to be a direct contradiction between the reality that you see and the words received in prophecy, that does NOT make the message false. A message is false when it does not contain the words I have given. Often there are mess­ages that are exactly true, pure, and perfect, and yet there is no visible evidence to substantiate them. Ah, such a mystery of faith, and such a contradiction of the natural mind and expectation of man.

148. This principle and deep spiritual truth is a hard saying for man, for those who would be My channels seek after a sign. They want to see the words they receive fulfilled; they want "proof" that they did indeed hear from Me. Sometimes they have this luxury, but many times they do not. Many times the proof is hidden from their eyes, only to be revealed at a later date—at times, a much later date. But then there are times when I choose to test and prove the faith of My children, and the proof they seek is not only not visible, but what is seen actually seems to disprove the validity of My message; it seems to establish that the message was wrong or even false.

149. This tries My children to the depths of their souls. It's in times like this that the Enemy would seek to tempt them to doubt, to fear, and to give up their gift. That's his aim, his goal, that My children would stop prophesying, that they would be stumbled in such a great way that they lose face and lose faith, and they would put away this precious weapon of prophecy and seek ­after it no more. For the Enemy of your souls knows the power of this weapon. He sees its effects daily; he realizes fully that within it is the power to overcome his attacks and defeat his plan. Therefore he fights day and night to destroy My children's faith in this gift.

150. One of the principal ways he attacks is in your mind, causing you to analyze‚ to see things logically, to put two and two together and come to the conclusion that this couldn't possibly have been a true message. He fights with all his power to keep you from coming back to Me to seek Me further‚ to ask Me to clarify, instruct, and explain. If he can get you to believe that you "got it wrong," then he will in effect steal away your faith to come back to Me for more. After all, he'll lead you to believe that if you got the first message "wrong," then the explanation will also be "wrong." He'll lead you to think that it's a vicious, hopeless‚ useless, futile cycle of "one wrong prophecy propping up another wrong prophecy."

151. Because My children have much to learn and they're just now embarking on the journey of asking Me about everything, they'll need to come back to Me again and again. They'll need great faith to believe My explanations about why things are not as they appear‚ why I allowed them to be led one way and then another way‚ why I indicated that there would be blessings and open doors when they were met by opposition and difficulties, why I promised healing when it appeared not to be fulfilled. The list goes on and on of how the faith of My children will be tested, and only those with great faith will learn to believe in My explanations. Those are they that will be the strongest‚ the greatest warriors of the times to come. They will be those who learn to have great faith in My voice of prophecy, for they will know from experience that they can trust My voice and direction, even in the face of all odds.

152. This seems to be a tough school of learning, and the process appears to be complicated. But as you know, the things of greatest value in life come with a price; they're not handed to you with no effort, no learning. You must seek‚ work, exercise, trust, fight and desire with all your heart to gain the greatest treasures of the spirit.

153. You‚ My queen, and your channels have grown tremendously in the power of asking. You know well the principle of coming back to Me to ask again and again. This has become second nature to you and to your channels, and you have grown in faith, for you've seen that I always have a reason, a good reason, for whatever the point of confusion is. You've grown to trust Me and you know that I'm right, that I know what I'm talking about, and that I never lead you astray. I'm well pleased with this faith.

154. My world, the great, vast world in which I live and operate and in which the multitudes of spirits operate, is far beyond anything that you could possibly understand in your carnal, finite mind. Though I've explained much, and though I've shown you glimpses into My world and the universe of the spirit through your Father David and the words I've given you, what you've seen is just a peek; there is so much more. There are so many mysteries that have yet to be defined. You're still learning, and it's My great pleasure to teach you.

155. In the spirit world, there is no time as you know it. Yesterday, today, and tomorrow can be all one and the same. The experiences you have, your ups and downs, the tests and trials, even long-term illnesses or the times of learning that seem to go on and on, are just a speck in the great eternal now. Your whole lives are like a moment, so how much more so the specific events and situations that you experience.

156. When I speak in prophecy, sometimes I tell of things as they are, sometimes I tell of things as they will be, and sometimes I tell of things as they should be. Much of the controversy over unfulfilled prophecy or nagging questions about My Words or the words of spirit beings or Heavenly helpers find their root in this—that you fail to realize that sometimes the words are a revelation of how events in your lives and time are progressing. Some­times they show how such events will come to pass in the days to come, and sometimes they're to show My perfect will, how I wish for things to be, but which will not be due to circumstances or choices that affect the fulfillment of that wish.

157. I know this sounds very complicated, My loves, and you are tempted to even get dis­couraged with these great, deep mysteries of My Spirit‚ feeling that you'll never be able to wisely and accurately interpret My Words to you. But actually it's possible to know what I speak of, if you'll follow this rule: If you wonder or have any questions‚ just ask Me. I can make it very clear, if you'll just ask.

158. There will be many messages that will be clear, and it will be obvious of what time period or from what angle I speak. But whenever you wonder, whenever you feel confused or you aren't sure about something, you should simply ask Me.

159. All you have to understand is that it's your responsibility to ask; I'll do the rest. You don't have to take it upon yourself to figure out when I'm talking about the present, the future or the ideal. If you need more information, you will feel a sense of puzzlement‚ a need for more explanation, a desire for My Word to be clearer. If you are sensitive to My Spirit and hungry for the truth, you will know when to ask and I will lead you through subsequent messages so that you will understand and have peace. (End of message from Jesus)

160. (Summary of answer:) If a prophecy doesn't come to pass‚ it doesn't necessarily mean the prophecy is false. There are many prophecies which have not been fulfilled that are true prophecies, because they contain the words the Lord wanted to give at that time. As earlier GNs in this series explained‚ a prophecy is false when it does not come from the Lord—when the words are not the Lord's words.

161. You must beware of the Enemy's attacks when prophecies are not fulfilled. He will try to get you to doubt prophecy and to quit pro­phesying. Because he understands the power of this weapon of prophecy, he fights day and night to try to destroy your faith in it. He attacks in your mind with analyzing‚ and he especially tries to keep you from going back to the Lord. He tries to get you to think you can't go back to the Lord, because if you got it "wrong" the first time, how could you get it right the next time? But no matter what he says, always go back to the Lord for His answers. As you learn to believe in the Lord's explanations, you'll learn to have great faith. The Lord promises that those who have great faith to believe His explanations will be the strongest warriors of the times to come, for they will have great faith in His voice of prophecy, and they will know from experience that they can trust His voice and direction, even in the face of all odds.

162. Sometimes the Lord speaks of things as they are and sometimes He speaks of things as they will be. That's often difficult to understand. But it's especially tricky when the Lord speaks of things as they should be, but they don't turn out that way due to circumstances or choices of man that affect the fulfillment of His plan. But the Lord promised to make it easier for us to understand this great mystery if we'll just be faithful to ask Him whenever we wonder about anything or are not clear as to what a message means or what time period the Lord is talking about.

163. The spirit world is tremendously vast, beyond our human comprehension; it's imposs­ible to fully understand prophecy with our carnal minds. We're still learning, and the Lord has been so good to us to give us many very specific, marvelous explan­ations about the gift of prophecy. But the bottom line is, it's still a matter of faith!

164. (Jesus speaking: ) You say, "But what if something really doesn't happen, or the oppo­site happens? What if we pray and ask You about someone's health and You tell us that You're going to heal them here on Earth, but then they die? Or what if we ask You if we should rent a certain house and You tell us to go for it and that the owner is a good man, but then it turns out to be a closed door? Aren't these false prophecies?"

165. Prophecies are not false because of changes in My plan, or because of changes in circumstances or events, or because of new direction or factors that I'm injecting. These things do not make a prophecy false. There could be several reasons for a change of plans and for My changing the direction of My will.

166. If you ask Me, I'll give you an answer as to why something happened the way it did. I'll help you to continue to have faith in prophecy and show you why it was good for you, and why and how this was part of My will.

167. The words of prophecy that I give are precious and valuable words of My Spirit, and you must treat them as the good treasure that they are, as the good instruction and good counsel that they're intended to be in your life, even if you think they're contradictory or something seems wrong. Don't just toss them aside, or dump them in the trash can, or put them on the shelf and ignore them. But look further, ask Me more questions, take them seriously, and try your best to obey and implement them. (End of message from Jesus.)

168. (Mama:) In this series of GNs the Lord has often emphasized that the fulfillment of His promises is affected by people's choices—your choices and the choices of others. This might cause you to worry that you'll miss His will in your life due to someone else's choices. Here is an excerpt of prophecy that someone in our Home received when it became clear that the promises the Lord had given him over several years were definitely not going to come to pass. Naturally, he worried that he had not heard from the Lord, that his prophecies had been tainted. But the Lord encouraged him that He is well able to bring about His wonderful plan in his life, even though it would be different than what he expected or how the Lord had led earlier. Here's the Lord's encouragement and explanation to this dear one.

169. (Jesus speaking:) I tell you clearly that you received words from Me that were pure and strong in truth. You were not a dirty or unyielded channel. You did not taint the prophecies you received because of your own desires. I gave you what was true and what you needed, according to My will at the time. You can rest assured that you heard from Me and Me alone. You did not receive your own words or thoughts. You did not make up the mess­ages. They were not a figment of your imagination, or the results of your own thoughts or desires. Those mess­ages were each from Me, your Lover. I have not tricked you or led you astray. I have not withheld from you My word of truth and direction. I gave you the pure, clear water of My Word.

170. As you've experienced before and will continue to see‚ to hear My voice in prophecy is a mystery. There's much you're still learning; there's much that will yet be revealed as you and all the Family continue to grow in the use of this precious gift; there's much still to be taught and understood. But you've done well and I'm very pleased that you understand the great principle of coming back to Me for clarifications and further insight when things don't seem to turn out as you expected.

171. When My children cease to ask Me, when they're stumbled and lose faith‚ that's when the real trouble starts‚ for that's when they open themselves up to the lies, distortions, half-truths, confusion and deceit of the Enemy. But as long as you continue to seek and ask, as long as you keep yourself open to My Word and you hold on to your faith for dear life, you will not go astray, and you will have a good reward for your asking. I will bless you with understanding‚ peace, and contentment, as you'll know where I'm leading you and you'll see a plain path before you.

172. The things that were are no longer‚ for My working in your life has been affected by the choices of others‚ things that you could not foresee or control. For I have left many things in the hands of My children and I have granted to each one the power of the majesty of choice. The majesty of choice is one of the greatest reasons why My words of prophecy are a mystery and sometimes don't appear to be fulfilled as I have spoken them. For I speak according to the circumstances and according to what would have been My will at the time. But I can't make people follow in a certain path, and when other circumstances and conditions arise, there are many choices that can cause My plan to be altered. The latter plan isn't necessarily the lesser plan; it's just different.

173. I'm generally constrained to work within the choices of man. You know this. But the part you must understand more clearly is that I'm a flexible, changing, flowing God. And when choices are made that affect My plan, then I'm able to work with those choices and devise yet another plan that is equal in beauty or that will even surpass the beauty of My former plan. It's not that My will is defeated and I'm left lost and floundering. No‚ I work with the choices of man and I cause, in the end, My greater and even greatest plan to come to fruition. (End of message from Jesus.)

Consulting specialists for
specific, practical questions

174. (Question:) Many times when we ask specific practical questions about things like problems with computers, cars, refrigerators, etc., the Lord says to take it to a specialist, whereas He could say, "There's a blue wire under the white box that is shorted out; replace that," or something like that. Is it a matter of our not having enough faith‚ or does the Lord have a reason for not telling us the specifics when we're praying about those kinds of practical problems?

175. (Jesus speaking:) In these days, I ­often lead you to consult a specialist both for your sake and for theirs. I use it in your life to keep you humble, to keep you desperate, to make you aware of your need for others. I use it in the lives of the specialists too. If they're outsiders, often I want you to witness to them. I want to give them the opportunity to be touched by My love through you. I want to give them the opportunity to help you, as My children. If the specialists are in the Family, I want to encourage them that others need them, that they're special, and have a special place and a special calling.

176. In the days to come, when it may be more difficult to see a specialist due to world conditions, I will give you more specific instructions. Even now, if there's no other way, and I want to, I can give you those specific instructions, if you have the faith to receive them. But usually I have a plan that uses the gifts that I've given others, and so helps you to need others and appreciate them, and in the case of working with outsiders, the opportunity to touch someone with My love. (End of message from Jesus.)

177. (Summary of answer:) The Lord usually instructs us to use the talents of specialists so we can be a blessing to them if they're out of the Family, or if they're in the Family, to help them feel needed. The need for outside help also keeps us humble, desperate, and aware that we're not self-sufficient. In the future, should it be difficult to see a specialist, the Lord will give us more specific instructions. Even now, if it's His will and we have the faith, He can give those specific instructions, but that's not how He usually works.

178. I pray these answers from the Lord have been a blessing to you, dear Family. As you continue to learn more about this marvelous gift‚ I know it will serve you better and better, until you're so dependent on this effective weapon that you'll find you're asking the Lord about everything! That's the goal‚ and we're heading in that direction step by step. Each day we're developing more of a habit of checking in constantly with the Lord, which is just what He wants. God bless and keep you asking and receiving!

Love, Mama

Continued in GN 914