Leonard Ravenhill once stated, “The prophet comes to set up that which is upset. His work is to call into line those who are out of line! He is unpopular because he opposes the popular in morality and spirituality. In a day of faceless politicians and voiceless preachers, there is not a more urgent national need than that we cry to God for a prophet!”

Looking at the current landscape of modern Christianity this description in which Ravenhill details (briefly) in the identity of a Prophet seems to be an unimaginable person. Today we have a very clear and present face that many in the church adores as a politician. Today, the church has a current move within the prophetic to be more loving, graceful, and merciful without repentance than ever before. The church rarely, if ever, hears anything remotely close to the cost of a sinful lifestyle. The church has embraced a softer version of Christianity within the past two decades than the previous many decades prior. The church has winked her eye in the areas of alcohol, homosexuality, and fornication (just to name a few) as water under the bridge, defining God as one who is morphing into a cultural shift of acceptance due to the social status of mankind. How could Ravenhill described such a person and be so far from what we see today? Truth is, if Prophets spoke like the description of Ravenhill, they would be chastised and labeled as a false prophet. How have we arrived at such a place in time? Could it be that we are missing Prophets who have specifically been consecrated before the LORD? Could it be that we have accepted the commissioning by man at a conference over the consecration that can only come from the wilderness?

By definition, Consecration is the giving of ourselves to the Lord to become “a living sacrifice”. Romans 12:1 declares, “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.” Consecration is a process of being set apart to be made Holy (as the Lord is Holy) through sanctification within an intimate relationship with the Lord. In the Old Testament, a sacrifice was something set apart for God by being put on the altar for when people offered that thing to God, no longer belonging to the one offering it. It belonged to God, for His use and His satisfaction. Although we no longer use animals for this manner, we still are required to consecrate ourselves to the Lord…becoming a living sacrifice. Before we came to know Christ through salvation, our life was for our use and our satisfaction; now it is for His. When we present ourselves to the Lord as a living sacrifice, we’re simply saying, “Lord Jesus, I am for You. I’m no longer for myself, the world, or anything else. I am for Your use and Your satisfaction.” Ironically, today we find ourselves within the perimeter of whether or not it is important for us to present ourselves to the Lord. Especially when it comes to the modern Prophet. Many at this moment are actually debating whether or not it really matters anymore. The Bible gives us the complete understanding that consecration means “the separation of oneself from things that are unclean, especially anything that would contaminate one’s relationship with a perfect God.” Because of this we know that consecration also carries the connotation of sanctification, holiness, or purity. The Bible tells believers to be a holy people, separate from the world: “Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you”—2 Corinthians 6:17.

There is a movement in the Prophetic community to say the next great thing for a viral word, meme, and/or catchphrase. If we are honest with ourselves, we have an overwhelming of individuals who profess to be a Prophet, yet they are not. This does not mean that they aren’t prophetic. It just means that they aren’t actually a Prophet of the Lord. It seems like every single word being released today is a “feel good”, “God likes you”, “proud of you”, “promotion”, “advance”, “go”, and “now” kind of word. For the record, I am in no way implying that those type of words cannot be an actual Prophetic Words from the Lord. However, if we were to actually test all things, many of those words would be recategorized as an encouraging and or edifying word. Prophets…actual prophets of God will always have words of encouragement, edification, and comfort. Prophets (actual prophets) will also devote themselves to holiness, righteousness, and purity before the Lord. Through that life, they will call upon others to live a life fully surrendered to the Lord. The prophet of God know brokenness and persecution. Today when a (so-called) prophet endures hardship, they whine, moan, and complain about the enemy.

“You are not your own, for you are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s”1 Cor. 6:19-20. When a Prophet surrenders every part of their being and every aspect of their lives to Him, they give His life the best opportunity to grow within them. It’s the battle of, is it good or God. It’s the lack of consecrating ourselves to the Lord hinders the life within. Consecration which would imply and involve the transference of ownership. Not my will (agenda), but your (LORD) will be done. When Prophets live as though they were their own, it goes against the divinity of Christ. However, the consecrated heart of a Prophet endorses the Word. Prophets need to recognize that the intention of consecration is for The Father’s divine life in us to grow, permitting our lives to be the representation of the Heart of The Father. Dare I say that every one that has been quickened from the death in trespasses and sins is commanded, yes, commanded, to “present himself to God.” Have you (Prophet) obeyed this command? The majority would have to admit that the answer is no because they’re looking for that great commissioning from mankind at the conference before the names on the platform. Prophets today have such a desire to be applauded that they have failed to remember what the wilderness is actually about. In this hour it is vital that Prophets live a consecrated life.

The greatest honor of any Prophet is not getting our words accurate and/or acclimated before man. It is to hunger after the righteousness of God, and to seek Him with all our heart. There is nothing else more fulfilling than living wholeheartedly for Him in this life, but so few live lives that provoke us to this kind of lifestyle. Consecration to God is something that many see little of in a world that is looking for excitement, quick fixes, and glamor through Prophets. Where are those that will say, “I want God and nothing else in this world”? I want to go as far as it is possible in seeking after God and living abandoned to Him? Where are the Prophets who declare, “My heart pants after God” (Psalm 42)? Where are the Prophets who provoke others to jealousy living for God and Him alone? The consecrated life must be an overflow of who He is in you. You can’t hide it. Others see it. They are drawn to it, and want it. There will be those who are convicted, and hate it because it points out and rebukes the luke-warm life within. Prophet of God, what is your willingness to pay any price of self denial in seeking and obeying God? Truth is, this is the life of a consecrated Prophet. This is what revival is all about – a personal dedication to Jesus and no other; a commitment that is lived out only by grace and the power of God.

Prophet of God, can you honestly you say that you hungry for more of God, or are you starving for attention? Can you call unto the Lord to take you into the consecrated life? The Body of Christ needs an emergence of Consecrated Prophets who will allow the Lord to work in them. Prophet, will you give permission for the Lord to work in you? Will you offer yourself willingly to the Lord? Will you answer to call to consecration?

Psalm 51:17 – “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.”

1 Thessalonians 5:23 – “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Philippians 3:7-8 – “But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ,”