When I started attending a Vineyard church in Kentucky in 2008, I immediately was absorbed into the world of the prophetic. I never doubted it; I loved it! I didn’t see myself as prophetic but knew it would eventually start showing. I had words given to me that I’d grow in several areas of prophecy and I really wanted it to start happening. I didn’t have this ‘Bethel’ mindset that I was always prophetic, but rather that I would develop it from ‘nothing’! Words through pictures started to come slowly and I would share them with others with some reservations, of course, of doubt.

However, during a four year time at home in South Africa I felt my gift growing more, again through pictures mostly. It was through my time here at BSSM that I’ve seen huge personal growth in prophecy. Understanding how many different ways God can speak, together with the confidence to speak those words over others, I’ve seen how accurate I actually am! The steps I’ve gone through like many others went from telling people what I felt God was saying, but only after I felt confirmation that I was correct with what I heard, to just speaking and trusting what I’m saying will encourage them. That in particular has given me the biggest confidence boost when speaking encouraging words over other people.

A couple of key factors in growing in prophecy in general I feel is saying what God gives only and not try elaborate for the sake of ‘effect’. I don’t need to explain the full word of what God showed me. It’s only part of the encouragement God is giving the person.

A second majorly important factor was realizing that often God would give me the same picture for someone. For a brief time I thought I was ‘cheating’ by saying the same thing I’d recently given someone. However, stepping out and speaking I found it always encouraged and that the same image I saw spoke differently to each person.

I love this journey I’m on with growing in the prophetic and am always aware of God showing me more ways to encourage others around me.

By Stephen Cross