My soul yearns for You [O Lord] in the night, yes, my spirit within me seeks You earnestly; for [only] when Your judgments are in the earth will the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God).
—ISAIAH 26:9, AMPC
PROPHETS HAVE BIG hearts. They carry within them the heart of the Father. They feel what the Father feels at different times. This can be a difficult thing for prophets to learn to handle. They can feel as if they are on an emotional roller coaster. Don’t fret, prophet, and don’t be confused. You are special. You carry within you the heartbeat of God.
The Bible says David was a man after God’s own heart (1 Sam. 13:14). The Lord has always sought out men and women who will seek after Him and align themselves with His will and purposes. Prophets are in tune with the heartbeat of God. Their hearts beat in rhythm with the heart of God. They love what God loves and hate what He hates. Because they make His desires their own, they will find themselves moved by what moves Him.
Jesus was our perfect example of a man moved by the Spirit of God.
For I have come down from heaven not to do My own will and purpose but to do the will and purpose of Him Who sent Me.
—JOHN 6:38, AMPC
Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father….
—JOHN 14:9, NIV
Jesus, the Word made flesh, was the will of the Father in action. Jesus was moved by the heart and the will of God.
As Jesus landed, He saw a great crowd waiting, and He was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things.
—MARK 6:34, AMPC
How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.
—ACTS 10:38, NIV
Jesus was the love of the Father in motion. Love is selfless, not self-seeking. Love moved Jesus from heaven to earth (John 3:16). Love moved Jesus to feed the hungry (John 6:1–10). Love moved Jesus to drive out demons (Matt. 17:18). Love moved Jesus to heal the sick and raise the dead (Matt. 15:30; John 11:41–43). Love moved Jesus to rebuke religious leaders, who bound people with their traditions and made God’s Word of no effect in their lives (Matt. 23:15; Mark 7:13). Love got Jesus up early in the morning to spend time with the Father in prayer (Mark 1:35).
As the mouthpiece of God, you are to be moved by what moves the heart of God. In His great compassion, God loves people and hates sin. True prophets will always have love and compassion for people but a corresponding hatred and intolerance for the works of the devil. Prophets and intercessors have no tolerance for the works of darkness but guard against being too harsh or critical.
Jesus spoke sternly to the religious leaders because they were hypocrites who misrepresented God and required more of the people than they required of themselves. God’s hatred of injustice was evident when Jesus rebuked the religious systems of the day that exploited people and dishonored God. That too was compassion. When dealing with people caught in sin, Jesus silenced their accusers, loosed them, and set them free.
When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”
—JOHN 8:10–11, NKJV
There is nothing wrong with you if injustice and the mistreatment of others grieve and anger you. This is the way you are configured by God. So let the zeal of the Lord consume you. Don’t be moved by circumstances, emotions, or the opinions of men. Let the compassion of God move your heart as you preach, teach, pray, and prophesy.
Herald and preach the Word! Keep your sense of urgency [stand by, be at hand and ready], whether the opportunity seems to be favorable or unfavorable. [Whether it is convenient or inconvenient, whether it is welcome or unwelcome, you as preacher of the Word are to show people in what way their lives are wrong.] And convince them, rebuking and correcting, warning and urging and encouraging them, being unflagging and inexhaustible in patience and teaching.
—2 TIMOTHY 4:2, AMPC
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, align my heart with Yours. May I love what You love and hate what You hate. I want to be moved by the things that move Your heart. Like David, I want to do what was right in Your eyes and obey Your will all the days of my life (1 Kings 15:5). Father, keep me from becoming rebellious, proud, and disobedient to You as Saul did (1 Sam. 15:22–23). May You never have to say about me, “I’m sorry that I gave you your ministry, because in your pride you failed to obey Me.”
Today I proclaim that You are my God; I will walk in Your ways and keep Your statutes, commandments, and judgments; and I will obey Your voice (Deut. 26:17). I will incline my ear to You and will not be stiff-necked (Jer. 7:26). I will earnestly obey Your commandments to love the Lord my God and serve You with all my heart and soul (Deut. 11:13). When people hear my words and see my ways, may they hear and see only You, in the name of Jesus.