By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches and honor and life.
—PROVERBS 22:4, NKJV
PROPHETS AND INTERCESSORS live by the voice of the Lord. His presence is their dwelling place, and to do His will is their delight. Prophets and intercessors stand in fierce opposition to sin because they know pride, disobedience, and rebellion will silence the Lord’s voice, still His hand, and cause Him to withdraw.
For this reason prophets often call the church to a posture of humility through repentance, fasting, and prayer as the prophet Joel did.
Consecrate a fast, call a sacred assembly, assemble the elders and all the inhabitants of the land to the house of the LORD your God, and cry out to the LORD.
—JOEL 1:14
Yet even now, declares the LORD, return to Me with all your heart, and with fasting and with weeping and with mourning.…Blow the ram’s horn in Zion, consecrate a fast, call a sacred assembly.
—JOEL 2:12, 15
Humility is an essential quality for every believer but especially for prophets and intercessors. To decry pride in others while harboring arrogance and self-righteousness in their own lives would make them a stench in the nostrils of a holy God—and vulnerable to demonic spirits seeking whom they may devour.
Prophets and intercessors must guard against thinking more highly of themselves than they ought because of the insight they receive from the Lord. The apostle Paul wrote that even though he received wonderful revelations from God, “to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud” (2 Cor. 12:7, NLT).
Although God may grant prophets and intercessors a public ministry platform, for the most part your effectiveness is cultivated in hiddenness with the Lord as you study His Word. Knowing the Scriptures enables you to know the character of God and learn the way He speaks. The sound of His voice lifts us, yet it also leaves us undone at His feet. We draw near to the Lord with humble hearts so He will draw near to us. But pride will keep Him far off.
But He gives us more and more grace (power of the Holy Spirit, to meet this evil tendency and all others fully). That is why He says, God sets Himself against the proud and haughty, but gives grace [continually] to the lowly (those who are humble enough to receive it).
—JAMES 4:6, AMPC
Let us, therefore, humble ourselves beneath the mighty hand of God, for there is where we find His power. And in His hand, our times are held (Hab. 3:4; Isa. 49:16). As James 4:10 says, “Be humble in the Lord’s presence, and he will honor you” (CEV).
Justice, mercy, and humility are three things God requires of all believers but especially watchmen and prophets. These qualities are the outworking of God’s character and nature, which is love. Micah 6:8 says, “He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” (NKJV). What does it mean to “do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God”?
Do justly. Treat people fairly. Don’t take advantage of the weak. Don’t mistreat others. Don’t use your power and authority to destroy others. Don’t return evil for good. Don’t forget or overlook people who helped you. Don’t betray your friends. Don’t use and misuse others for personal gain. Don’t destroy people through slander and backbiting. Protect and defend the innocent. Don’t cheat people, but give everyone what is due to them. Issue correct verdicts and judgments against evil and wickedness. Don’t favor or excuse the wicked and rebellious.
Love mercy. Be kind and compassionate to others. Show lovingkindness. Don’t be critical, self-righteous, or condemning. Be forgiving and kind. Help and bless those who are oppressed. Support the weak. Be generous and benevolent. Bless those who curse you.
Walk humbly. Don’t be vain, proud, rude, or arrogant. Don’t look down upon others. Don’t be self-promoting. Always be teachable. Be willing to receive correction. Admit when you are wrong and be quick to apologize. Always be reverent of God. Don’t think of yourself more highly than you ought to think. Honor and respect those who have authority over you. Submit and respect those in authority. Don’t forget where you came from. Examine yourself.
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever!
—1 CORINTHIANS 13:4–8, NLT
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, Your Word says if I humble myself in Your sight, You will lift me up (Jas. 4:10). So I choose humility. I will not allow pride to enter my heart and cause me shame. I will be humble and clothed in wisdom (Prov. 11:2). I will humble myself under Your mighty hand that You may exalt me in due time (1 Pet. 5:6). My soul will make its boast in You, Lord (Ps. 34:2). Holy Spirit, give me a deeper revelation of Jesus. I desire to be like Christ, who humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death on the cross (Phil. 2:8). Help me grow in true humility, in Jesus’ name.