A Voice That Cannot Be Silenced - But Why Does It Hurt So Bad? [Part 1 of 2]

Seasons come and seasons go, and yes, there are times in our lives when we will go through some seasons of extraordinary pain and rough experiences. Such can cause you to ask illogical questions like, "God where are you?" and "Why me?" It can be an experience of unprecedented nature, comparable to 'a dark night of the soul' journey where you can actually let out the cries of a travailing birthing woman or, if you are like me, you can become numb and anaesthetised by the thought of, 'this too shall pass,' or 'God never gives me more than I  can bear.' Too weak to cry out  aloud, your groans becomes your voice, 'a voice that cannot be silenced,' through which your prayers can be heard. Have you ever been at that place in your life? Or, perhaps even as you read this article, you are saying, 'that's exactly where I am right now.' Well, I can assure you, that you are in for your greatest empowerment moment ever with some sound encouragement and answers as to 'why does it hurt so bad.' 

Permit me to share with you the characteristics of 'A Voice That Cannot Be Silenced' of what God has revealed to me through my own seasons of extraordinary pain and rough experiences. It is important that I do, because in so doing I hope to help the universal church to be able to identify all of the persons that are among us, who God for some reason known only to Him have configured a little different all because of what He has called us and purposed us to do. Mark you, not better, but just different in genetic make up, structure and spiritual DNA. To illustrate the point, I refer to one letter writer, the Apostle Paul who says, "we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office." (Romans 12:4) 

What exactly does that mean? Think about your physical body with all the many parts, organs, tissues, blood vessels, and so on. Each part have its' own function yet all must work together in unison for optimum level of effectiveness. The liver cannot do the work of the brain, and neither can it do the work of the kidneys. Okay, you got the picture I am sure. Well so it is with the body of Christ, as you apply this same principle. We each have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us. (Romans 12:6) The identity of the vessels with the ministry gift that the Apostle addresses in this text, is the very heart of divine thought of the Creator Himself. God only can call you and appoint this ministry gift. 

In all the bible studies and theology classes of your lifetime and with anyone laying hands and anointing you, it is not something that anyone can take up and learn. It is who you are. You were born that way, born with the gift and the Spirit of Prophecy that only God can give. Some nations have this gift and if you already know that you have this special gift and calling in the body of Christ, then I speak of your ministry in particular - the ministry of the watchman, Seers, Prophets, Prophetess, Prophetic Intercessors/Prayer Warriors, Prophetic Dreamers and all of those included in and or connected to the five fold ministry in the body of Christ. (Ezekial 3:17; 33:7; Eph.4:1) The vessel itself is the gift or the ministry, the individual is the message and both are identical. This is all according to God's divine plan. 

Lest I be rebuked, let me pre-empt with a "please forgive me" for saying that these are generally 'weird' individuals who can come across as defensive and at times, moody and mysterious, making them at times difficult if not impossible to understand. If this does not relate to you, then that is okay. But as a matter of fairness however, I implore us all to value the presence of the ministry gift wherever and whenever it is identified among us for the invaluable and intangible contributions that are made for the edification of the saints. These are the ones who are as needy as anyone else, who require understanding and nurture in the same way and for the same reasons as others do. And having the ability to commit sin as anyone else, and are therefore neither more holy, nor any more spiritual than those who do not share the same type of gift, like everyone else, still need Jesus' pardon and forgiveness. 

Let me interject here too and say the common mistake the universal church at times would make is that she herself fails the ministry gift, sometimes outright. She [church] even wounds the individual vessel through lack of understanding of who the vessel is in the body, their role in particular reference to their special gift and what kinds of influences have shaped each of our lives. If you have already made the connection and can easily identify with what I have shared thus far you are precious ones who are born into the kingdom of God out of much crushing, breaking, wounding of your spirit, rejection, pain and suffering. 

Characteristics - Why Does It Hurt So Bad? 

• Birthed through much breaking, crushing, wounding, rejection, pain and suffering. 

Here is the plague that never seems to go away, and one that you are never completely delivered from but always delivered through! It is the pressure of the constant seasons of Christ-like crucifixion required to provide the character adjustment that are essential to your calling and purpose. One such training I call it the 'boot camp' or the 'backside of the dessert' training that involves depths of breaking and crushing that is incomprehensible and inconceivable to the average Christian. It is often the source of moodiness and the overwhelming grief and heaviness of spirit that you can carry and which can last for years.

• A burden bearer

Often times you carry not only your burden but also the burden of others, feeding deeply the things that are going on in the hearts of the people around. You've probably realized by now how you somehow have the ability and the capacity to process pain two or three times more, and carry the weight and the burden twice as much as the average Christian. Compassion is found deeply embedded in your heart.  

• Rarely totally happy

Because of the frequent seasons of heaviness, total happiness is not completely present. True and lasting happiness comes when you've reached that level of maturity and have finally made peace with your gift and peace with God and peace with yourself operating in the ministry gift.

• Eats of the bread of affliction

This is so true as many times you can find yourself ministering the bread of life and the water of the word to others who listens while you yourself at that very moment is eating of the bread of affliction - ever so often called, 'going through.' The combination of the ministry with the moment of affliction is attributed to the natural ability which God has given to you to penetrate spheres, realms and domains beyond the flesh (natural man) and spirit, beyond the visible and invisible aspects of God's creation to discover the truth of God at work.

• No price tags attached

You have no price tags attached and in the absence of such, you nor your ministry gift cannot ever be bought  or sold. Note how you are always recognized but rarely accepted as you live above the need for ministerial expressions, reward and fame. You are never associated with compromise!

• Lives in obscurity and 'splendid isolation' in the 'above all' realm

It is an above all experience of a lifetime as you 'ride' with God in the secret place (Ps.91:1) and lives in the height and presence of Him. (Eph.2:6) You are careful to speak in obedience to God under the power of His Holy Spirit and come down in the valley with thus saith the Lord to announce, pronounce, denounce or when an assignment of yours is complete. You are referred to as God's detective and it is a fact that without this type of work in the body of Christ the church is prone to error and sinfulness. You understand that your  cooperation must be with God in breaking down all that is not built on the true foundation, while at the same time you watch over all that God is doing in the nation to see that it is built according to His word. 

• Lives constantly under the microscope

Have you ever wondered why you are constantly under the microscope and why others tend to judge you differently than they would others? That is because a much higher standard of holiness is expected of you than any other. It is said that honesty and integrity must permeate the life of each individual in order to ensure credibility. 

What Is God Saying To Us

I believe that there is relevance to this particular discussion for a time such as this. I also believe that God is in this time restoring the fivefold ministry to the Body of Christ [His church] that it can now begin to function as a whole and not a divided part. There is such a sense of urgency for all to unite and to embrace each other and our unique gifting, with the understanding that it is by one Spirit, the Spirit of God that we have received these gifts. The Body of Christ have taken a lot of hits, especially in the ministry of the watchman, and particularly the Prophets/Prophetess. 

Why? It is still viewed as some as a thing of the past and not a modern day calling in the church. Many church leaders today have been trained under the Evangelical and by Pastors whose orientation and school of thought differ to the extent that they see themselves as the head of God's church here on earth, who hears God and the direction in which He wants the church to go, and so do not readily embrace the ministry of the Prophet which I must add is so necessary.  

But I believe God is getting ready to make it right! He is bringing restoration, healing and reconciliation to the Body of Christ, especially for those who have been steadfast, who have been faithful, immovable and who have been abounding in the work of the Lord. Having said that, I invite you to follow up this discussion through part 2 of "A Voice That Cannot Be Silenced - But Why Does It Hurt So Bad."