Have you heard those anointed with prophetic gifts making decrees and declarations? For instance, Dutch Sheets in his Give Him 15 video presentations often includes a prophetic decree. The Holy Spirit has anointed dutch Sheets to give these daily videos. These presentations have greatly blessed me and many others. But I have not really understood the role of making prophetic decrees. Another example is how several prophets in 2020 “declared and decreed” that President Trump would have four more years in the White House. I have often wondered, What is the biblical basis for us making such a prophetic declaration?
I especially find declarations about matters that are not directly revealed in the Bible problematic. For example, several prophets in 2020 declared and decreed that President Trump would have four more years in the White House. But let us not point to other prophets! I also received guidance from the Holy Spirit it was God the Father’s intention to give President Trump another term to accomplish His Kingdom purposes of securing the peace of Jerusalem, defeating the antichrist ideologies of Marxism and the occult seeing to take over the nation, and restoring the nation from the Pandemic.
While I did not make any prophetic declarations, I did pray into this and invited others to do so as well. How do we understand this prophetic guidance expressed in decrees and declarations or just a strong conviction to pray them into reality when the devil or God Himself may have blocked or delayed the fulfillment of a particular declaration?
The Prayer House at the Community of the Cross
Furthermore, this question expressing such guidance as a prophetic declaration and decree gets very personal for me and the ministry of PRMI. Recently, I believe the Lord spoke to me that He was calling us to pray in all the provision needed to complete the Prayer House at the Community of the Cross.
This building was to become a “landing place” for a blazing coal of the Holy Spirit awakening and a “launching pad” for the global advancement of the Kingdom of God to fulfill the Great Commission. The Lord then told me that I was not just to pray this word but that with the agreement of other PRMI anointed leaders, I was to “decree and declare” that it would come to pass in 2021. For this to happen, we need a lot more money to have the building finished. We also need to have the people doing the extraordinary work of prayer that welcomes the Holy Spirit’s visitation.
Each day, I have been at the COC following this guidance and even taking the risk of inviting others to join in praying this into reality. The Lord did not tell me to “decree” that the money would come in, but to “declare and to decree” that the Prayer House would be a landing place for a blazing coal of the Holy Spirit igniting revival. However, so far in 2021, there is only a tentative fulfillment of these prophetic visions and decrees regarding the Prayer House at the Community of the Cross. So how are we to understand all of this?
Declaration and Decrees
Let me offer an answer to these vexing questions about “declaring and decreeing” by providing a short interview with Doug McMurry, done at their prayer center, “The Clearing where Eagles Fly.” By the way, I urge all of you to check out Doug and Carla’s website (theclearing.us) for excellent foundational teaching on Great Awakenings and the work of intercession.
The Clearing
Laura and I visited The Clearing for a time of restful retreat and prayer. Two events prompted me to ask Doug about prophetic decrees and declarations.
The first event was when Laura and I got up early and walked across a meadow in the misty rain from their guest house to the main retreat house. We found Doug and Carla standing on their front porch, enacting their daily morning ritual of blowing the shofar and pounding on a native drum.
As we joined them, we were aware that we were stepping into a holy place filled with the presence of God. They concluded their ritual with these words, “We in the Name of Jesus Christ, declare and decree that Charles City, Virginia belongs to God and that it will be a place to manifest God’s Kingdom.” These words seemed to me to be spoken with Jesus’ authority in the power of the Holy Spirit.
The second one was when I stepped into their prayer room, which is also their living room. I discovered this strange symbol hanging on their wall. It is a prophetic declaration! But what does it mean? Doug explains in the video that it is a prophetic vision of the kingdom of God manifested by bringing healing and reconciliation and John 17 unity between the three different races of Charles City.
In the video below, I asked Doug about “declaring and decreeing” and the meaning of this strange symbol. In this short and excellent video, you will see that I had a very bad hair day just having walked in the rain. But you will also hear how Doug provides profound biblical insights about prophetic decrees and declarations. In Jesus’ name, we have authority to make prophetic decrees and declarations that the Holy Spirit uses to accomplish God’s Kingdom purposes.
Decree and Declare from our Place of Intercession
We can make a prophetic decree or declaration when rooted in our positional authority with Jesus Christ and directly related to our Place of Intercession. Here, we experience the Lord bringing us into His counsel so that we may become a coworker with Him in shaping reality. The scriptures reveal our dynamic role in advancing the Kingdom of God.
“For the Lord Adonai, will do nothing, unless He has revealed His counsel to His servants the prophets. A lion has roared, who will not fear? My Lord Adonai has spoken, who shall not prophesy?”
Amos 3:7-8 TLV
Jesus promises this authority to those who overcome, and it is explained in this passage.
“But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold to this teaching and have not learned the so-called ‘deep things’ of satan—I place on you no other burden. Only hold firm to what you have until I come. To the one who overcomes and guards My deeds until the end, ‘I will give him authority over the nations and he shall rule them with an iron rod, as when clay pots are broken into pieces.’ Even as I have received from My Father, so I will give him the morning star. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Ruach is saying to Messiah’s communities.”
Revelation 2:24-29 TLV
This passage makes a lot more sense when we explore more deeply the meaning of an “iron rod.” translation where it makes it noticeably clear that this “iron rod” is not just a piece of iron for smashing things. It is a scepter for rule and authority. See this verse from the God’s Word (GW) translation, “Those people will rule the nations with iron scepters and shatter them like pottery.” -Revelation 2:27 GW
Decrees and Declarations to fulfill God’s Kingdom vision
Doug McMurry is my teacher and model in this amazing and history-shaping work of intercession where we take part with Jesus in advancing the Kingdom of God. It is in this context that we may exercise Jesus’ authority as a Holy Spirit anointed King, and where we may indeed make decrees and declarations that will fulfill God’s Kingdom vision. As intercessors, we grow into such a relationship with God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit that we may exercise this Kingly authority that Jesus gave us.
Doug makes the point very well that this exercise of Jesus’ authority is very different than the “name it claim it” approach that can become a type of magic and manipulation of God for one’s own benefit.
I believe Jesus is calling us as intercessors who may, as led by the Holy Spirit, take up their “iron scepters” to shatter satan’s strongholds and advance God’s Kingdom of righteousness. I have learned from Doug that none of this is automatic or a done deal, but instead, we are like Jacob wrestling with God for the fulfillment of God’s own Kingdom purposes that are being fulfilled through us!
Doug and Carla have for many years been faithful and persistent in their prayers and prophetic declarations that Charles City, Virginia belongs to God and that it will be a place to manifest God’s Kingdom.” However, only recently they have seen some signs that God is on the move! Indeed I am receiving guidance that we are to join them in, “declaring and decreeing” in the name of Jesus Christ that these signs of revival in Charles City, at the COC, and in other locations around the world, are the harbingers of the Third Great Awakening.
Thank you! You make a dynamic duo teaching together. Just what we needed to hear today. Blessings on your ministries!
Excellent teaching on this topic. Thank you!
Thank you for this teaching! It was very helpful
Unfortunately we listened to the “prophets” and they were wrong about the election outcome. We prayed what they asked us to pray, and declared and made decrees according to their prophetic claims. Since none of these proclamations came to past, many believers, including myself, are disappointed and discouraged. I had to stop listening to many “prophets” and those who were in error. I asked God, “What is going on, and what should I do? How am I to direct my prayers? What I heard was pure scripture, “Seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you”.
I am sticking to God’s Word, and focus on praying scripture and most especially the Psalms, Proverbs, and the Apostle Paul’s prayers in Ephesians, Colossians, etc. You can personalize these for yourself, friends, family, and those in every branch of authority. After the past prophetic debacle we all experienced, we must be very careful to rightly divide the word of truth, and make sure we are hearing God’s voice.
” I had to stop listening to many “prophets” and those who were in error. I asked God, “What is going on, and what should I do? How am I to direct my prayers? What I heard was pure scripture, “Seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you”.”
First of all the Devil knows scripture better than anyone, and You are so, so very right about what you said, because Paul said, I have no need for any man to teach me anything.
But, that’s problem, isn’t it, now? People seek out other people who seem to be religious, but, like Jewish priests who stood out to be seen praying, have acquired the taste for recognition of their position, and has lost sight of what God had called them to do in the first place. These people do need for man to teach them because they don’t seek out God for themselves, nor do they try the spirits to find out if they be of God, or the people have allowed themselves to become half hearted in their relationship with God.
But, you….you realized the error of your ways and said, hey wait a minute! I may not have an important religious position but I can hear from God just as easily as the next guy, because I truly do want to know the truth! And, my goal seeking His kingdom first and foremost. Good for you! If you could only imagine the enormous of amount of people who never come to that revelation! And, by the way, remember what Jesus said concerning the fig tree, “Have faith in God.”, for when you pray, or say anything, believe that it will come to pass and God will have your back. (emphasizes added, obviously.). But with the delegated authority of Christ Jesus, Matt. 28, (hint) we can literally command the seas as Jesus did, but God doesn’t answer us because of an important ministry or position we have, He answers us because He loves us and we’re important to Him and because we have come to rely on Him “because” of our love for and Him and we know it! One last thing, also, it may have been God’s perfect will that Donald Trump served two consecutive years as president, but God’s perfect will is not always done on earth, just remember Israel picking Saul as their king instead of God, but also, God’s permissive will may be that Donald Trump does serve two years as U.S. President. We’ll have to wait and see, as Mr. Trump has been known to say.
Difference between decree and declare and the name it and claim it. Jesus decreed and declared things and they came to pass why because He was is in tune with the will of The Father and the Holy Spirit. Jesus only said and did what He saw the Father say and do. The Holy Spirit only speaks what the Father and Jesus says and speaks these truths to those who are His true believers! Name it and claim it people rarely get in tune with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit as Jesus did. Jesus spent time alone with God every day! He talked to God day and night about everything ! Not just in formal prayers only but as a true child of God talking to Him as a child talks to His Father using words that on His heart and mind! Real true believers have that kind of relationship! They are not out. To look cool or so spiritual or their agenda! They are for the good of all. And they are not lone wolves where two or three are gathered God , Jesus Holy Spirit is in there midst! When name it and claim it fall flat , fail , or do manage to accidentally have something come to pass it’s because they either went against God’s plan or accidentally were in agreement with His plan. God is sovereign! We are to be wise and measure whatever we see, and hear against the scripture and two main points in scripture is love God with all Your mind heart soul and love Your neighbor as Yourself . Especially love and forgive as I have forgiven you Jesus says! We need to look at the whole person do they spend Jesus type quality time with the Father, do they love God completely, love their neighbors as themselves , do they forgive, are they prideful, kind , are they a lone wolf ? I would want to know? Even about myself!