Yea, Hath God Said
Message Preached 9/27/98

GEN 3:1 Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?

2CH 20:20 And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.

prosper -- 6743 tsalach
to push forward

2CH 20:20 ....Have faith in the LORD your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful." (NIV)
2CH 20:20 ...."Believe in the Lord your God and you shall have success! Believe his prophets and everything will be all right!" (TLB)

        It is sad that we live in a day when so much of the Word of God has been neutered. Today much of the church is taught that a prophetic word is not for today. There is more about the Bible that Dispensational teaching does not believe than they do believe. We remove the prophetic part that helps us prosper and push forward. If the enemy can remove the prophet from the church, he can seriously damage the foundation (Eph 2:20). If the enemy can remove the prophet from the church, the weapon of warfare needed to prosper and push forward is removed from the people (2Co 10:3).
        The enemy has always attempted to do neuter the Word. He tries to neutralize the Word of God. Jesus said people allow the Word of God to made of none effect by religious teachings. The word can become impotent by traditions of men. The enemy began neutering the Word with Eve. The serpent said “Hath God said...” The enemy comes today to the church, the New Testament bride of the last Adam created from his side, asking the same question. The Serpent comes through the mouths of Dispensational preachers and teachers and says, “Hath God said....” Too often we find ourselves standing at the wrong tree having a meal with the serpent. We can come to church and eat from the wrong tree. The serpent does have a plate prepared for you and me. However, we do not have to eat.
        Today much of the church question the authenticity of prophets. Many recognize and receive the prophets of the Old Testament, but reject the aspect of prophets today. We continue to allow the Word of God to be made of no effect by our false Dispensational doctrine. Yet the word is clear that the Lord placed prophets in the church for today. There is no place where the Lord removed the prophets.
1CO 12:28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
EPH 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
ACT 21:9 And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy.

        As we began this ministry in 1986, it seemed there was a sovereign move of God concerning the prophetic at that time. I came into contact with several prophets of the Lord. Over the next several years, many of those prophets visited our church and ministered to us. Through them came the Word of the Lord to us individually and corporately. From the word of the Lord through prophets we saw and then wrote the vision of this house.
The Vision for Life Gate Church
1. A PROPHETIC PIONEERING CHURCH
2. SCHOOL
3. SCHOOL OF MINISTRY
4. FINANCIAL INFLUENCE
5. INTERCESSION AND WARFARE
6. ONE NATION OVERSEAS
7. MAJOR IMPACT UPON COMMUNITIES

        This ministry has survived when so many others have not. We have been attacked for all sides. Still, we continue to push on and prosper. We believe the prophets. We believe the Lord and he will establish us. He will build his church and the gates of hell will not prevail (Mat 16:18). We have a vision given by the prophets. The scriptures say we cannot perish!
PRO 29:18 Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

        Many times since 1986 I found myself standing at the tree of good and evil listening to the serpent. Yet, I never ate his fruit. The serpent whispers to me saying, “Hath God said you were called to pastor and preach and teach? Hath God said for you to have a school to teach children? Hath God said you would begin ministries in different communities? Hath God said you would raise preachers and ministries? Hath God said this church would make a financial impact? Hath God said......? Hath God said......?”
        Many many times I found myself listening, but I never bit into his fruit. The serpent will come. He will ask the question. But we do not have to bite. Why is this ministry still here? Why have we made it when all hell has tried to stop us? Why do we keep going on when so many have stopped or terminated? Because we refuse to bite the serpents fruit.

        We have learned some important truths about the prophetic. Believing the prophets is more than going to a church that teaches about prophets and moves prophetically. Believing the prophets means to keep the words of the prophets activated. It means to continue pushing toward the prophecies. What is our part in helping a prophetic word come to pass? Is there anything we are instructed to do? Following are four great points to help bring our prophetic words to pass.

1. Write out the vision
HAB 2:2 And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.
HAB 2:2 Then the LORD replied: "Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. (NIV)
HAB 2:2 And the Lord said to me, "Write my answer on a billboard, large and clear, so that anyone can read it at a glance and rush to tell the others. (TLB)

        Why should we write down the prophecy? The answer is to make it plain. I am constantly amazed at the detail seen when the prophecy is written. For example, the Lord told us years ago that we would be on television. Naturally, the thought we had was a huge television ministry such as Kenneth Copeland or T.D. Jakes. Upon reading the prophecy we noticed the words “....in this area.” Our television ministry was to be in this area. It was not a national television ministry. This has come to pass. As I write, we are now on television three times a week covering our area.
        Why do we not write out our prophecies even after we know we should? There are probably several reasons. One is unbelief. If you do not believe the prophecy then you will not take it serious and not write it out. Also, it takes time and effort to write it. Sometimes we will not make the effort. Another reason is we put the prophecy away someplace and forget about it. This has happened to me. Another reason we do not write out our prophecies is we get too many prophecies. We get tired of writing them out. We can get too many words and they become mundane or common, and too routine. We love to hear how wonderful we are and all that we will accomplish for the Lord. After several of those we begin to take our prophecies for granted. This also has happened to me.
        We need to write them out. The enemy will come and say, “Yea, hath God said....?” When the serpent came to Jesus with that question, the Lord’s response was always “It is written” (Mat 4:4, 7, 10). This is first and foremost the written scriptures spoken by the Lord God through prophets. But do not slight the fact that the Lord spoke to us through his prophets also. If we have it written we too can say, “It is written....”
        How many times have I responded to “Yea, hath God said....?” with “Yea, it is written....!” More than once. The prophecy must be written out.

2. Be Patient
HAB 2:3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.

HAB 2:3 For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay. (NIV)

HAB 2:3 But these things I plan won't happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, do not despair, for these things will surely come to pass. Just be patient! They will not be overdue a single day! (TLB)

        A common struggle we all experience after receiving and writing out the prophecy is to then wait for it. The Living Bible gives several thoughts and emotions a person will experience after receiving a prophetic word. The word will seem slow about fulfilling. We will despair (grieve) wondering why it has not happened. We will wonder if these things will come to pass. The enemy will come and say, “Yea, hath God said....?” If it is written say, “Yea, it is written....” Then respond with patience.

3. Use the Prophecy as a weapon of War
1TI 1:18 This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare;
1TI 1:18 Timothy, my son, I give you this instruction in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by following them you may fight the good fight, (NIV)

        Of course, if you don’t believe in prophets, you do not have this weapon of warfare (2Co 10:3). You don’t have a prophecy to war with. When the enemy came to Timothy and said, “Yea, hath God said....?” Timothy would say, “Yea, God hath said....! Get thee behind me Satan.”
        Timothy had his prophecies (plural) that went before him. The prophecies went in front of Timothy to war for Timothy. They paved the way for Timothy to fulfill his purposes in the kingdom. Timothy was able to have assurance of the purpose of God for his life. Write the prophecy out. Stay patient. When attacked, use the written prophecy to war a good warfare!

4. Heed the conditional or conjunctional aspects
1TI 4:14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.

        Though Timothy had prophecies (plural 1Ti 1:18), there was a condition to their being fulfilled. Timothy must not neglect the gift that was in him. The prophecies were conditional.
        Most of the prophecies we are given have conditions or conjunctions. That means that we do something and then the Lord will do what he said he would do. Most promises of God are conditional. This is true even for the seemingly simple promises. A few examples (only a few) follow.
LUK 6:38 Give, and it shall be given unto you....
MAT 7:7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
COL 1:22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: 23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away....
MAL 3:10 Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse.... and prove me now herewith, saith the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.

        Notice that in each of the above promises, we are to do something and then the Lord will do what he said he would do. Most prophecies are this way. Most promises are this way. What does the Lord expect from you? He has given us grace and abilities to do something in the kingdom of God. Heed the conditions and conjunctions of the prophecy.

        We need to write the prophecy out. We must remain patient as we await the prophecy. We must war with the prophecy. Also we need to heed the conditions and conjunctions of the prophecy. This is what is expected of us to bring our prophetic word to pass. The Lord will do his part.
        The serpent will come with his “Yea, hath God said.....?” He always has and he always will. Do not eat of his platter. It is only full of death and lies. Believe his prophets and prosper. You will then have an answer to, “Yea, hath God said....?”