A Season of Sifting

A sifting is taking place in the Church, especially among those who walk in the gift of prophecy. The voice of a prophet must be clear and refined by the Spirit free from too much personality or a pre-planned ministry agenda. It must be sifted of any corrupting presence able to pour freely into the mold of what God desires to reveal.

Bakers will sift flour to discover lumps. Sifting refines and aerates the flour. As a result, it is easier to mix with other ingredients. The more delicate the baked goods, the more necessary the sifting process becomes. The presence of unrefined lumps will affect the quality of the end product. This is not a problem for those who bake a cake from a prepared box of ingredients, but it is a problem for those who desire to bake exquisite creations. 

When God sifts the thinking of His prophets, He is sifting us to find out where our thoughts and methods have not yet been refined enough to be used fully and freely for His purposes. There are times when we might withdraw our permission for God to continue the sifting process. In fear or because of an assumption that we already operate at prophetic depth, we stop the process and withdraw our consent for God to take us deeper to a new level of personal refinement. 

The sifting can be so radical it may change the tone, content, and style of our prophetic delivery. Some fear this depth of sifting because those who are accustomed to the familiar sound of their voice and the style of their ministry will be put off by the change.  This becomes a turning point for a prophet. Unless we give God this permission, the prophetic gift we carry will become hi-jacked and compromised if it remains unsifted and unrefined in its present form. 

Let God have His way when He invites you into a sifting process. God sifts us in love. If you serve Him over the span of a lifetime, you will encounter His sifting on several occasions, usually just before a season of breakthrough. When the sifting is complete, the attitude of your heart and the sound of your voice will have experienced a transformation. It will not be easy, but it will be worth every shaking you experience during the sifting process. A new refinement and clarity are coming. Embrace the sift.