In a recent teaching, Apostle John Eckhardt brought fresh insight into the often misunderstood realm of personal prophecy, drawing from Dr. Bill Hamon’s foundational book Prophets and Personal Prophecy. What he shared wasn’t mystical or speculative—it was deeply scriptural, practical and, according to Eckhardt, essential for the church today.
A Word With Direction
“Personal prophecy is God’s specific word to an individual about their life purpose, direction or destiny,” Eckhardt said. He reminded listeners that prophecy should never replace Scripture, but must be understood “in light of Scripture, not as a replacement for it.”
Eckhardt shows that the prophetic is not a thing of the past, but very much a New Testament reality. “Jesus Christ operated prophetically, and the prophetic continues through His body, the church,” he said. For those who feel uneasy around the idea of personal prophecy, Eckhardt clarified: “It is biblical, necessary and for edification, exhortation and comfort.”
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Not Fortune-Telling—But Faith Building
According to Eckhardt, personal prophecy is far from mysticism or mere prediction. “Prophetic words are not fortune-telling; they are divine communications given for growth, alignment and activation.”
He teaches that prophecy often reveals God’s thoughts and intentions for an individual’s life, calling it “really what Jesus is thinking about you.”
However, he cautioned that many prophetic words are conditional, depending on obedience and alignment with God’s will. “If you’ll fast, if you’ll pray, if you’ll submit yourself to Me… then I will,” he quoted. “Conditional prophecy. Many prophecies are conditional.”
A Helper, Not a Dictator
Eckhardt also spoke about how prophecy can guide believers through major life decisions—whether it’s in marriage, career or relocation—but never in a way that violates biblical wisdom. “Never receive prophecies from people who are controlling, manipulative, want to control your life through prophecy,” he said. “Prophecy will never tell you to marry someone that is already married.”
He encouraged believers to always be led by the Holy Spirit. “You’ll bear witness with prophetic words even though it’s something new, something different,” he said. “If it’s not of God, you’ll feel uneasy, you’ll feel a check in your spirit.”
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Partnering With the Word
Eckhardt emphasized that prophecy requires action, not passivity. “Personal prophecy is not automatic. It is an invitation to partner with God through faith, prayer and obedience,” he said. “Avoid passivity. Do not wait passively for fulfillment.”
He also warned not to elevate prophets above God’s Word: “Don’t worship prophets. This is very important: don’t lift prophets up above what they are. The prophet is a vessel.”
What Prophets Do for the Church
“They actually help us in the prophetic, help train us, activate us to hear God’s voice,” he said, referencing Ephesians 4:11. “Prophets stir up spiritual gifts and callings through prophetic impartation and declaration.”
Eckhardt called prophets “builders who lay foundations for revival, reformation and apostolic expansion.” He continued, “They can speak concerning now, but they even speak concerning things from the past. They’re reformers and equippers in the body of Christ.”
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And when the prophetic is handled rightly, Eckhardt said, it brings lasting fruit: “Revelation, impartation, activation, edification, exhortation, comfort, encouragement, courage, boldness, life, healing, deliverance.”
As more churches embrace prophetic ministry with humility and scriptural grounding, Eckhardt believes the Church will continue to grow in power and clarity: “We’ve seen the water level of the prophetic rise, and more people are now flowing in the prophetic probably than any other time that I’ve known in history.”
James Lasher is staff writer for Charisma Media.
