Why the expression “HOUSE” in "House of Prophets" ?

.There is a very good reason why this is called a house.

When the Holy Spirit spoke to me in 2005 to gather the prophets - and prophetic people in general - He clearly said that it would be a 'house'.

Not an 'organisation' or a 'work' or a 'cooperative' ...

He spoke about relationships and friendships !

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W h y   a   h o u s e ?

A house is a safe place ...

a place where you live with your family ...

a place to be yourself ...

a place to find rest ...

a place where there is food, protection and warmth …

a place where there is order, friendship and relationship …

a cosy place with sociability ...

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… where you can be yourself, where you can be 'real' …

You're welcome to be there, you don't have to do anything, you're entitled to make mistakes ... we are only required to love each other!

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If you can get others to know you and trust them
then God can do a mighty and delivering work !

This is what people long for.  All people.

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Since the fall we hide ourselves.  For God and for each other.

People long for other people, to be in relationship with other people, to have contact with each other and with God.  This real “fellowship” is what communities and churches usually don't offer.  This is where we seriously fail.

Because many people are isolated they fight a concealed battle.  A fight against the very things they need others for to get breakthrough!  Prophets are no different.  They are people with weaknesses.

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Many prophets are very lonely.

They often have nobody who understands THEM.  Prophets go through very deep loneliness.  Misunderstanding, rejection, jealousy, accusations ... are very normal things for these people.

The way with God is often lonely, this is the case for each person,

but in particular it is the case for prophets.

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Due to this some fell into serious sins and even became false prophets.  If they would had someone to confide in this could have been avoided ... who can they talk to about their problems?

Some things you can only process with God.  Other things you have to process and resolve with other people.  People can't do everything for each other, but they can do very much!

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Isolation often leads to pride.

Because people stand alone, they cannot compare.  It seems like they are the only ones with their kind of experiences.  “I am so unique, I have such big miracles and revelations …”.

This is very typical for this kind of people.  Believe me, it a general thing.  It is normal to start thinking this way because you can't compare.  And let's be honest : their type of experiences are special and often exceptional.  Nevertheless :  isolation is a trap.

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No, there are “7000” others !

And all of them are unique to God.

And all of them experience wonderfull things.

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Getting to know others like you has a lot of advantages!

You're understood, you're normal, you can compare yourself in a sound way and you can learn from others and help others on your turn.

One of those very important things in life is to estimate yourself CORRECTLY. To do that you need a sounding board.  In this way people grow and are moulded.  You need others to understand yourself better.  This is the same for prophets.

Everyone thinks they're in the worst situation ...

untill you get to know the others :  to have perspective is a great power!

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Correct self assessment has tremendous value.

To mention only a few advantages :

• you will function better

• it protects you from arrogance

• it shows you your real value

• you will see your place in "the big picture"

• you learn to know your strengths and weaknesses

• you will see the real areas of your anointing (better)

• you'll grow (even) stronger

• you will be spared of mistakes and missteps ...

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Prophets hate hypocrisy ...

... therefore they often turn away from the existing structures.

This puts them in an isolated place and they miss their goal.  God places prophets in the church.  Without them the church is incomplete and doesn't reach her  purpose.

Churches are built by apostles ... and prophets.  If the prophets disappear from the church, the voice of God disappears.  If the Voice of God dissapaers from the church then the people come into lawlessness ... "and each does what is right in his own eyes."

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God has designed the church in a particularly complex, unique and excellent way and you've got your place in it!

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Many ask :  "Where is God?" ... "Why is this or that happening?"

To be honest ... we ourselves have pushed Him aside when we smothered his Voice and the prophets left us. Or because we banned the prophets from our midst ...

And with them the power of God, life, miracles, revelation ... and very often the living presence of God left.

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Good prophets can become false prophets!

Courtprophets (prophets in the service of a king), breadprophets (prophesying for 'food'), prophets that speak what people want to hear …

Today there is an abundance (at least in some circles) of 'positive' prophecy ... but where is the word of a John the Baptist … "vipers!"  Where are the Jonahs?  Where are Elijahs?  Where is the voice crying in the wilderness?  Where is the sword coming forth from the mouth?

They can return if given the proper environment and the right example, ... if they can become who they really are ... when they see how it should  be ... when  they learn how to stand for the truth.

Now they are often deformed and pushed into a mold ... and if they may say something it must fit within the accepted.  If they're aloud to speak at all …

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WHERE are Elijah's, Jonah's, John the Baptists,

WHERE is the voice in the WILDERNESS,

WHERE IS  is the SWORD coming forth from their mouths?

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Prophets are alone in the wilderness,

but at the same time they also need others.

People often think in terms of "polemics", in opposites.  You know, "either / or", one thing or the other.  The truth is that prophets are both in the wilderness and among the people.

They have a function towards God and often need to be in solitude.  It is in this "desert" that God forms them and that He teaches them how to understand his Voice.  It is there that special things happen.  That they hear Him.  That they "see" and learn to see …

At these time they also have a function towards the people and the church or society and that's why they also find themselves among the people.

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The difference between the truth of the Bible

and the reality of today is very big.

This applies to many things and certainly to the situation of "modern" prophets.  Today you very often see people who stand alone, whether or not they claim to be prophetic or are called as a prophet.  Most 'really' called people will not even show it.  How and where would they be able to do that?  Is that correct or normal?  NO !

How was this in 'biblical times'?  Well, very interesting to have a closer look at it.

They are in abandoned, remote places yet at the same time they are in the 'city' and in the 'gates'. In the city there are people and in the gates decisions are being taken and law is executed.

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They are alone with God …

but they are also together with other prophets

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Sometimes hidden on a mountain or in a cave …

sometimes in plain public

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Sometimes in the opposition …

sometimes as adviser at the court of the king.

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Prophets also need friends.

God gives them rooms for prophets to be received in ... houses.  Remember the widow who took care for Elijah at Sarefat, the wealthy family at Sunem that received Elisha, the good friends of Jesus in Bethany.  And he had good friends there ... Mary, Martha and Lazarus.

Even Jesus had a place where he was always welcome ... even Jesus needed that ... do we stand above our Master?

When prophets have such a house they are safe and restoration can come.  Then there is a good environment with a correct example.  Then they have friends and a sounding board.  Then revelation can be tested ... then they can learn from each other.

Then they can grow strong and TRULY have the FEAR of GOD and then they will stand up for HIM and not fail.  Then they become THAT VOICE in the desert ... and then the prophets are back!

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More examples from scripture :

Don't be fooled by the false distinction between 'old' and 'new' testament.  This difference doesn't exist!  The only new is the new covenant in the blood of Jesus, everything else is still there (except the sacrificial laws).

ALL Scripture is there to teach us and not just parts of what we have come to call the 'New Testament'.  Jesus handled the Law and quoted from it and from the Prophets and the scriptures.  That which we call 'the old Testament".

Therefore we can get lessons and examples from the lives of the early prophets and see what they were doing and how they did that.

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In earlier times prophets moved in groups.

Older prophets trained younger prophets.

Elijah was there for Elisha ... Elisha led his "100" ... and these 100 went across the whole country. (2 Kings.4)

You also read of prophets of a certain city who moved as a group.  (eg the prophets from Jericho).

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There were many prophets and they were everywhere …

Today they are still here.  And there are many.  And they are everywhere ...

There is also widespread counterfeit, things that resemble it, it is time for the real thing ...

It is time that EVERYTHING changes, the prophets will take the lead in it ...

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Therefore the term HOUSE.  "House of Prophets"

'House of Prophets' is a Belgian and at the same time an international network.

It is not exclusive but inclusive :  we consist of many cultures, nationalities and languages.

Therefore we have contact with and input from many foreign prophetic ministries and networks.

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Establishing  Kingdom  Connections !

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'House of Prophets'

You can be part of it but it can never own you

It is connectedness in all freedom ...

It is balance :  to be free and yet connected to echoer

Prophets only belong to God ...

They are moved by the Holy Ghost

They come like the wind comes and goes ...

And yet God brings them together ... in a HOUSE

and he knows why ... !

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