The Nitty Gritty
When you get a Word from the Lord, you should write it down as soon as possible. If you are given a prophecy, Word of knowledge, or Word of wisdom during a public church service that was recorded, get the recording. Listen to it and either type it or write it out exactly.
If the Word comes to you in your personal devotions time or if the Holy Spirit speaks a specific and particular Word to you while someone is preaching, write those down too. I encourage everyone to keep a journal of the things God says to them. Honestly, you should have something to write down every day because the Holy Spirit is always leading, guiding, and directing. However, there will be particular moments when, you know, without a doubt, that God has singled you out and spoken specific words about a situation you’re dealing with or about something He wants you to do in the future.
It's easy to tell when a Word comes from God. Prophecy, Words of wisdom, and Words of knowledge are all given for our exhortation, edification, and comfort (1 Corinthians 14:3). God's Words will correct, build up, and encourage you to move forward. Still, unspoken words are powerless words. Once you receive a Word from the Lord, you must speak it regularly. To speak it, you need to remember what it was. So, you will need to write it down.
Why you must speak the Words of the Lord
The Lord recently told me to review the Words of the Lord I'd gotten in the past two years. He instructed me to stitch them together to create a confession.
“What?” you may ask. “Do you still have to do that even after all your years of experience?” Yes, I do. Confession brings possession. Simply because I’m a preacher who has been in the ministry for nearly five decades doesn’t make me any different than a brand-new minister. If I want to have what God has said, I need to speak it, and so do you. You will have what you say.
Take a moment and review just a few Scriptures about the power of the spoken Word.
For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. (Mark 11:23)
Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth. (Proverbs 6:2)
Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones. (Proverbs 16:24)
A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit. (Proverbs 15:4)
An Example
I shared this with my leaders at our Conference last year, and I'm going to share it with you now. I get up every morning, read the Word, pray in my understanding, and pray in the Spirit. Then I read the transcription of the Words of the Lord that have been spoken over me in the last few years. I personalize them. Following is a short excerpt.
"A time of refreshing is coming unto me - fresh revelation - fresh anointing. A great and effective door has been open unto Keith Butler to enter into territory, new blessing, and new places in ministry. New places in the Spirit like I've never seen before. There will come an acceleration concerning the will of God and the plan of God for my life. Things that have been delayed even for years now in this season come to pass. I will walk and enter into a new season and a new door and greater door than I've ever seen before. I will learn not only the way of the Lord more, but I'll learn the way of the Spirit even more. A fresh anointing and a greater measure of anointing shall come upon me. People will look at me and say, 'Seems like Keith is a different person. He's been changed. He's a different person.' And so, I'll enter in, and I'll think different. I will talk different, and a greater authority will be in my voice. And I will walk in the call that I have like I've never walked before. And I'll walk in a new dimension of the Holy Ghost. And I'll be even more accurate than I've ever been before with the Word. For all of the former things that have happened in my life have been done away with and new things are coming to pass. And new strength has been given to my spirit, and my faith shall come up to another level. And no man shall be able to stand before me all the days of my life. Hallelujah. Because I've been set by God, and the gifts and calling of God in my life shall be activated. So the Word of God shall be in my mouth. The Word of God in my mouth shall have a fresh authority and a fresh boldness.”
By the time I finish speaking those Words from the Lord, I am fired up – regardless of the challenges I face that day, and I am seeing them come to pass just as God said! Why don't you try it? If you don't have any Words from the Lord, you can read mine. They are Scriptural promises that, if you receive them, believe them, speak them, and act on them, you can access them too. Speak the Words of the Lord and watch them come to pass.