I can still remember the moment over 20 years ago when I received one of my first prophetic words. The prophet walked to the back row, where I was standing in a sanctuary filled with hundreds of people. He placed his hands upon me and declared, "You have a prophetic call." Though I certainly did not have an intellectual understanding, I knew that moment something had been activated inside me that was forever transformative.

Prophetic revelation is a valuable and essential tool given as a gift by God to shape the destiny of individuals, communities and nations. Since receiving that word over 20 years ago, I have received perhaps hundreds of words of prophetic revelation. I have learned that God's purpose to us is not simply to give us prophetic revelation but rather for us to embrace the joy of discovering God's wisdom to bring to manifestation that which He has spoken to us. The following are six principles that I have learned to walk out the prophetic revelation God released.

— Build your life on the appropriate foundation. God will often speak to us years in advance of what He desires to take place. It is the spiritual disciplines of worship, reading and mediation of Scripture, fasting, reflection and solitude and learning to forgive that provide the appropriate foundation for correct development. God delights in walking with us through the process of leaning into His wisdom and seeing His word fulfilled in our lives. We must build the foundation of our lives correctly (Ps. 95:1-2, Prov. 12:1, 1 Cor. 3:10).

— Position your heart to hear. God has a passion for sharing with his children the mysteries of the kingdom of God. Yet in his holiness, He often will not speak to those who are not quite ready to hear or are unwilling to obey. I encourage you to make a daily decision that you will obey whatever God speaks to you (Matt. 13:11, John 7:17, Ps. 119:130).

— Know that God desires to speak continually. Jesus taught that His word to us was as valuable as the food we need to live. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that God wants to speak to us continually. Not only does He want to talk to us, but He also wants us to constantly walk in His wisdom as a lifestyle (Matt. 4:4, John 10:27).

— Receive by faith what God has spoken. When you know that God is speaking, receive by faith what He has said and begin to declare what He has said. Our agreement with God and what He has said sets into motion what He desires, even though it may be months or years away from manifestation (Heb. 11:3,6; Mark 11:23).

— Obey what you know. Always obey what you know God has asked. Your continual obedience to what God is speaking unlocks the door to the manifestation of the prophetic promises. Often it seems our obedience in one area is disconnected to a prophetic promise, yet in God's mind and heart, it is all part of the unfolding of our life purpose (John 14:15, 23 John 2:5).

— Dialogue with your community what God has spoken. A vital aspect of walking God's purpose for our lives is the family and community of believers God has given us as a gift. I encourage you to submit to your leaders the different insights and understanding God has given you. Allow them to speak into your life and give room for that opportunity to bring correction. Seek to build relationships with like-minded believers who can become like family (Prov. 13:20, 27:17).

Abner Suarez is the founder and president of For Such A Time As This Inc. His ministry is marked with the ability to call forth the destiny of individuals, churches, cities and nations of the world. He has been welcomed in a variety of streams in the body of Christ and different sectors of society, including government, education and business. His latest book, Trust: God's Unseen Power to Change the World, is now available for pre-sale. You can find out more about Abner at abnersuarez.com.

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