PROPHETIC WORDS

TO THE PROPHETS AND CHURCH LEADERS OF NEW ZEALAND

by Lyn Packer

To the prophets and church leaders of New Zealand

Tena koutou katoa,  greetings to you all.

I write this letter as one of you, a leader and prophet in the Body of Christ here in New Zealand. My aim in writing is to encourage you with what I see the Lord doing, to establish a line of communication and openness, and to present a call to each and every one of us. That call - to step into all that God has for the prophetic people of this nation.

A sound goes forth…

We are a young nation, in historical terms, yet the Lord has used this nation to be a pioneer and forerunner in many areas of society globally, and that continues today.

There is currently a new wave of the revelatory and prophetic gifts being released in our nation, and the Lord has had us all in preparation for that. New Zealand is being released into a new place of prominence and influence in the prophetic. Her prophets will stand in their appointed place and a sound, in the form of both prophetic words and a wave of prophetic people, will again be sent forth from the ends of the earth, proclaiming His love to the nations. Part of the overflow of this will be a new wave of missions being released, and many going into the nations of the world to present His love in culturally sensitive, yet innovative, ways. Healings will be released as the prophetic decree of healing goes forth to do its work, and many will come to know the Lord in all His goodness.

For many years the prophetic voice in our nation has largely gone unheard by the majority of the church in the nation. In saying that, I mean this - our prophets have functioned and released words, but all too often those words have not gone further than the church they were released in; even when those words were of national significance. This hasn’t been done deliberately, we just didn’t think to send those words out; to intentionally broadcast what God was saying, as a part of honouring and openly acknowledging the prophetic gifts that God has given us as a nation. Yet at the same time we have happily shared nationally the prophetic words spoken by visiting preachers and prophets. In some ways, in the imbalance of this we have inadvertently done a disservice to, and even dishonoured, our own prophets. It is time for that to change; for New Zealand’s prophets to be heard and recognized.

It’s time as prophets, to stand and take our place, in humility and submission, yet also in boldness. I firmly believe that as we take our place the Lord will do something that will again cause a pioneering, forerunning spirit to be released in our nation.  It is time for a sound to be released from the ends of the earth. In order for that to happen the Lord is currently doing a work of adjusting some of the foundations of the prophetic in New Zealand.

At work in us as well as through us…

The Lord is currently working within many prophetic people to bring growth and change to mindsets, as well as to the way we function in the gift. This is a necessary work if we are to move forward into all He has planned for us.

I believe that some of those areas He is currently working in are –

• He is adjusting how we see Him and giving greater understanding of His nature and character as the God who is love. This has great ramifications, and the more we realize this the more we realize the work He is doing in us. He is making us into the manifestation of love - making us in his image.
   
• Within that ‘becoming love’, the Lord is also adjusting how we see and relate to each other, causing a spirit of unity within diversity to be manifested amongst us. Differences of perspective will be seen as just that, 'a difference of perspective’, not a possible means or reason for division and breaking of relationship.
   
• There is a reshaping happening to the way we have historically viewed the prophetic gift and used it. It will bring a greater realisation and practice of living from the New Covenant, under which the Church was formed, rather than living from mixed covenants. (This doesn’t mean that we ignore the other covenants He has made, but we realise that we live under a covenant that is greater, and supersedes the previous ones. Heb 8:6-13)
   
• There is a greater realization arising of the redemptive quality and work of the prophetic words God gives. This will in turn affect the manner in which prophetic words are given. They will become a truer expression of who God is. Harshness and unscriptural judgment will drop away, and love, redemptive purpose, encouragement, comfort and edification will be seen to a greater degree than ever before to be the base for the New Covenant prophetic gift.

A need for repentance and maturing on our part…

Part of the new release and restoration of the prophetic gift to our nation will be an attitude of humility and repentance on our part being manifested. While there are many, many prophetic people around the nation who minister in love and integrity, there are also those who minister from a wrong understanding, or who have got wounded and have become judgmental and critical as a result.

There needs to be a repenting on our part as prophetic ministers for any misuse of the prophetic gift, and also for any critical attitudes that we’ve had toward each other as prophets, or towards the church for not accepting us. Some of that has been our own fault because we have acted immaturely and without wisdom at times. If that’s been the case, then let’s make sure we sort out any attitudes that need sorting out, repent of things that need repenting of, and do what we can to restore relationship with those around us that we have hurt, or who have hurt us. Only in this happening will the church at large, and leadership in particular, begin to again fully trust the prophets in our nation.

As we are seen to be maturing and functioning correctly and wisely in the gift, becoming credible prophets, then people and leaders will accept and trust the words given by us. All this will mean a greater release and acceptance of the prophetic words and prophets in our nation.

It’s our time New Zealand; it's time for the voice of the Lord to be heard from the ends of the Earth. It’s time to rise and take our place.

A new avenue for broadcasting the word…

Part of what the Lord is currently doing in releasing the sound of our nation has come in a mandate from the Lord to myself and my husband Rob, to establish a platform where the prophets of this nation can release the words that the Lord gives them. This has led to the formation of the New Zealand Prophetic Network.

Our mandate is –

• To promote the use and place of the prophetic gift in New Zealand.
   
• To publish prophetic words concerning our nation from both New Zealand and international prophetic ministers. 
   
• To encourage and help train prophetic people, bringing them to a place of maturity in gift and character.
   
• To see regional and national gatherings of prophets established around the nation.

The NZ Prophetic Network’s gift of service to the nation will consist of a website and Facebook page where prophetic words for New Zealand, that have been tested, will be posted. On the website we will also have a section where prophetic training events that are taking place around the nation can be advertised without cost, and a section with training articles to help in bringing people to a maturity in functioning in the gift of prophecy.

We invite you to make this website your own as a nation. Our job is simply to facilitate it and help in whatever ways we can with the growth of the prophetic people of our nation.

You are invited as prophets and church leaders to submit prophetic words that have citywide, regional or national significance for posting, and to also, of course, receive encouragement from the words posted there.

Later on we also hope to establish regional and national gatherings of prophets to pray, fellowship, listen and share together in hearing the heartbeat of God for the nation.

To our prophets and leaders - thank you for your love and service to our nation. Thank you for the sacrifices you’ve made, and thank you for being open to continue to learn, grow and mature in both character and gift. Our best days are ahead of us! Let’s build together in honour and love, displaying wisdom and character that builds and releases trust in the prophetic in a new way into the nation.

In love and service,

Naku, nā – Yours faithfully,

Lyn Packer
Facilitator of the New Zealand Prophetic Network
& Co-leader of XP Ministries New Zealand

For more information on Lyn & Rob Packer’s ministry visit www.robandlyn.org or click here

BIO