There is a difference between a declaration and a prophesy. According to the original Greek and Hebrew definitions, they may both reflect God’s truth and purpose, but only one is divinely inspired, birthed out of a revelation of the Spirit. They may both be needed in our battle against deception and lies, but it is the true prophetic word that carries the weight and authority of heaven to shift things.

There is an ongoing battle for authority in the earth realm. Satan and his marauding hordes are vying for supremacy over the nations through control and manipulation. But, when words are spoken from the throne of God under the inspiration and revelation of the Spirit, hell has no power or authority to stop their fulfillment. It is these kinds of words that have legitimate Kingdom authority to overturn the illegitimate decrees of enemy forces. It is also these kinds of words that our leaders, both in government and in the Church, must begin to hear and speak forth.

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In both testaments of Scripture, what sets a prophesy apart from a declaration is that it can only be known by divine revelation. Where a declaration is usually a recounting of that which has already been known and spoken, a prophesy is an original thought and inspiration. It carries weight because it comes directly from the Spirit. According to Scripture, we can recognize these kinds of words because they will…

… have an element of revelation as well as future implication (1 Corinthians 14:6; Ephesians 3:3-4).
… reveal a mystery or hidden truth of the Kingdom (I Corinthians 13:2; 14:24).
… be fueled by the inspiration of the Spirit and not the skill of man (2 Peter 1:21).
… be clear of man’s added thoughts or interpretations (2 Peter 1:20).
…carry some instruction and encouragement (1 Corinthians 14:31).
… manifest and bear fruit (1 Corinthians 14:3-5; 22; 2 Thessalonians 2:2).

These kinds of words are not just for recognized Fivefold prophets, however. The apostle Paul urged everyone to prophesy (1 Cor 14:5)! I believe we should all aim higher for prophetically inspired words from the Lord. But they will only come as we spend time in the throne room. We must nurture our relationship with Holy Spirit to learn His language, hear His voice, and speak His words.

In this time of restriction in movement and activity, we are being given an opportunity to fine-tune our spiritual hearing. We have the chance to dig deeper and listen for the spirit of wisdom and revelation that opens our eyes and carries weight from heaven.  We’ve probably all heard or read such words that touched us deeply, perhaps bringing us to tears, or simply stirred our faith in profound ways. THESE are the types of words we need to HEAR and to SPEAK. Let’s not settle for words that fuel the latest gossip, satisfy our curiosity, or merely repeat outdated mantras.

Declarations have their place in prayer and in proclamation, but we are in a totally new season that requires a faith-infused vision for the extraordinary days ahead. We desperately need to hear from heaven and prophesy the purposes of the King! We need words that break off the demonic deception as well as the deaf-and-dumb spirit that has covered the land like a thick fog.

And his delight shall be in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear, but with righteousness he shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; and he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked. (Isaiah 11:3-4 ESV)

Words from heaven have spiritual weight, tangible presence, and power from a higher realm. If we are going to rule in the midst of our enemies with the scepter of the Lord (Ps 110:2), we must speak that which comes directly from the throne. We cannot waste our time on personal opinion, human reasoning, or limited perceptions. Let’s aim higher and pursue heaven-inspired words that will cause hell to shudder and heaven to act. Let’s pray that our leaders will receive these kinds of weighty words, starting with our President on down to public officials and church leaders throughout our cities and states. It is time to speak forth Kingdom edicts that move mountains, still storms, and utterly vanquish the enemies of God that are seeking occupation in the earth.

When the Spirit of truth comes, He will guide you into all the truth, for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak, and He will declare to you the things that are to come. (John 16:13 ESV)

Wanda Alger has been a field correspondent with Intercessors for America and written for Charisma, The Elijah List, Spirit Fuel, and The Christian Post. She is an author of numerous books, including “Moving from Sword to Scepter: Ruling through Prayer as the Ekklesia of God.” Follow her blog at wandaalger.me.