Wounded No More

When prophecy operates from the strength of our fallen nature, the result is murky. The cleansing begins when we realize we were covered in Christ long before we were fallen in Adam.

There is a growing and painful phenomenon in some circles: the pursuit of prominence at the cost of the wounded. When a leader's mission results in injury to the very people they are called to serve, we must question the source of their authority and the authenticity of their gospel.

The concept of managing your critics has become a defensive shield for leaders who have already torn others down. Let’s be clear: tearing down others, whether physically or spiritually, should never be of benefit. A mission built on another’s destruction is a contradiction of the foundational message of Christ.

The Transaction of "Love": When Function Fails

When leading happens without a genuine heart of service—when it’s merely a function or a role—it creates a mirage. This kind of performance requires triage for those left injured in its wake. The tragic irony is that the gas light burns strong, attempting to change the perception of the audience, but the voice revealed is not Christ's. The skill of manipulation may be impressive, but the source is flawed.

A function-based prophet is desperate to find footing. In that search, they attach their identity to lesser things and tend to speak from their own history, trauma, idols, or sin. This need for external validation drives the transactional model, seeking compliance to secure the prophet's own fragile sense of self-worth.

We must confront the lie of conditional love. Love with a "but" is simply a transaction. This type of relational bargaining, where affection or access is contingent upon compliance, is spoken by only one father: Father Religion. If prophecy is tethered to a system of control—if it carries chains, a muzzle, or revelation outside of Christ's finished work—then the Word is not its source.

A Personal Example: I once committed two years and significant resources to a discipleship program focused on the prophetic. I was then put in an instructor role based on my calling and ability. Yet, when issues arose, I was bludgeoned with: "I don't even think you're a prophet!" The hypocrisy was staggering: I was "prophet enough" to secure money, garner favors, satisfy need, and be useful—but not enough to hold status in the transactional might. The residual pain is real, but the lesson is clearer: lack of integrity within leadership is inherently destructive no matter the gifting or call.

The Son’s Job: Revealing the Foundation

This brings us to the core purpose of a true prophetic voice. The Son's job, especially for one operating in the prophetic function, is singular: to reveal all in-Christ through His finished works.

We must grasp the depth of the ridiculously good news—the Lamb of God was slain at the foundation of the earth (Revelation 13:8). This means that we were covered in Christ long before we were fallen in Adam. Our true, eternal identity is rooted in His finished work, not in our momentary failure.

When we prophesy with knowledge of Christ but the strength of our belief remains in our fallen nature in Adam, we produce a murky result. We see all through the jaded lens of "all have fallen short," and thus fail to grasp the liberating truth: all are safe in Christ.

The Freedom of Sonship

A prophet or leader operating from function and not Sonship will invariably carry the intel of what you are not, focusing on inadequacy and lack. Their message is condemnation disguised as correction.

Yet, when we stand in Sonship, the focus shifts entirely. For an heir—one whose identity is secure and whose inheritance is guaranteed—addressing people as critics and not sons is out of bounds. That reactive, defensive posturing is the function without the truth of Sonship talking.

Two Perspectives: In the midst of first grasping the glorious reality of my identity in Christ—a time of wild, joyful freedom—I was confronted with a note from another prophet: "You are out of control! Thus sayeth the Lord." That note offered more than a papercut. But in processing it, a friend asked a crucial question: "When a Father is tossing his kid high into the air, who is in control?" That was the permission I needed to continue to pursue the wild adventure of freedom in Christ. True prophecy never seeks to clip the wings of a beloved child; it affirms the Father’s sovereign control in their wildest joy.

The Redemptive Heart of a True Son

The difference between these two worlds is stark. The transactional prophet demands performance; the true son seeks oneness and reconciliation.

I have encountered a true son who flawlessly illustrates this principle. His function as a prophet is seamless because it is the son you encounter. There is no proof, no fronting, and no performance necessary (or acknowledged for that matter). He only has eyes for who one is in Christ. In fact, he’s seemingly on a treasure hunt with you to qualify the person rather than quantify what they carry.

He is one who stands just beyond the threshold, making it appear as if there were none, and his arms are open to welcome, reveal and restore. He is a man who places himself in the sweet spot of Christ to receive you—even if you've been the one doing the wounding; his love has no record of wrong. He doesn't see through function; he sees through Christ. And that is all the difference. That posture offers space to breathe deeply.

This is the freedom of Sonship-based prophecy. It first looks like the ability to reveal one in Christ. Secondly, it's able to pull the best from a person and display it before them convincingly, because that is who they genuinely are in Christ. It is a voice of affirmation and discovery, not demand and lack.

A Call for Cleansing and Commission

The prophetic voice of the nations needs a cleansing. It is a call to abandon the function built on transactional religion and the shame of Adam, and to align all revelation and leadership squarely back to the eternal, pre-fall identity found in-Christ.

The personal restoration required to walk in this truth is immense. After experiencing the devastating denial of my calling, I realized that taking back my prophetic function was required for my healing. But this time, the purpose is fundamentally different. This is not about climbing any ladder, securing status, or managing reputation. This return is solely to love others and build sons. This mandate is the fruit of true Sonship.

Let the anthem reverberate: Wounded No More. We are not defined by what we lack or who opposes us, but by the perfect, finished work that seats us at the right hand of the Father.