THE “BOUNCE EFFECT” IN PROPHETIC INTERCESSION

During the height of the renewal from 1994 to 1996, and even during a number of our services in recent days, we have seen a very interesting phenomena. When we pray for a person, and the power of God is present, people are touched in a great variety of ways, including physical manifestations. What we have observed is that if, for any reason, a person has difficulty receiving the impartation of the Lord, often there is a “bounce” effect, and the power of God is “bounced” back to the person or persons who are ministering, and they are impacted by the power of the Lord.

Recently I came across a woman who was being trained in prophetic ministry, who was suffering severe depression. I discovered that she was an intercessor, who was being trained in the prophetic in order to become more effective in her intercession. I asked her what had happened just before she went into depression. She replied that one day a few weeks before, the Lord had given her a “heavy burden” for one of the leaders in her local church. She responded by interceding for the man, and felt the Lord give her some prophetic insight concerning his struggle. She felt led of the Lord to call him, and share her prophetic insights with him. From that moment on, she went into depression.

I asked her if the leader had received her prophetic insights, and she said no. He told her that he didn’t want to hear what she had to say, and he avoided becoming specific about what he was struggling with, although it became obvious that he was in a great struggle.

I believe that she also was experiencing a “bounce”. The Lord had given her a “burden” for a leader to intercede for. She had faithfully prayed for the man. Then the Lord gave her prophetic insight to share with the leader, and she had obediently gone to the leader with a very submissive and grace-filled attitude. I believe that if the leader had graciously received and thanked her for her prophetic insights (ministry), that he, as her leader and spiritual covering, would have released her from her prayer burden. But because he refused to allow her words to fall (and be released) on him, the burden was bounced back (and bound) onto her, and the weight of that prayer burden that was not released by her spiritual authority, caused her to go into depression.

So to me, the solution was simple. I prayed with her, and had her confess that she had done her best to obey God with a submissive spirit. I had her confess that to the best of her ability, her heart was right concerning her intercession, and the words she received. So then I had her “release herself” from the weight of that burden, and to return it to God, who would now deal with the leader as God saw fit. Finally, I prayed for peace and joy to fill her heart again, and she committed herself to again wait for the Lord to give her a new prayer burden. Immediately, a weight lifted off of the woman, her countenance changed, joy returned to her eyes, and she went on her way rejoicing.

I exhort all church leaders, especially leaders who have intercessors in their churches, to receive the following admonition:

First, teach your intercessors how to release the burden of the Lord, once they have faithfully prayed for the person involved, and especially when the person involved resisted the ministry that the intercessor had to offer.

Second, I encourage all church leaders to listen to what your intercessors are saying. You are not responsible to submit to their words, but I believe you do have a responsibility to listen to what they are hearing from God, release them from their prayer burdens, and then prayerfully evaluate what you are to do with their words. This is not only for your sake, but for their sake also.

God, in his grace, has given us, as church leaders, wonderful gifts of intercessors. Let’s not squander those gifts, but instead appreciate them, and value them, by listening to what they have to say. And as shepherds, let’s be sure to release them from their prayer burdens, because if we don’t, we may not like what bounces back onto them, or onto us.

David Hibbert – November 2003