I’ve heard it prophesied that revival is going to begin in our youth. I went through a season a few years ago when every time I would hear this word I would weep uncontrollably, but I had no idea why. Something was stirring in my heart that my head had yet to comprehend.
Then the Lord spoke to me. He said that revival is not coming from the youth; revival is coming from one big generation—old, young, and middle-aged. He gave me a mental picture of a father with two daughters. The father said to one daughter, “You’re beautiful,” and said nothing to the second. The scene changed and repeated two more times. The Lord said to me, “Omission is powerful. When you say ‘Revival is coming to the youth,’ you’re sending a message to my older and middle-aged people.”
Then the Lord asked me, “What generation does your culture honor? In modern culture, people fight to be and look young.” He proceeded to ask, “What generation does my Bible honor?” He reminded me of Psalm 133, and that the anointing starts from the top of Aaron’s head and flows downhill.
Acts 2:17-18 says, “In the last days, God says, ‘I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.’”
We can see in this passage that revival doesn’t have a gender, it doesn’t have a generation and it doesn’t have a social class!
There’s been a lot of talk recently around millennials, and how revival will come through them. I love the millennials. They are the most brilliant, creative, innovative generation to ever grace this planet! They will bring a unique Kingdom perspective to the earth that no other generation before them has. However, this will only reach its fullest expression in partnership with middle-aged and elderly people. The anointing will flow in its fullest form from the head, downhill.
Today I’ve asked a powerful young prophetess, Hayley Braun — who will be speaking at the School of the Prophets this August — to speak into this and share about her experience in being called to the office of the prophet. As an overseer in our Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry, Hayley has the opportunity to serve and minister to several generations, primarily millennials. She has a wealth of knowledge and insight that I believe will empower millennials to walk in truth and clarity in their call, and will aide older generations in working with millennials to bring the Kingdom to earth in powerful and effective ways! Let’s dive into this interview!
1. Q: Tell us a little about yourself, your passions and your ministry.
A: I am from Port Elizabeth, South Africa. In 2008 I moved to Redding, California to attend Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry (BSSM) where I met my husband. We’ve been married for nine years and together have two beautiful children.
I have been working for Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry for the last eight years, and am an Associate Overseer in the Second Year program. I love Jesus, I am passionate about the church and equipping the body to connect with the voice and heart of God.
2. Q: What were some of your struggles when you first received your call to the office of the prophet? How did you work through them?
A: I wouldn’t say I struggled! In second year school of ministry, one of my close friends asked if I was a prophet and I said that I was not sure, but I would wait for God to confirm it if He was calling me to be a prophet.
Later on in 2012, Kris, you affirmed the call as a prophet on my life. This acknowledgment was very confirming and clarifying for me! It also helped me understand myself and some of my past struggles. Sometimes a prophet feels like the weird one or out-of-place because they are often ahead of time because they see further, or in some cases feel they “know” what will happen. The challenge is that we can be right (and many times I have been) but it can be a long time before we see it come to pass.
We as prophets need to be in community and understand that people aren’t always seeing what we’re seeing, and feeling what we’re feeling. The main call of the prophet is to take what we’re hearing from God, make it palatable, and actually teach people how to do it. Sometimes we have to take the mystery of God and make it seem not so far away — make it more simple to understand — so the body of Christ and the church can understand it.
3. Q: What was the process like from getting your call to actually stepping into it?
A: I was probably walking my call out before a leader ever recognized it; I just didn’t know that I was. I grew up in the church with both my parents serving in leadership. I remember at age twelve, during worship I began to weep uncontrollably from the pain I was feeling in the room. I was overcome by the presence of God and His power was moving through me. My environment was not accustomed to the power of God, but that night at least three people got delivered from a spirit of suicide and seven people accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior. This is who our God is and this is what He does. He takes little girls — ordinary people — and does extraordinary things.
I know I am not fully established in my call nor do I even fully understand what God is going to do with my life. We can get so wrapped up in what we are “called to” or “where we are going” that we can become self-serving. I sometimes get concerned that we will become such “impressive, gifted Christians” on the outside that we forget that what makes us valuable is not our gifts but the fact that we are called His children.
Our call is not about who we are. Who we are was settled on the cross — we were bought with the highest price, our call is more about being faithful with what we’ve been given, to serve the body and draw the lost children to their Father. I have received a lot of prophetic words that are far bigger than who I am and where I am, but I’m not waiting for those to happen to fulfill my destiny. I’m just walking day by day and trusting that HE will fulfill the words that have been spoken over me.
4. Q: What advice would you give to young/millennial prophets?
A: I think millennials are amazing; I am very excited about this generation! A lot has been said negatively about them and a lot of the concerns are facts, but I know the Lord has a great plan for them.
I’m excited about a generation that’s equipped with information at their fingertips because I believe at some point they will realize just because it is out there does not mean it is accurate. Millennials will have to learn how to discern truth, and as they seek the truth they will find Him. I know that Jesus is the only way, so they will find out the Truth if they’re looking for it.
In regards to millennial prophets, one of the biggest obstacles we push up against is the pace at which culture runs. We can “connect” so easily these days, whether through social media or the internet — the average Instagram user will scroll once every one to two seconds, meaning to grab the attention of people these days you have to do it quickly — and though we are the most “connected” we are the most emotionally disconnected generation. Many millennials are virtually connected but not personally connected to anything real or tangible.
For this generation to thrive they need to intentionally slow down. This generation has formed an unhealthy habit: silence, stillness, and solitude have been weeded out because we have the ability to be fed by information or some kind of interest at all times.
This is the challenge; to connect with God is not going to take one second, it requires being silent, alone and still. Rest is almost counter-cultural but it is vital for our spiritual, physical and emotional health.
The prophets need to be rooted and grounded in the word and to not be swayed by the wind of their culture; to move at the pace of God and not the pace of the on-demand culture. They’ll have to push back against the demand of production and learn that abiding in His Presence, daily, is the most productive.
5. Q: What do you feel God is doing on the earth at this time?
A: I believe that we’re in a big season of transition. God is bringing alignment after a season of radical shaking and pressing for many of His people. In this season I can feel an opening; a fresh breath. It feels like that moment when the Israelites were on their way to the Promised Land but there was the journey between their liberation from captivity and the Promised Land. We are in a season of great preparation, I believe for an incredible breakthrough — one that we have been waiting for, and some have been waiting for all their lives. The shaking has been painful but the grace of the Lord has made the wilderness fruitful, and the shaking has left only the Kingdom standing in our lives. This will position us for the breakthrough that’s coming.
Many people in the body of Christ are looking at areas in their life that are not sinful but still getting in the way of the fullness of what God has in the next season. I believe many are having to face things in their lives that are below the surface. The Lord is saying that we can’t take these things into the breakthrough that is coming. Focusing on the Word and resting in His presence are two important keys right now, especially for the realigning that is happening.
