While training coaches, especially during our class Spirit Empowered Coaching, I am often faced with questions such as, “Is it OK for me to share what I see prophetically with my client?” or “Can I ask questions around what I see prophetically?” When we are in a prophetic community, these questions can be a real struggle for coaches, because we believe in the encouragement and hope that prophecy brings! However, while it is common among the prophetic community to freely share what the Lord reveals, I’d like to challenge us that during a coaching session, we should restrain from freely sharing. Don’t get me wrong, I do believe that there are places for it, but we must be cautious. Let me explain further.
Our focus in a coaching session needs to be about coaching: our heart as a coach, the coaching process and core coaching skills. Basically, to facilitate and empower the client in working toward solutions and decisions over their own circumstances or situations. If we are not cautious, we can shift the focus from the coaching session to our prophetic insights or gifts, which can hinder or remove this empowerment from the client.
As we master the art of caution in this area, we can begin to partner with the Holy Spirit in what His purpose is for revealing something to us during a session. When we use our gift(s) properly, our client will be ministered to through encouragement, affirmation, and confirmation. In addition, we actually can choose to share an insight or not. Think about it, any gift can be given or it can be held for another time, which means so can a prophetic insight. I don’t believe that every insight the Lord reveals to me must be shared or revealed at the time it is given. I have found that He also shares things with me that need to be cultivated, prayed into, hidden for a time or “for my eyes only.”
Partnering with the Holy Spirit and His purposes for any prophetic insight starts with our relationship with Him! As we get to know Him at a deeper level, our understanding of what is being revealed becomes clearer. During a session, I quickly ask the Holy Spirit if it is for me or my client. Depending on the answer, I go deeper. Here are a few things I typically ask Him if it is for the client (if it’s for me, I stay silent and ponder it later):
- Is this something you’d like to encourage the client with? If so, how?
- Since you showed me this, have the client bring up the subject to show me when you’d like me to share it with them.
- What is a powerful question I can ask the client right now? (Always stay away from leading questions during this time).
- Are you showing me this to help direct me? If so, how?
- What do I need to know about my client that I have missed or that you are showing me through this insight?
As you can see, my go-to is to find out how I can serve or see the client. Prophetic insight is always about them, never about us! And, in the spirit of reminding us that we are coaches first when working with clients, never allow a prophetic insight to reverse our standards as coaches by resorting to telling, becoming the expert, using it for correction or falling into judgment. In the end, if I am led to share the prophetic insight, I will do so after the coaching session or during the time where I am encouraging and praising the client for work well done.
I’d like to leave you with some powerful questions to ponder while you wrestle with this subject:
- How have you used your prophetic insight in the past?
- If you are in need of improvement toward caution, who can you partner with to learn and be held accountable in the future?
- How can you grow in going deeper with the Holy Spirit when He reveals something to you?
- If you have not had prophetic insights during sessions in the past and would like to, what can you do in the near future to begin that journey?
Maria Ruddiman is a Kingdom Coaching Certified Coach with a passion for teaching and helping others find breakthrough for personal, spiritual and professional growth. Her greatest joy comes with the “ah-ha” of her clients discovering they have the answer, they recognize their options are endless, or they realize they won’t be judged or “told” what to do. Contact Maria at consultingbymaria@gmail.com.