Prophetic Triggers

Definition: Trigger

One of the dictionary definitions of a trigger is: “an event or situation that causes something to start”
In the context of the prophetic this is very helpful.

What is a prophetic trigger?

  • Something that causes or starts the prophetic process.
  • Something that gives the initial impetus to the prophetic.
  • Something that captures our focus or attention that God is communicating with us

What do prophetic triggers do?

  • Encourage us to take a step of faith to receive more revelation
  • Come with the ability to step into a prophetic moment.
  • Come with an anointing to begin the prophetic flow.

Next Steps

The prophetic trigger is just the start of the process although at times it can be the core of the revelation we receive.
Here are some steps we can take to cooperate with what God is doing when we sense a prophetic trigger. Of course this will depend on the context etc.
  • Ask the Holy Spirit questions like: – Holy Spirit what are you doing / saying here?
  • What does this mean to me?
  • Woho this is for?  If you can ask the person if this means anything to them.
  • Take a faith step into the prophetic moment by speaking it out to someone
  • Write it down and come back to it later.
  • If it is an external trigger take a photo.
  • Sense the nabi flow (bubbling up) move with this.
  • Do some research online (history, meaning, other aspects)

Helpful Questions

Dano McCollum has some very helpful questions we can ask ourselves:
  1. Have you previously had external objects or someone’s appearance quickened to you but not known that it was God focusing your attention to these details?
  2. Now that you know that a quickening to external details is one of the ways that God can speak, how might you use this method of prophetic encouragement in your everyday life?

Examples from Scripture

1 Samuel 15: 27-29
As Samuel turned to leave, Saul caught hold of the hem of his robe, and it tore. Samuel said to him, “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to one of your neighbors—to one better than you. He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a human being, that he should change his mind.”
We don’t know whether or not Samuel already had the word for Saul, but the tearing of Saul’s garment prompted Samuel to release the word at that moment. It was also a powerful prophetic picture of what had decided to do.
Mark 11:12-14
The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it.
Jesus saw that there was no fruit on the fig tree. This physical object was a trigger for him to prophesy over it that no one would eat fruit from this tree again. Jesus later used this as a teaching point with his disciples about the “faith moving mountains” prayer. As prophetic people we should always be on the lookout for what God might be communicating.
Dano McCollum gives some additional scriptures to consider when looking at prophetic triggers.
  • Psalm 19
  • Romans 1:19-2
  • Isaiah11:3
  • 1 Samuel 16:7
  • John 7:24

Types of Triggers

Prophetic triggers can be broadly categorised as follows:
External Triggers
Something that happens outside of us.
Often perceived with our natural senses.
Internal Triggers
Something we see or perceive within us.
Often percieved with our spiritual senses

External Triggers

Names
Meanings, phonetics, Bible characters
Physical objects
Numbers
Signs
e.g. bill boards, advertisements
Symbols
e.g logos, brands
Familiar person.
Ask the question: What does this person mean to me?
Scriptures
Tattoos
Situations
e.g. an activity in the natural has prophetic significance
Prophetic words
(one word can trigger another or a continuation)
Movie scenes
Song lyrics
Physical senses 
  • sight
  • hearing e.g. a phonetic similarities
  • smell
  • touch
  • taste

Internal Triggers

Thoughts
e.g. a highlighted thought
Impressions
Colours
Heightened awareness or sense
e.g. antcipation of stepping into a God moment
Spiritual senses
  • sight (pictures / visions) e.g. seeing words over people
  • smell e.g. fragrances, wine
  • hearing (inner voice, audible voice)
  • taste e.g. sweet / bitter
  • touch / feeling (sensations such as hot or cold in the your body)
Questions
e.g. a question that remains with you. What does this mean?
Memories
Inner prompting
Dreams
Inner stirring
Words of knowledge
Seeing in the Spirit
e.g. words or symbols over people
Discerning atmospheres
e.g. a sudden manifest presence of God
Emotions
e.g. a sudden emotion that is not your own

Activation

Here is a practical activation using pictures of objects as external prophetic triggers.
  1. Look at the pictures here and and ask the Holy Spirit to highlight one picture.
  2. Ask the Holy Spirit some questions. What does this mean? Who is for? Is there more?
  3. Write down your impressions.
  4. Write it out as a prophetic word.
  5. Give it personally or send the word to someone
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