Prophetic Writing
You Betta Write Like Crazy
Yes, I know you've completed quite a bit of writing in this course all ready. It's time to intensify your EXERCISE program now or should I say WRITE like a fitness guru. In this session, we will explore the different types of literary forms found in the scripture. You will be challenged to explore these forms as tools to increase your prophetic writing flow.
Put Your Discipline to the Test
The following writing prompts are from my book, "50 Prophetic Writing Prompts To Jumpstart Your Prophetic Writing Flow." In this session, you have one focus: "Write as much as possible outside of your comfort zone!" Do not be hindered by "technique, academics, preferences, etc." Rather, just jump into the writing prompts below and have some fun with the Lord. YOU ARE FREE TO BE YOURSELF HERE!
Decide to write using these writing prompts everyday over the course of the next week implementing what you have learned. Make sure you are in a rested place. This is your opportunity to put your discipline to the test.
There's a twist to your challenge
Numerous iterary [sic] forms that are found in the scriptures. To expand your view of what it means to be a prophetic writer, I highlighted some of those forms in the writing prompts. I want to note, however, that the writers of the Bible never claim to have understood these forms or mentioned expressing any knowledge about them. But as our knowledge of the literary realm has increased, scholars can now look at the Bible today and see these forms plainly.
I thought it might be fun to know that these biblical, prophetic writers wrote more than prophecy. Some of the writing prompts in this session will reinforce these truths. The idea is to simply affirm varying areas of interests that you may have in your calling to write prophetically. I pray that it helps you strech [sic] beyond the realm of prophecy, recording dreams and visions and developing bible studies. There's room for fiction writers, mystery writers, poets, spoken word artists, letter writers, script writers, fantasy writers, etc. in the Kingdom. A complete overview of these forms can be found in "A Complete Handbook of Literary Forms in the Bible" by Leland Ryken.
Remember, the key to unlocking your prophetic writing flow is engaging in writing as much as possible. Write! Write! Write!
Your Writing Prompts
- Paul and Silas lived out an amazing prison escape story[1] in Acts 16:16-40. Write your own story about a miraculous escape from a negative situation in your life at the hand of God or re-tell their story with a modern twist. (An escape story is a narrative genre in which the central event is an escape from danger or imprisonment.[2])
- Psalm 139:15 says, "My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in secret and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth." Write a letter to a stranger who feels as if their life means nothing. Using this passage, explain that they were chosen and designed by the love of God. (The good-place motif paints a picture of a redemptive place that embodies an ideal that the author is affirming.[3])
- In Jeremiah 26, we learn that a mob of priests and prophets grabbed the prophet Jeremiah for releasing God's judgment over them. They shouted, "Kill him!" Put yourself in Jeremiah's shoes. Using dialogue, describe how Jeremiah might have defended himself against his accusers using dialogue? Be sure to demonstrate his emotions (Dramatic monologue is a literary work in which a speaker addresses an applied but silent audience and in which the details keep the dramatic situation alive in a reader's awareness.)
- 1 Kings 3:16-28 is a conflict story, a literary form in the Bible in which the narrative plot is focused on a conflict.[4] Solomon ordered two prostitutes to split a baby in half to settle a dispute over who was the child's mother. Become an eyewitness. In your own words, write this story with a 21st century twist.
- Psalm 19 is a unique poem about our relationship to God's creation, nature.[5] Read this passage and rewrite it line-by-line. (Nature psalms praise nature for its beauty, power and provision; uses evocative word pictures that awaken our experiences with nature, and personifies nature to show its relationship to people.[6])
- In Luke 22:54, Peter ran away when Christ was arrested and denied knowing him. Write honestly about how you have responded to rejection in your own life. Write a Christ-centered vision for forgiving those who have rejected you. (The reconciliation story is a core theme in scripture. It is defined as a type of story in which the main characters give up their hostility for forgiveness.[7] All forgiveness stories foreshadow Christ's forgiveness to us.)
- Exodus 14:4 says, "The Lord will fight for you while you keep silent." Describe a time in your life in which you experienced extreme difficulty – perhaps in your health, marriage, parental relationships, etc. that was so difficult you were not sure that you would make it. Describe, as simply as you can, how the Lord has carried or is carrying your [sic] through this ordeal. (This is called an ordeal story, a difficult or painful situation that tests a person's ability or endurance.[8])
- The story of Joseph is considered a point of view story.[9] Point of view stories are written from the narrator's perspective. Consider Joseph's encounter with Potiphar's wife in Genesis 39. Re-tell Joseph's harrowing encounter with her from the "the wife's" perspective. Expose the evil nature of her character in your response.
- Persuasive techniques (also called the rhetoric of narrative) are used throughout the Bible. These are "strategies by which storytellers seek readers to agree with their views of life."[10] Write a letter to a friend or loved one convincing them that the love of Christ is real. Challenge: You cannot use scripture to write your letter.
- Deception stories are common throughout scripture. These are generally stories in which one person deceives another. They often include "disguise, intrigue, dramatic irony" One of the most memorable stories in the Bible is the conflict between Esau and Jacob. Write about your favorite deception story in the scriptures. Include details about how the outcome or result of the deception.
Footnotes: [1] Ryken, Leland. A Complete Handbook of Literary Forms in the Bible. (Crossway, 2014, 84). [2] Ibid. [3] Ibid, 96. [4] Ibid, 47-48. [5] Ibid, 132. [6] Ibid, 131. [7] Ibid, 171 [8] Ibid, 135. [9] Ibid, 135-136. [10] Ibid, 148-149.