Pursuing the Gift of ProphecySample

Day 3 - Love is the Motive

1 Corinthians 13: 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. (NKJV)

Maybe you’ve seen someone operate in the gifts of the spirit, especially prophecy, and how they modeled it was not very loving or encouraging. It’s important to remember that just because someone misuses a gift or needs to mature in the gift, it doesn’t mean that there is anything wrong with the gift. The gift is found inside of the Holy Spirit and, “God, his way is perfect: The LORD’s word is flawless.” (Psalm 18:30)

As we learn who we are in Christ and sink deeper into His love for us, the motivation to prophesy should always be to partner with God and let Him love people through us. Prophecy should always be in alignment with love. Let’s recall what the bible tells us in 1 John 4:8 “Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.”

God is love, and “Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.” (Colossians 1:15). Simply put, we should be walking in love just as He did. 1 John 2:6 tells us, “He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.”

Therefore, as we prophesy to strengthen, encourage, and comfort people, we should find ourselves inside the definition of love. As we prophesy, we should be kind, we should be patient, we should not boast or be arrogant, we should not insist on our own way, we should not be irritable or resentful, we should not rejoice in wrongdoing, and we should always rejoice in the truth. This is in accordance with what the Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians Chapter 13.

Prayer

God, I ask that you empower me to love people the way you love people. Holy Spirit, I ask that you show me your plans and purposes for people’s lives and allow me to speak your words of hope, destiny, and love to a broken and hurting world. Here I am, God, use me to shine bright in a dark world.