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 The Gift of Prophecy

People who have been given the gift of prophecy do not necessarily predict future events. In fact, most of the time, they don’t. Prophecies are brief, supernatural words of hope and encouragement, often personalized and always in alignment with the truth of Scripture. They have three main purposes: (1) to edify, or build up, the hearers in order to strengthen them in their faith and to make them more effective in their outreach to others; (2) to exhort or encourage (which can include admonishment and motivation); and (3) to comfort, or “cheer up,” those to whom the word is released. (See 1 Corinthians 14:3.) 

In the New Testament, the Greek verb for prophesy, propheteia, “signifies ‘the speaking forth of the mind and counsel of God.’” Prophecy puts the intents and purposes of God’s mind into words that everybody can understand. In the Old Testament, the Hebrew root word often translated as the verb prophesy is nābâ’, meaning to “speak (or sing) by inspiration (in prediction or simple discourse).” Even as they come forth, prophetic utterances remain under the control of the speaker, whose own mind and will are fully engaged; they do not burst forth spontaneously.

The gift of prophecy appears in all of the scriptural listings of spiritual gifts (see 1 Corinthians 12:10, 28; Ephesians 4:11; Romans 12:6), and prophets/prophetesses are mentioned multiple times throughout the New Testament (see Luke 2:36; 7:24–28; Acts 11:27–28; 15:32; 21:9–11). The priest Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, “was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied” (Luke 1:67) about his baby son, announcing that he would grow up to become a prophet: “And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare His ways” (Luke 1:76; see verses 67–80 for Zacharias’s entire prophecy). The One whose ways John prepared, and whom he announced, was the long-awaited Messiah, Jesus, whose life and death fulfilled so many Old Testament prophecies that entire books have been devoted to the theme.

Prophecy in the Early Church

After Jesus was resurrected and ascended to heaven, and after His Spirit was bestowed on His disciples, prophecies played an important role in the ongoing development of the body of believers He had left behind to do His work. The leaders relied heavily on both prayer and prophecy as they directed the growth of the young church. Many of them could prophesy, but the names of the particular prophets are not often recorded. For example, when a prophetic word selected Barnabas and Saul for special assignments, gospel writer Luke simply reported that “the Holy Spirit said,” not the name of the prophet through whom He said it: “While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them’” (Acts 13:2). The prophetic word they received for Saul and Barnabas was directive; it told them what to do and how to do it.

Later, prophecies revealed Timothy’s appointed ministry, and they strengthened him in spiritual warfare as he fulfilled that ministry. (See 1 Timothy 1:18–19.) Timothy had been equipped for his ministry when the group of elders laid hands on him and prayed—at which time a gift from God was imparted to him by means of a prophetic word. Paul referred to this fact when he wrote to Timothy, “Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was bestowed on you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the presbytery” (1 Timothy 4:14). As Paul’s life and ministry continued, personal prophetic words of direction were given to him again and again. 

We can see that the gift of prophecy was part of the modus operandi of the church from its inception. People often received the gift of prophecy along with the gift of tongues as an evidence of the filling of the Holy Spirit. When Paul laid his hands on the believers in Ephesus, “the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking with tongues and prophesying” (Acts 19:6). 

Judging and Discerning Prophecy

You cannot take most prophecy at face value, even when it seems straightforward and simple. God’s bigness can never be contained in a few words spoken by a human being, and every limited human vessel is prone to errors. When John was an old man, he wrote, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1). All prophecies, regardless of who gives them or how important they seem, should be confirmed according to these nine scriptural tests: 

1. Does the revelation edify, exhort, or comfort?

2. Is it in agreement with God’s written Word?

3. Does it exalt Jesus Christ?

4. Does it bear good fruit? Does the character of the prophet bear good fruit?

5. If it predicts a future event, does it come to pass?

6. Does the prophetic word turn people toward God or away from Him?

7. Does it produce liberty or bondage?

8. Does it produce life, or bring death?

9. Does the Holy Spirit bear witness that it is true?

Not only does testing prophetic words provide safeguards against bad decisions, but it also is part of the process of prophetic maturation. Prophets risk stepping out onto a tightrope every time they proffer a word to others, but corporate discernment provides a safety net.

As with the other gifts of the Spirit, the gift of prophecy is not limited to functioning within the gathered assembly of believers. All those with the prophetic gift have learned from experience, “testing the waters” in different situations as they mature in the gift, learning to stay alert for the word of the Lord and discovering where God can best use them.

Some people will hear Him best when they are alone in prayer, and a good number of those will be instructed in how to intercede based on the revelations they have received. Others will speak out in the context of prayer groups or in prayer counseling sessions. Some intercessors will find that the gift flows as they are prayer-walking, while others will learn to hear God’s direction for evangelistic outreach. 

Releasing the Testimony of Jesus

Ultimately, this is what all prophecy is about: releasing the testimony of Jesus. Here is John’s visionary picture from the book of Revelation:

Then I [John] fell at his [the angel’s] feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Do not do that; I am a fellow servant of yours and your brethren who hold the testimony of Jesus; worship God. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” (Revelation 19:10)

Jesus wants to testify, and He uses men and women to do it. Those who serve as His voice do not draw attention to themselves but rather to the message and to the Messenger, the Holy Spirit. Whether the prophecy concerns momentous upcoming events or simple reassurance (such as “Do not fear!”), it releases the testimony of the Lamb who was slain and who now sits at the right hand of the Father.

As we conclude this devotional, I want to encourage you to enter into the adventure of your life by receiving and releasing the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Be empowered for Jesus Christ’s sake to make a permanent impact on the world around you by word and by deed with the great, great, great love of God. You have been commissioned to do the works of Jesus through the full operation of the gifts of the Spirit—today! Blessings to each of you, my fellow laborers.

We hope this plan has encouraged you. Explore other resources at https://www.whitakerhouse.com/book-authors/james-w-goll/.