Prophecy: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

Chapter 3 Functions of the Office of the Prophet The chasms that exist within a prophet’s calling and responsibilities are huge. There is an anointing of warning, as well as of giving direction, encouragement, comfort, exhortation, edification, and other aspects of the office. And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. (1 Corinthians 12:28, emphasis added) The office of the prophet, which is mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12:28, is different from one who prophesies on an occasional basis, whether to an individual or small or large gatherings. A person who prophesies does not necessarily equate to a person who holds the office of a prophet. The office of a prophet is much more demanding on many levels and covers more responsibilities. The accountability to leadership is also more stringent and extremely necessary. Without accountability, prophets can get off target and cause a great deal of harm—which I have personally witnessed. Prophets will have the strongest utterances because they speak by the spirit of prophecy, the gift of prophecy, and out of the strength of the prophet’s office. They have the grace to speak messages that go beyond words of edification, exhortation, and comfort. Prophets prophesy differently than other believers who do not hold the office of prophet and with more authority and a tone of voice that gets the attention of the listener. Their prophecies carry revelation, direction, correction, impartation, and activation. They minister to a wider scope of needs than believers who speak by the spirit of prophecy or the relatively simple gift of prophecy—that would be someone who gives a prophetic word to another by the laying on of hands or even telephonically gives a prophetic word. The huge and vast range of the prophetic reach extends far and wide and to the very throne room itself. Remember that Jesus is the Spirit of prophecy. The depth and length of the prophetic reach is totally full and completely comprehensive, as well as accurate and thorough. It must be taken very seriously in that it is the voice of the Lord speaking through the prophet to the believer. The Lord uses men and women alike in the office of prophet—those who have been thoroughly tested and commissioned by the Lord Himself and who have been seen and heard by others who have credibility in the prophetic to verify a proven track record of accuracy and a good Christian character. The prophet has the anointing by grace to minister and speak in higher, deeper, and wider ways. Sometimes, it can come in pictures, metaphors, illustrations, or even prophesying a person’s past, which always gets the attention of the one receiving a prophetic word. (The Holy Spirit never reveals a person’s negative past in the presence of others because it is not in His nature to do so. The Holy Spirit builds up people; He does not tear them down.) In John 4, Jesus prophesied to the woman at the well—she was alone. She became converted and immediately evangelized an entire town. Prophets need to work under the authority of recognized leadership of their local body, unless, of course, the prophet is a pastor who is in a respectable and responsible position within a responsible Word-based church body. Most importantly, the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets (1 Corinthians 14:32). Prophets should always be attached to a body for the security and safety of the believer being prayed for. The Bible states the importance of going out “two by two,” and therefore, the apostle Paul always had another person with him, whether it was Barnabas or Silas. I have seen many people go astray by not being part of a responsible church body. If you do not feel like going to church because you think you are not getting anything out of it, perhaps you are at that church because you are supposed to give and not receive. Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership. (1 Timothy 4:14, emphasis added) In the church at Antioch, there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (a childhood companion of Herod the tetrarch), and Saul (Acts 13:1). Let us look at what a prophetic and teaching meeting would have looked like at the church of Antioch during that time. We can see parameters for holding these meetings set forth in 1 Corinthians 14:29 and 14:31. 1.They let two or three prophets speak and let others judge (1 Corinthians 14:29). 2. They would all prophesy in turn so that everyone would be instructed and encouraged (1 Corinthians 14:29). 3. The meeting would have been one of order with a sense of godly peace (1 Corinthians 14:33). 4. “They were not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come” (2 Thessalonians 2:2). 5. Having knowledge of the book of Revelation: “Then he said to me, ‘These words are faithful and true.’ And the Lord God of the holy prophets, sent His angel to show His servants the things which must shortly take place” (Revelation 22:6). The Holy Spirit brings order and peace, not controversy, into prayer or prophetic/healing meetings and is a sign that He is present. The sign of His peace is evidence as to whether biblical truth is prevalent. If it is not, the person in authority should stop the meeting and have everyone pray until there is peace and unity among the brethren before starting the meeting again. During this time of stopping to pray, someone in the group may have a prophetic word regarding why there was a lack of peace. Every meeting should begin and end with prayer and the invocation of Jesus and the Holy Spirit to speak and have complete authority over any meeting, whether it is a prayer, prophetic, healing, or teaching and preaching meeting. When possible, worship is a necessity for opening any meeting, since the spirit of prophecy often moves through the power of worship.