To Prophesy or Not to Prophesy, That is the Question (Podcast–Part 1 of 2–20 min)

To Prophesy or Not to Prophesy, That is the Question (Podcast–Part 2 of 2–27min)

Prophecy and prophesying often remain rather mysterious to many saints today, yet Paul talks about it, and so does Peter, as though it is to be a common experience.  Often, when we mention the word “prophecy” we think of the Old Testament prophets, who stood aloof from the community, lived rather ascetic, solitary lifestyles, and came out now and then to proclaim “thus says the Lord” while everyone labeled them “fanatics,” “crazy,” “kooks,” etc. 

We may think of prophesying as predicting the future, or calling down the judgment of God on whole societies of people.  It doesn’t leave much for folks to aspire to at first glance, but one has to see that these men and women must have had a very intimate relationship with God in order to do what they did, to hear from God so directly and accurately.  For those who are truly pursuing God in order to be close to him, there is a compelling component here. 

There is a sense of awe in the candor that transpires between God and one who gives voice to His heretofore unspoken thoughts.  In this essay, I want to discuss prophecy and the act of prophesying from the New Testament perspective.  Is this ability open to everyone or just a few?  How and when does this transpire?  How do we recognize prophecy and the prophetic word?  How, or is it, different from the Old Testament? 

Looking Back

The word “prophet” first appears in Genesis 20:7, where Abraham is referred to as a prophet by God in a dream that King Abimelech had regarding Sarah, for Abraham had told him that she was his sister to keep from getting killed, and the king took her to be his wife.  God intervened in a dream, and told Abimelech to return her to Abraham to avoid judgment, and that Abraham would “pray for you, for he is a prophet.”  We may not think of Abraham as a prophet, for many others have come and gone since then, and he doesn’t seem to exhibit the same characteristics that we see in later prophets, but God calls him one.  Abraham was God’s man at that time.  He heard God, and obeyed him.  Up to this point, we don’t see any other types of activity that we would identify as prophetic behavior, but we do see several interchanges between him and God regarding God’s promises to him and Abraham’s intercession for Lot, who was in Sodom.  The Lord visits Abraham in the flesh (Genesis 18), and after confirming his promise of a son through Sarah, he reveals his plans to him regarding the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.  He states,

 “Should I hide my plan from Abraham?  For Abraham will certainly become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him. I have singled him out so that he will direct his sons and their families to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just.  Then I will do for Abraham all that is promised.”  

One can’t help but see the close relationship that Abraham had with God, and God even trusted him enough to reveal His plans to him.   In Amos 3:7, it states,

“Indeed, the Sovereign Lord never does anything until he reveals his plans to his servants the prophets.” 

So, Abraham was the receptor of the plans of God for Sodom, for God considered him one of his servants and called him a prophet.  And Abraham acted in true prophet form–he interceded for Sodom.  One can’t help but wonder if Abraham was a bit concerned about his nephew, Lot, who had settled there, though Abraham had had dealings with the King of Sodom, in Genesis 14, when he rescued Lot and the others who had been captured by King Kedorlaomer.   

Later, in the Old Testament, prophets were known as “seers.”  This term was very appropriately descriptive, because they were able to “see” what others could not.  They could “see” the future as the Lord would revealed it to them, but they could also “see,” or know the will of the Lord for any given situation.  All this was a direct result of the intimate relationship they had with the Lord.  (cf. 1 Samuel 9, 24:11)

The Evidence of the Spirit of God

The first time we see the Spirit of the Lord come upon people in this manner is in Numbers 11, when Moses took the seventy elders before the Lord, and the Spirit of the Lord came upon them.  It says,

“And the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to Moses. Then he gave the seventy elders the same Spirit that was upon Moses. And when the Spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But this never happened again.”

It was in response to this, that Moses made his famous comment, “I wish that all the LORD’s people were prophets and that the LORD would put his Spirit upon them all!”  This in itself was a prophetic statement of what the Lord would do in the last days.  It was God’s plan all along that everyone could receive the Holy Spirit and prophesy.

In 1 Samuel 10, we see the prophet Samuel talking to Saul, whom he just anointed as the first king of Israel.  He, himself, is instructing Saul what to do and where to go next and what is going to take place—a form of prophesying, foretelling the future, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.  In 1 Samuel 10:5-6 he states,

“When you arrive at Gibeah of God, where the garrison of the Philistines is located, you will meet a band of prophets coming down from the place of worship. They will be playing a harp, a tambourine, a flute, and a lyre, and they will be prophesying.  At that time the Spirit of the LORD will come powerfully upon you, and you will prophesy with them. You will be changed into a different person.”

Saul would come into close proximity to a band of prophets who were already prophesying, and then the Spirit of God would come upon him and he would begin to prophesy with them.  We are not told what specifically the prophets were saying.  In this case there were musical instruments accompanying them, but we are not told what role the music played in this process, as there are many other occurrences of prophecy in scripture where music is not present.  The key phrase here is “and they were prophesying.” 

A few verses down, we see this prophecy fulfilled, for verse 9 says that all “Samuel’s signs were fulfilled that day.”  This passage gives us interesting insights in another way, because in verse 12 it states,

“And one of those standing there said, ‘Can anyone become a prophet, no matter who his father is?’ So that is the origin of the saying ‘Is even Saul a prophet?’” 

Most of the spiritual positions in Israel were determined by ancestry, such as priests and Levites and kings.  Even Samuel was from the line of Levi, a priestly line.  So, Saul’s prophetic anointing was a departure from the norm, but Saul was the first king, and what made him prophesy was the Spirit of God who had come upon him because of his selection as king of Israel.    

               Later, in 1 Samuel 19, we see where Saul was chasing David, and he comes in contact with some prophets and begins to prophesy, along with the other men who were with him.  This is an odd instance, but it seems that God was intervening in the search for David, distracting Saul and his men, but, nevertheless, we see that the immediate result of the Holy Spirit upon these men was the evidence of their prophesying.

In the Last Days

Much has happened since the early days of Moses and Samuel, but God is the same then and now.  We now live in the days of the Messiah, Jesus, (aka “the last days”) who has come and gone back to His Father, and that event ushered in a whole new era of how God would deal with his people.  The Old Testament prophets waited for the Holy Spirit to come upon them, and then spoke accordingly.  But the uniqueness of the outpouring at Pentecost was the fulfillment of the prophecy of Joel:

 “Then, after doing all those things,
    I will pour out my Spirit upon all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy.
    Your old men will dream dreams,
    and your young men will see visions.
 In those days I will pour out my Spirit
    even on servants—men and women alike.”

Peter quotes this verse in Acts 2 with a slight adjustment, adding “in the last days” to the beginning, and “they will prophesy” at the end, referring to the male and female servants:

‘In the last days,’ God says,
    ‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy.
    Your young men will see visions,
    and your old men will dream dreams.                                                                                                                 

In those days I will pour out my Spirit
    even on my servants—men and women alike—
    and they will prophesy.’”

Notice that the result of the coming of the Holy Spirit upon “all people” will be that they will prophesy. Since that day, when the Holy Spirit was poured out, He dwells within the saints continually (1 Corinthians 6:19).  We do not have to wait for Him to show up.  He is a continual fountain flowing through us.   Jesus said,

“Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart’” (John 7:38). 

Then John makes the statement in the very next verse:  “

When he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.” 

So, Pentecost was the initial outpouring of the Holy Spirit on all who believed in and followed Messiah, not just those who were of the priestly lineage or who were anointed as kings.  That is why Paul could instruct the Galatians in chapter five to let the Holy Spirit guide their lives, or, in some translations, to “live by the Spirit.”  To live by the Spirit means a continual communion and relationship with the Spirit, who directs our daily actions and decisions as we submit to His leading, wisdom, and instructions. 

In essence, the saints would receive the Holy Spirit in the same manner as Jesus had.  He would dwell in them, as He had in Christ, but this would occur after Jesus was glorified and ascended into heaven.  The tarrying for the Holy Spirit was not necessarily meant for every believer for all times, but for those first disciples as they tarried, waited, for the initial outpouring of the Holy Spirit as prophesied by Joel.  The collective body of believers would become the Temple of the Lord (1 Cor. 3:16), as well as the body of each individual saint (1 Cor. 6:19).

In the Spirit

When a person comes into the Kingdom of God, they are to “repent and be baptized.”  Immediately after this, the saints should pray for them to receive the Holy Spirit. 

Jesus, also, received the Holy Spirit directly after being baptized.  So, each new saint is then part of the family of God, and become part of the Temple of God through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.  When we come together, the Spirit of the Lord is active in each person, and collectively as the Body of Christ, flowing out of each person to build up the body. 

When the early Christians met, they did not meet in formal meetings or religious buildings with special services. They came together expecting the Lord to edify them through each person there, through the gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed to those present. They did not sit in a pew and wait for a speaker to get up and give them a sermon. They waited on God to speak through each person there (1 Corinthians 14:26 says,

“Well, my brothers and sisters, let’s summarize. When you meet together, one will sing, another will teach, another will tell some special revelation God has given, one will speak in tongues, and another will interpret what is said. But everything that is done must strengthen all of you.“ 

This is not some mystical, ecstatic experience.  When one prophesy’s they do not need to go into a spiritual trance, or deep inward search process, or dance and shout or stomp their feet to conjure up the Spirit of God, for the Spirit of God is already within, and has been with us continually since we began our faith journey with the Lord.  Therefore, it is simply a matter of speaking out of what is already there. 

As each person walks through life daily, meditating on the things of the Lord—on His Word, His character, His creation, His workings, and His wonders—reading and obeying His Word, praying, and serving others, the Holy Spirit teaches us.  It is out of these experiences with the Lord, that we can draw from to edify the body.  The Holy Spirit pours into us, and we pour out to one another.  It flows through us like a river of living water. 

It is imperative, then, that the saint is walking in the Spirit.  If they have not the Spirit of God, they are none of His (Romans 8:9), and have nothing to draw from.  Jesus challenged the woman at the well to ask Him for that living water.  She wondered where it was going to come from because He didn’t have a rope or bucket with which to draw.  Jesus had to explain to her that He was going to give her living water, and “those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life” (John 4:14). 

The “bubbling spring” of the Holy Spirit is “within.”  There is no conjuring up, or trying to think of something to say that will be edifying or sound spiritual.  It simply flows out of us.  It is “living” because it originates from the living Holy Spirit within and it flows through us, imparting spiritual life to those who hear—lifting their hearts, instructing them with vital wisdom or knowledge for their service or daily walk, or imparting new revelation and understanding regarding God or their walk with Him. 

What Prophecy Is

To prophesy is to speak for God and Christ, and to speak forth God and Christ.  To speak forth God and Christ is to serve and dispense the Word of God and Christ to people.  We do this in the same way that a waiter serves food.  He brings food to them in order that they may eat it.  He doesn’t feed them, but brings the food to them.  To speak forth implies to dispense something into the hearers.  As food is taken into the body to nourish it, so the word spoken is taken into the spirit and nourishes it. 

Most people traditionally think of prophecy as foretelling, or predicting, the future.  However, not all of the writings of the Old Testament prophets, nor those of the New Testament, are actually predicting the future.  Most of what they said was telling the will of the Lord regarding situations and people.  Foretelling the future does occur, however.  In Acts, we see how “in every city” that Paul went to, he had people telling him of his impending chains.  We finally see in Acts 21, a prophet named Agabus, from Judea, come and take Paul’s belt, bind him, and proclaim that he will be bound by the Jews in Jerusalem.  But even in the writings of Paul, very little is foretelling, rather it is mostly dispensing the Word of Christ to believers. 

Whether we are foretelling, or forth telling, we receive our message from the Holy Spirit of God. In 1 Corinthians 14, where Paul is writing about prophesying in a gathering, he is not talking simply about predicting the future.  Here Paul is talking about what should happen when the saints gather together.  Imagine how ridiculous it would be if everyone, every time they gathered, simply spoke future events.  How would this be edifying?  There are times when future events need to be made known, and God uses this to bring glory to himself, since He is God and knows all things, and as we learned in Amos 3:7, the Lord doesn’t do anything without first letting his prophets know.  In most cases, however, it is important to edify the saints, and this is what Paul is referring to in 1 Corinthians 14. 

A Closer Look

Let’s begin by looking at 1 Corinthians 14:3. 

“But one who prophesies speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation.” 

So, here, “edification” is for the building up of the community of believers. “Exhortation” is for the encouragement of the work; and, “Consolation” is for our daily life.  Let’s break this down a bit more:

Edification

    Edification:  To instruct and improve especially in moral and religious knowledge;  to teach someone in a way that improves the mind or character. (Merriam-Webster)

Verse 12 of chapter 14 says, “So also you, since you are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek to abound for the edification of the church.”  Here is where the prophecy comes forth in a way that instructs the whole body in ways of the Lord.  This could come from a personal experience in daily life, a new revelation received from the reading of the word, a fulfillment of a promise by God or an answered prayer in regards to the increase of the Kingdom of God.  We are to share new insights that the Spirit of God has shown us during times of study, prayer, or daily living.  Share experiences of obedience or disobedience and the resulting consequences of either God’s rewards or discipline. 

Exhortation

     Exhortation:  To try to influence by words or advice:  to strongly urge to do something:  to incite by argument or advice:  to make urgent appeals. (Merriam-Webster)

In Hebrews 10:24, Paul states that we are to “stimulate one another toward love and good deeds.”  These are words of exhortation for “keeping on” and not giving into the enemy.  They may be interspersed with words of warning to avoid such things as laziness, laxity in spiritual matters, or worldliness.  We are to share specific messages that the Lord may have laid upon our hearts in our times with Him that the body needs to know regarding our obedience or disobedience as a people.  There may be a scripture that applies to the body, or a brief exposition of that scripture that teaches how that scripture needs to be applied, or has been neglected by this portion of the body.  These messages are very specific to the group and are meant to move the group toward a stronger, deeper understanding and application of God’s ways.  The work of ministry, as Paul talks about in Ephesians 4:11-12, is the work of the local body of believers, as it works to build the Kingdom of God together.  Exhortation is directed to keeping on the path of the work that God has assigned this local body.

Consolation

     Consolation:  To make others feel less sadness, disappointment, etc.  (Merriam-Webster)

All of us experience personal struggles and resistance in our daily life, as we confront a fallen world, deal with the fallen nature of our flesh, and stand toe to toe with the forces of the evil one.  All of this works together to slow us down, discourage us, even turn us away from the Lord, if possible, and exploit our weaknesses.  This can take a toll on us eventually.  We receive our encouragement directly from the Spirit of God, but God has also designed things so that we receive building up from other members of the body of Christ as well.  In prophecy we are consoled by the loving words of God, his mercy, his grace, and his kindness toward us in all things.  Here things get personal, and that struggle we had wrestled with since our last gathering dissipates because someone reminds us of a promise or character or way of the Lord that dispels the darkness, flooding our souls with the light and consequent rejuvenation that speeds us onward.

These words of edification, exhortation, and consolation do not originate out of one’s own thoughts or mind, but come from our spirit, directly inspired by the Holy Spirit of God living in direct contact with our own. 

All Are Able to Prophesy

In 1 Corinthians 14:24, Paul starts out, “if all of you are prophesying… .”  Let me stop right there.  Paul’s very statement there is significant, because he makes the assumption that it is possible for everyone to prophesy.  The context of the verse is the attendance of unbelievers in the gathering, who come in, and probably don’t realize that they are “not okay” with God because they are in an unrepentant state.  As the believers prophesy, they are convicted of their condition and led by the Spirit to repent. 

But in any case, Paul directly assumes that everyone can prophesy, and it implies that it is a normal part of the gathering together process.  The unbeliever comes into the gathering, and the Holy Spirit, who knows the hearts of everyone in attendance, begins to lead the saints to speak forth the key elements of the Gospel, possibly even speaking issues that are close to the heart of the unbeliever.  This may or may not be known to those who are speaking, but will, in any case, prick the heart of the unbeliever and cause them to see how that God is truly in the midst, because only He can know the true issues of the heart, and leads the unbeliever to turn to believe and turn to Him (1 Corinthians 14:25).

But prophecy is to occur whenever the saints gather, regardless of whether there are unbelievers present or not.  The gift is given for the edifying of the body of Christ, for “one who speaks a word of prophecy strengthens the entire church” (1 Corinthians 14:4b).  A prophecy is timely and truth bearing.  In other words, it will flow with the Spirit, and it will proclaim truth.  It will bear witness with the rest of the body, like a car ride on a smooth road, and it will not contradict the written Word of God.   It all flows together because the same Spirit is at work in each person.

He works like the conductor of an orchestra, pointing to certain instruments or solos, or emphasizing certain stanzas, or bringing a hush and stillness one moment, while a fortissimo praise the next.  All things are done in order.  A similar illustration is that of a jazz band, where each instrument may seem to be playing independently, but when put with the other instruments, serves to accent and compliment their sound. Each instrument plays their part, but does so in order to accentuate the whole.  At times one may solo louder than the rest, but only for a time, and returns to blending in with the others. 

Similarly, the gifts of the Holy Spirit blend together, each person doing their part that the whole may be edified.  However, a person who is not walking according to the spirit will interject something that is out of step with what the Spirit is doing, unknown to them, like an instrument playing its part out of turn or out of key.  This immediately creates a dissonance in the spirit, and those listening to the Holy Spirit feel the shock wave, knowing that it was not in sync with what the Lord was doing.  It is at this point that one experienced in this process, and respected in the body, should call for the individual to step back in line with the Spirit, or remain silent.  It could be that this person is not listening to the Holy Spirit, experiencing a hindrance of some sort, or, perhaps, unknowingly does not even have the Holy Spirit within them.  A person in this condition is not able to flow in sync with what the Lord is doing, and needs to remain silent and listen in order to allow the Spirit to speak to the body, and even to them. 

In 1 Corinthians 14:26, Paul states,

“Well, my brothers and sisters, let’s summarize. When you meet together, one will sing, another will teach, another will tell some special revelation God has given, one will speak in tongues, and another will interpret what is said. But everything that is done must strengthen all of you.”

Likewise, prophecy will flow in line with what the Spirit of the Lord is orchestrating among those gathered, and will build up the body accordingly. 

Examples of prophecy

There are some beautiful examples of prophecy in the book of Luke, chapter 1.  I hesitate to use these examples because they may set the standard so high that most folks would feel intimidated if their prophecy does not sound as elegant or as lofty, but there are some key elements that we can see in these examples that most prophecies should have.  First, Elizabeth offers a short prophecy when she hears Mary coming to visit her, and as she hears Mary’s voice, the baby John leaps in her womb.  She declares:

“God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed.  Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me?  When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy.  You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.”

This prophecy begins with a confirmation to Mary of her selection by God, and the special nature of the baby within her.  She then exclaims why Mary has been shown favor, because she believed the word of the Lord.  This serves as edification and consolation to Mary.

Secondly, Mary responds with a prophecy, known as the Magnificat:

“Oh, how my soul praises the Lord.
     How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
 For he took notice of his lowly servant girl,
    and from now on all generations will call me blessed.
 For the Mighty One is holy,
    and he has done great things for me.
 He shows mercy from generation to generation
    to all who fear him.
 His mighty arm has done tremendous things!
    He has scattered the proud and haughty ones.
 He has brought down princes from their thrones
    and exalted the humble.
 He has filled the hungry with good things
    and sent the rich away with empty hands.
 He has helped his servant Israel
    and remembered to be merciful.
 For he made this promise to our ancestors,
    to Abraham and his children forever.”

In this example, Mary is simply extolling the greatness of God.  She exemplifies her knowledge of the scriptures as she quotes them extensively throughout.  This shows that she was very familiar with God’s Word.  She was also familiar with how God dealt with people.  This shows a great depth of understanding for a girl her age.  Is it any wonder that the Lord would choose her to be the mother of His Son? Notice, also, that Mary’s prophecy is much deeper than even that of Elizabeth, showing the depth of her relationship with her heavenly Father.

 Zechariah follows shortly down the chapter with a prophecy in response to the naming of his son John:

 “And you, my little son,
    will be called the prophet of the Most High,
    because you will prepare the way for the Lord.
 You will tell his people how to find salvation
    through forgiveness of their sins.
 Because of God’s tender mercy,
    the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us,
 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
    and to guide us to the path of peace.”

In this example we see praise, proclaiming and extolling God for the fulfillment of the promises he made long ago, and foretelling the role of Messiah and the role his son John will play in preparing the way for the Messiah.

In all three examples, we see how each person has a strong intimate knowledge of God and his promises.  It is apparent that they all lived a life of great devotion to God in study, prayer, meditation, and obedience.  They believed God’s Word, and so He chose them to fill great roles in the Kingdom. 

Likewise, our prophecies will flow out of our faith, obedience, and intimate experience that we have with the Lord.  This cannot be counterfeited.  Not everyone will speak with such eloquence as we see in the examples by the seasoned saints above, but it will be evident that the Spirit of the Lord is speaking, and that the person has (or has not) a relationship with him.  As with any gift, we can expect some clumsiness at times, especially at first, but through growth and maturity, the prophecies will deepen and strengthen in quality.  To the extent of one’s intimacy, experience, and knowledge of the Lord is the extent to which they will have the ability to prophesy effectively in the assembly of the saints.  In essence, we are speaking for God, not ourselves.

 Discerning All Things

Paul reminds the Corinthians that while someone is prophesying, that the “others should evaluate what is said” (1 Corinthians 14:29b).  This is true, not only of prophecy, but of all things.  We should be discerning that what is being said is of the Lord. 

First, it should never contradict the written Word of God.  God will not contradict himself.  So, a word spoken under the leading of the Holy Spirit will not contradict something from the Bible. 

Furthermore, it should not be misleading or untruthful.  It should never tear down the body.  It may speak a word of warning or rebuke, but it will always result in the body being lead toward a greater and deeper devotion and understanding of the Lord, and obedience to Him. 

What Prophecy Is NOT

Prophecy is NOT impressing others with what we know, what we have done, or what we have experienced in our relationship with God.  This is nothing more than promotion of self.  Prophecy is speaking for God and Christ, and dispensing Him into the lives of the hearers. 

We might quote a Bible verse that the Lord is bringing to the attention of the body, but it will be in relation to a specific known or unknown need in the body.  Prophecy is NOT simply sharing a verse that we find inspiring.  In a prophecy, we might sing a song, but the message of the song speaks directly to the need of the moment or of the body, or an individual.  It is NOT to impress others with our ability to sing, or to share our favorite song, or to fill a moment of awkward silence, or merely some inspirational song we heard on the radio this week. 

Prophecy is NOT a teaching.  That is a different gift.  Prophecy is a word that goes forth for edification, consolation, and exhortation.  It is relatively brief, and should not take longer than a couple of minutes, but can be as short as a few seconds.

When to Prophesy

Since the Spirit of God within us is always there, always ready to speak through us, we must listen.  We must learn to be sensitive to his leading and urgings.  We must learn to discern the moment, or time, at which we are to speak.  We become better at this with experience, but one of the strong indicators that the Lord is wanting to speak through us is a gnawing urgency to speak, accompanied by a specific message, and a peace regarding the message to be spoken. 

Our heart may even speed up a bit, and we may even be a bit apprehensive at first, but the urgency and symptoms will increase until we speak it. Keep in mind, however, that, as Paul states, that the spirit of the prophet is controlled by the prophet, so no one is to speak uncontrollably.  Each person can wait their turn, and must, for all things are to be done decently and in order. 

This same verse, 1 Corinthians 14:32, is proof that a prophesy is not given under some spiritually ecstatic performance, but flows naturally from the saint as the saint yields to the leading of the spirit, and is controlled and timely in his delivery.  If a prophecy is spoken in an untimely manner, it is still not wrong, if it is inspired by God.  It is simply that the deliverer was not fully in sync with the timing, but should still be received and accepted as a word from the Lord.  The speaker needs only to be more sensitive to the timing in future opportunities.  Again, this comes with practice and experience. 

Hindrances to Prophecy

 One of the hindrances to prophecy is fear.  It can be fear of certain people who are present, or fear of the reaction of others that it could offend, or of a spouse.  We must recognize the fear and move past it and speak in obedience to the Lord’s prompting.   Another hindrance may be our unwillingness to speak for whatever reason, or we may feel unworthy to speak.  If God chooses us to speak, then who are we to decide our own worth?  If God prompts us, it is not a matter of worthiness, but of being obedient.  On the other hand, some may choose to speak too long.  This may mean that this is a teaching, not a prophecy.  When this happens, it is highly appropriate for an elder to stop the teaching until the appropriate time in the meeting.  However, even teaching should be specifically appropriate to the local body.  It is not to be a recap of a recent sermon or Sunday school lesson heard in another assembly, or in a recent radio broadcast or other media.  To parrot such a lesson is not being led by the Spirit, but is promoting one’s own agenda, or simply looking for an excuse to talk.  This is self-promotion. 

Conclusion

We have seen that in this age, everyone who has the Spirit of God is able to prophesy.  It is the primary evidence of the presence of the Spirit, and has been since Moses.  All are encouraged to do so in the assembly as led by the Spirit.  Prophecy is not some ecstatic experience, but a natural outflow of the presence of the Holy Spirit in each believer, unlike prior to Pentecost, when prophets had to wait for the Lord to come upon them in order to prophesy. 

Prophecy is given for the building up of the body of Christ in edification of the body, exhortation of the work, and consolation of the members.  It exists for the body of Christ, not for ourselves.  It is dispensing Christ to others that they may be fed and built up in their walk with the Lord, but can also serve to reveal the lost hearts of the unbelieving that the secrets of their hearts will be revealed and they may come to a place of declaring that the Lord is indeed among us and believe.

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