5 Fold Ministry: Prophet

And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets... 

(I Corinthians 12:28)

And He gave some apostles; and some, prophets... (Ephesians 4:11)

There are two prophetic gifts. One is the special gift of being a prophet. The other is the speaking gift of prophecy. In general, prophecy refers to speaking under the special inspiration of God. It is the special ability to receive and communicate an immediate message of God to His people through a divinely-anointed utterance. To this point, the definition applies to the special leadership gift of a prophet as well as the speaking gift of prophecy.

A person is not a prophet just because he prophesies.

Apostle Paul told the whole church at Corinth to desire the gift of prophecy:

Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy. (I Corinthians 14:1)

For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted. (I Corinthians 14:31)

But Apostle Paul indicated that not everyone was a prophet. He asked:

Are all prophets? (I Corinthians 12:29)

The difference between a prophet and prophesying is apparent in the following passage:

And the next day we that were of Apostle Paul's company departed, and came unto Caesarea; and we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven; and abode with him.  And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy. And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus. (Acts 21:8-11)

Philip's daughters had the speaking gift of prophesy. But Agabus was a prophet who not only gave prophetic messages but held a leadership position in the church. God used him in a leadership role regarding Apostle Paul's ministry. Agabus gave Apostle Paul spiritual direction regarding what would happen in Jerusalem

And when he was come unto us, he took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.  Acts 21:11

 Before you call yourself Prophet:

Those with the special gift of being a prophet do not just speak under the inspiration of God. They also hold an office of authority and leadership in the church. This is confirmed through the word of God where prophets and teachers were used in a leadership capacity to guide Barnabas and Saul into the special ministry to which God had called them.

Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.  As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.  And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.   So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.   Acts 13:1-4

In the Old Testament people went to prophets for guidance. The gift of Holy Spirit infilling was not yet given. The presence of God was shut up in the Holy of Holies. Because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we now have access to the presence of God. The gift of the Holy Spirit has been given and one of His purposes is guidance:

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. (Romans 8:14)

It is no longer necessary to go to a prophet to receive spiritual guidance. This is one of the functions of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. Each believer should learn how to be led by God's Spirit. The New Testament gives no record of believers seeking guidance from prophets after the gift of the Holy Spirit was given.

But God still uses this gift to confirm guidance He has already given to a believer through the Holy Spirit. This is what happened in the case of Agabus and Apostle Paul. Apostle Paul already knew he was to go to Jerusalem. The prophecy of Agabus revealed what would happen to him there. It was not a prophecy of guidance telling Apostle Paul whether or not to go to Jerusalem.

The words spoken by a prophet under divine inspiration are called prophecies. To prophesy means to declare openly words from God that exhort, edify, and comfort:

But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. (I Corinthians 14:3)

Prophecy ministers not only to believers through edification but also to the unsaved. Prophecy can convict unbelievers and cause them to turn to the Lord:

But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all: And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth. (I Corinthians 14:24-25)

One of the purposes of a prophet is to bring people to repentance:

Yet He sent prophets to them, to bring them again unto the Lord; and they testified against them; but they would not give ear.  (II Chronicles 24:19)

The Bible refers to prophecy as a great gift and more to be desired than the gift of tongues:

Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.  For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the Spirit he speaketh mysteries.  But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification and exhortation and comfort. (I Corinthians 14:1-3)

I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied; for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying. (I Corinthians 14:5)

Wherefore brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues. (I Corinthians 14:39)

The Holy Spirit is always in control of true prophecy and directs attention to Jesus Christ:

Now, concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.  Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led.  Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed; and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. (I Corinthians 12:1-3)

Prophecy is never to replace the written Word of God. The Bible says prophecy will cease, but the Word of God abides forever:

...but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail... (I Corinthians 13:8)

But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you. (I Peter 1:25)

The Bible warns of false prophets

And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.   

For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.   Matthew 24:11, 24)

For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect.  Mark 13:22

Because there are false prophets, God's word provides several ways to identify true prophecies. You can recognize them by:

√     DOCTRINAL ERROR

Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith. (Romans 12:6)

The phrase "in proportion to faith" means in right relation to the faith. The way to recognize true prophecies is by whether or not they agree with the basic doctrines of the Christian faith revealed in the Bible. For example, false prophets do not confess the deity of Jesus Christ:

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.   Hereby know ye the Spirit of God:  Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is the spirit of antichrist... (I John 4:1-3)

False prophets teach sexual immorality and permissiveness:

But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.  And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.  And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you... (2 Peter 2:1-3)

False prophets try to lead people away from obedience to God's Word (Deuteronomy 13:1-5). This type of prophecy is not in right relation to the Christian faith.

√     DECEIVING SIGNS:

False prophets deceive people with miraculous signs:

And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.  (Matthew 24:11,24)

√     BAD FRUIT:

The evidence of spiritual fruit is the true test of any ministry:

Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.  Ye shall know them by their fruits... (Matthew 7:15-16)

√     FALSE CLAIMS:

Any prophet who claims to be divine or the same as Christ is false:

Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.  For there shall arise false christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. (Matthew 24:23-24)

√     UNFULFILLED PROPHECIES:

The final test by which a true prophet can be identified is whether or not what he has prophesied comes to pass:

But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.  And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the Lord hath not spoken?  When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously; thou shalt not be afraid of him.  (Deuteronomy 18:20-22)

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