05/03/2012 - The gift of prophecy

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For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged

I Corinthians 14:31

The gift of prophecy is extremely important for the Church because it helps its members live a victorious life in Jesus. According to the Scriptures prophesying is about exhorting, comforting and edifying (I Corinthians 14:31). Many people cannot understand that gift very well and when they realize the leadership have dithered or when they have failed those people begin speaking as though they were God themselves. That is dangerous because the tone of their voices make those who are careless think that they are listening to messages from the Heavens.

The Word states that the other people who are present in the place where someone is “prophesying” must measure what is being said. For quite long that gift has been misunderstood.  According to the law of probabilities if you speak out ten situations likely to happen, about half of them will surely occur. And that is exactly what those “prophets” do. What they cannot figure out is the fact that the sin against the Holy Spirit has no forgiveness either in this life or in the eternity. Those who speak their minds, trying to pretend to be the Holy Spirit, are sinning.

Almost always, those people who behave that manner are those who are used to a religious environment, those who, as they feel the time has come, are used to catching someone’s attention by saying something like the following: “My servant, you indeed who are listening to me. I am about to do a great work in your life. Be wise! Seek me and I will help you out!” Well, that “prophesy” would be perfect for anybody since speaking in the imperative manner, without pointing to anybody specifically, turns out to make us all feel that that “revelation” was for us.

Spiritual childish attitudes are dangerous. Those “prophecies” without true anointing have led several people into suffering. Many have turned away due to the fact that they listened to those “prophets” and, later on, they realized they had been cheated and also the lack of truth. The Bible reveals that those who make stumble any of the little ones who believe in the Lord will be accounted for those lost lives (Mathews 18:6). You must never prophesy unless the Lord gives you the Word.

Undoubtedly, if everybody was used with that gift, the people of God would live a better life. In fact, everybody should prophesy but never at the same time and or with the purpose of satisfying personal desires. Thus, the others would understand the will of God since the gift of prophecy exhorts, teaches and edifies many good things, those of great relevance. With true revelations – those that come from the Lord – we can make safe and productive decisions.

The ending of the verse above says that the purpose of God is about making everybody comforted which, in the biblical language, means that their problems must be sorted out. We are under the ministry of the Holy Spirit and His mission is about glorifying the Lord Jesus and also teaching us all The Truth by announcing to us what is to come and everything He might have heard. Undoubtedly, being part of the blessed Trinity, The Spirit of the Lord has a lot to reveal to us through the true servants of God, those who really know how to serve the Most High.

In Christ, with love,

R. R. Soares