FUNDAMENTALS OF DISCIPLESHIP
THE GIFTS
OF THE SPIRIT – XVIII
THE GIFT
OF PROPHECY - I
1 Corinthians 12:10 …to another prophecy…
Review: We have seen over
the last few posts that the gospel was absolutely intended to be communicated not
just in word, but in demonstration of power; specifically with healings and
casting out of demons. The gospel
message is not a religious philosophy to be believed; but a command to repent,
with an explanation of the divine rescue plan executed in Yahushua Messiah that
enables man to change allegiance from one kingdom to another. Healing the sick and casting out demons is a
demonstration of the authority of the Kingdom that men are commanded to obey. It is the proof that such a transition of
kingdoms is possible; and it opens the door to that Kingdom for them by making
the Kingdom “draw nigh/near” the people who witness its power in operation. The
power gifts of the Spirit are the workhorse of the church of Yahushua,
constantly demonstrating the supremacy of the Kingdom of Heaven, constantly
bringing the Kingdom near to those who need to gain entrance to it.
Wherever the Kingdom of IAUE advances it displaces the kingdom
of Satan; and the works of Satan are necessarily destroyed. Consequently, wherever the gospel is
preached, if there are not healings and/or casting out of demons, one can
pretty much be sure that the Kingdom of IAUE has not been brought near, and the
works of the devil have not been destroyed in the lives of those having heard
the message preached without signs and wonders.
Let’s
turn our attention, now, to perhaps the most misunderstood gift of the Spirit,
the gift of prophecy. One of the
problems we have in understanding this gift is our contemporary, non-religious
definition of prophecy. When we hear
that word, we immediately think “a message about the future.” Worldly people use the term to speak of
something yet to come. Its use in movies
and other media is always futuristic in its application. It might be best if we changed the name of
this gift, at least for the moment, so we are not compelled to think of it with
a preprogrammed meaning. The word in the
Greek text is “propheteia”,
which means “to speak forth, or “to announce;” so, for the moment, let’s call
it the gift of speaking forth.
First,
let’s identify what the “gift of speaking forth” is NOT.
1.
It is not foretelling the future. The Scripture refers within itself to “prophecy”
which is foretelling; such as the many Messianic passages throughout
the Old Testament that reveal aspects of the person and ministry of the Messiah
who was to come to Israel. The foretelling
elements of Scripture are not an exercise of the spiritual gift of prophecy.
2.
It is not the gift by which the “office” of the prophet
is known
(Ephesians
4:11). If we were to classify or categorize any of the
foretelling of the prophets of the Old Testament in terms of spiritual gifts in
the New Testament, they would be workings of the gift of wisdom. That is the gift that unfolds the counsel of
IAUE and can provide insight into things yet to come. Having said that, one who exercises the
spiritual “gift of speaking forth” is referred to within the assembly as a “prophet”
in the same sense that one who exercises the gifts of healing would be referred
to as a “healer.” [We become known within the assembly as one who exercises a
particular gift. The Scripture tells the one who speaks in tongues not to speak
aloud if an interpreter of tongues is not present in the assembly. How can one do this if we do not know who the
interpreters of tongues are?] This may be the source of some of the confusion
regarding this gift. Again, if we change the English term to “one who speaks
forth,” the confusion immediately lifts, and such persons are no longer
confused with those who occupy the office of the prophet.
Now,
let’s take a look at what the gift of speaking forth ”is like." This gift is defined by its attributes; and
those attributes are provided for us in 1 Corinthians 14.
1 Corinthians 14:
1 Follow
after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.
The
gift of speaking forth is deemed by Paul to be the most useful of the gifts for
the assembly of believers; and he encourages ALL believers to desire this gift
and seek to have the Spirit of IAUE bestow it upon them.
3 But he
that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.
This is THE most instructive verse to help identify
this gift. Its principle functions and
the nature of the content of its message is three fold:
1. To edify (oikodome) – to build up, as
in the construction of a building. To erect,
to strengthen or to empower to fulfill a function/purpose.
2. To exhort (paraklesis) – to summons, or
to call near for the purpose of admonishing.
3. To comfort (paramythia) – to encourage,
to calm or to console. To comfort.
4 He that
speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth
edifieth the church.
Here, the gift is contrasted with speaking in
tongues. Without an interpretation,
tongues is relevant only to the speaker, though it does edify the speaker. The one who exercises the gift of speaking
forth edifies, builds up, the entire assembly.
This is because the gift of speaking forth is always exercised in the
language known by the speaker and his listeners.
The one that speaks forth edifies the entire
assembly. It is not a gift primarily used
on a one-on-one basis. Though ministry
to the one may be encouraging and uplifting for all, this gift is not
principally focused on individual ministry; but rather to the assembly at
large.
It is vital that we do not lose sight of two
intrinsic elements of all of the gifts of the Spirit. One, that they are empowerments of grace to
enable us to do the will of IAUE in supernatural ways; and two, their first and
foremost purpose in the church is to edify…to build up the church. If the assembly will not be edified by the exercise
of a gift, then the exercise of that gift within the assembly is not led by the
Spirit; and is out of order.
5 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.
See? The Holy Spirit’s concern is for the
edification of the assembly. The only
reason the gift of speaking forth is greater than the gift of tongues is that,
in the assembly, tongues without an interpretation does not edify the listener.
Note
that Paul acknowledges his desire for ALL believers to speak with tongues. (This is actually a Scriptural expectation of
all who receive the Holy Spirit. We will discuss this more completely when we
reach that particular gift in the course of this study.) What the church has never seemed to recognize
is that as prolific as the manifestation of speaking in tongues is throughout
the church of Yahushua, Paul indicates that ALL may receive and exercise the
gift of speaking forth; and it is his desire that that should happen.
6 Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking
with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by
revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine?
Note
the distinction made between revelation (word of wisdom) and knowledge (word of
knowledge) and prophesying (gift of speaking forth) and doctrine
(teaching). Paul makes a clear
distinction between the functions of these three gifts as well as simply
preaching a sermon. There are many who
believe that the gift of prophecy is preaching inspired sermons. Paul proves here that is not the case.
12 Even so
ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to
the edifying of the church.
Here, again, is Paul’s insistence that the gifts
used in the assembly MUST be for the purpose of edifying the assembly. This is what makes the gift of speaking forth
so much more useful in the assembly than the gift of speaking in tongues.
22 Wherefore
tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not:
but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which
believe.
24 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:
25 And
thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on
his face he will worship IAUE, and report that IAUE is in you of a truth.
The
gift of speaking forth is called a “sign for them which believe;” then Paul
proceeds to explain how its use can cause the unlearned or unbeliever to
repent. How does this make sense? First, its use exposes who are the unlearned
and unbelievers within the assembly.
Messiah taught a parable about how tares grow up among the wheat
(Matthew 13)…false persons moving among true disciples. The gift of prophecy has the power to separate
between the wheat and the tares.
Secondly, by exposing the unbelievers within their midst and delivering
them from their wickedness, the assembly is able to recognize the protection of
IAUE over them.
29 Let the
prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.
30 If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the
first hold his peace.
This
is something that I have seen occur only one time in over 40 years of walking in
the Spirit and visiting numerous churches and study groups. There is absolutely no expectation within the
assembly that a person dares to judge the words of someone’s exercise of a
verbal gift of the Spirit. This feeling of the inappropriateness to speak out
and judge a word of prophecy is a deception spawned by the devil to promote
pride and error within the assembly. This is to the extreme detriment of the
church; because in my personal experience, I would estimate 70% or more of the “words”
delivered in the churches today are not of the Holy Spirit, but are of the
flesh of the one speaking.
Judging
the words spoken forth by the prophets (not the office of the prophet, but the one
who has prophesied), is
to be made by those within the assembly who are recognized with the same gift. .
31 For ye
may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be
comforted.
32 And the
spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.
These
verses provide more valuable insight into this gift. First, ALL may prophesy. That means every single person within the
assembly. This is a gift, as stated
above, that Paul would have all disciples exercise. How does this verse jive with the prior verses
that say only 2 or 3 may speak? The
point of that verse was that you do not allow too many people to “speak forth”
before you judge the words that have been spoken; else, you will be unable to
separate the words by the end of the meeting and properly edify the assembly
with a proper assessment of each word spoken.
You speak two or three, one by one, then the prophesiers judge those
words. Then if there are others who have
words from the Holy Spirit, they may proceed in turn. No one, however, is overtaken by the Spirit
such that they must stand and speak. No, the spirits of the prophets are under
their control. They can withhold
speaking until it is proper and orderly for them to do so.
Note
the objective stated again and clearly, that the objective of this gift is that
the assembly LEARN and be COMFORTED.
This
week, we have observed the attributes of the gift of speaking forth, or rather,
what the gift is like. Next week we
will discuss more specifically what this gift actually is.
Kingdom
heart: a heart that offers no resistance to the
performance of the will of IAUE.
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