I. WHAT IS THE GIFT OF PROPHECY in 1 Cor. 12:10?
I want to begin with three Greek words in the New Testament that should help us understand specifically what Paul is referring to in 1 Cor. 12:10 when he writes, “…to another prophecy….”i
(1) Didasko is commonly translated “teach.” Let me read a couple of verses where the word is used. Matt 4:23 “And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching [didasko] in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people.” Acts 15:35 “Paul and Barnabas also remained in Antioch, teaching [didasko] and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.“ The Greek word, didasko, means “to hold discourse with others in order to instruct them, to deliver didactic discourses”ii In fact, our English word “didactic” comes from this word. (2) Kerusso is typically translated “preach.” This word is also used in Matt 4:23 “And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching [kerusso] the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people.” Kerusso means to proclaim something, especially a divine truth.iii In addition to teaching, Jesus was [kerusso] preaching the gospel of the kingdom. It is a declaration of a truth rather than a systematic instruction like I’m giving in this message. (3) Euaggelizo is also translated “preach” or “preach the gospel.” It means “to announce good news…especially the gospel.”iv We get our English word, Evangelize, from this Greek word. Acts 15:35: “Paul and Barnabas also remained in Antioch, teaching [didasko] and peaching [euaggelizo] the word of the Lord, with many others also. “
Do you think Paul and Barnabas were anointed of the Holy Spirit when they were teaching and preaching the word of the Lord? Were they depending on the Lord and ministering in His grace and strength? I’m sure they were. 1 Peter 4:11 commands, “If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies….” Anytime we teach or preach the word of God, we are required to get the mind of the Spirit and minister out of the ability He gives. We do not do it in our own strength. In that reliance on the Holy Spirit, we are to speak as the oracles of God. That’s an awesome responsibility, but the Holy Spirit works with us, enabling us to do that by His grace. So, in that sense, all New Testament ministry is to be prophetic, whether we’re teaching God’s people from Scripture or declaring the gospel to unbelievers. If we use the word prophetic in a broad sense of simply meaning it is anointing by the Holy Spirit, then all of it is prophetic.
However, in our text, Paul is not using the word prophecy is the broad connotation that I just described. He is speaking more specific than that. He is talking about a specific gift of the Spirit. Some people think preaching the gospel or teaching the Bible is the gift of prophecy. It should be done under the unction of the Holy Spirit, but it is not the gift of prophecy. Often, when I am teaching or preaching, a prophetic utterance will come forth. It is something I did not plan to say, yet it comes bubbling up out of my spirit and has a significant anointing on it. I can usually tell when that is happening, which is distinct from the rest of the teaching. Sometimes God shows me someone that it is specifically for; at other times He does not, perhaps it is for everyone. It can be predictive, but it is usually not predictive. A sermon is normally prepared in advance. It is usually characterized by teaching, preaching, or a combination of the two. It can have manifestations of prophetic utterance within its delivery. But preaching a sermon is not the same as operating in the gift of prophecy, as listed in our text in 1 Cor. 12:10.
Why did I deal with those three Greek words at the beginning of this message? Because those words were at Paul’s disposal and were commonly used to indicate an activity of preaching or teaching. Paul, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, did not use any of those words. He does not say in 1 Cor. 12:10, “and to another didasko or kerusso or Euaggelizo.” Had he done so, we might conclude that he was talking about preaching a sermon. He uses a word that is typically translated prophecy, and when we look at the context in which this is happening in the New Testament, it is not a sermon. The word translated in 1 Cor. 12:10 is propheteia. When we see this word in its various forms used in the New Testament, it does not look like a sermon.
Look with me at Acts 21:8 “On the next day we who were Paul's companions departed and came to Caesarea, and entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him. 9 Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied [same root word]. 10 And as we stayed many days, a certain prophet [same root word] named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 When he had come to us, he took Paul's belt, bound his own hands and feet, and said, "Thus says the Holy Spirit, 'So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.'" 12 Now when we heard these things, both we and those from that place pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem.” Agabus was not preaching a sermon; he was delivering a word of prophecy by the impulse of the Spirit.v
In the second message in this series (Nature of the Gifts), I took the time to examine words Paul used in the 1 Corinthians 12 context to describe these gifts. These words describe the gifts of the Spirit to us so that we can understand what Paul is referring to when he lists them. Let me quickly rehearse a few words Paul used.
(1) “Now concerning spirituals…” The operation of these gifts is not soulish, but spiritual. He repeatedly uses words like “of the Spirit, by the Spirit, through the same Spirit” so that there is no mistake about it. These gifts are not a product of the mind or soul of man, but they supernaturally originate by the Holy Spirit.
(2) They are called gifts because they are not earned; they come to us by grace.
(3) They are “manifestations” of the Spirit—supernatural expressions of His presence and activity.
(4) They come “as He wills.” 1 Cor 12:11, “But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.” These activities of the Spirit are not initiated by the will of man. They come when and how the Holy Spirit chooses to manifest Himself.
All of these contextual criteria should be applied to understanding each of the gifts that Paul lists in I Cor. 12:8-10. The gift of prophecy does not come as a result of the minister studying the word and preparing a sermon. It comes by the impulse of the Holy Spirit when He chooses to manifest Himself in that way.
So, we have distinguished the gift of prophecy from simply preaching sermons or teaching the Bible. Last week, we discussed predictive prophecy. We talked about some of the pitfalls we can encounter when prophecy is used in guidance. Prophecy can bring guidance and can be predictive, but there are cautions and safeguards that should be in place when those prophecies come.vi For the rest of my time today, I want to address the question:
II. HOW DOES THE GIFT OF PROPHECY USUALLY OPERATE among God’s people?
The gift of prophecy operates at various levels. Romans 12:6 makes that clear. “Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith.” (1) Notice in that verse, we are supposed to use the gifts God has given us. We are not to let them lie dormant. We are to stir up the gift in us.vii We are to exercise ourselves in the gifts of the Spirit, and if we do that, we will grow in their operation. In the physical realm, if I use my muscles, they will grow. If I don’t use them, there will be no growth. Growing in faith and growing in our ability to prophecy begins with using what you have.
(2) Then, Romans 12:6 says, “Let us prophesy in proportion to our faith.” To prophesy a specific prediction requires a greater level of faith than to prophesy a general word of encouragement. That word of encouragement can be supernatural, inspired of the Holy Spirit, without being spectacular. Start with that, and God may or may not take you into more spectacular expressions of the gift.
We should all desire the gifts, especially prophecy. 1 Corinthians 14:1: “Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.” Are you asking God to use you in that way? Are you desiring spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy? That should be going on in the life of every believer. If we are operating in the gift of prophecy, we should be asking the Lord to bring us into a higher level of prophecy.
It is something God wants for every one of us. 1 Cor. 14:31 “For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged.” That verse gives insight into the purpose of prophecy: “that all may learn and all may be encouraged.” When the gift of prophecy is in operation, people can learn about God, about His love and care for them. They can receive wisdom from the Spirit through the prophetic. More commonly, they can simply be “encouraged” by what God has to say to them in the now. The general tenor of New Testament prophecy is encouragement.
So here are three truths about the gift of prophecy that you want to lay as a foundation for entering into this gift. (1) Enter into it at the entry level. Prophesy according to your level of faith. Then trust God to help you grow in the gift. Do not despise the day of small beginnings. 1 Thess. 5:19-20 says, “Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies.” Sometimes, people despise prophecies because they have received inaccurate prophecies, depended too heavily on them, and got hurt. But sometimes, people despise prophecies because they seem too insignificant. The NIV translates 1 Thess. 5:20: “Do not treat prophecies with contempt.” Even if it is a very general, generic word, if the Holy Spirit inspired it, then receive it with thanksgiving. You may just say, “Lord, thank you for that reminder.” Let’s say the word is: “God loves you and wants you to know that He is working all things together for your good in a situation.” That’s a pretty safe word for someone to give for a couple of reasons. One, it is consistent with the general intent of prophecy—to strengthen and encourage the other person. Second, it is based on clear biblical truth. It’s the kind of word God might very well inspire a person new in the operation of prophecy to give.
If a believer gives me that prophetic word, how should I respond? I should take it to heart. I should be encouraged that God would remind me of His watchful care. I should thank the person for stepping out in faith and sharing that word with me. Think about the negative effect of despising that prophecy. What if I said to the person who gave me that word, “Yes, I already know that; Romans 8:28 even says so.” Two things have happened. First, I have discouraged a sincere believer who has risked stepping out into the prophetic. Secondly, I have deprived myself of the encouragement God could have brought to me through that simple word. “Do not despise prophecies.” “Do not treat prophecies with contempt.”
During our worship service, someone may give a general prophecy like that. It does need to be something the Holy Spirit prompted them to say; and we’ll talk more about that later. But if the Holy Spirit says something to us as a congregation, we should pay attention to it and appreciate it, whether it is profound or not. Are you following me? If He speaks and we treat it with contempt, He will stop speaking. And that’s the last thing we want. There’s more I need to teach about testing prophecy, to know whether it is from Him or not. But right now, my point is don’t despise a prophecy just because it’s simple and not spectacular. There is life in any word the Holy Spirit sends.
The despising can also occur when God drops the word in my heart. If I discount it as insignificant and don’t give what the Spirit is saying, then I am quenching the Spirit. 1 Thess. 5:19 tells us not to do that. NLB says, “Do not stifle the Holy Spirit.” NIV says, “Don’t put out the Spirit’s fire.” So, if the Holy Spirit prompts a word in your heart, will you give it, even if it doesn’t seem spectacular or profound? There is something valuable about hearing what the Spirit is saying in the now, even if it is very simple. So, be willing to enter into prophecy at the entry level.
(2) Earnestly desire to prophesy. “You have not because you ask not.”viii Ask God to use you in the gift of prophecy. That is your responsibility in this matter. We can pray already knowing it is the will of God that we all prophesy.
(3) Expect the gift to bring encouragement to others. Cooperate with that goal. New Testament prophecy is by and large an upbuilding, strengthening word to encourage believers to continue faithfully with the Lord. Corrective prophecy is rare. Most of the time when the Lord shows you something wrong with a person, He is not showing you that so you can tell them they are wrong. That can happen. But most of the time, we need to wait on the Lord and hear from Him what His solution to the problem is. What does the Lord want to do for that person to help him or her get on the right track? What is the Father’s heart for that person? That will normally lead to an encouraging prophetic word. Jer. 29:11 reveals God’s heart toward His people. “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” We are on pretty safe grounds if we will prophecy in accordance with the goals set forth in 1 Cor 14:3.“But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men.” I think the NIV is a little clearer. It says “…for their strengthening, encouragement, and comfort.”
How do you know you’re receiving a word from the Lord?
(1) Last week we talked about how prophecy can come through a dream or a vision. In very rare cases it can come through an audible voice from the Lord. But let me share with you a few more common ways a prophetic word may come to you.
(2) You may see something like a mental picture flash before your mind—like a mini-vision. It could be a still picture or a moving picture. When that happens, you need to do two things. One is to determine whether the picture came as a result of your own thought process or is this something that has kind of popped up out of nowhere from the Lord.ix It is difficult to put into words the difference between the two. But just because a thought comes to mind does not mean it’s a word from the Lord. Generally, our mind works in sequences in which one thought leads to another. When the Lord gives me a prophetic picture, it does come as a result of rational thinking process; it appears in view, and my first thought is why am I see that. It comes somewhat of unexpectedly.
(3) When you perceive it is from the Lord, then ask the Lord what it means. It’s usually not a good idea to speak out what you’re seeing until you get an interpretation of what it means. There can be some exceptions to that. But just speaking out the picture is like giving a message in tongues with no interpretation. Paul said in 1 Cor. 14 when we receive a message in tongues we should pray for the interpretation. I apply that same principle to just speaking out the picture.
In one church we pastored, there was a man named Bob who would speak out the mental picture he was seeing in the service. Most people were baffled with what was going on. I knew he was a sincere man, and the Lord was showing him those pictures. But it was not edifying for people to just hear the picture of what he was seeing. I talked to him in private about asking the Lord what the interpretation of the picture was and then speaking that out. He never got it completely figured out, but he did start getting some interpretations. He was a precious, prophetic man who just needed some instruction.
In that church, we didn’t have any nursery workers when we founded it. So, Jeanie did the nursery every service for months and months. There were times when she would have 25-30 kids by herself. It was very hard. We asked for volunteers from the pulpit, but that didn’t produce any help. Maybe nobody wanted to risk getting stuck back there in that situation. One day Bob came to Jeanie and said while he was praying for her and the nursery, God showed him a screwdriver. Jeanie replied that’s nice, what does it mean? Bob said, “I think God is saying, He is about to turn the nursery situation around for you.” Without us taking any action on our part, a week or two later God spoke to one of the ladies about the nursery. She took it upon herself to go to people in the congregation and ask them to work in the nursery. When she was finished, she had 50 nursery workers, and Jeanie was not one of them. I tell that story to verify the validity of what this brother was seeing. He was getting prophetic words through mental pictures God was giving him.
(3) Another way you may get a prophetic word is by God quickening a scripture to you. I’m not talking about just quoting verses you have memorized. I’m talking about the Spirit giving you a word in the form of a scripture or maybe the essence of a scripture. For example, Jesus said in John 15:16: "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain….” The Lord might bring that word alive to your heart in such a way that you realized it is something He is saying to the whole congregation. So, you might say, “The Lord wants to remind us that we didn’t choose Him. He chose us and has appointed us to go and bear fruit.” Having said in faith what the Lord gave you, the prophetic anointing might continue, “And God wants you to know that your labor is not in vain. He is watching over your efforts and they will be fruitful. Do not be discourage by the time it takes, stay faithful to the Lord and you will see the reward of your efforts.” I’m simply illustrating how a prophetic word may begin with a verse and flow from there.
(4) God may impress a truth in your spirit. It feels intuitive and kind of bubbles up; and you speak the essence of the revelation. It’s not just a thought. It’s a thought with a stirring in your inner man at the gut level.
(5) Often the Lord will give me a few words, and I have to step out in faith and speak those. When I do that, then the rest of the prophecy flows out of my spirit. Prophecy is not something that just flows out of your mind. It comes up out of your spirit.
I’m not giving an exhaustive list but am trying to help you discern between your own thoughts and something the Holy Spirit is impressing upon your spirit. On the one hand, it is a mistake to think that every thought that pops in your head is a word from the Lord. On the other hand, it is a mistake to think that it will always come with absolute certainty that it is the Lord. Prophecy is something you do in cooperation with the Holy Spirit. He must initiate it. It comes by His will, not by our own will. But when He initiates a word, we must receive it by faith and give it by faith. “Without faith it is impossible to please God.”x There will usually be some sense of risk that maybe it’s just me. That’s why there are other safeties that are to be in place. We will talk about those later. Right now, I’m just equipping you to identify a prophetic word when it comes and give that word in faith.
In closing, let me give six quick tips for entering into the prophetic.
(1) Spend time in prayer, especially praying in tongues. Praying in tongues builds up your spiritxi and the prophetic issues from your spirit. If your spirit is strong you will more likely discern a word from the Lord.
(2) Spend time meditating on the word. God does not operate in a vacuum. He uses what’s there. If you have filled your heart with the word, there is something there to quicken.
(3) Ask God to speak to you and use you in prophecy.
(4) Worship God. Worship directs your attention toward the Lord. It positions your heart to hear the Lord. God inhabits the praises of His people. That’s why the worship service is a good time for the gifts of the Spirit to operate. When God’s people gather for the purpose of worship, God is there in a special way.xii
(5) Get quiet before the Lord. The biggest hindrance to operating in prophecy is all the carnal clatter going on in the soul. I’m not talking about sinful things necessarily, just natural preoccupations of the mind. “I need to change the oil on the car. Did I pay the utility bill for this month? What are we going to have for supper?” Those preoccupations of the mind have to be put to rest. Learn to still your soul and wait in silence—wait and listen. He is speaking. The question is: are we listening or do other things have our attention. Learn to silence all the other voices and listen for His still, quiet voice.
(6) When He speaks, receive it by faith. It may only be three words. It may not seem particularly profound. If He speaks it, it’s important. Then when the right time comes speak the word of prophecy.
I now want to take some time and give you opportunity to operate in the prophetic as the Holy Spirit may direct.
ENDNOTES:
i All Scripture quotes are from the New King James Version unless indicated otherwise.
iiNT:1321 (from Thayer's Greek Lexicon, Electronic Database. Copyright © 2000, 2003, 2006 by Biblesoft, Inc. All rights reserved.)
iii NT:2784 (Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006, 2010 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
iv NT:2097 (Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006, 2010 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
v This gifts of the Spirit were in operation in Acts 13:1-2 when certain prophets and teachers “ministered to the Lord and fasted.” In 2 Chron. 20 God’s people were praying when the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel with a word of prophecy.
vi For cautions about prophecy, see my messages entitled “Nine Tests of Prophecy” and “Fooled by a Prophet.”
vii 2 Timothy 1:6
viii James 4:2; Matt. 7:7-11; John 15:7
ix In this message I don’t have time to deal with satanic counterfeits. However, people need to learn how to sort that out as well.
x Hebrews 11:6
xi 1 Cor. 14:4
xii Matt. 18:20. The prophetic is a powerful association between music and the prophetic that I don’t have time to explore (2 Kings 3:14-16).
