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1) The Prophecy of Scripture (2 Peter 1:20; 2 Tim. 3:16)

A guiding gift from the Spirit

The closed canon of Scripture is the central thrust of the Holy Spirit’s fulfillment of His job description noted in John 14:26b: “…he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” Peter references the Bible as “prophecy” (2 Peter 1:20) because that is what it is, uniquely inspired writings of men who were led by the Holy Spirit in a manner unique in all of human history. This Spirit-inspired compilation is the pinnacle of prophecy to men from God. There is nothing equal to it, nor will it be repeated or added to in any way, ever. However, this does not preclude the Holy Spirit from applying it, interpreting it, and working through it to reveal His present will to believers.

The Scripture contains His will and purpose for our lives, but it doesn’t contain Him. It reveals Him in a measure He intends to all men, but His deeper revelation of Himself continues in each man’s heart and in every genuine church through preaching and the gifts. The experience of the Spirit doesn’t draw our attention away from Scripture; it highlights its value. It builds a desire to experience more of Him through the truths contained therein.

One clear normative revelation in Holy Scripture is followed by countless Spirit-led revelations of His attributes and ways when we apply Scripture. These lesser revelations guide us to a deeper understanding of who He is in His Word, who He is in our lives, and who He desires to be through us.

A great example of this Scripture/prophecy relationship I once heard was by Bojidar Marinov, a missionary to Bulgaria (www.bulgarianreformation.com). He likened the Scriptures to science as the fixed nature of things and prophecy to the discipline of engineering as the application of that science. Engineering doesn’t do away with science; it draws from its foundation to meet specific applications and needs.

Ongoing prophecy applies scriptural truth and promises to our specific lives and situations; it doesn’t add to Scripture or take away from it. It is a means of grace God gives to enrich our understanding of who He has revealed Himself to be in Scripture.

2) The Spirit of Prophecy (1 Sam. 10:10; 1 Cor. 14:31; Acts 19:6)

A presiding gift from the Spirit

As the One who is sanctifying the Church, the Holy Spirit presides over our meeting together as believers. He manifests Himself through the various means of grace gifts He appointed in Scripture (1 Cor. 12, 14; Rom. 12), which includes the ability of anyone indwelt by the Holy Spirit to prophesy as He gives the grace and faith to speak (1 Cor. 14:31). This presiding gift manifested through a person of His choosing by the sovereign Holy Spirit is an expression of His love, encouragement, edification, and comfort to the people of God. It also has those same benefits on the person being used. They stepped out in faith to share something they spontaneously received from the Holy Spirit and were blessed by His affirmation and confirmation of what they shared.

Does this mean God cannot speak outside the church building or use other sources than those specifically in the church to speak? No, it doesn’t. He is sovereign over all and therefore can loose the tongue of a donkey to express His will (Num. 22:28) if He desires. He also spoke spontaneously through Saul in the Old Testament as a fulfillment of Samuel’s prophecy over him (1 Sam. 19:24).

If the Holy Spirit desires, He can speak prophetically through anyone He chooses at any time, in any place. This is true of prophetic ministry within the church, as well as in evangelism. I recall receiving a word of knowledge and prophecy for a waitress while once sitting in a restaurant with friends. The Holy Spirit accurately revealed she had a boyfriend who did not know Christ and that she herself was being drawn back to Him. To affirm His love for her He told me to tell her that her boyfriend would be saved. She went away tearfully encouraged by the Spirit’s ministry to her, where she was, in her workplace. I was so excited to be used by God like that, but He wasn’t done that night.

Later, I left the restaurant so emboldened by the confirmation of the Spirit’s work in that girl that I obeyed His prompting to share the gospel with another young man wandering in the parking lot. I simply said, “Hey, do you know Jesus?” He said, “No.” I replied, “Would you like to? He loves you and died for your sins and He sent me over here to share some good news with you.” That was all that was said and I expected to be rebuffed quickly. He said, “Yes, I would.” No speeches or flowery words, just the truth as I understood it, and the Spirit moved on his heart. Amazingly, that young man enthusiastically accepted Christ right there on the spot!

As I rejoiced at God’s faithfulness and told the story to my friends a few cars away, the young waitress I had prophesied over earlier stepped out of the restaurant and crossed the parking lot to the young man that had just received Christ and kissed him—it was the boyfriend God had promised to save! When I saw the kiss and recognized what the Spirit had done in fulfilling that prophecy that same night, I screamed aloud in the parking lot. My friends thought I’d lost my mind, but mine was a heart deeply affected by the privilege of seeing my simple obedience rewarded with a glimpse of the unsearchable riches of God’s kindness through this gift!

Paul states that “all may prophesy one by one,” (1 Cor. 14:31) and what the basic requirements are for this to occur in a gathering of the believers. This would be a “spirit of prophecy” operating within the church, or anywhere for that matter. Here, a speaker is used in the biblically labeled gift of prophecy, but it’s not something they experience very often. This lack of frequency of use can be used to distinguish between those who operate in the gift of prophecy from time to time (spirit of prophecy) and those who seem to possess the frequency consistent with a resident gift (gift of prophecy).

When a “spirit of prophecy” comes on any person, in any place, at any time, it requires faith and obedience to speak, and all that is said must be tested by the truth of Holy Scripture and the witness of the Holy Spirit.

3) The Gift of Prophecy (Rom. 12:6; 1 Cor. 12:10; Cor. 14:3)

An abiding gift from the Spirit

While anyone can prophesy, some are more active in sharing what the Holy Spirit is revealing to them. The genuine gift of prophecy in someone will typically be accompanied by an evident Christ-like character, humility, and faith. A person who operates in the gift of prophecy will usually receive impressions in multiple ways—dreams, visions, words of wisdom, words of knowledge, and various types of prophecy. Those who function in this gift are told to do so according to their proportion of faith (Rom. 12:6).

Paul is encouraging those who hear God this way not to strive in their efforts, but to function at the level of their faith. This could mean we have faith to share with just one person in one setting all the way up to corporate words for thousands. At either end of the spectrum, it is still faith governing the execution. Nothing changes in terms of the need to test what is said from the person used this way, but if the gift is genuine it will have all the marks of the true gift—accuracy, anointing, encouragement, exhortation, and comfort. (Chapter 21 addresses the testing of prophecy in depth.)

4) The Office of Prophet (Eph. 4:11; Acts 11:27-28, 13:1, 15:32)

A residing gift from Jesus

According to Ephesians 4:11, there are individuals given by Jesus Christ himself to fulfill the calling of prophet to the church. These persons are gifts to the Church from Jesus Christ. This can be a congregational prophetic call to a local church, and in some cases an extra-local call to serve the broader Church around the world. The scope of the prophet’s gift will be discerned by those around him, and the Holy Spirit will make clear what He wants.

This confirmation will typically be recognized by the local pastoral leadership team, other prophets, apostles, and/or church leaders. This acknowledgment is usually made public through a commissioning and validation of their Ephesians 4 gift, a solemn charge to fulfill their ministry in obedience to the Spirit, and an increased responsibility and accountability of the prophet and leadership team caring for them.

He did it with Paul and Barnabas in Acts 13 by prophecy, and Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:14 when He confirmed callings and directed the elders to release his gift. These are men who not only prophesy, but also possess other gifts that qualify them to be used in leadership, teaching, and development of others.

They are called to equip the saints for works of ministry and build up the Church. The anointing on this person will be evident to all who are ministered to by them, and as their character grows, they will be released by the Holy Spirit to take their place alongside the elders in the church to care and provide for her.

These are not first-century Scripture-writing prophets, nor are they Old Testament prophets. They are generational, continuing prophets called to carry the mantle of God’s grace for the Church in their lifetime, leaving a legacy for those they train and release for the next generation. They are not solo shows of prophetic ministry; they are servants who lead teams of prophetic voices in the Church as evidence of their call to equip and build up the Body.

Why the Distinctions of the Gift of Prophecy?

When leaders begin to distinguish between the spirit of prophecy, gift of prophecy, and office of prophet in someone, this would usually relate to the “sphere of influence” (measure of impact) that is discernible when they are used. It’s not a measure of maturity or godly character; it’s an awareness of how God appears to anoint the ministry of one person over another.

This fact that God sees difference in anointing and influence in His servants was clearly explained in Numbers 12:1-8, when Miriam and Aaron challenged Moses’ anointing as a prophet. God clearly distinguished the anointing on Moses as a prophet as different from Miriam and Aaron in such strong terms that He severely punished them for their insubordination.

The differences of prophetic anointing on people being highlighted matter little to anyone not involved in prophetic ministry development. But when leaders are discerning God’s grace on people for ministry, it can be helpful to have a simple template to measure.

The New Testament calls anyone who prophesied with some regularity a prophet (Agabus, Judas, Silas). Even in 1 Corinthians 14, prophetic people were noted as “prophets” (“…the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets”, v. 32). Paul’s use of prophet could have been a general reference to those who are being used prophetically. Instead of saying, “person used in prophecy” it would be easier to just say “prophet” to denote someone speaking from the Holy Spirit.

Therefore, we must be careful to communicate that these distinctions in the gift sphere are not about classifying the talent, performance, or significance of anyone. They are to help us clarify the nature, scope, and level of the grace gift being demonstrated in a person. This allows leaders to better track the development, maturity, and equipping of the believer, which is their scriptural mandate.

We are all in danger of selfish ambition and pride, but the greater danger to all prophetic people is unbelief. When a grace gift is identified in someone, there is a greater sense of responsibility and faith for that gift to grow in them. When they realize there may be a more frequent use in the gift of prophecy, there is an increased sensitivity and readiness to respond.

The labeling shouldn’t be used to separate or exclude, but rather to build faith in those being used. Leaders can encourage people more specifically, “Hey John, every time there is that spirit of prophecy present during worship, I see you so willing to serve. Thank you for your obedience to the Spirit’s prompting. Great word this morning.” Or, “Hey Lisa, I really appreciate the growth I’m seeing in how God is using you in prophecy toward other women. The Holy Spirit has placed a rich gift in you; keep seeking the Lord for more.”

In neither case was the focus on the label, but rather the faithfulness of God and their subsequent obedience. However, in a subtle way, the label speaks to the context and sphere of influence they are operating in. That is a wonderfully confirming, faith building, and validating encouragement to the prophetic heart.

Prophetic Ministry Authority is for Serving, not Subjecting

There is one more important distinction to be made in understanding the proper perspective on the gifts. No office, gifting, or position in the church is binding on anyone who does not choose to submit to it. A prophet may be recognized in one church, but that is not binding on anyone else to see him that way. The determination of someone as a “prophet” isn’t authoritative in the sense that he can now dictate what others are to do. He is only being recognized for what God’s grace provides through him in service to the Church.

None of the offices are designed to be dictatorial. They have authority as imputed by Christ as servants to the Church, and that is the extent of their calling. They have responsibility and limited authority related to what Jesus has apportioned to each for their ministry to operate effectively, but each believer is ultimately responsible to and under the authority of Jesus Christ.

A prophet cannot tell someone what to do, but only share what they believe God is saying in the moment. It’s up to the believer to decide if that agrees with what they are sensing in their own hearts to do. If we choose to submit to the authority of the office out of obedience to the Holy Spirit who is guiding us, that is up to us.

The choice to submit to God-appointed earthly authority in the church is completely on the believer. The Holy Spirit will guide us to join a church, submit to the appointed authority there, and serve as He leads us for the purpose of demonstrating the grace of the gospel and rule of Jesus Christ upon our hearts. We are bound to Jesus, not men.

So any prophetic gift, or word, is never binding on anyone, unless the person chooses to accept what it says, in faith, to apply what God has revealed. No prophet has any control over anyone for any reason. They are the messengers of Jesus only and are not to think they can manipulate or lord anything over anyone in the use of their gift. Any effort of the prophet to exercise undue authority should be avoided. They are called to be servants, not to make others subservient.

Leadership considerations for evaluating where someone stands in their sphere* of prophetic ministry:

Spirit of Prophecy

Personal Fruit we believe God will develop

•Christians with a measure of faith to be used

Ministry Fruit we believe God will bring forth

•Builds up the Church with the following (1 Cor. 14:26):

- Encouragement from God speaking extemporaneously

- Comfort from God with a picture, interpretation, application

- Exhortation from Scripture, poetry, wisdom, or spiritual song

- Word of knowledge, word of wisdom, and an exhortation

- Tongue and/or interpretation of tongue

- Communicates gift in a clear and compassionate manner

- Draws attention to God, His glory, and His purpose

Spirit of Prophecy Sphere of Ministry

•They are used periodically in the prophetic during meetings.

Gift of Prophecy/Prophet

Personal Fruit we believe God will develop

•Proven character, Christian, and member of the local church

•Pattern of growing maturity in Christ in life and family

•Faithful in the broader mission of the Church, not just gift

•Demonstrates a growing love for God’s Church

•Garners respect of others without significant reservations

•Doctrinally sound on the gospel and the ongoing empowerment (infilling/baptism) of the Holy Spirit

•Observable humility and submission to authority

•Eager to receive constructive feedback

Ministry Fruit we believe God will bring forth

•Same as listed in Spirit of Prophecy

Additional Ministry Fruit of a Gift of Prophecy/Prophet

•Faith, accuracy, and depth consistent with a significant gift

•Ministers accurately in local/extra-local Church context

•Ministry consistently evidences the fruit of the Spirit

•Willing to work in team ministry as administrated by others

•Mature in handling predictive, corrective, or directive words

Gift of Prophecy Sphere of Ministry

•Discernible/distinguishable anointing for the gift

•Accurate at personal, corporate, leadership, extra- local level

•Is used regularly in prophecy and other gifts of the Spirit

•Consistent capacity to operate gift submitted to authority

Prophet Sphere of Ministry (beyond gift of prophecy)

•Discernible/distinguishable anointing for the office gift

•Accurate at personal, corporate, leadership, extra- local level

•Is used significantly in prophecy and many gifts of the Spirit

•Consistent capacity to operate in gift as one with authority

•Imparting/Activating anointing that stirs others to step out

•Proven ability to judge/administrate team prophetic ministry

•Capacity to teach the Word, train, equip, and raise up others

•Possesses gifts of leadership and administration seen by all

(*Scope of ministry influence)

In summary, here’s what I believe is true from Scripture about prophetic ministry and its function in the Church.

1)We are called to be a prophetic people. We preach a prophetic gospel message stating that Christ has come and will come again to set up His kingdom. This is “the prophetic word more fully confirmed” (2 Peter 1:19-21).

2)We are all able to prophesy. That is to speak an utterance or thoughts spontaneously brought to mind, infused with the Spirit of God’s anointing and influence on another person, or group of people (1 Cor. 14:31).

3)Prophecy is not equal to Scripture in authority on any level. Scripture is the authority against which prophecy is measured (1 Thess. 5:19-21).

4)Prophecy is not to be despised, but rather tested against Scripture to ensure its veracity. The revelation is pure, the person interpreting, applying, and sharing the word is not. The provision of testing is to protect the Church from the insertion of the flesh, selfish ambition, or sinful attitudes from the messenger. As in evaluating the preacher we are compelled to search out Scripture as good Bereans to assure that we are hearing the truth of God, in the same way we need to filter all we hear in the name of prophecy through Scripture to allow the Holy Spirit to maximize the blessing upon us (1 Thess. 5:21).

5)Prophecy builds up the Church through encouragement, exhortation, or comfort. It is not a teaching, nor is it an expository rant on the sins of the people; it’s a Spirit-led communication from God, pointing us to God, to receive from God (1 Cor. 14:3).

6)Prophecy must be done decently and in order. The message should be “weighed” by other prophets and leadership of the Church and each can speak when it’s their turn. The spirit of the prophet is subject to the prophet. This means the word can be shared when its time under the control of the person being used (1 Cor. 14:40).

7)Prophecy is a gift “in part.” This means we see through a glass darkly and never have the full picture in any word we are given. The Holy Spirit does this to keep the focus on Him, and not the messenger (1 Cor. 13:9).

8)Prophecy is subject to the believer’s will and obedience to Christ. No prophecy in and of itself can do anything. It can only point to the work being done by the Holy Spirit. It’s only the Holy Spirit that can apply any message or ministry to the heart of a person. No one should respond to a prophetic message without the express direction of the Holy Spirit in every moment. While most words are spoken in a manner that confirms and affirms a work the Spirit is already doing, there will be words that include future realities that belong completely to the sovereignty of God and should not be acted upon unless the Spirit is leading. And even then, it would be wise to include trusted leadership pastorally and friends who know us and our lives to assist in confirming the work of the Holy Spirit (Acts 13:1-3; 1 Thess. 5:19-21).

9)Prophecy is only possible by the Spirit through the gospel. “For it is the spirit of prophecy who bears testimony to Jesus” (Rev. 19:10 niv) and that testimony is the gospel of Jesus Christ’s substitutionary sacrifice on the cross for sin and His subsequent resurrection from the dead. This good news is the foundation of all New Testament prophecy, and it should be saturated with it when it is shared.