Episode 431 - Show Notes
- I believe there are people who long for a personal prophecy but what they really need is a word from God that has already been given. There is an old quote that says, “Don’t say God is silent if your Bible is not open.”
- Primarily, the Bible speaks of two types of prophecy: forth-telling and foretelling. Forth telling is the prophetic proclamation of the Word of God. If you attend a church that is faithful to preach the Bible, you have often heard forth-telling prophecy. Have you ever heard a sermon and felt God was speaking directly to your heart? Have you ever thought about how did the pastor know what I am going through? You are receiving a prophetic word from God.
- We need to return to a healthy respect for the pulpit and the preaching of God’s Word. It is here that God speaks to us.
- The Bible talks about the second type of prophecy: foretelling prophecy. This is a when God uses someone in the gift of prophecy to speak a word about the future or something that is to come. It may be a word that corrects, encourages, or gives direction.
- If you wonder if God is still using people in the gift of prophecy, I encourage you to read 1 Corinthians chapter 14. Verse 1 says, “Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy.” So, the Scripture is instructing us to eagerly desire the gifts of the Holy Spirit, especially prophesy.
- So, how do we test personal prophecy? How can we discern if a word someone has given us is actually from the Lord? Great questions! I’m so glad you asked.
- First, prophecy always brings glory and honor to God. Spiritual gifts never glorify man. Being used by God in any spiritual gift should cause us to feel humbled that God would choose to use us.
- Second, personal prophecy will never conflict with the written word of God. In every prophetic word you should ask, does the prophecy line up with the Bible? The Holy Spirit will never act in contradiction to the written Word of God. He is the One who inspired the Bible in the first place.
- Third, test the prophecy through Godly counsel. Find trusted friends who are people of prayer and godly character. Process the word given to see if it seems to be from the Lord.
- Fourth, determine if the personal prophecy was given in love and grace or in anger and judgment. Prophecy in the New Testament flows from the Spirit of Christ, which is a spirit of grace and love. 1 Corinthians chapter 13 reveals that what matters is that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are operated in love.
Deuteronomy 18:22 says, “If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that is a message the Lord has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously, so do not be alarmed.”
1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 says, “Do not treat prophecies with contempt 21 but test them all; hold on to what is good.”
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