The gift of prophecy is a remarkable spiritual gift bestowed by the Holy Spirit upon believers. It's the God-given ability to prophesy a message directly from God to individuals in a language they understand.
By exploring this powerful gift of the Holy Spirit, we can unlock its life-changing potential and experience the profound impact it can have on our faith journey and the lives of others.
By Don Bell | Reading Time: 15 minutes.
What is the gift of prophecy? Here's my definition of this marvelous gift of the Holy Spirit:
The gift of prophecy is the God-given ability to prophesy (speak) at will a message directly from God to individuals in a language they understand. This message is spontaneous, not premeditated, and it's intended to edify those who hear it.
The two words are often confused. Prophecy is the prophetic message whereas prophesy with an "S" is the action of Speaking the prophetic message.
It's important to make clear what the gift of prophecy isn't.
Clearing up misconceptions and gaining a good understanding of the gift of prophecy helps you to use the gift effectively. You'll be able to edify believers by delivering an inspired message from the heart of God.
Believers should know the true nature of prophecy to avoid becoming deceived and distancing themselves from the truth.
Paul explains the key differences between the interpretation of tongues and prophecy in the following Scripture:
Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but TO GOD, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort TO MEN. (1 Corinthians 14:1-3, emphasis added).
Those who speak a message in tongues followed by its interpretation are speaking to God whereas those who prophesy are speaking to people.
He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, UNLESS indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification (1 Corinthians 14:4,5, emphasis added).
Those who prophesy edify the Church, whereas those who speak in tongues edify themselves UNLESS the tongue is interpreted to edify the Church.
Those who prophesy speak words of edification, exhortation, and comfort to others (1 Corinthians 14:3). These three qualities are basic to the gift of prophecy and to the other gifts of the Holy Spirit:
Therefore, a word of prophecy has to meet any of these three characteristics to be considered a genuine manifestation of the Holy Spirit. The prophecy must leave those receiving it in a better physical, mental, or spiritual condition than before.
Prophesying a message you've never heard before requires taking a supernatural step of faith. It's NOT a learned skill such as inspirational teaching or preaching.
If you know ahead of time what you're going to say, you are not bringing a prophecy by faith. Therefore, the prophetic message cannot consist of something you've memorized or meditated upon beforehand. It must be 100% inspired by God.
The following drawing illustrates what happens when you step out in faith and prophesy using the gift of prophecy.
When a believer prophesies, the Holy Spirit communicates with their spirit, which in turn instructs their brain to speak words of the prophecy in their known language, as the Holy Spirit supplies them.
Since a prophecy is "inspired" and NOT "revealed" in the way words of knowledge and wisdom are revealed, it's impossible to know the content of the prophetic message before its delivery. The prophecy is received phrase by phrase as it's formed on your tongue and spoken by faith.
The prophecy is one the person has never heard before, so their mind has no prior knowledge of the words being formed on their tongue. Similarly, its hearers have never heard the prophecy before either.
Paul says, "Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge [whether the prophecy is inspired of God]" (1 Corinthians 14:29).
Note the scriptural order for judging prophecy:
Leaders misinformed about prophecy sometimes insist that those desiring to prophesy first share the message of the prophecy with them to judge before delivering it to the group. Clearly, that's NOT how judging prophecy operates and if followed through, it may lead to a spiritual-sounding message, but it won't be an inspired prophecy since it'll have been influenced by what's earlier been shared; it won't be prophesied spontaneously by faith unless the Holy Spirit intervenes. Avoid such misinformed practices.
Genuine prophecies are NEVER heard before being manifested on the prophesier's tongue, either by those prophesying or those listening.
Inspired prophecy will NEVER contradict the Word of God; therefore, a good knowledge of the Scriptures free from denominational partialities is helpful in judging prophecies.
Realize that except for Jesus, it's unlikely that any human has ever delivered a perfect prophecy that's 100% from God. As Pauls says, "We know in part and we prophesy in part" (1 Corinthians 13:9).
That's why God EXPECTS us to judge prophecies. The Greek word διακρίνω (diakrinō) translated as judge means to separate thoroughly, to "rightly divide the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15).
While we judge the content of the prophecy, we do NOT judge the person who's prophesying. None of us is perfect and mistakes can and do happen. Remember, we're prophesying in part.
A beginner stepped out in faith and prophesied. Though the message had been delivered slowly with pauses, it was undeniably inspired of God.
During the coffee time, a fellow believer offered encouragement: "That was from the Lord. Great prophecy!" Another steps forward and comments, "Yeah, it was okay. Say, do you remember Brother So and So? Could he ever prophesy; he was amazing!"
What just happened? Not only did the insensitive comment dampen the beginner's confidence, the ungodly comparison sidelined God's recent prophetic word, grieving the Holy Spirit. People of God, never compare ministries. Be careful what you say!
Never hesitate to set aside a prophecy if it's contrary to the Word of God, or if you're left with lots of unanswered questions, and especially if it fails to edify, exhort, or comfort. The likelihood is that it wasn't of God.
A prophecy can be for the benefit of an entire group of people or just one person, so not every prophecy has to be judged by other believers. However, Paul reminds, "Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good" (1 Thessalonians 5:20,21).
When you receive a personal prophecy, if it's of God, it will be confirmed by the inner witness of the Spirit, outward circumstances, or its fulfillment. You should be able to relate to it in an edifying, positive sense, even if you don't fully understand its meaning at the time; otherwise, set it on the proverbial shelf, or let it go.
At a Toronto Blessing service in June 1994, a lady from England approached me during the evening's prayer time and prophesied that God was preparing me to travel and that my wife and I would be flying overseas, and she even named the countries we'd visit: Scandinavia, Russia, Germany, Czechoslovakia, and the United Kingdom.
This was puzzling to us, as we were never keen on travel. We had flown to Israel the year before, but we had neither plans nor desire to visit other countries. This prophecy seemed so improbable that I simply placed it on the shelf and left it with the Lord.
However, seven months later in January 1995, we flew to Russia on an unexpected mission trip to visit orphanages, with a stopover in Finland. Eight months later we returned to Russia with a layover in Germany, and an unscheduled landing in Prague, Czechoslovakia.
It wasn't until fifteen years later in 2010 that we found ourselves visiting the U.K. for an unexpected conference on our only other overseas trip that the improbable prophecy was confirmed by its total fulfillment.
Scripture says, "Surely the Lord GOD does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets" (Amos 3:7).
You might hear a prophecy in a group setting and find yourself wondering if that word was intended for you personally. If it witnesses to the Spirit, it likely was for you; otherwise, it's likely directed at the group or somebody else.
The Holy Spirit offers the gift of prophecy for several purposes:
It's possible that prophecies might contain a small portion of Scripture. Suppose while prophesying, you hear yourself speaking a portion of Scripture either word for word or paraphrased. How is that possible?
Since you've studied the Bible, that's made it possible to recognize the Scripture, but since you didn't pre-meditate or rehearse what you were going to prophesy, the Scripture is a valid part of the prophetic message.
A prophecy can relate to past, present, or future events. It's not always speaking of the future as some might think. A prophetic word can bring comfort by reminding somebody of a past event, clarify something that's happening in the present, or provide hope for the future.
Knowing that I walked in the gifts of the Spirit, a Christian councelor had asked me to monitor a session and share any insight the Holy Spirit might offer. His client was an unmarried career woman who spoke of her prolonged feelings of sadness and her deep desire to lead a happy and fulfilled life.
While she and the councelor were talking, the Holy Spirit gave me a word of knowledge, and I saw the image of an old-fashioned walkway gate in my mind's eye. It was of dark green metal, and it had a row of leaves in its design.
When it had come my turn to share, I described the old gate and its design, and the Holy Spirit then prompted me to prophesy the following:
"As you leaned on the gate when leaving home, know that I was with you. Lean on Me now knowing that you are greatly loved. You are not alone, for I am your heavenly Father. I am with you always."
She began to cry and through tears related that being a country girl, the ties to her home and family were strong, and it broke her heart when she had to leave for the city. One of her saddest memories was of leaning on that green metal gate the day she left, knowing how homesick she would be.
Drying her eyes, she shared that she now felt a difference. She no longer felt the loneliness. The presence of the Holy Spirit was healing the hurt, and realizing that God had been with her at the gate, she now felt the Father's abiding love deep within her being.
Words of knowledge and prophecy will often work hand in hand to comfort and encourage those in need.
The Scripture reveals, “'I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,' says the Lord, 'who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty'" (Revelation 1:8).
Picture a parade passing through the streets of a city and consider the difference between a street-level view and an aerial view. We have the street-level view, and God has the aerial view whereby He simultaneously views the entire parade from its beginning to its end.
As you stand with friends on the sidewalk watching the parade of colorful floats passing by, you can only view the float in front of you, though you may have recollections of one that has passed by earlier. However…
God can give you a prophetic word for people needing to relate to an event in their past, present, or future. You simply listen to what God is saying and by faith prophesy His words to the people. Isn't God amazing?
I was leading a Catholic Charismatic retreat west of Eganville, and the group had chosen to end the Saturday by attending the evening Mass at Our Lady of the Angels, a small country church nearby at Brudenell.
One of the ladies was reluctant to go, as she was expecting a phone call. Her son and his wife were 200 miles away in a Toronto hospital expecting their first baby, and their doctor was concerned since the birth was long overdue.
However, being a woman of faith, she placed the situation in God's hands, and we all drove to the church. The Holy Spirit prompted me to prophesy as we walked down the aisle. I tapped her on the shoulder and whispered a prophetic word to trust in the Lord, that the baby was soon to be born in perfect health, and God had a special plan for her life. SHE would be His ROSE of Sharon!
It was one of those times when you listen to what you're saying and pray you've heard God's voice clearly. The promise of a healthy baby granddaughter is not to be made lightly! And why the Rose of Sharon?
Moments after our return to the retreat house, there was a phone call from her son. The baby had just been born, and both the mother and baby DAUGHTER were in perfect health.
And, get this: the Jewish mother had decided to name their newborn ROSE. I love it when God confirms His prophetic word.
An inspired prophetic word can offer peace of mind and confirmation that He holds the future to people facing life's situations and concerns. God is so good!
Many people are unaware that prophecies are conditional; they contain conditions whether specified or implied. Just because God has inspired the prophetic word, it doesn't mean what's prophesied will always happen. For instance, in the example given above, the condition is that the lady lean on God and if she chooses to, He will always be with her. Here's another example from The Old Testament:
When David knew that Saul plotted evil against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, "Bring the ephod here." Then David said, "O LORD God of Israel, Your servant has certainly heard that Saul seeks to come to Keilah to destroy the city for my sake. Will the men of Keilah deliver me into his hand? Will Saul come down, as Your servant has heard? O LORD God of Israel, I pray, tell Your servant."
And the LORD said, "He will come down."
Then David said, "Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul?" And the LORD said, "They will deliver you."
So David and his men, about six hundred, arose and departed from Keilah and went wherever they could go. Then it was told Saul that David had escaped from Keilah; so he halted the expedition. (1 Samuel 23:9-13)
Although God had said, "They will deliver you," David and his men chose NOT to remain in Keilah, so they were NOT delivered to Saul, and their lives were spared. If they had fulfilled the prophecy's condition by remaining in Keilah, they would have been Saul's prisoners. Always consider the condition.
While the Holy Spirit has given every believer the gift of prophecy, there are levels of prophecy depending on the experience and calling of the believer who's prophesying.
The following article will help give you confidence to step out in faith and deliver an inspired prophecy to the Church or individuals in need of a fresh word from God.
The Holy Spirit has given YOU the gift of prophecy to encourage your fellow believers. Those who say don't focus on spiritual gifts should read their Bible.
The Scripture says, "Therefore, brethren, DESIRE EARNESTLY to prophesy…" (1 Corinthians 14:39, emphasis added).
As believers in Christ, we are called to excel in the gifts of the Holy Spirit to do our part in building up the Body of Christ!
Part 2: How to Prophesy
By Don Bell, follower of the Christ.