Dear Folks,
Many years ago, I was in a
church that put so much emphasis on the prophetic office and ministry. ‘Thus
sayeth the Lord’ was golden. I must point out clearly that such offices are
biblical, important and are part of God’s intention for the New Testament
Church – surely and truly there is an office of the
Prophet in the listings of the 5 folds ministry as thought by Paul.
‘AND HE GAVE SOME,
APOSTLES; AND SOME, PROPHETS; AND SOME, EVANGELISTS; AND SOME, PASTORS AND
TEACHERS’. Ephesians 4:11.
‘AND GOD HATH SET SOME IN
THE CHURCH, FIRST APOSTLES, SECONDARILY PROPHETS, THIRDLY TEACHERS, AFTER THAT
MIRACLES, THEN GIFTS OF HEALINGS, HELPS, GOVERNMENTS, DIVERSITIES OF TONGUES’.
1 Corinthians 12:28
Who is a Prophet? A
prophet is someone who speaks on behalf of God – his words are divinely
inspired by God. In Old Testament times they were referred to as Seers because
of their spiritual insight or their ability to see the future. It is therefore
the Prophet’s responsibility to speak BY REVELATION GOD’S WORD TO HIS PEOPLE.
Therefore we can conclude that a Prophet is a spokesman for God; he speak in
God's name and by His authority for he serves as God’s immediate organ for
the communication of his mind and will to men.
Today I will like to
emphasize certain matters that are prevalent with this office in our times.
Some of these matters speak to the believers, some to the prophets and others
to ministry.
- YOU
DON’T HAVE TO BE A PROPHET: We truly live in changing times. There was a
time when everyone wanted to be referred to as pastors, but that was then,
today everybody is a prophet. It seems being a prophet is the fad! But you
man of God, stay in your area of call. Yes you can prophesy according to 1
Corinthians 14:3, but that doesn’t make you a prophet. Paul said in 1
Corinthians 7:7, ‘…BUT EVERY MAN HATH HIS PROPER GIFT OF GOD, ONE AFTER
THIS MANNER, AND ANOTHER AFTER THAT’.
- DEAR
MAN OF GOD, DON’T ALLOW UNNECESSARY PRESSURE: You don’t have to ‘see’ into
everything and all situations. I laugh when people say, just come and see
our Prophet he will tell you what to do. Really! What if God doesn’t show
him anything? I believe Christians unknowingly are the very cause of fake
prophets. The man gave you a word from God, he spoke God’s mind to you as
revealed to him. The next time you see him, you say ‘Daddy, what is God
saying…?’ So to maintain his ‘DADDYSHIP’, the man must always give you
prophecy. No sooner than later, you have told your friends about him. So,
he has to keep up with you, so if God is silent, he has to talk. I
remember a time I gave a prophetic word to a lady, and she got the job as
I foretold. A while later, she came and asked me, ‘what is the Lord
saying’. I looked her straight in the eyes, I replied, ‘nothing! Read your
bible, all He has to say for now is there’. I refused to be turned to a
deity.
- THE
SPIRIT OF THE PROPHET IS CONTROLLED BY THE PROPHET: Recently, I was
ministering at a church and the Lord gave me certain divine information
about a lady in the congregation. While I had to give the prophetic
message, I knew well enough that I had to code certain information. She
had good standing and image in the church but she wasn’t living right; the
Lord gave me her name, and certain specifics but I had brain enough to not
mention the name. After I left the meeting, I asked the person who was
like my protocol officer from the church, whether there was someone by
that name in the church, I gave the person the specifics, he said yes, and
he asked why? I said, not to worry. So this is my point – THE SPIRIT OF
PROPHECY MUST BEAR THE TESTIMONY OF CHRIST. Christ doesn’t embarrass
people, He seeks to edify the church – that is the basis of spiritual
gifts. Don’t make it look like you have lost all control. There are certain
things done in the name of prophecy that is at best disdainful. Paul said,
the spirit of Prophet is controlled by the prophet.
- PROPHECIES ARE NOT SUBJECT TO HUMAN
INTERPRETATION: All prophecies must be interpreted in the light of God’s
word or the nature of God. Sometimes we may need to ask God for
interpretation. You see we delve into error because we do these things. A
man sees a man wearing suit by revelation – and you said he is going to
get married soon. Wait a minute, did God tell you that. He may as well get
a new job, be defending a proposal etc. Peter said in 2 Peter 1:19, ‘ABOVE
ALL, YOU MUST UNDERSTAND THAT NO PROPHECY OF SCRIPTURE CAME ABOUT BY THE
PROPHET’S OWN INTERPRETATION OF THINGS’. We can therefore infer that if
this applies to scriptures, then it applies to all things spiritual.
- NOT
ALL PROPHETS ARE FAKE: Dear believers, don’t discard the office of
Prophets simply based on your experience, or because of what certain men
have done or are doing. Because there are many people who are bringing
this honourable office to disrepute doesn’t mean this office is purely and
wholly bad. You can’t say all apples are bad because the last one you ate
was bad. 1 Thessalonians 5:20-21 declares, ‘DO
NOT TREAT PROPHECIES WITH CONTEMPT. TEST EVERYTHING. HOLD ON TO THE GOOD.’
So, whether is it a “word from the Lord” or a supposed prophecy, our
response should be the same. Compare what is said to what the Word of God
says. If it contradicts the Bible, throw it out. If it agrees with the
Bible, pray for wisdom and discernment as to how to apply the message.
- A
PROPHET MUST KNOW GOD’S WORD: You may not be able to teach excellently
like a teacher. But then if you are standing before God’s people and
speaking in His household, then you must be conversant with the truth of
His words. There are many behaviors, acts, words and ways of certain
prophet’s that will change if they immersed themselves in God’s word.
Don’t build your ministry on gifts, build it on God’s word – that is the
surest ground.
I think it is fitting to
end with the words of Peter – ‘FOR PROPHECY NEVER HAD ITS ORIGIN IN THE HUMAN
WILL, BUT PROPHETS, THOUGH HUMAN, SPOKE FROM GOD AS THEY WERE CARRIED
ALONG BY THE HOLY SPIRIT’. 2 Peter 1:20-21. Are you being carried along by the
Holy Spirit?
Finally, all true prophecy
bears witness to Jesus Christ. Prophetic revelation is not only rooted in the
gospel of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus; its ultimate aim or
primary focus is also to bear witness to the person of the incarnate Christ.
Prophecy, therefore, is fundamentally Christ-centered.
Your Greatness is Assured!
FA
Fisayo Adeniyi
Pursuing Purpose...
Twitter: @fisayospeaks
Facebook: Fisayo.Adeniyi
Whatsapp: +234-909-0518-35
fisayoadeniyi@gmail.com
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