Prophecy

 

DEVOTION

THE 1^ST LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS

GIFT OF PROPHECY

1 Cor 12:4-11

4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.

7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.   11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.

NIV

It is now time to investigate this gift of prophecy. First, we should distinguish the difference between this gift of prophecy and the office of prophet in the church. In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, he makes it clear the Lord has given some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists and some to be pastors and teachers. He makes it clear all these offices are for the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying the body of Christ. These are actually offices within the church, people who have been called to that task, to fill the role of one of those four or five, positions. Some divide pastor and teacher, while others see those two as one person, one role, one office. Nevertheless, they all are different than these gifts of the Spirit and how they function in the church. When the Spirit manifests his gift of prophecy through someone, that does not mean that person is a prophet nor occupies the office of prophet. There has been some debate over this gift of prediction. This is the direct meaning of the Greek word translated here as the gift of prophecy. A prophet, on the other hand, is a foreteller, an inspired speaker. We have many of these men in the Old Testament, and many who foretold about Jesus and who and what he would do. The test of a prophet is that what he foretells has to come true, otherwise he is a false prophet. This gift is not like that, it is a gift of the Spirit and therefore when he manifests this in someone, for them to predict something, it is something that is going to happen, for the Spirit never lies, and is not false. So this gift will also be a truth spoken through the power of the Spirit. Some would say this gift is not a prediction, but rather a forth-telling of the will of God. That could be confused in some sense with the gift to the church of pastor because a pastor is usually telling the will of God through sermons. Whether a pastor is actually foretelling or telling what is going to happen may or may not be the case, unless they are telling of the future events that will unfold. Certainly, it is more than possible a pastor, in the midst of his sermon, may utter some prophetic words as the Spirit manifests this gift. But it is also possible that any person could speak out some prophetic words, some prediction of what is to come as the word unfolds throughout the world, as the Spirit manifests his gift. Once again, we need to be open, not closed off, to the working of the Spirit, willing to have him manifest his gifts, including this one of prophecy, as he determines. We sing that song, with the words, flow Spirit flow, flow Holy Spirit, flow through me. So then let us allow Him to flow through us for the edifying of the body of Christ, the church.