Prophecy and the Gift of Prophecy

I Cor. 12:10 To another the working of miracles, to another prophecy...etc. 

Prophecy comes in three ways:

A. There is the spirit of prophecy

     When there is a meeting and the anointing is high and during praise and worship, etc. the spirit of prophecy can fall upon the congregations and I Cor. 14:31 says: For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be comforted. So this is for comfort and for the learning of all. This goes along with speaking out the Word of the Lord: For example: For yeah the Lord says: I will never leave you nor forsake you, I am with you always. (This type of prophesy is NOT correcting nor directing nor foretelling, that is left up to the prophetic voices of two or three gathered in the name of the Lord and Holy men and women of God who have the Word and the giftings of the prophetic mantle). 

2. Then there is the gift of prophecy. A gift is given by the Lord by the laying on of hands in the presbytery. For thus sayeth the Lord, I impart in thee the gift of prophecy. This also is for the building up of the body. This gift at times can also go deeper than the spirit of prophecy and announce an event such as Acts 11:28  "And there stood up one of them, named Agabus and signified by the spirit that there shall be great dearth throughout the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar." (Can you see this is a deeper prophecy, because it added and it came to pass then and there.... 

3. The voice of the Prophet

Eph. 4:11 and He gave some: apostles, prophets. evangelists. pastors and teachers....

I Cor. 14:29 Let the prophets speak two or three and let the others judge. (That is the others is the leadership of the church or the meeting) 

(See also I Samuel 10:10-11, Saul was NOT a prophet but he was in the company of prophets and he prophesied because of the corporate anointing.) 

With this little lesson I like to say this: Be aware of "parking lot prophesies", a directional or correctional prophecy should not be given to a person by pulling them to the side, and saying,  - for example – "You know, the Lord told me that you are to go to Africa".... NOW, I have had times the Lord told me something for someone and in a meeting or a counseling session or something I would say, not always disclosing - I believe the Lord has this for you or that, but put it on the shelf and wait for confirmation. 

NEVER ever take any correction or open "prophesy" from someone you do not know or is not proven - even though out of the mouth of babes...- not man or woman.  They should NOT suddenly lay hands on you and declare the truths of God that can cause havoc in your life, because Satan does NOT want you to succeed in God, he does not want the body of Christ to come to maturity because that seals his demise. 

Prophecy can come through night visions, through dreams, at church gathering, through revelation, through a word of knowledge. There are MANY churches all over the world and plenty in the USA that have "presbytery", or prophetic meetings where the prophets come and they speak two by three and give direction to the people of God. That is the SAFE and proven way.

Prophets may give correction if necessary and this is how I like to end this little lesson today: 

These words were said and written down by Khandelese, a daughter and servant of the Lord.  

(I do not know her, but the words struck me as lightening! I found her on www.cyberchurch.com/khandie/Heedingthevoiceofaprophet.htm

She was discussing a lesson on Repentance and Heeding the Words of a Prophet... 

Her written words were:

The question is this: Do we desire to be cleansed? If so, then we must heed the instructions of the Lord as He delivers His Word through the prophets, OR we can be offended by the words of a prophet, keep our leprous hearts, refuse to be washed in the blood of Jesus, miss the blessings (of being teachable and repentant) and -live under - and receive the curse...

Indeed today is the day of repentance.

Whatever we do, do ALL for the glory of God; WHO ALONE is worthy of the glory and the praise. 

Be blessed!

Love, In Jesus Christ, Dr. Anna Rich