The Gift of Prophecy is NOT foretelling the future.

Prophecy in the New Testament (NT) is different from a prophet who foretells the future. God specifically limits this gift to three beautiful exercises – edification, exhortation, and comfort – and none of these have to do with the gifts of power or the gifts of revelation. According to Ephesians 4:8-12, the Prophet is one of the five ministry gifts given to the Church. He is a person, not a vocal gift. He holds the office of prophet. Acts 21:9 tell of Philip’s four daughters “which did prophesy.” They were NOT prophets, but they prophesied. They had a ministry of edifying the Church, but they did not foretell the future. The prophetic office always predicts the future; the gift of prophecy never predicts the future. CATCH THIS MEN AND WOMEN OF GOD!!!

This is one of the major ways in which people have misused this gift. Guidance is not one of the three blessings of prophecy.

The Gift of Prophecy is not preaching. To preach means to proclaim and pronounce the Good News – the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Preaching comes from the natural mind; prophecy is the mind of the Holy Spirit speaking to us in a supernatural utterance. Preaching can be inspired or anointed, but it is not supernatural; prophecy is always supernatural. Prophecy is a supernatural utterance that comes from a person who is anointed to speak the treasures of God to the Body of Christ.

The Gift of Prophecy is not rebuke! There is no element of rebuke in prophecy; there is always encouragement. In the NT, correction comes not from prophecy, but from preaching the Word with doctrine. Paul dealt with excesses as a teacher, a pastor, and an apostle, but never through the Gift of Prophecy.

The Gift of Prophecy is not a ministry of criticism! Prophecy is not one person’s opinion against another.

It is a Divine Operation under the anointing of God, designed to warn men and women of sin or shortcomings so that they might be ready when Jesus comes. The Gift of Prophecy can lift a Christian out of his/her depression, his/her negligence, and his/her lukewarmness, and put him/her back into the mainstream of the thrust of God!

MY GOD, MY GOD! LORD HELP YOUR PEOPLE UNDERSTAND YOUR GIFTS, SO THAT THEY MAY BE ABLE TO SPOT "PERPETRATION."

MAKE SURE YOU SEE THE FOLLOWING WHEN BEING "PROPHESIED" TO:

The Gift of Prophecy is for three reasons: Edification, Exhortation, and Comfort!

▪Edification: To edify means to build up. This gift of prophecy will build up the Church of Jesus Christ. If a man is weak spiritually, it will build him up. If a woman is afraid, it will remove the fear.

▪Exhortation: In exhortation we have a call to encouragement. Many times I have heard a word of prophecy that will exhort a church fellowship to holiness, consecration, and separation from the world. Many times when the Devil discourages us, this gift of prophecy will encourage us. It can bring an exhortation: “ Jesus is coming soon. Don’t stop here. Don’t let the world come in like a flood. Keep moving with God.” It exhorts us to keep ourselves built up and strong in God.

▪Comfort: The Greek word for comfort is consolation, which would include the healing of distress, of sorrow, of persecution, and suffering. We live in a world of broken lives, broken homes, and broken ambitions. People today do not necessarily need sympathy or pity; they need comfort. The Church needs divine comfort from the Holy Spirit to bring heaven’s healing into their hearts. It is our duty and our privilege to come to church and say, “ Lord, we want the tenderest of the gifts to function. We want prophecy to function."