“Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy.”
Paul tells us to earnestly desire the gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy. The Greek word translated “earnestly desire” is ‘zeloo.’ “Zeloo” is an onomatopoetic word, imitating the sound for boiling water. The implication is to be so hot to be bubbling over, to burn with zeal, to deeply committed. This describes how passionate we are to be about prophecy. Why? What’s the big deal about prophecy that Paul encourages us to be passionate, bubbling over, zealous for it?
What’s the Big Deal?
Prophecy reveals truth. It has the power to bring life and restore us in an instant. Prophecy bridges the gap between God’s heart and ours, helping us move from small-mindedness to the big picture. It can help reestablish our true self, the original version of us that God intended.
In our personal lives, prophecy can give us direction or confirmation. It is not primarily to tell us what to do, or correct wrongdoing. God’s voice comes to tell us who we are and empower us to do what we were created to do. Bob Hazlett, in his book The Roar, writes of the life-changing impact of a prophetic word. “It gives you permission to and power to become who God says you are. He doesn’t just want to take you to your dream; He wants to teach you who you are.”(1) When we know what God thinks of us, we are less apt to listen to what people think of us; when God “agrees” with the dreams we have, it emboldens us to go after those dreams.
Corporately, in the life of the church, prophecy gives vision and purpose, as well as encouraging the entire body. It strengthens unity as the body pursues together that which is revealed prophetically to the church.
Prophecy is a powerful tool in evangelism. It tells people that “God sees you. God knows you. He is interested in what is happening in your life.” Suddenly, those who have not thought of God in years realize that He is thinking of them and they are not invisible to Him. Prophetic words spoken from God’s heart through us can destroy the darkness that reigns over people’s lives. As we speak His words, it brings light into their darkness.
Shawn Bolz, in his recent book, Translating God, tells us that “The real purpose of prophecy is to tie you to your eternal calling to be in Jesus—in the best form of yourself that you were designed to be. Prophecies to individuals, cities, ministries, or industries are all supposed to help you catch a glimpse of the you that is truly you. It is supposed to allow you the feeling of what it is like to be both eternal and spiritual alongside feeling normal and human. It is also supposed to help set your hope on your eternal purpose—to know God the way He has always dreamed of being known by his creation.”(2)
Prophecy reveals the heart of the Father is always for restoration. Jim and Carolyn Welton, in their book New Covenant Prophetic Ministry, remind us that “Restoration must be our heartbeat. It must be the mindset–the framework–that informs everything else we do.”(3) When we understand God’s heart for restoration, the Holy Spirit’s desire to bring life, it makes a huge difference in how we present prophetic words. When we don’t understand this, we can actually hurt people, even paralyze believers. The prophetic has so much power…to hurt and to heal. We need to examine what we receive and ensure that we are communicating it with a heart toward restoration.
The power of prophecy does not lie in magical words but in God’s presence. When we speak God’s words, they release the presence and power of God because it comes from Him, not from ourselves. Therefore, we can be confident that it will accomplish what He desires and achieve the goal for which He sent it.(Is. 55:11) It is God who fills the emptiness and He often chooses to do it with His words spoken through our mouths.
Prophecy in the New Covenant
It is imperative that those functioning in the prophetic understand the role of New Covenant prophecy and how it differs from Old Covenant prophecy. Prophets are covenantal lawyers, enforcing the covenant God has enacted. Old Covenant lawyers often prophesied punishment and cursing because they were operating under the Old Covenant that promised blessings for obedience and cursing for disobedience. The New Covenant is nothing like the Old; it is a covenant of blessings, love, and forgiveness. For this reason, we cannot simply look to the prophets of the Old Testament as examples of prophetic ministry in the New Covenant.
While Old Covenant prophecy is primarily correction and rebuke, New Covenant prophecy is primarily for encouragement and edification. This doesn’t mean we speaking negatively but in a nice tone of voice, but speaking into people’s lives what God sees in them, empowering them to become what He sees.
This doesn’t mean we simply pat people on the back , tell them nice things about themselves, and pretend there is nothing negative in their lives. If see negative things, we prophesy the Kingdom solution rather than the obvious. In his book about prophetic ministry, Kris Vallotton reminds us, “It doesn’t take a prophetic gift to see the sin in sinners or the junk in the lives of Christians. It does require the eyes of God, though, to see broken people like Simon(meaning ‘broken reed’) and in the midst of their brokenness, call them Peter(meaning ‘rock’).”(4) God doesn’t reveal things to us to expose or humiliate people but to encourage them and restore them to who they were created to be. As His servants, we are to clean up messes, not expose them or cause them. Supernaturally powerful, prophetic words reveal the gold that is hidden under the dirt in people’s lives.
When the Spirit was poured out on Pentecost, Peter said that it this was the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy that “I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy…”(Acts 2:17, NIV) When Joel spoke these words, within the Old Covenant, God’s spirit rested upon a select few who were empowered to speak for Him to others. He was prophesying the day when God’s Spirit would be poured out on everyone and everyone would prophesy. The ability to prophesy would no longer be restricted to just a few people. But, when the New Covenant came, His Spirit would reside in each person, empowering every believer to speak for Him to others. We all can, and should, prophesy. This also means His Spirit within each of us validates or negates the prophetic words we receive. New Covenant prophecy is not an authoritative, “Thus saith the Lord.” Nor does it take the place of His Word, but should always be founded upon God’s Word.
Living in Two Realms, Using Ten Senses
Our Western Hellenized mindset views the physical and spiritual realms as separated by a vast distance. In Hebraic thinking, the spiritual and physical realms overlapped. As believers, we are residents of both, living our lives in both realms simultaneously. And, contrary to what we tend to believe, the spiritual realm is more real than the physical one. Prophetic ministry brings spiritual realities to our physical realm.
Though we are citizens of both realms, we are much more comfortable in the physical realm. We can more easily access, experience, and observe all that takes place in the physical realm through our natural senses: sight, hearing, taste, touch, smell. We are not so aware of, and cannot as easily access, experience, and observe what takes place in the spiritual realm because we have not learn to use our spiritual sense: sight, hearing, taste, touch, smell. All of these senses are a part of prophetic ministry. When we embrace both realms in which we live, and begin to recognize the information we gather with both spiritual and physical semse, we will more effectively minister to those around us.
New Covenant prophetic ministry is an exercise in faith. We are tempted to wait until we have evidence, or a degree of certainty in the accuracy of what we hear from God before we are willing to speak that prophetic word. Certainty is not faith, but faith is the evidence of what we don’t see. Hebrews 11 introduces us to a list of Biblical characters who stepped out in faith because they feared God more than they feared what might happen if they heard wrong. If we want to move in the prophetic, we need to do the same. We need to fear God more than hearing Him wrong. We need to fear limiting the impact of the spiritual realm upon the physical more than we fear getting it wrong.
If we desire to minister to others beyond our natural abilities, utilizing the gift of prophecy is vital. It is valuable for bringing spiritual realities into the physical realm. Not all of us are prophets, but we can all prophesy. We cannot allow fear, insecurity, or uncertainty to result in shelving or burying this gift. God seeks to partner with us in bringing His kingdom on earth. He invites us to not only be His hands and feet, but also His voice to a world that needs to hear Him, see Him, and experience Him.
Endnotes:
1. Hazlett, Bob. (2013). The Roar: God’s Sound in a Raging World. New Haven, CT: Future Coaching Publications. p. 16.
2. Bolz, Shawn. (2015). Translating God. Glendale, CA: ICreate Productions. p. 21.
3. Welton, Jim & Carolyn, (2014). New Covenant Prophetic Ministry. p. 28.
4. Vallotton, Kris. (2005). Basic Training for Prophetic Ministry. Shippensburg, PA: Destiny Image Publishers. p. 13.