Sermon Central
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Prophecy
Contributed by Joe Rowland on May 15, 2004 (message contributor)
Summary: The Spirit and Power of Elijah is being poured upon people today.
Prophecy!
2 Kings 2:13-14 (NAS)
13. He also took up the mantel of Elijah that fell from him and returned and stood by the bank of the Jordan.
14. He took the mantel of Elijah that fell from him and struck the waters and said, Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah? And when he had also struck the waters, they were divided here and there; and Elisha crossed over.
1 Corinthians 14:3 (NAS)
3. But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.
DREAM PASTOR JOE ROWLAND 11-8-2003
I dreamed I was at Christy’s house. There was a pool with a cloak of some kind. It said Prophesy on it in big letters. We were going to paint the word Prophesy in white letters, around the letters was a gray area.
We live in a day where we need to know how the Holy Spirit works.
The church world has been hurt because they don’t understand this.
There needs to be understanding!
Periodically I’ve been talking about the Gifts of the Spirit on Sunday nights.
This morning God wants me to talk about Prophecy.
There are two classifications of Prophecy, the simple gift of Prophecy in 1 Corinthians 14:1-3.
In the simple gift there is no revelation, the simple gift is given for edification, exhortation, and comfort.
The second classification is the office of a Prophet.
In this there is Revelation or Forth telling coming forth.
It’s interesting to note the difference between prophecy in the Old Testament and the New Testament.
In the Old Testament prophecy was essentially fore telling.
In the New Testament we see the gift of prophecy shifts strongly to forth telling.
Prophecy is more than preaching.
Some people think to prophesy means to preach.
Its not prophesying, but it can be used in the message.
A lot of times God will give me a dream, after the service someone will come up to me and say it hit them.
Usually, not always, they would be the one in my dream.
This would be prophetic preaching, but its not necessarily prophesying.
If a preacher is anointed of God, He gives them their message.
Gods knows what they need.
The gift of Prophecy should not be confused with the prophetic office.
The simple gift has no revelation in it.
It speaks to men edification, exhortation, and comfort.
It is to edify the church.
In 1 Corinthians 14:1 Paul was telling the whole church at Corinth to covet, To desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may Prophesy.
In 1 Corinthians 12:28 Paul is saying that all are not Prophets.
If the simple gift of Prophesy operates thru a person that does not make him a Prophet.
For example: A rich man has money, most of us have at least some money, even if it’s only a few cents.
That doesn’t make us rich.
By the same token, a Prophet would of course prophesy.
But a person who Prophecies wouldn’t necessarily be a Prophet.
A Prophet would have more of the Gifts of the Spirit in operation.
He would have revelation Gifts operating along with Prophesy.
Paul says in 1 Corinthians 14: 29-30 King James
29. Let the Prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.
30. If anything be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace.
If anything be revealed.
The office of a Prophet is not the same as to Prophesy.
The simple Gift was to covet.
To constitute standing in the office of a Prophet a person needs to have at least two of the revelatory gifts operating on a continual basis in his life or ministry, and the gift of Prophecy.
We can all have the simple Gift of prophecy.
1 Corinthians 14: 1, 5, 39 King James
1. Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may Prophesy.
5. I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he who speaketh in tongues, except he interpret, that the church receive edifying.
39. Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak in tongues.
New Testament example of the gift of Prophecy.
In Acts 21 we see a scriptural example of some believers who had the gift of Prophecy operating in their lives.
Phillips daughters had this simple gift of Prophecy.
They must have prophesied in the services in their house, otherwise Paul would not have known this.
Phillips daughters spoke edification, exhortation, and comfort.
When the Prophet Agabus came he had a measage from the Holy Spirit on a higher order, which brought revelation.
That’s found in Acts 21:10-11
Prophecy has been misused within the church.
There’s healing coming to the church. God wants us to understand the simple gift is not prediction.
