Gifts of the Spirit

The Prophetic

It’s been a while since I mentioned the prophetic but it has come once more into focus. Just in case you think I am about to launch into a great prophetic outburst – relax, it ain’t gonna happen today at least. There are so many prophetic voices out there at the moment that it is getting harder and harder to discern the good from the bad; the truth from the blether. Yet there is one word out there right now that has been repeated by so many prophets or prophetic voices, (there is a big difference), that surely we cannot ignore it.

The “word on the street” currently is about the imminent return of Jesus for His Bride – some call it the Rapture based upon Pauls words in 1 Corinthians 15:51-53 and upon Daniel 7. In fact, more than one Bible reading plan is right now pointing to all of this too. 1 Corinthians 15:51-53 says this “Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.” To me and many others, this passage speaks about Christ returning for His Bride.

It is a Biblical prophecy of the return itself and of what will happen at that time. We can trust this prophecy – assuming we all believe in the inerrancy of God’s Word. I am not concerned with Biblical prophecy today – it’s the prophecy of human origin that concern me. Everyone knows of the Harold Camping fiasco where a false prophecy was made very public only to fall flat on its face bringing all of Christianity into disrepute. I am sure there are a vast number of other, perhaps not so public, demonstrations of how not to prophesy.

The real problem is how to deal with prophecy and this is an area where the church has failed miserably to educate its people. Many churches don’t believe in prophecy at all so teach absolutely nothing on the subject. Others have very strictly controlled prophetic input to their congregations. Their main problem is that they use very un-prophetic people, usually ‘elders’, to ‘discern’ the validity of a prophecy. So if it sounds nice and cosy, or sort of ear-tickling, then give it, otherwise keep quiet and please sit down again. Real understanding of the prophetic in today’s church is so limited as to count as a resounding victory for the enemy. After all, Amos 3:7 says “Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.” And if you silence the prophets, then nothing will get through to the church. Satan 1 Church 0.

I really do think it’s about time the church at large started to take a little more interest in the gifts of the Spirit, in particular the gift of prophecy. Amos 3:7 is written in the present tense – “Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.” (emphasis mine) But how to start it off? That is the question. The Bible also says that ‘a prophet is without honour in his own town or land’. Most churches are quite resistant to change and prefer the status quo to remain constant. They don’t want anyone rocking their boat – “who wants prophecy anyway?”

In fact the majority of churches in the major denominations are against having anything like prophecy, or even healing in their midst lest it introduces unrest among the flock. As for deliverance ministry, well – just forget I ever spoke.

But it’s not a joke. How much is the church resisting God by resisting the prophetic. If it died out in the first century, then why are there so many prophets today? Why not take the Gamaliel position. If it is not of God then it won’t last and it won’t happen but if it is of God then at least give it the credit for being right and give it another hearing. Don’t judge the prophetic on just one prophecy either. Like anything else, it needs a fair trial period with plenty of input before you throw all of it away.

Otherwise, as they say here in England, you may well throw the baby out with the bath water.