Earnestly Desiring the gift of prophecy[1]
1 cor 14:1-25
1 Corinthians 14:1-25 (ESV)
The biblical church growth method – the active presence of God!
You
and I are called by God to understand and earnestly desire the gift of NT
prophecy that we may help build King of Grace church.
1.
Prophecy is A
non-canonical Speaking of a Revelation From God.
1.2.
Special
Revelation – the
Scriptures
1.4.
Distinguishing
New Testament Prophecy
1.6.
Conclusion to
Part A.
Prophecy is the speaking of non-canonical subordinate revelation.
It is subordinate
It is fallible and partial
It must be weighed.
It is to be earnestly desired.
2.
Prophecy is for
the good of God’s people
The question follows, “Why seek this gift then, if the very words of God written for us from scripture are so fantastic.” Good question, one that naturally follows from the truth of the greatness of God’s word, the bible. First, the bible itself tells us to earnestly desire to prophesy right in 1 Cor. 14:39 – we have to deal with that. Additionally, the picture of NT prophecy is a very favorable one, it is a gift that edifies, encourages and consoles. It is a gift that has tremendous power to reach those who do not yet believe. And, it is a gift that serves as a positive sign and blessing of the very presence of God amidst his people.
2.1.
Prophecy edifies,
encourages and consoles
1
Corinthians 14:1-25 (ESV)
3 On the other hand,
the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement
and consolation. 4
The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who
prophesies builds up the church.
Paul want the Corinthians to see the limitations of the gift of tongues in being able to edify others. As we covered last week, if folks don’t know what you are saying they can not benefit directly. So Paul recommends prophesy. NT prophecy has the power to do three wonderful things for God’s people. It builds, it encourages, it consoles. Let’s consider some examples from scripture. Turn to Acts 15.
Acts
15:32-33 (ESV)
32 And Judas and Silas, who were themselves
prophets, encouraged and strengthened the brothers with many words. 33
And after they had spent some time, they were sent off in peace by the
brothers to those who had sent them.
Here we have prophecy acting to build up God’s people. First,
we have Judas and Silas, prophets, encouraging and strengthening the church in
Now, I recognize this is speculation on my part, but given
what we know of NT prophecy and what we see in the word, something like this
probably was occurring. Can you
imagine what it would have been like for the believers at
I
remember watching my good friend S.D. and his wife S. receive great
encouragement through the prophetic ministry of a brother who didn’t know
them. You see, S.. had pastored in
a very problematic church some years early and had to resign because of
politics. He and S. were
considering pastoring again with some trepidation. This brother spoke directly to that and
the doubt and discouragement that still lingered without having any prior
knowledge of their situation. You could see the impact on them at the thought
that God knew their situation and cared about it. The brother then spoke great
encouragement by speaking of the faithfulness of God and his sense of how God
would restore them to ministry.
Today, my brother S. serves as a senior pastor of a thriving church in
Furthermore, we see in the life of Timothy how NT prophecy functioned. Turn to 1 Timothy.
1
Timothy 1:18 (ESV)
18 This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my
child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them
you may wage the good warfare,
1
Timothy 4:14 (ESV)
14 Do not neglect the gift you have, which was
given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on
you.
Apparently, Timothy was like you and me, he needed encouragement. He was tempted to shrink back it be timid perhaps. Paul reminds him of the prophecies given over his life, perhaps at the point of his ordination/commission as an elder. We don’t know exactly what was said but it probably was something specific about his call and the ways God would use him. I am sure that the prophetic words he received encouraged him greatly at the time. We see here that after many years they continue to serve an encouraging function.
Many members of the body receive similar encouragement from prophetic words. Many denominations that may not acknowledge NT prophecy as currently operating nevertheless insist that any pastor have a sense of God’s call. This is really the same thing. How important it is when God calls us to some task, a task that will have it’s challenges and disappointments, that we have a sense of his call. No, the call is nothing in comparison to our call in Christ to be his own. Nevertheless, it still helps tremendously. I can tell you quite frankly that pastoring is the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. At the same time, it is the most thrilling and rewarding thing I have ever done. But oh, how I need to be reminded that God has called me and not me. How I need to be reminded by all those prophetic words, both my own impressions and those of others, both those spoken and those held closely that he is the one doing all this and calling me. I remember many helpful words. Let me share one with you that helped greatly. I had just been at the SGM Pastors college with Peg and the kids. We had just left a church home we dearly loved and were seeking how God would lead us. This word came along side a process that involved many factors but nevertheless served to encourage and affirm what many already sensed. It gave us a strong sense that God is with us for it reported things as only God would know.
“The Lord showed me that you are like Abraham. And I believe he would call you back in your memory to a time where there was restlessness in your heart. Although He had planted you in a place for a time, there was a restlessness in your spirit and I just see you pacing and praying and looking up at the sky and going, ‘Lord, I feel like I’m home but why do I sense this restlessness in me?’..And I believe that at that time the Lord spoke to you about your future and you believed him just like Abraham did. And he said he was going to take you to another place and you said ‘I believe you Lord, I believe you Lord, here I am, send me…”
Given by J.W. at
Well, that was very true and accurately described our
situation before the pastors college at our home church in
Prophetic words are not always of the form of personal prophecy that includes details of someone’s past. My experience is that the majority of revelations from God for the purpose of prophesy come by the sudden reminder of a scripture or truth from scripture for someone. It might be something like what we experience in church. We are all worshipping together and suddenly the Lord quickens a passage to you. Perhaps its something about fixing your eyes on Jesus and the sense that some in the congregation are fixing their eyes elsewhere. That is NT prophecy and no less valid. Check out this prophetic word given in a local church a while ago:
Who will contend against me? Let him stand before me. It is I who delivered the condemned. It is I who gave life to the dead. It is I who raised up the buried. Who will argue with me? It is I, says Chris, who destroyed death. It is I who triumphed over the enemy. And trod down hell, and bound the strong man. And have snatched mankind up to the heights of heaven. It is I, says Christ. So then, come here all you families of men, weighed down by your sins and receive pardon for your misdeeds. For I am your pardon. I am the Passover which brings salvation. I am the Lamb slain for you. I am your cleansing bath. I am your life. I am your resurrection. I am your light. I am your salvation. I am your king. It is I who brings you up to the heights of heaven. It is I who gives your resurrection there. I will show you the eternal Father. I will raise you up with my own right hand.
Melito, ~180
a.d.
Have you heard a word like that ever? I have heard many. It is scripturally sound, it represents the heart of God well and there is a sense of God in it. Well, that one was from the year 180 AD. I trust there were many there on that day who experienced God speaking to them.
Some might say, of course that applies to someone, what is so special about that. But, when you’re the person who is there that Sunday and knows that God is speaking to you directly, you don’t see it that way. You realize that God knows your situation and cares about you and wants to speak to you for your good. There are many times this happens. It happens at times in sermons as well as during our sharing time. I have had people respond to me after a message as if I had talked to their closest friend in my preparation. That is God himself speaking according to his eternal truth. So, don’t feel like you need to cite what someone said in private in order for it to be a real prophetic word. If God quickens a scripture or truth to you and you have that sense that he wants you to share, go for it and trust the results to him. We are not called to a performance but to love and serve. Let us seek to take full advantage of this gift God has given for upbuilding and encouragement and consolation.
2.1.1. Excursus on Prophecy vs. NT Prophet
A little sidebar here, among many we could pursue. It is important that we distinguish between the NT gift of prophecy and the NT office of prophet. 1 Cor. 12-14 speaks of prophecy while Ephesians 4 speaks of the office of prophet. There are not a whole lot of people in the NT described as “prophets.” Silas, Judas and Agabus would be a few. Possibly some on Paul’s team and perhaps some Corinthians were prophets.
Acts
13:1 (ESV)
1 Now there were in the church at
Acts
15:32 (ESV)
32 And Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets,
encouraged and strengthened the brothers with many words.
Acts
21:10 (ESV)
10 While we were staying for many days, a prophet
named Agabus came down from
But not everyone who prophecies would be Eph. 4 prophets, just as everyone who teaches is not a pastor. Prophecy and prophet seem of an entirely different category. Prophets were men who lead the church with their prophetic gift through the office of NT prophet. This grouping of 4-5 offices are all authoritative leaders acting in some sort of pastoring/leading capacity. These are men operating in more than just the ability to prophecy.
The broadness of the gift indicated by the situation in
Ephesians
4:7-13 (ESV)
7 But grace was given to each one of us according to
the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 Therefore it says, “When he ascended
on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.” 9 (In
saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the
lower parts of the earth? 10 He who descended is the one who also
ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11
And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and
teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for
building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity
of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the
measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,
It is also interesting to note that the role of prophecy is not to directly rebuke nor authoritatively lead God’s people. That function falls on other gifts and roles. Paul the Apostle does not submit to prophecy as an apostle. Rather, he calls prophetic people to submit to him. Check out 1 Cor. 14.
1
Corinthians 14:37 (ESV)
37 If anyone thinks that he is a prophet,
or spiritual, he should acknowledge that the things I am writing to you are a
command of the Lord.
Additionally, we don’t see anywhere in the NT a prophet rebuke or directing someone on what to do. They may indicate what will happen, they may describe what is happening, they may even talk about someone’s sin in light of the goodness of God, but they are not standing authoritatively over someone as an apostle or even as a pastor. They are not OT prophets. Let us dismiss that paradigm from our minds. The equivalent of the OT prophet is really the NT Apostle – that is the 11+1 apostles, not modern day apostolic leaders. Thus there is now no equivalent of an OT prophet but the very word of God. This is an extremely important truth in handling this gift. We mustn’t be hanging on the next prophetic word, waiting to see what God would have us do. Prophecy comes along side of the authoritative word of God to encourage, strengthen and perhaps confirm what God is speaking through the leading of His word. Thus, prophetic people should not be seen as authorities in any sense. Elders and other leaders alone have this role.
New Testament prophecy is not primarily for guidance. It is for “strengthening, encouragement and comfort. Doctrine taught by elders is the primary source of guidance. – Dave Harvey
2.2.
Prophecy is a
sign of God’s favor
1
Corinthians 14:1-25 (ESV)
21 In the Law it is written, “By people
of strange tongues and by the lips of foreigners will I speak to this people,
and even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord.” 22 Thus
tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is a
sign not for unbelievers but for believers. 23 If, therefore, the
whole church comes together and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or
unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are out of your minds? 24
But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted
by all, he is called to account by all, 25 the secrets of his heart
are disclosed, and so, falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that
God is really among you.
An important corollary to the function of prophecy is what it says about his people. NT prophecy is a sign of God’s blessing and favor on his church. Take a look with me at 1 Cor. 14:21-25. Here Paul is contrasting the sign factor for tongues versus prophecy. He quotes Isaiah 28:11-12 where the unintelligible language of the invading Assyrians was a sign of God’s judgment and rejection of his rebellious people. As we saw last week, tongues are the anti-evangelism gift because they cause people who don’t’ understand their function to mock and miss out on God’s blessing. Therefore, we must require interpretation and seek gifts that are intelligible. Prophecy, an intelligible gift, is a sign as well. It is a sign to the unbeliever and believer alike of God’s blessing on believers. It is a gift that proclaims – the living speaking revealing God is active in this local church! Take a look at verse 24 and 25. The outsider realizes as a result of prophecy that God himself must be in the midst of these people. Talk about church growth methods!! This is the sort of visitor ministry we want to have. Isn’t that what many believers are desperately seeking for? Isn’t it what those God is drawing are searching for? They are searching for a church home where the living God himself is present, present to speak and bless, to reveal his precious glory and receive heartfelt worship. That is the sign of a healthy church – the active presence and blessing of God. This blessing comes through the right function of NT prophecy in all its forms. Are you searching for such a church? May we be a church who actively and desperately seeks the voice of our awesome and wonderful God! May we be a people who actively desire the spiritual gift of prophecy!
I believe this is what makes the difference between good preaching and great preaching. When we not only hear good truth but actually hear the living God himself through preaching, it makes all the difference. Check out what Martyn Lloyd-Jones says:
“Oh, there is preaching and preaching! What is the test of preaching? I will tell you; it is power!.. And that was the sort of preaching you had from the protestant reformers.’… ‘It was prophetic preaching, not priestly preaching. What we have today is what I would call priestly. Very nice, very quiet, very ornate, sentences turned beautifully, prepared carefully. That is not prophetic preaching’ – DMLJ as quoted by Sargent, The Sacred Anointing, p. 280
We want to hear the voice of the Lord in our midst. That is what makes us different from all the other people of the earth – God is in our midst!
Exodus
33:16 (ESV)
16 For how shall it be known that I have found favor
in your sight, I and your people? Is it not in your going with us, so that we
are distinct, I and your people, from every other people on the face of the
earth?”
Let us not despise this wonderful blessing of God’s voice in our midst through the many means of grace he gives us, especially the gift of NT prophecy!
2.3.
Prophecy is used
evangelisitically.
24 But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all, 25 the secrets of his heart are disclosed, and so, falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you.
Flowing from this blessing and sign of God’s presence and voice in our midst is the evangelistic function of the gift of NT prophecy. God grants revelation to his people and sometimes that revelation is about somebody in our midst who needs to know the Lord. This passage describes such a situation. Look in verse 24 and 25. The outsider comes into the midst of the congregation and they are practicing wise NT prophesy. He is convicted by all, he is called to account by all. How does this happen? Well, the secrets of his heart are disclosed in the context of NT prophecy. The Lord speaks through the prophecy to expose the person’s needs and sins and God’s call to them is also given. It is not just information that is shared but the sense of God’s presence as well. We see this in the ministry of Jesus in a very significant and powerful way. In John 4 the women at the well meets Jesus. Let’s look at the dialogue:
John 4:1-42
Similarly, we can be used of God in a like manner. Listen to how our friend Charles Spurgeon operated this way.
While preaching in the hall, on one occasion, I deliberately pointed to a man in the midst of the crowd, and said, ‘There is a man sitting there, who is a shoemaker; he keeps his shop open on Sundays, it was open last Sabbath morning, he took ninepence, and there was fourpence profit out of it, his soul is sold to Satan for fourpence!’
A city missionary, when going on his rounds, met with this man, and seeing that he was reading one of my sermons, he asked the question, ‘Do you know Mr. Spurgeon?’ ‘Yes,’ replied the man, ‘I have every reason to know him, I have been to hear him; and, under his preaching, by God’s grace I have become a new creature in Christ Jesus. Shall I tell you how it happened? I went to the Music Hall, and took my seat in the middle of the place; Mr. Spurgeon looked at me as if he knew me, and in his sermon he pointed to me, and he told the congregation that I was a shoemaker, and that I kept my shop open on Sundays; and I did, sir. I should not have minded that; but he also said that I took ninepence the Sunday before, and that there was fourpence profit out of it. I did take ninepence that day, and fourpence was just the profit; but how he should know that, I could not tell. Then it struck me that it was God who had spoken to my soul through him, so I shut up my shop the next Sunday. At first, I was afraid to go again to hear him, lest he should tell the people more about me; but afterwards I went, and the Lord met with me, and saved my soul.’
I could tell as many as a dozen similar cases in which I pointed at somebody in the hall without having the slightest knowledge of the person, or any idea that what I said was right, except that I believed I was moved by the Spirit to say it…And not only so, but I have known many instances in which the thoughts of men have been revealed from the pulpit."
(From the autobiography of Spurgeon, quoted in "The Gift of Prophecy" by Wayne Grudem, p.356-7)
I have a childhood friend who came to the Lord through a prophetic word. He attended a small group meeting and one of the guys in the group shared something to the effect that someone in the room had been going through a particular struggle and had asked God for help in a certain way and that God was calling him. Well it described my friend to a tee and he put his faith in Christ that day.
On another occasion Peg and I were at an Alpha retreat and one of the ladies in our group was being drawn to the Lord. She had got involved with some pretty serious sin in her past and had trouble believing God could accept her because of the seriousness of her sin, abortion in this case. A friend came up to pray for her, someone who had never met our Alpha friend, she began to share that she sensed that she had been involved in a serious sin and had trouble believing that God could forgive her. Well you can imagine how God used that in our Alpha friend’s life. Right now she is a solid believer, married and thriving in a sister church.
Let us eagerly desire this gift, that God may use it to draw
unbelievers in our midst to himself!
That he might be greatly glorified and they might come to know true life
in Him!!
3.
We must earnestly
Desire Prophecy.
1
Corinthians 14:1-25 (ESV)
1 Pursue love, and earnestly desire the
spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. .
39
So, my brothers, earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking
in tongues.
Let’s close with where we started. We are to pursue love and earnestly desire spiritual gifts, especially that we may prophesy. Hopefully you are convinced of the biblical reasons to pursue this gift, hopefully you are freshly motivated and hopefully, above all else, you have heard God speaking to you in all this!
Here are some helpful guidelines and approached to help us in our pursuit of this wonderful gift.
Nuts and bolts & Governing of prophecy and the Sunday mtg. – next week.
Ø Earnestly desiring and pursuing. Let’s do it right now – corporately.
Ø Asking the Holy Spirit to come.
Ø Clinic?
Ø Worship and Waiting.
[1] This teaching borrows extensively from a
series of messages given by Bauer Evans of