Reclaiming Prophecy. Darin Slack
Each gift/calling continues in individuals raised up within their generation as an ongoing expression of Christ’s faithful love for His Church. Each man takes up the mantle to fulfill the work of equipping and building up the Church until He dies, or Christ returns. Regardless of how men have changed the titles by denomination or doctrine, the Holy Spirit is still using these offices to grow and mature His church. Changing the label to suit our interpretation of Scripture doesn’t change what He is doing, or how He is using those He has chosen.
These are ministry gifts put in people directly chosen by Christ, with resident callings distinct from periodic manifestations of the Spiritual gifts. They are given to the Church by His will, and accountable to Christ to fulfill those callings.
Spiritual Gifts - Gifts Given by the Spirit to the Church
The Holy Spirit made sure prophetic ministry remained in the New Covenant (Acts 11:28, 13:1, 15:32, 21:10), even knowing that we would have the Bible. He made sure the prophet was included in the gifts that Jesus gave to the Church (Eph. 4:11). He also commanded that we eagerly desire the gift of prophecy above all others (1 Cor. 14:1).
We need to reexamine the Holy Spirit’s intent in elevating this gift. If we can understand the New Testament purposes of prophecy revealed in Scripture, then we may find ourselves appreciating afresh the prophetic ministry.
These spiritual gifts are known as charismata, or “gifts of grace” and are given individually to each believer according to 1 Cor.12:7 (“To each is given...”), as the Spirit wills. We each have gifts “that differ according to the grace given to us” (Rom. 12:6). The goal of all the spiritual gifts should be to “strive to excel in the building up of the church” (1 Cor. 14:12).
Each believer should know what grace gifts are flowing in them and earnestly desire the higher gifts, especially prophecy (1 Cor. 12:31, 14:1). The spiritual gifts are listed in different locations in Scripture. Below are listed the most notable spiritual gift locations. There are additional gifts noted in the Scripture such as celibacy, martyrdom, hospitality, missionary, and voluntary poverty, but for our purposes here, these are the most commonly discussed, and observed, “grace” gifts. Italicized gifts are mentioned in multiple verses:
Romans 12
exhortation
giving
leadership
mercy
prophecy
service
teaching
1 Corinthians 12
administration
apostle
prophet
discernment
faith
healing
helps
knowledge
miracles
prophecy
teaching
tongues
tongues interpretation
wisdom
Ephesians 4
apostle
evangelist
pastor
prophet
teacher
It’s interesting to note that the word prophet, or prophecy, occurs in all three lists of gifts. This isn’t to highlight the importance of the person being used in prophecy, but rather the significance of the gift itself in Paul’s mind to the Church. To recap, Paul elevates prophecy in 1 Corinthians 14, because it builds up the Church (:12) and it’s a sign that “God is really among us” (:25).
Prophecy has been defined as speaking, or reporting, what God brings to mind. God speaks, we listen, and we share. That sharing can be in many ways and contexts, but if we shared something we believe God put on our heart for someone or a group, there’s a good chance we prophesied.
We can change the term to “impression,” or “thought,” but the truth remains that if we attribute any of the revelation we received to the Holy Spirit, we prophesied. Demystifying this process puts prophetic ministry back within reach of the Church, right where it belongs.
But we can go too far. If we say it’s just a counseling concept, or an insight of grace, we downplay the gift from God and the glory it affords Him. We have a chance in prophecy to draw everyone’s attention and affection upward to God, but we can instead direct it toward men and their wisdom in sharing.
Does God need us to say it’s a prophecy for anointing to flow? Absolutely not, but it’s not a stretch to suggest that when we open our hearts to the flow of the Spirit in a ministry moment, we usually see the glory of God revealed in a unique way.
I was refused a job in an evangelical context because of my charismatic doctrinal position. In the exit meeting, this evangelical brother graciously shared that our doctrinal differences were a deal-breaker. But in his very next breath, he said he was praying for me before our meeting. He felt the Lord “impressed” something upon His heart about me.
This kind brother, who withheld a job because I believed in gifts and prophecy while he did not, was now going to share a prophecy he received about me in prayer before I arrived. He felt God showed him that I “would be given another opportunity very soon to be involved in Christian education” and that I “would be used mightily in the athletic arena.”
He added that he sensed from the Lord that I might be prone to discouragement and that I wasn’t to be upset by this setback, but that it was not the Lord’s timing for this job.
He was right; a job as a Christian school Athletic Director soon followed.
In this brother’s experience and doctrine, he had received an “impression from the Lord.” The Bible calls that “prophecy.” Was God any less glorified in how he shared?
No, but a wall of doctrinal distinction was raised that diminished the glory rightly due God.
This brother received a clear prophetic message for me while disbelieving in prophecy. It was still a powerful and poignant life-changing prophecy for me, but what if this brother had a fully surrendered, faith-filled heart for God to speak to and through him? He has the door cracked open to hear to some degree, but what if he threw it open to the Holy Spirit?
This is the invitation of the prophetic for all of us, to experience the voice of God in a way that reveals Him in a greater form that doesn’t leave any of us the same again.
If we hope to see God transform our lives and churches as we’ve prayed, we must be willing to move the dial of our doctrinal posturing from “impressions” from the Spirit to “immersion” in the Spirit as our only hope.
Chapter 5
Distinctions of Prophecy
1) The Prophecy of Scripture (2 Peter 1:20; 2 Tim. 3:16)
A guiding gift from the Spirit
The closed canon of Scripture is the central thrust of the Holy Spirit’s fulfillment of His job description noted in John 14:26b: “…he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” Peter references the Bible as “prophecy” (2 Peter 1:20) because that is what it is, uniquely inspired writings of men who were led by the Holy Spirit in a manner unique in all of human history. This Spirit-inspired compilation is the pinnacle of prophecy to men from God. There is nothing equal to it, nor will it be repeated or added to in any way, ever. However, this does not preclude the Holy Spirit from applying it, interpreting it, and working through it to reveal His present will to believers.
The