Prophecy

Foundation for life: Holy Spirit's "remaining" presence and power upon us and our lives being an open heaven are directly related to our identity. Living as dearly loved and royal sons and daughters! (Matt. 3:13-17) You live from (not for) love, favor, acceptance and victory! You are a new creation and continually being transformed into the image of Christ, from glory to glory! (2 Cor. 3:17, 18) Your whole being has been made alive in Christ and you are seated with Him in heavenly realms. (Eph. 2:4-7) The work is finished! We live and minister to others out of rest.

The difference between Prophets and Prophecy: 

• To be a prophet (or prophetess) is a calling to an office to help govern and guide the Body of Christ. (Eph 2:11-16) Just because you prophesy does not mean you are a prophet. This calling needs to be confirmed by the Lord Himself and confirmed by other leaders in the body of Christ.
• A prophet is called to equip the body with eyes to see and ears to hear. They create a healthy prophetic culture in the body and raise up prophetic people. 
• Prophets themselves are the gift to the body where prophecy is a gift that believers can function in. 

The Prophetic Gift: 

• We are to earnestly desire spiritual gifts. Earnestly desire means to "lust after"! Especially that you may prophesy! (1 Cor. 14:1-3) Why? Prophecy is for edification and exhortation (encouragement) and consolation (comfort). 
• "The primary purpose of the gift of prophecy is not to direct or correct the Body of Christ, but rather to encourage the church. We should never allow people who are ministering in the gift of prophecy to speak negatively into the lives of others. The goal of the gift of prophecy is to bring out the best in people! We are to mine the gold that is within the dirt and find hidden treasures in people's lives. If we see negative things in someone's life we are ministering to, we are to ask the Holy Spirit to give us the answer to the problem we discern. Then we prophesy the answer-not the problem. That way, the person we are prophesying to will receive grace to solve their problem." (1 Sam. 9:19)
• "For example, if we are ministering to someone and discern that they are struggling with pornography, the Holy Spirit will often give us a prophetic word for them such as: "God is calling you to a new level of purity and holiness." In this way, we have prophesied the answer without speaking about the problem and have released grace to break the bondage of pornography." (Kris Vallotton "Basic Training for the Prophetic Ministry")
• Anyone who is saved and has received the baptism of the Holy Spirit can minister in the gifts of the Spirit. (Acts 10:38) We need to be empowered supernaturally!
• "For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be exhorted." (encouraged) (1 Cor. 14:31)
• "And it shall be in the last days, God says, that I will pour forth of My Spirit on all mankind; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even on my bond slaves, both men and women, I will in those days pour of My Spirit and they shall prophesy." (Acts 2:17-18) 
• Prophecy in its purist sense is "foretelling" - to know the future and "forth telling" - to cause the future. (Example: Ezekial and the dry bones) Prophecy can also confirm something God is presently doing in a person's life.
• Three Parts of Prophecy: Revelation, Interpretation and Application. When God stops speaking, we should too!
• Never, never, never use the prophetic to manipulate! (1 Cor. 13:9-11) Don't ever say "thus says the Lord". Say: "this is what I am sensing the Lord saying" and then submit the word to them. (New Covenant is "word perceived") (1 Thes. 5:19-22) We test the prophecy, not the prophet or person giving the word. 
• Not everything you are discerning about others is to be shared with them. Sometimes you simply need to pray until you get God's heart for them. God wants to trust us with His heart for others.
• Prophetic people need to be subject to other prophetic people and submitted to church leadership. There are no "lone rangers" in the kingdom!
• Always be willing to take risk as the Spirit leads.

Prophetic ministry can change people's hearts and alter their destiny!

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• (1 Sam. 9:19-22) Samuel called out the greatness in Saul where he was filled with low self-esteem. 
• (1 Sam. 10:5-6) Saul's heart was changed and his destiny forever altered!
• Prophecy will also alter the destiny of the unbeliever. (1 Cor. 14:24-25) We need to re-present Jesus to the world by calling out the greatness in people and who God called them to be.
• "Some believe that calling out greatness in people promotes pride. True humility is not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less. The truth of God's grace humbles a man without degrading him and exalts a man without inflating him." ("Basic Training for the Prophetic Ministry" Kris Vallotton) 

Stephen Bell