Revelation 19:10 – “And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”
To prophesy is to speak forth the mind and heart of God under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Dick Iverson writes, “The gift of prophecy is speaking under the direct supernatural influence of the Holy Spirit. It is becoming God’s mouthpiece, to verbalize His words as the Spirit directs. The Greek word propheteia means ‘speaking forth the mind and counsel of God.’ It is inseparable in its New Testament usage with the concept of direct inspiration of the Spirit. Prophecy is the very voice of Christ speaking in the church. Prophecy is the very voice of Christ speaking in the church.” (i)
We do not speak prophetically to condemn, but to encourage. I Corinthians 14:3 says, “But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men." The New Living Translation reads, “But one who prophesies strengthens others, encourages them, and comforts them.”
Prophecy is revelatory. It will allow us to see things from God’s perspective. It reveals God’s heart for our lives. It reveals His love for us. Rob Winter, “prophecy is a heavenly invitation to a divine destination.”(ii) He continues, “Prophecy infuses hope. Hopelessness is the plague of the masses; a spiritual disease whose symptoms are passivity and mediocrity.” (iii)
Prophecy can impart vision, helping us to see beyond our current circumstances and focus on the bigger picture. We must remember that prophecy is in part. I Corinthians 13:9 says, “For we know in part and we prophesy in part.” It is a tool God uses to give us a glimpse of what He has planned for our lives. It gives us permission to pursue His plans for our lives.
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