What Is The Gift Of Prophecy?

Someone recently asked me what the gift of prophecy is. This was my response to the question. I thought it will be good to share it with you ladies and prayerfully is will help you especially; those that may want to know more about this gift or those that may believe they have this gift. Be blessed

Literal meaning to speak before, to hear and repeat what God says, to interpret what God says.

Description

The gift of prophecy is the special ability that God gives to certain members of the body of Christ to receive and communicate an immediate message from God to His people through a divinely appointed utterance, and to reveal truth and proclaim it in a timely and relevant manner for understanding, correction, repentance, or edification.

Bible references

Theory                                             Practice

Romans 12:61                                           Isaiah 58:1

Corinthians                                               John 4:16-19

Ephesians 4:11-14:1, 3, 24, 25           Acts 15:32

 

Characteristic

People with this gift:

•   Expose sin or deception in others for the purpose of reconciliation;
•   Speak a timely word from God causing conviction, repentance, and edification;
•  See Biblical truth that others often fall to see, and challenge them to respond;
•   Warn of God's immediate or future judgment if there is no repentance;
•  Understand God's heart and mind through experiences the Lord takes them through.

Personal traits and behaviours

A person with this gift is usually:

Discerning

Authoritative

Convicting

Confronting

Determined

Courageous

Uncompromising

Warning

People with this gift:

	need to be aware that listeners may reject the  message if not spoken with love and compassion;
	need to avoid pride which can create a demanding  or discouraging spirit that hinders the gift;
	should remember that discernment and Scripture  must support and agree with each prophecy.

The gift of prophecy edifies, exhorts, and comforts 

(I Corinthians 14:3); helps us build up or strengthen; and should lead us to the Word of God. It is the ministry of the Holy Spirit to convict of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment to come (John 16:8-11).

Prophecy is divinely inspired and anointed utterance; a supernatural proclamation in a known language. It is the manifestation of the Spirit of God - not of intellect 
(I Corinthians 12:7), and it may be possessed and operated by all who have the infilling of the Holy Spirit 
(I Corinthians 14:31)

Intellect, faith, and will are operative in this gift, but its exercise is not intellectually based. It is calling forth words from the Spirit of God. The gift of prophecy operates when there is high worship 
(I Samuel 10:5-6), when other prophets are present 
(I Samuel 10:9-10), and when hands are laid on you by ministers (Acts 19:1-6).

Some Common Misconceptions About Prophecy
The gift of prophecy (I Corinthians 12) and the office of the prophet (Ephesians 4:11) are not the same thing.
There is a ministry of the prophet, but not everyone is a prophet. For example, a man may wear Tim Tibow's #15 jersey, but that does not mean he plays professional football for the Denver Broncos. You may prophesy, but operating in the simple gift of prophecy does not qualify you to stand in the office of a prophet, much like wearing Tim Tibow's #15 jersey does not qualify you to play football for the Denver Broncos - you must be gifted. To stand in the office of a prophet, one must have a consistent manifestation of at least two of the revelation gifts (word of wisdom, word of knowledge, or discerning of spirits) plus prophecy.