By Steven Lambert
[Note: The following article is an excerpt from the book, The Prophetic Gifts and Office, written by Steven Lambert, which is the manual for a course of the same title.]
THE MANIFESTATION GIFT OF PROPHECY
FOUNDATION SCRIPTURE: 1 COR. 12, 13, 14
PRESENT TRUTH IS EVER–EVOLVING UNTIL PERFECT (KNOWLEDGE) COMES
“…and be established in the PRESENT TRUTH.” (1 Pet. 1:12)
“…as for knowledge, it will pass away [that is, it will lose its value and be superseded by truth]. For our knowledge is fragmentary (incomplete and imperfect), and our prophecy (our teaching) is fragmentary (incomplete and imperfect). But when the complete and perfect [total] comes, the incomplete and imperfect will vanish away—become antiquated, void and superseded. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; now that I have become a man, I am done with childish ways and have put them aside. For now we are looking in a mirror that gives only a dim (blurred) reflection [of reality as in a riddle or enigma], but then [when perfection comes] we shall see in reality and face to face! Now I know in part (imperfectly); but then I shall know and understand fully and clearly, even in the same manner as I have been fully and clearly known and understood [by God].” (First Corinthians 13:8-12, Amplified Bible)
The entrance of God’s Word gives light, or illumination of the Truth (Psa. 119:130). By and by, throughout the ages, God has been dispelling spiritual darkness in the Church by gradually revealing more and more Truth and by gradually giving us greater illumination of the Truth. As a result, the Church’s understanding of the Truth is becoming more and more complete and perfected. This is what the Holy Spirit means in His allusion to being “established in present Truth.” Certainly, it is not that the Truth of God changes or needs up-dating, but rather this refers to the Church’s understanding of the Truth. This process seems to be especially accelerated in these last days in which much fresh Truth is being revealed to the Church through a “new breed” of Fivefold Ministers.
As the above Scripture (especially in the Amplified Bible’s paraphrase) indicates, partial and incomplete knowledge is continuously being superseded by more complete and perfect knowledge through the revelation of new illumination of the Truth. As we move closer toward the coming of perfect knowledge, it may now be that God is revealing fresh illumination of the Truth regarding the subject of the “manifestations of the Spirit” as well, especially the prophetic gifts. The Charismatic Movement brought forth a restoration of and renewed awareness in the “charismata gifts” of the Spirit. However, that restoration and renewed awareness was centered primarily around the revelation and power gifts. Though there was sporadic use of the prophetic giftings during that move in some circles, by and large, the prophetic realm was a less explored and expounded upon subject, and the prophetic arm of the Church remained to be neglected, largely undeveloped, and was kept at an arm’s distance. This always was a source of great concern to me, and I never could understand why God would allow this to be so year after year after year, knowing all along myself that the prophetic realm and the prophetic arm of the Church was almost a completely untapped resource of tremendous power and strength to the Church. But it seemed as though this area was a “sealed up” chapter in the book of divine knowledge.
But how wondrous are the ways of God! After all those years, the Lord has now initiated a new and separate movement in which the prophetic realm is being established within the Church. The winds of restoration of the prophetic realm have already begun to blow throughout the Church, and God is bringing fresh revelation and illumination to the Church concerning this previously neglected area of Truth. Perhaps to some, much of the content of this section will be “new” revelation, while to others it may offer more clarity regarding the prophetic realm—both are needed.
1 COR. 12:1 INFORMED, NOT IGNORANT
God desires for all believers to be INFORMED, NOT IGNORANT concerning the manifestation gifts of the Spirit, just as He desires for us to be informed about every other matter of the Spirit realm. Yet, there is perhaps more ignorance regarding this one matter than any other.
One of the remnants ostensibly of the Dark Ages in the Church which is still prevalent in many churches today is the ridiculous hypothesis that ignorance about spiritual matters perceived by some to be potentially erroneous should be totally avoided and that one should emulate the ostriches and bury his head in the sand so as to not even look upon anything which may be unorthodox or different than the traditional beliefs. Many denominational churches still teach that kind of childish and medieval-like behavior even for their adult church members pertaining to the matter of the baptism in the Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit, and related spiritual matters. Non-Pentecostal/Charismatic preachers and church leaders admonish their parishioners against becoming involved with Charismatic groups with such foolish statements as “you better stay away from those tongue-talkers and those ‘holy-rollers’ and those ‘snake-handlers’ lest some of that what they’ve got might get on you.” The premise of their thinking is that ignorance and avoidance of anything different than the traditional doctrines of that denomination is the way to prevent deception.
Nothing could be further from the Truth! Even the pagan Bereans had more spiritual sense than that, for when they heard the preaching by Paul of “another Way” than what they had known, they “received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11). The only way to know whether a teaching is true or false is to examine it in the light of Scripture. The deception preventative prescribed by God’s Word is to “Test and prove all things [until you can recognize] what is good; to that hold fast” (1 Thes. 5:21, A.B); and the only way we can test and prove any spiritual matter is by comparing it to Holy Scripture. If God’s Word says it, then it is so.
As discussed in Lesson 17, ignorance or avoidance of something is no safeguard against deception. God said His people are destroyed because of “lack of knowledge.” Lack of knowledge, or ignorance, of the Truth is what causes us to be destroyed. Knowledge itself never destroys—lack of knowledge does. It’s not even knowledge of the untrue or the erroneous that destroys us, but rather lack of knowledge of the Truth! (Note: Though the following comments were presented in the context of Lesson 17, they bear repeating here.)
Believers must always receive TRUTH by FAITH, and never FEAR it! It is FEAR of DECEPTION that we must reject. FEAR OF DECEPTION will not protect us from it, but will only produce it. FAITH in God is our only true protection against evil and deception. Jesus said to pray this way, “Our Father, which art in Heaven…deliver us from evil.”
2 Tim. 1:7 FEAR is an evil SPIRIT, emanating from Satan, not God. Fear is the opposite of faith and produces the opposite results of faith. Faith is a real, effectual spiritual force of the Kingdom of God which produces those things that are desired. Fear is a real spiritual force of the kingdom of Satan that produces the things that are not desired. Job said, “The thing I have FEARED the most HAS COME UPON ME!”
1 John 4:1-6 Believers need not fear DECEIVING SPIRITS, because we have ALREADY OVERCOME THEM.
2 Thes. 3:7-12 Love of and acceptance of the TRUTH is the only safeguard against DECEPTION and subjection to false signs and wonders. It is those who refuse to become informed about and matured in the matter of spiritual gifts who will be more and more vulnerable to deception and false signs and wonders.
Supernatural gifts from God are the GENUINE—THE REAL THING!! Supernatural gifts originated with God, not the devil. Satan is the one who counterfeits the genuine gifts of God, not the other way around! The very existence of the occultic counterfeit signs and wonders is proof-positive of the existence of the genuine supernatural gifts of God.
The PROPHETIC realm is PART AND PARCEL OF JESUS AND DIVINE TRUTH. Thus, we must not fear it or reject it. Shying away from or resisting the prophetic realm because of fear of deception is itself deception and is precisely what the devil wants to cause believers to do so that they will not use the supernatural weapons of their warfare (2 Cor. 10:4) to defeat him and his kingdom. To Satan, neutralization is victory. Discouragement-caused RETREAT is tantamount to DEFEAT.
1 COR. 12:7 MANIFESTATIONS OF THE SPIRIT—FOR THE COMMON GOOD
The Apostle Paul’s entire dissertation in chapters 12, 13, 14 of First Corinthians concerns the nine supernatural “manifestations of the Spirit”. All nine of these gifts of the Spirit, according to the above passage, are FOR THE COMMON GOOD, that is to say they are primarily manifested in the public congregational forum, for the corporate benefit of those assembled. According to this Scripture, these manifestations are most likely to be manifested in the congregational forum (“where two or three are gathered together in My name”) as opposed to the private and personal life of an individual believer.
It is in this public congregational forum that the manifestations of the Spirit are most frequently and commonly manifested and demonstrated. For instance, the working of miracles, the gifts of healings, and faith seem to be activated and manifested more commonly “where two or three are gathered together,” for “the common good,” than they are in the personal life of an individual for the “private” benefit of that individual. This demonstrates the importance of the corporate anointing (John 14:12).
The verses immediately following the listing of the manifestations of the Spirit (1 Cor. 12:12-27) seem to be focusing upon and emphasizing this matter of these manifestations being especially operational in the corporate Body of Christ, which, though it consists of individual members, is individual members related to and needful of one another and assembled together corporately. “But one and the same Spirit works all these things (the manifestations of the Spirit), distributing to each one individually as He wills.” The “will” of the Spirit seems to encompass an especial preference for distributing these manifestations and causing them to operate when the corporate Body of Christ congregates together, reinforcing the Lord’s insistence that we be continually cognizant of our need for one another. For instance, while it is possible for a sick believer to lay hands upon himself and produce his recovery, that seems to be a rare occurrence; rather, it seems that healing virtue is more often released into the body of the infirmed through the laying on of hands by another believer.
1 COR. 12:4-6 THREE VARIETIES OF GIFTS, EACH BESTOWED BY A DIFFERENT MEMBER OF THE GOD-HEAD
(v. 6) God The Father: MOTIVATION GIFTS (Rom. 12:4-8).
(v. 5) God The Son: MINISTRY GIFTS (Eph. 4:7-11).
(v. 4) God The Holy Spirit: MANIFESTATION GIFTS (1 Cor. 12:8-10).
GENERAL DEFINITION OF THE MANIFESTATIONS GIFTS
Nine supernatural manifestations operated by the Holy Spirit, through His initiation and inspiration, at His sole discretion, through any willing and obedient believer He wills, to perform His will and purposes for the common good of others.
THE NINE MANIFESTATION GIFTS DIVIDED INTO THREE MAIN CATEGORIES
PROPHETIC GIFTS:
- Prophecy
- Diversities of Tongues
- Interpretation of Tongues
REVELATION GIFTS:
- Word of Wisdom
- Word of Knowledge
- Discernment of Spirits
POWER GIFTS:
- Faith
- Working of Miracles
- Gifts of Healings
THE PROPHETIC GIFTS ARE THE GREATER GIFTS
1 Cor. 12:31 “But earnestly desire the greater gifts.”
Among the manifestation gifts of the Spirit, there are “GREATER” gifts, that is to say, some gifts have a greater spiritual impact and require a greater anointing to operate than others. The term “greater gifts” also indicates there is an order of ascendency among the three categories of manifestation gifts as well as within each category. In other words, of the three categories of manifestation gifts, some are greater than the others, and each category has an order of importance as well. For example—
1 Cor. 14:5 “and GREATER is one who PROPHESIES than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets….”
This verse presents an example of “greater gifts” within a category of manifestation gifts. According to this verse, among the Vocal Gifts, prophecy is the greatest, interpretation of tongues is next, then tongues. Not only is the gift greater, but the “one who prophesies”, according to this verse, is operating in a greater level of the anointing than the “one who speaks in tongues.” The exception to this is—”unless he interprets,” meaning that if the person who speaks the message in tongues also interprets, then he is operating equally in anointing, gifting, and equipping as the “one who prophesies.”
1 Cor. 14:1 “Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but ESPECIALLY that you may PROPHESY….”
This passage indicates that PROPHESY is to be desired above all the other nine spiritual manifestations of the Spirit. He exhorts believers to “ESPECIALLY,” above all the other gifts, covet to “PROPHESY” . Because “tongues” with “interpretation of tongues” is equivalent to and is a varied form of “prophecy” (see explanation below), “Prophecy” is actually representative of the entire category of the Vocal Gifts. Hence, believers should desire to operate the Vocal Gifts more than all the other manifestation gifts.
1 Cor. 14:5 “Now I wish that you all spoke in tongues, but EVEN MORE that you would PROPHESY….”
Here the Holy Spirit indicates through the Apostle Paul that He desires for every believer to speak in tongues, but “EVEN MORE” that all believers would “PROPHESY”. Again we see that PROPHECY should be the most desired gift of the Vocal gifts.
1 Cor. 14:1-4 “Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may PROPHESY. FOR…one who prophesies SPEAKS TO MEN for EDIFICATION and EXHORTATION and CONSOLATION…one who prophesies EDIFIES THE CHURCH.”
Believers are exhorted to earnestly desire the operation of the manifestations of the Spirit through their lives. We are exhorted more specifically to “ESPECIALLY” desire earnestly the operation of the gift of prophecy through us above all the other manifestation gifts. But it is the word “FOR” that is key to this passage, which indicates that the reason for that which has just been stated follows. This word “for” is synonymous with the word “because.” The reason cited for the exhortation to desire to prophesy above operation of all the other gifts is that “one who prophesies speaks to men,” meaning the one who prophesies speaks messages from God to men. The import here is that to speak on behalf of God unto men (prophecy) is the operation of the Spirit that performs the greatest benefit unto the recipients, though it also bears the greatest responsibility unto the one who prophesies.
Beyond that, we are told that further reason for us to “covet to prophesy” even more than we desire to operate any of the other manifestation gifts is because of the surpassing value of the benefits of prophecy, which are: EDIFICATION, EXHORTATION, and COMFORT. Apparently, the Holy Spirit is telling us here that beyond healing, miracles, and supernatural revelation, the greatest need of believers is to be edified (spiritually charged-up as a battery is charged-up), exhorted (encouraged, entreated, admonished), and comforted (consoled, cheered up, encouraged).
Despite the invaluable benefit of prophecy to the individual, we are told that there is a surpassing benefit when one prophesies, which is that it “edifies THE CHURCH.” In other words, when a member of the Church is edified, exhorted, and comforted, the accumulative effect is that the collective Church is edified.
Also the Reason the Devil Despises Prophecy
Once, as I was in prayer in my hotel room just prior to the start of one of my prophetic seminars, I was going over my notes, and as I came to this portion, the Lord said to me, “This is why the devil hates prophecy so much!” At the time, though we were having tremendous meetings in which many people were healed, delivered, and greatly ministered to prophetically, we were also the target of some devil-inspired resistance perpetrated by a few insecure preachers and church leaders who were jealous of the stir our meetings were creating. To cover their true motivations, they tried to dissuade their church members from attending the seminars by making statements that served only to demonstrate their ignorance regarding the prophetic realm. The Lord told me they were just pawns of the devil, who was the real perpetrator of the resistance because he despised prophecy!
Then, the Lord told me that the reason the devil despises prophecy so much is that prophecy EDIFIES THE CHURCH. The last thing that the devil wants is for the Church collectively and its individual members to be spiritually edified (charged-up). The devil’s power is very limited. His success depends primarily on his ability to deceive and to discourage. He does all he can to keep us from knowing who we really are in Christ and the surpassing power that we have over him and his kingdom. When we begin to understand some of these things, he then does all he can to keep us discouraged and neutralized, which is tantamount to defeat for us and victory for the devil. But, this is the very purpose and benefit of prophecy: to edify, exhort, and encourage us. And, if there has ever been a time when believers need to be edified, exhorted, and encouraged it is the complex and difficult days in which we live today. In light of this it is no wonder that the devil is instigating so much resistance to the prophetic move of God in the Church.
1 COR. 12:10 THE UTTERANCE (VOCAL) GIFTS
The Utterance or Vocal Gifts are one of the three categories of the manifestations of the Spirit, consisting of prophecy, tongues, and interpretation of tongues. They could also be correctly referred to as the “Prophetic Gifts.” It is the Utterance Gifts that are pertinent to this course, and thus our focus of attention.
DEFINING THE MANIFESTATION GIFT OF PROPHECY
1 Cor. 14:3,4 “…ONE WHO PROPHESIES speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation…ONE WHO PROPHESIES edifies the church.”
A supernatural, ecstatic, and spontaneous utterance through the unction and inspiration of the Holy Spirit spoken or portrayed through a believer either in the common language of the hearers or in a tongue unknown to the hearers accompanied by an interpretation of the unknown tongues for the common benefit of the hearers.
“Prophesy” means to speak a message on behalf of someone else. In the spiritual sense, it means to speak on behalf of God.
Prophecy is a message from God to a person or a group.
THE FUNCTION AND BENEFITS OF PROPHECY
1 Cor. 14:3,4 “…ONE WHO PROPHESIES speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation…ONE WHO PROPHESIES edifies the church.”
There are three primary functions of the Manifestation Gift of Prophecy:
- edification—to spiritually charge up as a battery is charged up, spiritually strengthen, to impart;
- exhortation—to advise, admonish, entreat, urge, warn, prompt;
- consolation—to encourage, cheer up, comfort.
THE EFFECTS AND FRUIT OF PROPHECY
1 Cor. 14:22-25 “…but prophecy is for a sign…to those who believe…But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an ungifted man enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all; the secrets of his heart are disclosed; and so he will fall on his face and worship God, declaring that God is certainly among you.”
Besides the function of communicating a message from God to edify, exhort, and console a congregation, the purpose of prophecy is to serve as a supernatural “sign” especially to believers.
There are also six effects listed in the above passages which prophecy (in the common language of the congregation or in foreign tongues with interpretation) is intended to have upon the unbelieving and the “ungifted” (those not baptized in the Holy Spirit):
- conviction of sin;
- call to accountability;
- disclosure of the secrets of the heart;
- effect godly sorrow, repentance, and submission to God;
- effect sincere worship of God;
- effect a recognition of the power of God and His presence in the midst of that assembly of believers.
THE QUESTION OF WHO SHOULD PROPHESY
1 Cor. 14:5 “Now I wish that you all spoke in tongues, but EVEN MORE that you would PROPHESY….”
God desires for ALL believers to speak in tongues. But, as much as He desires for all believers to speak in tongues, “EVEN MORE” He desires for ALL believers to PROPHESY. Perhaps, we have had such an emphasis in the Charismatic Movement on all believers availing themselves of their entitlement to speak in tongues that we have under-emphasized the fact that God desires even more that all believers would prophesy. This notion that all believers can prophesy would admittedly be foreign to many. Nevertheless, it is Scriptural, though obviously it cannot be done at the will of the believer any more than the other gifts can be operated at the will of the believer, but only, we recognize, “as the Spirit wills.”
This idea may be harmonious with and further supported by another unusual and otherwise puzzling story found in Numbers 11:24-29. (Summarizing—)
The Lord came down and took of the Spirit who was upon Moses and placed Him upon the seventy elders.
When the Spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But they did not do it again.
Two other men—laymen, not among the seventy elders—had remained in the camp—Eldad (“loved of God”) and Medad (“would be loving). The Spirit also rested upon them, and they also prophesied in the camp.
This was like a “Charismatic Movement” among the Hebrews. To some of Moses’ proteges it was blasphemous for these ordinary laymen to be prophesying, and a challenge to Moses’ spiritual elitism. Thus, they became indignant, and appealed for Moses to “restrain them.” But Moses refused to censor or hinder them, saying, “Are you jealous for my sake? (I) Would that ALL the Lord’s people were prophets, that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them!”
This passage shatters all the “exclusivity” and “elitist” notions held by some regarding the operation of manifestations of the Spirit. It demonstrates categorically that the Holy Spirit can manifest Himself through any willing believer He desires to manifest through, and indeed is an encouragement to every believer to be willing to be used by the Holy Spirit in the manifestation gifts of the Spirit. (NOTE: to be consistent with 1 Cor. 12:29 and other New Testament passages distinguishing between the “gift of prophecy” and the “office of the prophet,” the term “prophets” in this passage must allude to “one who prophesies”, that is, one who operates the simple gift of prophecy, and not one who has been set in the office of a prophet. It does not say that any of those who prophesied when the Spirit came upon them were “prophets”, only that they “prophesied.”)
1 Ths. 5:19,20 “Do not quench the Spirit; do not despise prophetic utterances.”
The command, “Do not quench the Spirit,” must primarily be an admonition regarding not quenching the manifestations (operation of the gifts) of the Spirit because it would not be possible for any human to literally “quench” the Holy Spirit Himself or to “extinguish” His fire. Man is not capable of “quenching” the Person of the Holy Spirit, but can indeed quench the manifestations of His power through human vessels. The Holy Spirit is a “Gentleman” and never intrudes where He is not honored or wanted.
Verse 20 makes it even more clear that He is talking about quenching the Spirit in the sense of quenching the manifestations of the Spirit. The term “prophetic utterances” would of necessity also include “tongues,” because tongues with its required companion of interpretation IS prophecy in its varied form.
Though excesses and error have always existed in the operation of the manifestations of the Spirit, we must never “despise prophetic utterances” or the operation of any of the manifestations of the Spirit (apparently God anticipated that this temptation would exist; hence this verse). Moreover, we must resist the temptation to quench the operation of the Spirit, and certainly must not go to the extreme of “forbidding” the operation of the manifestations of the Holy Spirit in our meetings. That would be a far greater “excess” and “error” than the so-called “excesses” and “error” which have been cited by some who needed an excuse to justify their forbidding of the operation of the prophetic gifts in their churches.
The Scriptural thing to do in order to eliminate excesses and error is what the Apostle Paul did at the church at Corinth—teach and train the people in the proper operation of the Spirit and how to “prove all things;” then they will have had their spiritual senses trained to be able “to discern (that which is) good and (that which is) evil” (Heb. 5:14).
1 Cor. 14:39 “But LET all things (manifestations of the Spirit) be done properly and in an orderly manner.”
This passage instructs that we should allow ALL spiritual manifestations to operate in our meetings without hindrance or restriction, as long as they are operated according to the prescribed rules of order and propriety. This would include all the vocal gifts as well as all the others.###
This article is adapted from Dr. Lambert’s book, The Prophetic Gifts & Office (click on the image to learn more):
We also highly recommend a related article by Dr. Lambert to understand the critical differences between the OFFICE of the PROPHET and the GIFT of PROPHECY, Gifts Vs. Offices (Part 1).
Dr. Steven Lambert was ordained in 1977 and holds several earned graduate/post-graduate degrees. Over more than four decades in ministry, he has served as a pastor, radio/TV host, adjunct-professor, Board Certified Doctoral Diplomate Christian Therapist/Counselor, and a speaker/commentator on a range of social, political, and theological issues, particularly as a recognized authority on the matter of ecclesiastical authoritarian abuse. He is the founder/Overseer of Ephesians Four Network (ephesiansfour.net) and its subsidiary, Ephesians Four Network of Deliverance Counselors (efndc.ephesiansfour.net). Dr. Lambert authored several books (catalog at realtruthpublications.com), many published articles, and is the founder/editor of Spirit Life Magazine (spiritlifemag.com). His bio, extensive blog, and scheduling information are available on his ministry website at: http://www.slm.org. You can follow him on Twitter and Facebook.
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