Recently, I left home for an event; there was public power supply. But I predicted the supply won’t last long as it’s been available for a while. My daughter objected that supply would be off at a much later time, hours later. When I returned, the first thing she told me was; “Daddy, I told you the electricity supply would last longer. I am a prophet.” I just smiled and educated her briefly on the prophetic.
Friend, you need to be educated on the prophetic (1 Corinthians 12:1). The prophetic is one major tool that God has given the believer to navigate destiny, but very few people understand it (1 Corinthians 14:3). Even those who seem to understand have had it perverted due to wrong teaching or demonic intrusion. We all need understanding.
When it comes to the prophetic, there is the spirit of prophecy, the gift of prophecy, the office of a prophet, and there is the prophetic flow. Not knowing the difference between these can be dangerous (Ephesians 4:11). For example, that you prophesy does not mean you are a prophet. Like my daughter, that you predicted right does not make you a prophet. Prophecy is not a human prediction. It is not an activity of the human mind but an operation of the Holy Spirit.
Prophecy can either be foretelling; saying things before they happen, or forthtelling; bringing forth words from the womb of your spirit by the Holy Spirit. Both operations can either be by the spirit of prophecy or by the gift of prophecy. Not everyone who prophesies has the gift of prophecy. Some are only taken over briefly by the spirit of prophecy (John 11:49-52).
The gift of prophecy is a gift of the Holy Spirit given to a man to bring to bear the mind of God for a people, place, situation, etc. (1 Corinthians 12:10, 13:2). Paul encouraged that everyone should operate by this gift. In fact, it is one of the clearest signs of the operation of the Holy Spirit in your life, aside from speaking in tongues (Acts 19:16, 1 Corinthians 14:31). The office of a prophet is beyond the gift of prophecy. It is an all-encompassing office involving the administration of the will of God for a people, location, or generation.
As in the Old Testament, a prophet is a seer. He often sees something before he says something (1 Samuel 9:6-9, Acts 21:10-11). Be careful not to mistake someone who prophesies for a prophet. Aside from just prophesying, a prophet intercedes, preaches, or teaches, and He also brings people into the program and counsel of God. All these and many more make the office of a prophet. It is beyond gift. It is a calling in the five-fold office (Ephesians 4:11). But there is the prophetic flow available for every child of God. We will talk about this later.
‘Demola Awoyele
Lead Pastor,
Destiny Impact Church
Akure, Nigeria