MINISTRY GIFTS 101… Part 6

This article rounds up our brief discussion on what is commonly referred to as the Five Fold Ministry Gifts. Here are the links to our previous discussions in this mini-series: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4 and Part 5

Source: Google Images

One thing I've tried to consistently and deliberately do in all the Ministry Gift articles, is not to use the term “Office” when referring to the Five Fold Ministry Gifts. I feel using the term “Office” gives this idea that these Gifts are akin to the secular jobs or vocations we have and sadly, out of ignorance some treat their calls and ministries as such.

The fact of the matter is, it is the individuals who are called to these five “offices” that are the Ministry Gifts. It is not like they step into a ministry role or perform a ministry function and then step out of it and go home. They  are the Ministry Gift itself, they have been given to the Church as such. What does the Word  say:

⁸ Therefore He says: “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men. – Ephesians 4:8 NKJV

Then in verse 11 of the same chapter we read:

¹ And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers – Ephesians 4:11 NKJV

Let’s now turn our attention to the Ministry Gift of the Prophet. This Ministry Gift appears in both the Old Testament and the New Testament. Many have incorrectly believed that there aren't any true Prophets of God in the Church today. The New Testament makes it abundantly clear that there were Prophets, not just one prophet but many, in the early church. In the Book of Acts we read:

¹ Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers – Acts 13:1a NIV

And again we see,

²⁷ And in these days prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch. – Acts 11:27 NKJV

The NT Prophet is a building ministry working together with the Apostle in revealing the risen Christ in His glory and grace as the foundation upon which His church is built. In addressing the Ephesian Church, the Apostle Paul said this:

¹⁹ …you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, ²⁰ built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. – Ephesians 2:19-20 NIV  

There are similarities as well as glaring differences between the OT and NT Prophet. The similarities begin with their titles, obviously! In both Testaments they are called “Prophet”. In both Testaments they hear from God via dreams, visions, trances, the Word etc.and in obedience speak out what He tells them. 

In both Testaments Prophets bring God’s message, His Word to people. In both Testaments we see Prophets using a variety of ways to bring God’s message, they may employ stories with object lessons (as the case was with Nathan and David, 2 Samuel 12:1-15 ) or a dramatic expression (as the case was with Agabus with Paul, Acts 21:11-12).

Now onto the differences, In the OT only the Prophets, Kings and Priests had the Holy Spirit on them, the rest of the people did not. People needed a go-between, to communicate with God. Priests represented the people to God and Prophets represented God to the people. In the NT, because of Jesus’ perfect sacrifice of Himself, every believer has the Holy Spirit in them, we are sons of God with full unreserved access into the Father’s presence.

We don’t need a go-between, we can hear His voice and are to be led primarily, by His Spirit within us. Jesus said “my sheep hear and know my voice” (John 10:27) However, there are times when God may to use Prophets to speak to us, the difference is, it is God who initiates and orchestrates it, we are not to go around pressuring the Prophets among us to give us a “word from the Lord”, that borders on idolatry.

Another huge difference is the fact that in the OT, the Prophet was a loner, usually a bit eccentric too, in the NT Prophets are an active part of the local assembly and are submitted and accountable to one another and to the other Ministry Gifts within the Church. Any mature Pastoral Ministry worth its weight in gold will be wary of Prophets who aren't part of any local assembly and quite rightly so. The Prophetic Ministry must be held accountable and so must the other Ministry Gifts and the best place for accountability is within a local fellowship where one has to submit themselves to others in obedience to the Word of God.

The Ministry Gift of the Prophet goes beyond the gift of prophecy. While the gift of Prophecy is confined to edification, exhortation and comfort (1 Corinthians 14:3) the Prophetic Ministry, like the Apostolic Ministry, can bring confirmation, impartation, direction, correction and even pronounce judgement.   

Prophets will strengthen and encourage believers. They will also confirm what the Lord saying or doing in a local assembly or in an individuals life.

³² And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed them. - Acts 15:32 KJV

Prophets are graced with the authority and ability to impart giftings to others by the laying on of their hands and by prophecy.

¹⁴ Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through rophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you. – 1 Timothy 4:14 NIV

The Prophetic Ministry Gift also brings correction to the Body by confronting and demolishing strongholds that may be holding people in bondage to sin or self-righteousness. In Revelations, the most prophetic book in the NT and in the Epistles we have examples of prophetic corrections and warnings given to the Church. True Prophetic Ministry will call the Bride into alignment with the heart of the Bridegroom, always.   

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Prophetic Ministry will often reveal things or events whether spiritual or natural that are to take place within a certain time period, as Agabus the Prophet, foretold of the famine that was to hit the entire Roman world then and it did happen (Acts 11:27-28) This is an example of how this Ministry Gift enables the church to be prepared for what the immediate future holds. Didn’t Jesus say the Holy Spirit will reveal to us what is to come? (John 16:13)

Prophetic Ministry also forth-tells  that is, speaks of what God is saying now, this moment and it is either through inspired revelational preaching or teaching or through a combination of the revelatory gifts of the Holy Spirit, ie, the Word of Knowledge, the Word of Wisdom, Discerning of Spirits and of course through the gift of Prophecy.

Let’s embrace the Ministry Gift of the Prophet and by it be trained to hear, discern and flow with God’s agenda for His glory. Let us encourage the Prophets that our Lord has placed as His gifts among us.