PROPHETICAL MINISTRY BIBLICAL EXPLANATIONS
THE PROPHETICAL LIFE
1.The Prophetic Realm
The prophetic ministry is one of the ways God transfers His "now" word to us. While the Bible is our final authority, the prophetic helps us understand God's heart for our specific, current situations.
The Goal of the Prophetic: To have a body of disciples who can clearly hear what God is saying and immediately "say and do" according to His directives.
Prophesying Believers: Disciples who integrate the prophetic into their daily vocation (e.g., an engineer or student receiving a "word" from God to solve a difficult problem).
The Prophetic Office (Eph 4:11): Specific leaders appointed by Jesus who bring governmental direction to the Church.
Two Modes of Reception: Nabi (The Inspired Man): The Hebrew word Nabi means "to bubble up." The word of God comes like drops of water or a spring from within your spirit.
Roeh/Hozeh (The Seer): This refers to those who receive through the "visualization" process—seeing spiritual realities through visions, dreams, or spiritual pictures.
2.Prophetic Ministry in the Old Testament
The Old Testament provides the "Blueprint" for how a disciple walks in the prophetic today. We see three key examples of how the prophetic office functioned before the New Covenant.
I. The Prophet as an Intercessor (Abraham)
Genesis 20:7: This is the first time the word "Prophet" (Nabi) is used in the Bible.
Key Lesson: Abraham didn't just give "messages." God identified him as a prophet because he prayed for others. * The Secret of the Lord: In Genesis 18:17, God said, "Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing?" A prophetic life means having a "close communion" where God shares His heart with you before He acts.
II. The Prophet as a Mouthpiece (Moses and Aaron)
Exodus 7:1: The Lord told Moses, "I have made you as God to Pharaoh, and Aaron your brother shall be your prophet."
Key Lesson: A prophet is a spokesperson. Just as Aaron spoke exactly what Moses told him, a prophetic disciple speaks exactly what the Holy Spirit puts in their mouth. They do not add their own opinions or worldly ideas.
III. The Schools of the Prophets (Samuel and Elijah)
1 Samuel 19:20 / 2 Kings 2:3: We see "groups" or "schools" of prophets gathering together.
Key Lesson: The prophetic is not just for "lonely" people. It is developed in Community. Under the leadership of Samuel and later Elijah/Elisha, young prophets (disciples) were trained to hear God and move in His power together.
3.Prophetic Ministry in the New Testament
In the New Testament, the prophetic is no longer reserved for only a few people like Moses or Elijah. Because of Jesus, the "Spirit of Prophecy" is now available to the entire Church.
I. Jesus: The Pattern Prophet
Acts 3:22: Moses prophesied that God would raise up a Prophet like him—this was Jesus.
Key Lesson: Jesus is our perfect example. He only said what He heard the Father saying and only did what He saw the Father doing (John 5:19). A prophetic disciple follows this "Pattern" of total dependence on God’s voice.
II. The Day of Pentecost (Joel 2:28 / Acts 2:17)
The Global Outpouring: Peter declared that "in the last days," God would pour out His Spirit on all flesh.
Key Lesson: Sons, daughters, young men, and old men—everyone in the Kingdom has the potential to see visions and dream dreams. The prophetic is now a "universal weapon" for every soldier in God’s army.
III. Prophecy in the Early Church (Acts 11, 13, 21)
Agabus (Acts 11:28): He moved in "predictive" prophecy to warn the church about a coming famine so they could prepare.
The Prophets at Antioch (Acts 13:1): While they were worshipping and fasting, the Holy Spirit gave a prophetic directive to "Set apart Barnabas and Saul" for ministry.
Key Lesson: In the New Testament, the prophetic is used for Strategy. It helps the Church know when to move, where to go, and how to prepare for the future.
IV. The Purpose: Edification, Exhortation, and Comfort
1 Corinthians 14:3: This is the "Golden Rule" for New Testament prophecy.
Edification: To build up the person’s spiritual strength.
Exhortation: To "stir up" or encourage someone to keep going.
Comfort: To bring God’s peace to a hurting heart.
4.The Prophetic Word
A "Prophetic Word" is a specific message from God’s heart given to a person or a situation at a specific time. Understanding how it works is like learning how to handle a sharp sword.
The Logos vs. The Rhema
Logos: The entire written Word of God (The Bible). It is the unchanging standard.
Rhema: A "quickened" or "spoken" word from the Holy Spirit for a specific moment. It is the "Sword of the Spirit" mentioned in Ephesians 6:17.
How the Word is Received
Spontaneous Thoughts: A sudden sentence or phrase that enters your mind during prayer.
Scripture Highlighting: When a verse you have read many times suddenly "jumps out" at you with a new meaning for your current problem.
Internal Pictures: A simple mental image that carries a spiritual message (e.g., seeing a "closed door" or a "bright light" over a situation).
5.Prophetic Intercession
Prophetic Intercession is the "Advanced Weapon" of a disciple. It is praying the prayers that God wants prayed.
Praying from Heaven to Earth: Most people pray from "Earth to Heaven" (telling God about their problems). A prophetic intercessor listens to God first, hears His solution, and then declares that solution on earth.
The Burden of the Lord: Sometimes, God will give you a "burden"—a deep feeling of concern or heaviness for a person or a nation. This is a call to battle. You stay in prayer until that burden "lifts," which means the spiritual victory has been won.
Identifying "Target" Areas: Through the Holy Spirit, a disciple can sense where the enemy is attacking (e.g., a spirit of fear in a family or a spirit of confusion in a business). We use prophetic intercession to specifically target and break those strongholds.
6.Prophetic Power
Prophecy is not just words; it is accompanied by the Power of the Holy Spirit. When a disciple speaks a true prophetic word, it carries the weight of Heaven to change circumstances.
Demonstration of Spirit and Power: * 1 Corinthians 2:4: "My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power."
Key Lesson: The prophetic word is like a "key" that unlocks a door. Once the word is spoken, God’s power flows through that door to bring healing, deliverance, or a breakthrough.
Prophetic Action: Sometimes, God asks a disciple to do something physical to release spiritual power (e.g., Elijah pouring water on the altar or Elisha throwing salt into the spring). These are "prophetic acts" that demonstrate faith and trigger a miracle.
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