The Gift and Office of the Prophecy

The Gift and Office of the Prophecy

          The terminology prophetic ministry has been used very loosely. But there are two distinct ministries in this meaning, two levels of prophetic activity.

-        The gift of prophecy I Corinthians 12:10

-        The office of the prophet, Ephesians 4:11

There are several important differences in operation, level and authority of anointing between the gift and the office:

-        The Holy Spirit gives the gift to selected believers according to the will of Adonai. I Corinthians 12:¹¹ KJV - "But all these things operates the one and the same Spirit dividing separately to each according as he wills."

-        The gift is given and indicates our membership ministry and position in the Body of The Messiyah for we are corporately the Body of The Messiyah and members in particular I Corinthians 12: 12,27.

-        The gifts of prophecy is given to edify the Church - I Corinthians 14:4

-        The gifts of prophecy functions in the area of edification, exhortation and comfort - I Corinthians 14:3.

-        The office of the prophet is a headship ministry for government and administrative capability in the Church.

-        The Holy Spirit as one of the government ministry sets the office of the prophet in the Church. Ephesians 4:⁸ KJV - "Wherefore he says, having ascended up on high he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men."

-        The office of the prophet functions in the church but also extends beyond to the nations.

-        The office of the prophet functions in these three areas but extends beyond that to areas of direction, conferral, activation of gifts, correction, judgment, confirmation, and equipping.

Characteristics of the Prophet

          YAHVEH, not man calls the Prophets! They have to be sovereignly called by a word and commissioned by YAHVEH. The call of the prophet must be from above. There are however several different ways in which YAHVEH can demonstrate the call to this ministry.

          Jeremiah 1:⁵ CJB - Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you; before you were born, I separated you for myself. I have appointed you to be a prophet to the nations. The prophet Jeremiah ministered during the reign of Kings Josiah and his sons Jehoiakim and Zedekiah. He was divinely called and ordained even before the prophet was born. However it was only after he had matured that he understands the full width, height, and depth of YAH’S calling on his life. Releasing Jeremiah into a functioning ministry to Yisrael.

Regardless of how the word of YAHVEH comes into an individual life, signaling a prophetic anointing for ministry, it is YAH’S Hand that has to touch the prophet’s mouth.

Jeremiah 1:⁹ CJB - Then Adonai put out his hand and touched my mouth, and Adonai said to me, "There! I have put my words in your mouth."

It was YAHVEH who tutored Jeremiah and gave the seven Spirits of Isaiah 11:2. He gave him wisdom concerning the conduct of the prophetic ministry, understanding concerning its operation, Counsel to talk his way through, Might to carry it through, Knowledge of the spiritual situation, and fear not to do it in his own merit.

Jeremiah 1:¹⁰ Today I have placed you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and to tear down, to destroy and to demolish, to build and to plant. With the calling YAHVEH will give Prophet, Ashem gave them spiritual gifts to uproot and to tear down, to destroy and to demolish, to build and to plant.

          The prophet Elisha’s called to the prophetic office came at the closing days of Elijah’s ministry. YAHVEH gave Elijah specific instruction for an impending administrative change about to take place.

 I Kings 19:¹⁵ CJB - Adonai said to him, "go back by way of the Dammeesek Desert. When you get there anoint Haza'el to be king over Aram." ¹⁶ Also anoint Yehu the son of Nimahi to be King over Isra'el, and anoint Eliha the son of Shafat of Avel-M'cholah to be prophet after you.

          When YAHVEH revealed to Elijah His will for the life of these men’ Elisha more than likely had no idea the prophetic call on his life. Elijah finds Elisha plowing in the field, performing the job of a Pastor. He casts his mantle on him indicating to Elisha that YAHVEH had called him into the prophetic office. Elisha obeys the call, abandons his former vocation, and becomes a mentee of Elijah, submitting to many years of training in the prophetic ministry. Elisha was a busy man, but he never missed the opportunity to go from a pastoral ministry to a prophetic ministry.

Notice how focused Elisha was. The Chariot of Fire could not distract him from the promises of YAHVEH. How I wish YAH’S people would be this focused, until Elijah is taken up by a whirlwind of the Holy Spirit into heaven. Elisha received his mantle with a double portion of the anointing because he remained focused, standing firm and functioning in his own right, as a mighty prophet of YAHVEH. Unlike Jeremiah who received his calling and tutoring by a direct word of YAHVEH, Elisha receives his calling through the prophesying and prophetic action of a senior prophet. Nevertheless the call of YAHVEH was just as sure in the life of Elisha as it was in Jeremiah. Elisha went on to surpass Elijah in power, anointing and miracles, successfully fulfilling YAH’S sovereign will in his life.

As one of the Minor Prophets, Amos’ reputation is widely known based on the book that was written in his name. His understanding and revelation in the dealings of YAHVEH was second to none. It was Amos who prophesied that in the end time Church YAHVEH would restore and re-establish the principles of the Tabernacle of David with its powerful prophetic praise and worship to possess the remnant of Edom. In his visions of YAHVEH and expressed in prophetic terminology, Amos looked down through the years and saw the powerful prophetic moves of the last-days church with its emphasis on warfare and reclaiming spiritual territory, authority and practice that had been taken by the enemy.

The Ministry of the Prophet

  It is obvious from a literal and spiritual understanding that the New Testament believers knew, accepted, and understood the ministry of the Prophet as an intrigual part of the early church life. They did not hold a skeptical attitude as we do today, toward this ministry, but instead were exhorted by Paul in I Corinthians 14:³⁹ "covet prophesy". They were encouraged to desire the prophetic ministry with an earnest desire, for that is the suggested meaning of the original Greek text. (zhloute - to be emulous - yearning, hungry, desirous). Paul in writing to the Church at Thessalonica admonishes them not to entertain prophesying and prophetic ministry with any impudence. Not to reduce it in its importance or to set it aside, but instead they were to adopt a mature attitude and verify, prove and test all prophetic ministry, only then must we accept that which is wholesome and good. The implication for us today, suggests that we should reject all prophetic messages that are negative, destructive, unwholesome and false against establish doctrine.

I Thessalonians 5:¹⁹ CJB "Don't quench the Spirit, ²⁰Don't despise inspired messages. ²¹But do test every thing hold onto what is good."

          There is more written in the Epistle about the Office of the Prophet than the office of the Evangelist. There is more truth eluded to and about the prophetic conduct and processing, than the Pastoral ministry, despite that, many today have accepted the office and ministry of the Pastor as an important ministry in the church body.

          In some churches today the ministry of the

Prophet has been relegated to a preaching ministry, a telling forth of the word only, not a foretelling of the mind and emotion of YAHVEH. The lack of this vital ministry, has provided the enemy with an unguarded entry into today's church. The Prophet is the watchman on the wall, who warns the inhabitants that the enemy is coming. If for example the office or ministry is not available then the evil one has free access to the church. The stupidity of not having a prophet in the church is like a person having a house full of valuables with no burglar alarm installed or having an alarm and not turning it on. There are more Apostles and Prophets ministry identified in the Book of Acts and the Epistle than the Teacher, Evangelist, or Pastor.