The true prophet

BY Argie Simonis

Today I will deal with a very important topic. Who is the true prophet? In other words, what are his characteristics and his role in the church. I do this in the hope of restoring the prophetic ministry, which instead of a being blessing in the body of Christ, it has become a thorn. People have been hurt and churches were broken up because of the misunderstanding and rejection of the prophetic ministry as God has ordained it.

Let's start from the basics. See what Paul writes in his letter to the Ephesians:

"And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:" Ephes. 4:11-12

I underline the word "edifying ", which means to build up or to construct. So the prophets, like the other 4 ministries, perfect and build up the saints. What are the characteristics and role of true prophets?

1. Prophets build up the saints.

We said that they perfect the body of Christ, like apostles, evangelists, pastors and teachers, but they also build it up. The reason I point this out is this: Prophets build up the church, they don't tear it down. There is so much confusion and so many teachings around. Many believe that because I have been called to be a prophet it means that I have been called to tear down, blow in and blow out like a whirlwind. This of course is not true. The prophets have been called to build up the Church:

"But he that prophesies speaks to men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort." 1Cor. 14:3

That is, they speak constructive, encouraging and conforting words. I have had people come and tell me that they are troubled by a prophecy that has been given to them. The first thing I ask them is this:

Did this word comfort you? Did it encourage you? Did it build you up?

If they say no, then I tell them don't accept it.

And the reason is that we have just read it above in 1Cor. 14:3. Do you understand? God's word clearly tells us that he who prophesies speaks "edification and exhortation and comfort." Prophets do not tear down the church. 

That's where some people come and say

"I am more like the prophets of the Old Testament.

My comment here is this: You are what you think an Old Testament prophet is. So I'm going to read a verse from the Old Testament about some Old Testament prophets, and look what they did:

"Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, even to them.

Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem: and with them were the prophets of God helping them." Ezdra 5:1-2

I believe that some have misunderstood a verse from the Old Testament, which I will read and explain, so that there is no room for misunderstanding. God speaks to Jeremiah about his identity:

"Before I formed you in the belly I knew you; and before you came forth out of the womb I sanctified you, and I ordained you a prophet to the nations." Jer. 1:5

Further down, the Lord also tells him what he will do:

"Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said to me, Behold, I have put my words in your mouth.

See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant." Jer. 1:9-10

He mentions 6 things here, 4 of them are negative. Because of this, many say that 2/3 of the prophet's ministry is negative. But what they fail to understand is the context of the whole passage.

             -- He says "I set you upon kingdoms" --

and our Bible speaks of 2 kingdoms. The kingdom of darkness and the kingdom of light, which is the kingdomof God.

See what he actually says here:

I have called you to uproot, pull down and destroy and throw down the kingdom of darkness and to build and to plant the kingdom of light. God never called the prophets to tear down the body of Christ, or people. Sometimes the Lord uses prophets, like all of us, to speak correction. Even the friend who speaks correction to us is healing to us.

Some examples of correction not exclusively done by prophets:

"Moreover if your brother shall trespass against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone: if he shall hear you, you have gained your brother.

But if he will not hear you, then take with you one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established." Matt. 18:15-16

"Brothers, if a man be overtaken in a fault, you which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering yourself, lest you also be tempted." Gal. 6:1

"Brothers, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;

Let him know, that he which converts the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins." James 5:19-20

"Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear." 1Τim. 5:20

"You shall not hate your brother in your heart: you shall in any wise rebuke your neighbor, and not suffer sin on him." Lev. 19:17

So the prophet will also speak correction, but he will not do it with the intention of dis-couraging, but en-couraging. So when you have a conversation with someone, do you feel more or less encouraged? Even if rebuke or correction has been spoken to you, there is one criterion for receiving it as a word from the Lord:

"But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:" Eph. 4:15

You can show mercy even to the people who come against you, because Christ died for them just as He died for you. But you show no mercy to the spirit that affects these persons, and when you fall on your knees in prayer you revile these spirits and root out, dig down, destroy and pull down the kingdom of darkness and build the kingdom of God, as we read before in Jeremiah.

This is how the prophets build up the saints.

2. Prophets equip the saints.

We do not forget that all five ministries do this:

"For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:" Εph. 4:12

But if I ask you, "What do prophets do?", most of you would say, "They prophesy."

But do you know that all saints prophesy?

"Follow after love, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that you may prophesy." 1Cor. 14:1

"I would that you all spoke with tongues but rather that you prophesied: for greater is he that prophesies than he that speaks with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying." 1Cor. 14:5

"For you may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted." 1Cor. 14:31

Even the prophets prophesy in their capacity as saints and not as prophets. According to Ephesians 4:12 we read, the mission of the prophets is to perfect the saints for the work of ministry. We have also seen that when you prophesy the main goal is to encourage others.

--- So prophets perfect us in learning how to listen to God and how to encourage people with a word we receive from God. ----

How many times have you said something to someone and they say "You have no idea how much I needed to hear what you said"

or 

you write a card or send a verse to someone and they say 

"that's exactly what I was praying this morning in my time with the Lord".

This is exactly where you have prophesied. There is no way that you could have done this by your own ability, that is, by picking out the right one from so many thousands of scriptures, except with the help of the Holy Spirit. This is how we minister and prophesy to someone with the word of God.

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

It does not say here that they divided and weakened the brethren, but built them up and strengthened them. A warning:

--- Beware of people who say they are prophets but are tearing people and churches apart. Let me help you a little more... They think they are on a special mission from God and use their websites or social media to criticize and tear apart people and churches in the name of "rebuke" and "correction". How deceived they can be! ---

- So beware of people who tear down churches, and leaders within churches.

- Beware of fortune tellers, people who, instead of prophesying, tell you your fortune and predict your future. 

We mentioned that the prophets perfect the saints and equip them for the work of ministry.

Of course there are also cases when God will reveal the future to us:

"However, when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come." John 16:13

As with the prophet Agabus who prophesied to the apostle Paul for future tribulations awaiting him:

"And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus.

And when he was come to us, he took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus said the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that ownes this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.

And when we heard these things, both we, and they of that place, sought him not to go up to Jerusalem." Acts 21:10-12

But the main mission of the prophet is to equip the saints for the work of the ministry. I must insist on this.

All of us, more or less, have heard prophets giving  prophecies about specific events and dates. That's why you can watch the previous message in which I talked about what true prophecy is and what its characteristics are.

I'm just saying beware of people who because they say they are prophets, it means they can predict the future and that the Lord gives them "special insight" about what is coming and they ask us to listen to them. In fact all this serves to satisfy their need to feel important. It would be much better if they focused more on "equiping and perfecting the saints" and sent them out to do the ministry, instead of trying to draw attention to them.

Think of the blessing and fruit that a church can experienced when it has restored the prophetic ministry in its bosom with the above standards!

Let us see what the word of God tells us about such people who predict the future:

"There shall not be found among you any one that makes his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that uses divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch.

Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.

For all that do these things are an abomination to the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD your God does drive them out from before you.

You shall be perfect with the LORD your God.

For these nations, which you shall possess, listened to observers of times, and to diviners: but as for you, the LORD your God has not suffered you so to do." Deut. 18:10-14

But look at what the Lord has appointed for us:

"The LORD your God will raise up to you a Prophet from the middle of you, of your brothers, like to me; to him you shall listen;" Deut. 18:15

This one here is very important because it is a New Testament reference to Jesus:

"For Moses truly said to the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up to you of your brothers, like to me; him shall you hear in all things whatever he shall say to you." Acts 3:22

The entire 3rd chapter of Acts is about Jesus. So the Lord has not appointed for us "spooky" people, but Jesus, who was not spooky at all.

Let's look at another prophet that the Bible tells us about, and I'm sure that to most people his name doesn't mean much to you: Joses.

Do you know who he is?

"And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus," Acts 4:36

In other words, what we read here is that the apostles told Barnabas that if the consolation had a son, it would be you. Paul we know from the Bible that he was an apostle. Barnabas was a prophet and he was called the son of consolation and not the son of discouragement or bad news. And he was a prophet in the New Testament.

3. How can I prophesy?

We have said that prophets perfect and equip the saints in learning how to hear the voice of God and how to prophesy to others. That is, to encourage, exhort and build up others with words that the Lord gives them.

So how can I prophesy too?

It's very simple. Make yourself available for perfection so that you can be equipped and discipled. Prophets are gifts that Jesus gave us, with the ability to perfect and equip believers for the work of ministry (Eph. 4:12).

It's that simple. Be available to equip yourself and learn.

"For you may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted." 1Cor. 14:31

Do you all see this here? "you ALL can prophesy,"

It is not my opinion, God's word says so. You ALL can encourage people. And you do this so that ALL may learn, meaning that all may learn to do it "and ALL be comforted." 

You see, if prophesying didn't mean encouragement, then Paul would say "all prophesy that all may be discouraged", or "all may feel bad about themselves".

So ALL of you can prophesy and ALL of you can learn how to do it.

We have already started small groups with teachings on the prophetic, how to hear the voice of God, how to discover, follow and fulfill the call that God has on your life, and more. 

We learn how to prophesy. This is a process. We don't start over as the best prophets or the best encouragers. We grow and mature in this, as we do in all things in our lives.

Amen 🙏