Our Advantage #8

Our Advantage 

#8 – Prophetic Words and the Church

1 Corinthians 14:1–5 (ESV)

14 Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. 2 For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit. 3 On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. 4 The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church. 5 Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up.

Prophecy is the report of a revelation.

It is speaking forth in merely words something God has brought to mind.

1 Corinthians 14:14 — Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. 

1 Corinthians 14:39–40

39 So, my brothers, earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. 40 But all things should be done decently and in order.

1 Corinthians 14:12 (ESV)

12 So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church.

• As followers of Christ who are filled and fueled by the Holy Spirit, we should be eagerly and in the manifestation of the Spirit, especially for the equipping and building up of the Body.
• It is not enough to be to spiritual gifts and their operation in the local church. One must be for them and desire their presence, especially the gift of prophecy.
• Spiritual gifts are not the cause of our troubles –  and are. 

The solution to the abuse of spiritual gifts is not but proper  

1. can prophesy but not everyone should expect to consistently in this gift. 

2. The drive to prophecy does not or any other gift, (especially speaking in tongues). 

3. All prophecy is based on

1 Corinthians 14:30

30 If a revelation is made to another sitting there, let the first be silent.

4. What does God in prophecy?

1 Corinthians 14:24–25 

24 But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all, 25 the secrets of his heart are disclosed, and so, falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you.

5. God’s divine word is  

It begs to question – how can God’s infallible Word, even prophetically spoken, be fallible? Bottom line is that it can’t. 

Three aspects to prophecy.

• – this is the divine act of disclose to a person
• – this is the persons attempt to come up with the meaning of the revelation
• – what is to be done or spoken as a result of the human interpretation of the revelation 

6. The purpose of the prophetic will always be to , and  

1 Corinthians 14:3 (ESV)

3 On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation.