Tuesday 22 October 2013

You May All Prophesy

 I read a helpful explanation somewhere once which said that the simple gift of prophecy doesn't necessarily include revelation-knowledge (supernatural knowledge of facts past or present), nor insight into God's plans (including knowing the future). That would be the additional gifts of either the word of knowledge or the word of wisdom, in operation. To prophesy simply means to speak forth under Divine inspiration - for edification, exhortation and comfort. 

I found that helpful, because it means that a lot of us might actually be prophesying a lot more often than we ourselves realize. 

For example, when we are in a one-on-one conversation with someone and we feel inspired to encourage the person in a special way, sometimes that might actually be the simple gift of prophecy in operation.

This makes it possible that any of us can be flowing in a gift of the Spirit even in a simple conversation without necessarily needing to give someone a precise word of knowledge or detailed insight into God's plans. 

It means even our daily conversations, phone calls, Fb posts, Tweets, SMSs - and of course our Sunday sermons - can include moments where the gift of prophecy is in operation, as the Spirit wills. All we have to do is make ourselves available to sense when the Holy Spirit is inspiring us with something special to say!

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