What does scripture say about the prophets? Do they have to meet certain criteria? Do they have to have certain experiences (visions, supernatural power, psychic type abilties) in order to be labeled as prophets? How often do they have to have these experience- only once, often, every second Thursday at noon? Or does scripture say anyone can be a prophet as long as they tell the truth?
There is a lot of error and stupid people that seem to come out when we talk about Prophets. Scripture does not really tell us their functions for NT Use.
In the OT, God used them specifically to hear God for other people. That is what Prophets did in the OT, they heard God for others.
Today, every believer can be filled with the Holy Spirit and should hear God for themselves. That sort of removes the OT function of being a Prophet.
We are led by the Spirit of God, not the prophets of God today.
While I was pasturing a church (Pastor) the Lord spoke to me and told me I would operate in the office of a Prophet at times, pay attention to the shift in anointing.
The Lord did not say I was a prophet, or would be after I stepped into that office. Just the office would come on me while teaching as a Pastor of a church.
I already understood the teaching anointing, and know what the gifts are and knew what the Job of a prophet was, so I just needed the Ability from the Lord to operate in that office. You can't teach, or operate as a prophet unless the anointing and power to do so is there. (you can, but it will be dry, and all flesh)
Prophets today is a edification ministery. They are not fortune tellers or anything like that. The gifts that operate in them are the same exact gifts that SHOULD......... SHOULD............SHOULD........ operate in every single believer.
Word of wisdom, (
God speaking about future things, or wisdom to handle future things)
Word of Knowledge (
God speaking and making clear past things, or present things)
Spiritual discerment
(
This is not the ability to judge other people who don't believe like you, the whole world has that gift. This is actually seeing into the realm of the spirit)
Gifts of healing (
This should manifest in every believer as the Spirit wills)
Prophecy (
Speaking from God directly in a known tongue, it can be combined with Words of wisdom or knowledge, but does not have to be.)
These gifts should operate while a prophet is ministering. Much like the teaching anointing should be operating when one is teaching. Pastors have it the roughest, their anointing to tend sheep and run a church always needs to be "ON" It's a rough ministery and the hardest.
The Prophet does not decide what gift operates, ever. We step out as the gift or information comes.
This is not to be confused with someone getting words of Wisdom or knowledge at home. Lots of believers hear God about lots of things, but that does not make them a Prophet. A Prophet will always operate in these gifts when up speaking, and the gifts stop once the Prophet is done ministering. They go on to be a normal Christain so to speak.
HOW OFTEN:
When the Lord told me to watch for the Prophet anointing, it was something I just kept in mind while teaching. Because I am not a prophet, it only operated when it needed to operate. I could feel the shift in Anointing, much like Jesus felt the anointing leave his body when the women with issue of blood touched his robe.
Prophets deal a lot with devils and getting folks free
One time I felt the Prophet anointing come during end of service. I saw into the realm of the spirit.
I saw a bedroom and it was if I was a camera being taken around looking under beds, in the closets, the shower curtains, and any place someone could hide. I felt fear and panic. (Not that I was afraid, but felt what someone else was feeling) On the bed I saw a black imp looking thing grinning at me and it darted off, then I saw more moving in the closet. Then I saw a little boy holding someone's hand and going back through the house again looking for someone hiding. Then I heard, Deal with them.
It was over, and I knew the boy because his mom was sitting two rows back on the right. At the end of service I called up the mom, and described her bedroom to a T, I described her whole house. I told her she is afraid every night that someone might be in the house to hurt her and her son. She started crying and said yes, I can't even sleep at night. I asked if I could pray, and I told them stupid devils to flee in the name of Jesus, and not to bother her anymore, that peace be in the house.
She never had a thought or fear since, when asked months later she said she does not even think about someone being in the house anymore............ (I wish everyone was that easy to set free)
That is just one example of many how a Prophet edifies and helps folks see things and get them free of things.
Prophets do not give direction for other Bodies or churches:
The Pastor is in charge of His Church the Lord Gave him. The Prophet is in charge of nothing, unless a Pastor also. No prophecy given by any prophet effects anothers ministery, and no Prophet is given World ranging prophecy today. Lots of error and false prophecies have come from this. The Prophet is a Helps ministery, they help.
No Prophet is to give direction to others unless it bares wittness:
If God had been dealing with you to be a clown, and you thought it might be God, but not sure. A Prophet can be used of God to confirm that. I could come up to you and say, "
This could just be me, but I think the Lord wants you to be a clown. If you have not heard that before or felt that, then discount it. I can miss it also."
I get lots of Words of Knowledge and Wisdom for others to give to them or not give them, depending on what the Lord says to do with it. I don't get any of those being a Prophet. All believers can get the same, just like me for others. It depends on how bad you want to be used, and how much you have studied to be an approved workman.
We are not to be LED by prophets. EVER. We can get a word from them that confirms something we know inside as another wittness, but we are all responsible for hearing God for ourselves.
Many get into error listening to so called prophets.
I hope this helps clarify what the Ministery is about. I have actaully operated in that office several times. I am sure there is lots, lots, lots, lots more I need to know about it, but you get to hear it from someone that has at least been a brief prophet as the Lord willed.
Blessings.
