Prophets

He who gave us some to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, shep­herds, and teachers is also the One who has been to the lower parts of the earth. Therefore He also takes from the lowly places those whom He puts into the ministry in the church.

God is angry at everything that is exalted and great, and He has said that He will dwell in the darkness. The one who can be at rest and content in the lowly places, hidden under a cover of reproach, can be used as a servant in the house of God.

The prophet’s ministry in the church fills a great need. His words are unto edification, exhortation, and comfort; revealing, chastising, and judging the hidden intents and counsels of the heart.

It is good, blessed, and perfect to have prophets in the church—those who are anointed, and are appointed by the Chief Shepherd Himself, not only as teachers, but also as fathers who are aware of their responsibility.

The intention is that just as the true prophets labored and worked in the early churches, so it shall continue until the end. However, as the churches spread out more and more, they sank from their spiri­tually high plane, and preachers replaced the prophets. In the long run it was far too inconvenient to watch, pray, and stay close to God so that one always had a word from the mouth of the Lord. It was easier to pay a man to be a priest rather than personally be conscious of the burden of always having food to give.

Jesus did not want them to lose this burden. He says to the church in Thyatira that He would lay no other burden on them than that they should hold fast to what they had. When it comes to working with what God has given us we must not permit any weakness, or a ten­dency to slack off, to come in.

When we gather for meetings and there is a lack of brothers who have been walking in the Spirit, spiritual food is also lacking, and the way for the preacher has been opened. He is a man of a different sort. He is usually gifted and can keep things going with entertaining words without too much effort. There can even be genuine content in what he says. Even though his intention to awaken the people and strengthen them to endure to the end is good, he does not have a vi­sion of those who are present as members of the body of Christ. He has neither the understanding nor the time to lead each individual person to the place where he is equipped for the work of ministry, for the edification of the body of Christ. Ephesians 4:11-12.

The prophet, on the other hand, has a burning need and a longing to lead each individual to the point where he labors according to how the Spirit is working. He does not waste precious time at the meeting, because he has a living interest in hearing the others. He has a direct message from God which he brings in the Spirit and in power, and when the Spirit has ceased to work in him, he sits down.

The Word says that we can all prophesy. Therefore we must come to a gathering of the church as a place of work, and not a place of rest. We need to feel the burden of the yoke of Christ; this will benefit the church and result in peace and rest.

The prophet can sing these lines with understanding: “Now the church of God we’re building, Christ’s own body here on earth.” He is concerned that everybody understands his own calling and uses his spiritual gifts. We should not come to the meeting just to listen and enjoy ourselves, but rather we should all come filled and inspired, with a feeling of responsibility, knowing that we have a ministry.

Therefore it is good for us to take heed to ourselves and to the doctrine. Has God appointed me to a ministry in the church? Am I aware of my gifts and my ministry? Do I serve and exhort consciously with the aim of helping each member to grow up to the ministry which has been allotted to him in particular?

The prophet’s words judge and chasten everyone, causing the unbeliever to fall on his face. He also reveals the thoughts and intents of the believers. There can be thoughts that firmly bind their minds to wrong views, with the result that they withdraw from ministering with a good conscience. The help which the prophet can give to those who are bound is directly related to the degree to which he himself has become liberated and is free and joyful. When the prophet liber­ates the unbeliever, it is to conversion; but when he liberates the be­liever from his thoughts and intents, it is to sanctification.

You can be a preacher in the power of the gifts you have, but you can only be a prophet in the power of the life you live.