Prophesying: edifying, exhorting, and comforting while honoring GOD

Hei bud! Habari za asubuhi trumpet! May discernment, wisdom, and patience be yours. May gratitude never leave you. May GOD reward your faithfulness. May the blood of JESUS speak for you and yours. May the Word of CHRIST dwell abundantly in you. May angels ascend and descend upon your house. Behold, a new season is coming! " Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert. The beast of the field will honor Me, The jackals and the ostriches, Because I give waters in the wilderness And rivers in the desert, To give drink to My people, My chosen. This people I have formed for Myself; They shall declare My praise. " (Isaiah 43: 19-21, NKJV)

" Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the SPIRIT. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from GOD. For there are many false prophets in the world." (1 John 4:1, NLT)

" Do not quench the SPIRIT. Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good." (1 Thessaloniciens 5:19-21, NKJV)

" But he that prophesies speaks to men [in] edification, and encouragement, and consolation." ( 1 Corinthians 14:3, Darby Translation)

By meditating on the Word and listening to our inner witness, it becomes easy to distinguish between a false prophecy, a word of faith, a personal conviction, a prophecy, a prophetic declaration (the creative word), a word of encouragement (the strengthening word), a word of knowledge (a supernatural revelation of a past event or present situation), and a false word of knowledge. That being said, it is always possible to be mistaken. This is why, in addition to the Word and our inner witness, we must pray, keep our hearts at peace, and allow others to judge (but not just anyone).

In the biblical sense, prophesying is speaking on behalf of GOD. It means saying what GOD says, what GOD has said, or interpreting what GOD shows (vision, dream). Either one announces an event or a future fact on behalf of GOD, or one indicates a specific will of GOD. In short, it is conveying a message from GOD. Just as GOD speaks in different ways, those who prophesy can convey prophecy in different ways (words, songs, drawings, prayers, films, books). Those who can prophesy are: GOD, angels, and humans (including women and young people).

Personally, I believe there are two types of prophecies:

- GOD's promises (commitments, judgments) : these are sealed (future events or facts). GOD said He will do or allow something to happen. Whatever happens, the announced event will take place. It is what He has decided of His own free will. What He will accomplish or bring to pass. With or without us, no matter what the devil does or tries, it will be accomplished.

- GOD'S will : it is conditional. Its fulfillment depends on the faith and obedience of those for whom it is intended. It is what GOD wants to do and/or what He wants us to do.

🙂 The purpose of prophecy is not to announce what will happen in the future. I repeat, the purpose of prophecy is not to announce what will happen in the future. Stop for a moment and think about the meaning of this sentence. I am writing to you as an intercessor, teacher, and prophetess. I insist again, stop for a moment and think about it. The purpose of prophecy is not to announce a future event. Prophecy is more than announcing a coming event, a new season, a future position, etc.

The purpose of prophecy is to reveal, make understandable, or make known a promise or a will of GOD. A prophecy can be for one or more people. A prophecy can simultaneously and/or progressively be for one or more people. Thus, the time of the prophecy can be the present, the near future, or the distant future. Example: While reading your Bible, a particular verse speaks to you. You have an inner testimony that this verse, this phrase, is for you. Do you believe that you are the only person in the world to whom GOD has ever spoken through this verse? The answer is no. There are more than six billion people in the world, and I don't know how many billions of people have lived and will live after us. GOD has spoken, speaks, and will speak to others as well, through this verse.

Someone who announces a future event is not necessarily prophesying. That person may be speaking based on experience, observation, reasoning, analysis, intuition, what they have heard other people say, or what Satan or demons have told them.

When a soccer coach, and I mean a real coach with experience, says to a young beginner, “ You'll go far. You'll become a great player. You have great potential.” What is he basing this on? When an instructor tells a student, “ At this rate, you're going to have an accident.” What is he basing his statement on? When a doctor tells a terminally ill patient, “ At this stage and at this point in time, medicine has no solution. You don't have long to live." What is he basing this on? When a mother insists that her child be examined even though he seems fine. What is she basing this on? These people rely on their experience, observation, reasoning, analysis, or intuition. They have encouraged, warned, informed, and alerted. But they did not prophesy. They did not lie. They may have been inspired by GOD. But, they did not prophesy. They drew conclusions by observing facts or probabilities.

Those who prophesy do not always speak in complicated, difficult-to-understand language or in code. It happens, but it is not always the case. There are many different examples in the Bible. The prophecies about JESUS CHRIST are excellent examples.

The purpose of prophecy is to build up, exhort, and comfort by revealing the thoughts, promises (judgments, commitments, decisions), or will of GOD (1 Corinthians 14:3). This is done by honoring Him, honoring His word, and treating people with dignity.

• To edify is to instruct, build up, and lead others to virtue and devotion to GOD by example. Virtue is defined as the firm and constant habit of doing good and avoiding evil.

• To exhort is to encourage and inspire others to do good. It is to strengthen them in goodness. Courage is the moral strength to say and do what is right, to stand by one's convictions, to maintain one's decisions in the face of trials, difficulties, and unforeseen events.

• To console is to bring comfort, to relieve someone of their pain or grief. It is also to exhort a person who is grieving or going through a difficult time.

  
  

• By GOD's thoughts, I mean GOD's truth. His interpretation of a situation, an event, or a person. For GOD has no opinion, He only has the truth.

  • If GOD were a person like you and me, I would say GOD's opinion and not GOD's thoughts. But GOD is GOD: He is eternally and perfectly Omniscient, Omnipresent, Omnipotent, Transcendent, Immutable. He is Love, Truth, and Holiness. GOD never lies. He is never wrong. Just as a cacao tree cannot produce papayas, truth cannot produce lies. He does not need to lie. He creates all things by his word. He cannot lie. He himself says that he hates lies. We have opinions because our understanding and knowledge are limited. Very often, we only have appearances, facts, and our interpretation of the past. But GOD does not have our limitations. He does not have our faults. He knows what has been, what is, what could be, and what will be. Once again, GOD has no opinion, he only has the truth.

    
    

  • GOD can show a person an event that will happen in the future, without that event being His will. He has given prophetic information to that person. The prophecy begins when He tells that person how to behave in relation to that event.

Examples:

• Revealing GOD's thoughts and plans (Amos 3:7, Ephesians 3:5, 2 Peter 1:19-21, 1 Thessalonians 5:20-21).

• Revealing His law and will to mankind (Ezra 9:10-11, Jeremiah 7:25-26, 1 Thessalonians 2:12-13).

• Calling people to repentance (Zechariah 1:4, 2 Kings 17:13; Isaiah 58:1, Acts 3:19).

• Announcing and proclaiming salvation (Isaiah 53:3-8, Acts 10:43, 1 Peter 1:10, Ephesians 3:5-6).

• Edifying, exhorting, and comforting believers (Ezra 5:1, 1 Corinthians 14:3, Isaiah 40:1).

• Announcing His judgments (Jeremiah 1:5, Jeremiah 1:16-17; 2 Chronicles 24:20; Acts 17:30-31).

• Announcing future events (Isaiah 7:14, Isaiah 9:5, Micah 5:1, Isaiah 53:4-8, Acts 21:10-11, Daniel 2:28-30, Zechariah 9:9, Revelation 1:1, Zechariah 12:10, Psalms 22:17-19).

• Angels who prophesy (Zechariah 1:14-17, Daniel 8:16, Luke 1:11, Luke 1:30, Matthew 1:20)

To prophesy is to convey a message from GOD. GOD is therefore the one who inspires the message, sends the messenger, and confirms the message. If, then, the message is inspired by GOD, it cannot contradict the Scriptures, the divine principles recorded in the Bible. Otherwise, it is not from GOD. For GOD is his word.

To prophesy is to edify, exhort (strengthen), and console in accordance with GOD's will. Therefore, giving information, whether known or hidden, is not prophesying. Giving a name, a phone number, a date of birth, or the location of a wedding is not prophesying. It is giving information. The information may help identify the recipient of the message, but it is not the message. The information may be part of the message, but it is not the message. The message is the will of GOD.

Whether this prophecy is a promise (commitment, judgment, decision) or a desire, what attitude, character, focus, or actions should you have (present) or will you need to have (future)? Remember, the purpose of prophecy is not to announce what will happen in the future. 🙂 It is to help you well manage the present and reach GOD's future. More precisely, it is to help you make the right decisions, have the right preparation, the right attitude, and avoid the devil's traps. Do not accept all words, examine them and retain only those that are good (1 John 4:1, 1 Thessalonians 5:20-21). Neither be afraid, neither be proud.

** Hei = Hello in Norwegian

** Habari za asubuhi = Good morning in Swahili