Is Personal Prophecy Biblical?

Is Personal Prophecy Biblical?

I wrote yesterday about some of the hard questions and this is one of them. Today’s blog is slightly different than my normal blog content but hopefully you find it just as insightful, if not more so. The scripture encourages and even challenges us to know what we believe and why we believe it.

“…sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;” 1 Peter 3:15

Here is a very light version of my personal belief about personal prophetic ministry.

There are three ways I would look at this:

1) If Jesus did it, He is our example

Would you agree that anything Jesus did would be OK for us to do? Of course you would. 

Here are a couple examples that I perceive as Jesus flowing in personal prophecy; knowledge and/or wisdom see if you agree

John 1: 47, 48 Nathanael 

John 4: 17,18 the woman at the well

In these two instances Jesus uses knowledge, of a prophetic nature, to reveal that He hears from or speaks for God.

Through the Holy Spirit, He has given us the same gifts. He encouraged us that we would do greater things than He did (John 14:12). If you believe that only means shear volume, in numbers, then we at least must have the call on our lives to influence and reach people in the same manner that He did. Some need a personal word that lets them know that God knows them.

2) Gifts in operation in the Word.

Let's look at a few scriptures that I believe allude to the nature of personal prophecy. Lets simply look at 1 Corinthians 14

1 Corinthians 14:3-5 

But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. 4He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church.  I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification.

Prophecy is for edification of the church. Does it edify if God speaks specifically to one person and all see the blessing of that word? I believe it does. 

It would be utter chaos if "all…. prophesied" to speak specifically to the church. I believe this scripture encourages the idea of personal prophecy. If we are always seeking the Lord, then we should expect an answer and some times that answer will come as a personal prophetic word. In my estimation that is part of why Paul desires that all would prophesy. Sometimes we have to read the word for what is implied, for example:

Jesus is approached about Lazarus dying and He states "this sickness is not unto death" (John 11:4) which is to imply that there are sicknesses unto death.

The leap I make and perhaps it may be too far for some is that the Holy Spirit does not limit His revelation to us. We limit the revelation of the Holy Spirit's gifts and fruit in our lives. If the Holy Spirit dwells in us then all that He is, is available to us. More about this later. 

1 Corinthians 14: 24,25

But if all of you are prophesying, and unbelievers or people who don’t understand these things come into your meeting, they will be convicted of sin and judged by what you say. 25 As they listen, their secret thoughts will be exposed, and they will fall to their knees and worship God, declaring, “God is truly here among you

To me, this is a very profound scripture referencing the power of a personal prophetic word. The "secrets of the heart are revealed" that sounds very personal, not so much for the whole church as it is for one person.

1 Corinthians 14: 26 - 29

How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all        things be done for edification. If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God. Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge.

Revelation - apokalupsis  ap-ok-al'-oop–sis (Greek word)

; disclosure:—appearing, coming, lighten, manifestation, be revealed, revelation. Paul alludes to, using this word, that He could be encouraging certain supernatural manifestations or an enlightenment from God's word or something supernaturally revealed (prophecy, word of knowledge, word of wisdom)

The root for this word is  ἀποκαλύπτω, apokaluptō, ap-ok-al-oop'-to - to take off the cover, that is, disclose:—reveal. This is what prophesy, words of knowledge, and words of wisdom do they "take off the cover" of hidden things.  

Notice also those in authority and the general body of Christ must judge whether something is of God or not. This too edifies the church causing growth in the people as they talk about the prophetic word and compare it to scripture.

Last, let's look at the next few verses 31 – 33

In this way, all who prophesy will have a turn to speak, one after the other, so that everyone will learn and be encouraged. 32 Remember that people who prophesy are in control of their spirit and can take turns. 33 For God is not a God of disorder but of peace, as in all the meetings of God’s holy people.

My interpretation here, is that both things can take place, the church can receive a corporate prophecy and be encouraged but also if  "all" can prophesy they are flowing in the Holy Spirit to speak encouragement, challenge, reveal truth, even hidden sin (Ananias and Sapphria in Acts 5) so that believer's and nonbelievers might become who God has called them to be. There is to be no confusion when all prophesy one by one. With so many gifts, are they simply to speak corporate words to the church? Is it not the leaders, listed in Ephesians 4, job to guide and direct the church corporate under the inspiration and guidance of the Holy Spirit? Then what is the purpose of all the prophesy one by one? I would say to encourage individuals in their walk with Christ.

3) God's nature

God desires to communicate to his children. I believe personal prophecy is one of the ways that He does that. It is not the most regular way, but is one of the ways.

We believe, as charismatics that the Holy Spirit dwells in us. If we believe that, then why can't all of the gifts flow through us? I believe we are the ones who limit the Holy Spirit in our lives. Yes, there are specific offices that are authoritative and function in the higher level of gifts but the nature of God is that we would grow to love and understand Him in a very personal and loving way. I believe He uses the gifts and fruit of the Holy Spirit in our lives to prove that to both the saved and unsaved.

There have been abuses in the church, corporate, but I place that on bad leadership. I believe the reason God gave the functional authoritative gifts listed in Ephesians chapter 4, was so that as people are growing and learning they could have the guidance they need to function more effectively in spiritual gifts.

If a man or woman is given the gift, flow in the spirit of, or function in the office of Prophet, I believe they should be able to seek the Lord for answers when asked. Especially those in the office, we see many examples in the Old Testament and then the Agabus example in the New. We then also get into the theology of limitations where we need to discuss can a sin, you are walking in, limit God from speaking through you or to you. That is a whole other discussion.