The Ministry of the Prophet

Surely the Lord GOD does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets. – Amos 3:7

We know God is at work because Jesus said, "My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working." (John 5:17). Amos said the Lord GOD reveals what He is doing to His prophets. So, the question is, “Who are His prophets?”

Paul reveals that when Jesus was resurrected He gave ministries to the Church.

And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: - Ephesians 4:11, 12 (emphasis added)

These gifts to the Church from Jesus have never been rescinded, the ministry of the Church is not yet finished, and the saints are not yet perfected, therefore there is still a need for prophets.

In the Church today we hear of pastors and teachers and even evangelists but, we seldom ever hear of apostles or prophets. Why is that? Did they mysteriously pass away like many claim the gifts of the Holy Spirit were just for another day? Or perhaps, we should be questioning those church leaders who claim to have the authority to pick and chose certain gifts or ministries from listings contained in the same verse as being relevant and others, from the same verse, as not being relevant. I notice the gifts and ministries they usually reject are those who challenge their control. After all, the gifts of the Holy Spirit were poured out on ALL the body, not just the pastors.

And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams. And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy. – Acts 2:17, 18

The list of candidates for the Holy Spirit to work through seems to include everyone in the body of Christ. The problem for those who want to control is stated by Paul when he was listing the gifts of the Holy Spirit -

But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills. – 1 Corinthians 12:11

The Holy Spirit seems to have the strange idea that as Christ’s empowerment to the Church He should be the one to set the agenda, not man.

Now as a pastor, I understand the pressure to control. It often comes from human intellect trying to get all the programs of the church packed into a one or two hour service. After all, if you are blessed with church growth you likely will have to hold several services each Sunday morning. And if you have more than fifty in your service, to let everyone speak or have a part would end in pandemonium – even though that seems to be what Scripture teaches.

How is it then brethren? Whenever you come together, each has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. - 1 Corinthians 14:26

This Scripture does not say that everyone in the Body has to fulfill all these operations of the Spirit, but that room should be made for all these ministries to come forth, as the Holy Spirit wills, to edify the Body.

There are several possible answers to this seeming problem that keeps the modern church from acting like the original church.

• 1.   One, perhaps the 1 – 2 hour service is not what God wants. Perhaps He wants His Body to meet for longer periods at a time.
• 2.   Two, perhaps the frequency of meeting needs to increase as Scripture indicates – “So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:46, 47).
• 3.   Three, maybe when church numbers reach an unworkable size a new fellowship needs to be formed. After all, this would not only multiply the members of the Body, but also the leaders and the 5-fold ministry Paul talked about (apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers).

As we approach the end of the age, I believe the Holy Spirit is remolding the Church of Jesus Christ into one that can better function in the anointing of the Holy Spirit. The kingdom of Satan is more powerful even now than mere human intellect can cope with. What will it be like when the devil is cast down to earth, as Revelation 12:17 reveals –

“the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”

By that time the Church must be clothed in the heavenly armor of the Holy Spirit and equipped with spiritual weapons given only by the Holy Spirit. And, we must be experienced in their use before that time comes! We absolutely need the 5-fold ministry of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers now in the Church.

I began this article with a verse from Amos –

Surely the Lord GOD does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets. – Amos 3:7

While I believe there are prophets among us, they are mostly not recognized nor received. What is a prophet? He is one who hears from God and delivers the message to man. It can be a word of encouragement in the battles of life or it can be a word of chastisement and correction as God often chastises those whom He loves. The message can also be one of revelation foretelling what God is about to do, as it was in Amos.

There is the office of Prophet, given only to a select few, but there is also the gift of prophesy, given to many in the Body of Christ. Jesus reveals –

Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. – John 15:15 (emphasis added)

The Body of Christ is to know what the Father is doing because Jesus has called us friends and wants us to know what the Father is doing. That is exactly why one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is prophesy.

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. – John 14:26

Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. – John 16:13

Not only will the ministry of the Holy Spirit remind us and teach us all things, He will show us things to come!

When Paul was teaching the Corinthian church about the gifts of the Holy Spirit he said –

Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. … But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. – 1 Corinthians 14:1, 3

Jesus wants us to know what the Father is doing and the Father wants us to know what He is doing so we can join with Him in doing it! He has given us the job of “wrestling with principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this age, and even spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). We can speak God’s word into situations and see them change for the better. This is the work of the prophet.<