Disclaimer: When reviewing these videos, it is only to prepare an audible subject for studies. It is not to confirm or deny today’s topic.
It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Prov.25.2&version=KJV
We recommend the previous study for review: Prophets and Prophecy.
Now to continue, let’s look into scriptures to verify our topic:
Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to use them accordingly:
if [someone has the gift of] prophecy, [let him speak a new message from God to His people] in proportion to the faith possessed; if service, in the act of serving; or he who teaches, in the act of teaching; or he who encourages, in the act of encouragement; he who gives, with generosity; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy [in caring for others], with cheerfulness.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Rom.12.6,Rom.12.7,Rom.12.8&version=AMP
And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1Cor.12.28&version=KJV
We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2Pet.1.19,2Pet.1.20,2Pet.1.21&version=KJV
And the Lord said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee.
And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone. And Moses went out, and told the people the words of the Lord, and gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them round about the tabernacle.
And the Lord came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease.
But there remained two of the men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were written, but went not out unto the tabernacle: and they prophesied in the camp. And there ran a young man, and told Moses, and said, Eldad and Medad do prophesy in the camp.
And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Moses, one of his young men, answered and said, My lord Moses, forbid them. And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them!
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Num.11.16,Num.11.17,Num.11.24,Num.11.25,Num.11.26,Num.11.27,Num.11.28,Num.11.29&version=KJV
Let’s look at another reference concerning King Saul:
And Saul sent messengers to take David: and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as appointed over them, the Spirit of God was upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.
And when it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they prophesied likewise. And Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they prophesied also.
And he went thither to Naioth in Ramah: and the Spirit of God was upon him also, and he went on, and prophesied, until he came to Naioth in Ramah. And he stripped off his clothes also, and prophesied before Samuel in like manner, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Wherefore they say, Is Saul also among the prophets?
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1Sam.19.20,1Sam.19.21,1Sam.19.23,1Sam.19.24&version=KJV
Moving on to the New Testament
Jesus said:
Then turning to His disciples, Jesus said privately, “Blessed [joyful, spiritually enlightened, and favored by God] are the eyes which see what you see, for I say to you that many prophets and kings longed to see what you see, and they did not see it; and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke.10.23,Luke.10.24&version=AMP
Here is Paul’s statement regarding Prophecy:
Pursue [this] love [with eagerness, make it your goal], yet earnestly desire and cultivate the spiritual gifts [to be used by believers for the benefit of the church], but especially that you may prophesy [to foretell the future, to speak a new message from God to the people].
But [on the other hand] the one who prophesies speaks to people for edification [to promote their spiritual growth] and [speaks words of] encouragement [to uphold and advise them concerning the matters of God] and [speaks words of] consolation [to compassionately comfort them].
Now, believers, if I come to you speaking in unknown tongues, how will I benefit you unless I also speak to you [clearly] either by revelation [revealing God’s mystery], or by knowledge [teaching about God], or by prophecy [foretelling the future, speaking a new message from God to the people], or by instruction [teaching precepts that develop spiritual maturity]?
So it is with you, since you are so very eager to have spiritual gifts and manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in ways that will build up the church [spiritually].
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1Cor.14.1,1Cor.14.3,1Cor.14.6,1Cor.14.12&version=AMP
For clarification, women had this gift as well which we see in a few of the Old and New Testament examples :
And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exod.15.20&version=KJV
And Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Judg.4.4&version=KJV
And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity; And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke.2.36,Luke.2.37&version=KJV
There is some controversy regarding prophecy and John the Baptist. We can read that he was the fulfillment of Elijah in regards to Old Testament tradition based on the Law. Old testament tradition was prophecy against a people or a nation.
For all the prophets and the Law prophesied up until John. And if you are willing to accept it, John himself is [the fulfillment of] Elijah [as the messenger] who was to come [before the kingdom].
He who has ears to hear, let him hear heed My words. “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavily burdened [by religious rituals that provide no peace], and I will give you rest [refreshing your souls with salvation].
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matt.11.13,Matt.11.14,Matt.11.15,Matt.11.28&version=AMP
Let’s review who Elijah was and how the Lord used him.
1 After many days, the word of the Lord came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, Go, show thyself unto Ahab, and I will send rain upon the earth.
For when Jezebel destroyed the Prophets of the Lord, Obadiah took an hundred Prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and he fed them with bread and water.)
And when Ahab saw Elijah, Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel? And he answered, I have not troubled Israel, but thou and thy father’s house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baal. Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, and the prophets of the groves four hundred, which eat at Jezebel’s table.
¶ So Ahab sent unto all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together unto mount Carmel. And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow him, but if Baal be he, then go after him. And the people answered him not a word.
Then call ye on the name of your god, and I will call on the Name of the Lord: and then the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered, and said, It is well spoken.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1Kgs.18.1,1Kgs.18.4,1Kgs.18.17,1Kgs.18.18,1Kgs.18.19,1Kgs.18.20,1Kgs.18.21,1Kgs.18.24&version=GNV
This is where maturity happens, it grows the faith of children into maturity of adults faithfulness.
There is one body [of believers] and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when called [to salvation]— one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all who is [sovereign] over all and [working] through all and [living] in all.
Therefore it says,“When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive,And He bestowed gifts on men.” (Now this expression, “He ascended,” what does it mean except that He also had previously descended [from the heights of heaven] into the lower parts of the earth?
And [His gifts to the church were varied and] He Himself appointed some as apostles [special messengers, representatives], some as prophets [who speak a new message from God to the people], some as evangelists [who spread the good news of salvation], and some as pastors and teachers [to shepherd and guide and instruct], [and He did this] to fully equip and perfect the saints (God’s people) for works of service, to build up the body of Christ [the church];
until we all reach oneness in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, [growing spiritually] to become a mature believer, reaching to the measure of the fullness of Christ [manifesting His spiritual completeness and exercising our spiritual gifts in unity].
So that we are no longer children [spiritually immature], tossed back and forth [like ships on a stormy sea] and carried about by every wind of [shifting] doctrine, by the cunning and trickery of [unscrupulous] men, by the deceitful scheming of people ready to do anything [for personal profit].
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Eph.4.4,Eph.4.5,Eph.4.6,Eph.4.8,Eph.4.9,Eph.4.11,Eph.4.12,Eph.4.13,Eph.4.14&version=AMP
but this is [the beginning of] what was spoken of through the prophet Joel: ‘And it shall be in the last days,’ says God,‘That I will pour out My Spirit upon all mankind; And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,And your young men shall see [divinely prompted] visions,
And your old men shall dream [divinely prompted] dreams; Even on My bond-servants, both men and women, I will in those days pour out My Spirit and they shall prophesy.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts.2.16,Acts.2.17,Acts.2.18&version=AMP
However we need discernment to not deceived:
But [in those days] false prophets arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will subtly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction on themselves.
Many will follow their shameful ways, and because of them the way of truth will be maligned. And in their greed they will exploit you with false arguments and twisted doctrine.
Their sentence [of condemnation which God has decreed] from a time long ago is not idle [but is still in force], and their destruction and deepening misery is not asleep [but is on its way].
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2Pet.2.1,2Pet.2.2,2Pet.2.3&version=AMP
Paul explains why we are/were children:
My little children, for whom I am again in [the pains of] labor until Christ is [completely and permanently] formed within you— how I wish that I were with you now and could change my tone, because I am perplexed in regard to you.
Tell me, you who are bent on being under the Law, do you not listen to [what] the Law [really says]?
And we, [believing] brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children [not merely of physical descent, like Ishmael, but are children born] of promise [born miraculously]. But as at that time the child [of ordinary birth] born according to the flesh persecuted the son who was born according to [the promise and working of] the Spirit, so it is now also.
So then, believers, we [who are born again—reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, and set apart for His purpose] are not children of a slave woman [the natural], but of the free woman [the supernatural].
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Gal.4.19,Gal.4.20,Gal.4.21,Gal.4.28,Gal.4.29,Gal.4.31&version=AMP
And we have seen, and do testify, that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. Hereby shall ye know the Spirit of God, Every spirit which confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God. And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh, is not of God: but this is the spirit of Antichrist, of whom ye have heard, how that he should come, and now already he is in this world.
Little children, ye are of God, and have overcome them: for greater is he that is in you, than he that is in this world. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfect in us. Hereby know we, that we dwell in him, and he in us: because he hath given us of his Spirit. Whosoever confesseth that Jesus is the Son of God, in him dwelleth God, and he in God.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1John.4.14,1John.4.2,1John.4.3,1John.4.4,1John.4.12,1John.4.13,1John.4.15&version=GNV
In conclusion:
We now understand when maturity occurs, we will think spiritually about the (Brethren)body.
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:
So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;
Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity;
he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.
Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;
Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. Be of the same mind one toward another.
Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Rom.12.1,Rom.12.3,Rom.12.4,Rom.12.5,Rom.12.6,Rom.12.7,Rom.12.8,Rom.12.12,Rom.12.13,Rom.12.16&version=KJV