Have you ever run into an abrasive person who speaks the truth but seems to sap the sanctification right out of you? You know who I’m talking about, yep, them. He or she constantly invades your Christian world and life view in seemingly inappropriate times, or in inappropriate ways… Crusaders of sorts, beckoning what God has placed on their hearts “for you.”
When singled out and censured, they use the excuse, “Well… I’m more of a Prophet.”
To that, you think, but might never say out loud, “No, You’re more of an Ass!”
To claim to the personality and gifting of the Old Testament prophets as a biblical demeanor in this era, may not be, in itself, biblical. Here’s why:
1. We have clear examples of practicing prophets in the New Testament. – The demeanor of new testament prophets is clearly different post Christ. We don’t have prophets like Elisha cursing some children resulting in them getting mauled by bears. ”Elisha turned around and looked at them, and he cursed them in the name of the LORD. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of them.” 2 Kings 2:24 NLT Nor like Nehemiah who physically beat, smote, and pulled the hair out of some of his listeners. Nehemiah 13:25 I could list more, but you get the point.
2. The gift of prophecy is to be exercised in and with love. – “If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.” 1 Corinthians 13:2 People who feel like they are nothing are noisy in attempt to be something, often at the expense of others. ”Truthing in love,” Ephesians 4:15 is the evidence of Christ’s presence within a New Testament Prophet.
3. Barnabas (the son of encouragement) was a contemporary New Testament prophet. - Now there were at Antioch, in the church that was there, prophets and teachers: Barnabas, and Simeon who was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. The Name “Barnabas,” means “son of encouragement,” “son of consolation,”and even “son of the prophet.” Anyone who claims to be gifted in the prophetic should get to know Barnabas the Prophet in the New Testament.
4. John’s prophecy in Revelation, while harsh at times, is wrapped in love. – Certainly John was an Apostle, but the entire nature of Revelation is prophetic. ”Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy..” Revelation 1:3 And while there is a clear sternness to his messages, they are constantly accompanied by loving, edifying, encouraging, and challenging words. If the result of prophetic behavior is loathing, tearing down, or discouragement, then chances are there is something else going on.
5. The prophetic gift is for the edification, exhortation, and equipping of the church. – Like any of the gifts in Ephesians 4:11, they have a momentum towards the equipping, preparation, edification, and unification of the church for ministry. ”Until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” Ephesians 4:13 De-equipping and Dis-unity in the church are contra-prophetic. A Prophets equipping Naturally evolves into biblical influence.
Some faulty assumptions made by those who think they are gifted in the prophetic:
- No one likes me, so I must be a prophet. No one like the prophets in the bible, and a prophet isn’t honored in his/her home.
- People get angry when I speak into their lives, the truth hurts, so it’s definitely a sign that I’m operating in the prophetic.
- I don’t have to worry about how people feel about what I say because I’m just speaking what the Lord lays on my heart.
- I don’t need other’s permission to speak into other’s people lives, because I have God’s permission.
- A prophet does the dirty work in a community and leaves where a Pastor consoles, cares for, and stays.
What other faulty assumptions are made by those who think they are gifted in the prophetic? While it may be difficult to deal with these seemingly aggressive and arrogant “Clanging Imbeciles,” 1 Corinthians 13:1, and while we may consider them our enemies in the moment, the church is obligated to love them into their gifting. So, the next time someone mistreats you and says it’s because they’re gifted in the prophetic, even though you think they are gifted in the idiotic, don’t respond in like form. Overcome darkness with light. Truthing them into love Ephesians 4:15 will not only correct their path, but equip them to better operate in the prophetic if that indeed is their gift.
What is the proper course of action when someone is abrasively being prophetic to you?
How do you determine whether someone is being prophetic or asinine?
What other New Testament Prophets can we use to better understand what should be the biblical demeanor of someone who is genuinely gifted in the Prophetic?
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Missionary in the Andes Mountains Cloud Forest Region of Ecuador. My last name, "Labrador," is the word that's used for "Vine Worker" in the Spanish Bible, and it's OK with me. 
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The prophetic side of me saw this article coming.
Na, it’s just daylight’s savings time effect on the space time continuum. ;-p
So who upset your applecart?
I think God uses abrasive people for a reason. I think you could be a prophet and loving and abrasive or not abrasive. How has God wired the person….
I think you’re right Walter, there are times when abrasiveness is needed. Two completely smooth rods of iron will not sharpen one another and will not cause sparks to fly upward. As to my apple cart, yes, I would have to apply some of these thoughts to myself, but speaking the truth in love can take many forms and be laden with many passions. The apples in my cart are being juiced, but it still flows. A true prophet can’t help but foretell and forthtell what he or she hears from God. And, even if he or she tried not to squelch the voice, God may choose to use a nearby ass.
You wrote, “De-equipping and Dis-unity in the church are contra-prophetic.”. I think we have to remember that sometimes a local church is filled with many people sho are not believers. I think its a good thing for a prohet to chase off unbelievers and cause people to consider whether they are truly committed to christ, and warn people of what will happen by not committing to faith in Christ and modeling obedience to God.
And as for how we should act if someone isbeing abrasive – pray & check ourselves to ensure we are in God’s will & if so, we should pray & talk to the person, see if thee is truth in what was said.
James and Paul were good examples of a prophet – some of what they said was harsh.
How does Christ Himself fit into this article? Yes, everything he did was in love. However, most of this teaching came across as harsh. He is our ultimate example, right?
Yes Ron,
They came across as harsh, but never sinful. Christ is our ultimate example. We can deliver harsh, stern, or even zealous messages without sinning, and this is the point of the article. Which is why I pointed to Barnabas and John. But, thanks for pointing out something which I should have mentioned. Mea Culpa
Its been my experience that God will use prophets to speak into our lives when we are ignoring Him (in one or more areas). If we cant hear God, God will make himself heard.
As someone with a prophetic gifting I can only say, “Don’t get me started!” This article is so right. If idiocy is your gift please don’t use it and don’t confuse it with the prophetic. We wouldn’t (or shouldn’t) accept a pastor who beat up on his flock and who, when confronted, said, “I’m a shepherd and it’s part of the package.” Why would we accept a prophet who does the same?
1 Corinthians 14:3 specifically declares the purpose of New Testament prophesy: “But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort.” If a prophetic word does not do this it is unbiblical. I’m tired of having to undo the condemnation left by some unaccountable “prophetic voice” and to really speak the heart of God into an individual who was damaged by an immature or faulty prophetic word. God’s word may convict, but it never condemns and it always, always leads the way to restoration.
Revelation 19 says the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophesy. Everyone but the Pharisees among us knows that the testimony of Jesus is grace and mercy and love. That is the Gospel message. Everything else comes of a religious spirit and is false Christianity.
A number of years ago I decided to add up all the words I’d given in private and public. By my best reckoning the count was somewhere between 1,000 & 1,100 prophetic “deliveries”. Of those, only 7 have been “negative” words, that is, words of specific rebuke or warning. Seven out of a thousand. That is a good ratio. And all seven were delivered with concern for those involved and care not to make them a spectacle or feel abandoned or unloved by God.
Prophetic ministry can be powerful and life-changing and I’ve been privileged to see many people incredibly blessed when God speaks directly into their lives. But this gift is among the most misunderstood and misused and needs to be approached with the same care, maturity, and sound biblical understanding that should accompany teaching. It needs to be accountable, biblical, and full of the grace and love of God. Anything less is sloppy at best and counterfeit at worst.