HOW TO RECEIVE PROPHETIC MINISTRY

*(I Thessalonians 5:20) “Despise not(to think nothing of, set at naught) prophesyings.”

I.                    Does the prophet confess that Jesus is come in the flesh?

A.     I John 4:1-3 “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.  Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that 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: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that should come; and even now already is it in the world.”

II.                 Does the word of the prophet “line up” with Scripture?

B.     I Corinthians 14:37 “If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.”(II Peter 3:15-16 “Paul’s epistles… other Scriptures.”)

III.               Does the prophet have love for the brethren?

C.     I John 4:7-10 “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.  He that loveth not knoweth, not God; for God is love.”

IV.              Does the prophet have a good testimony with other prophets?

D.     I Corinthians 14:29 “Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.”

V.                 Does the prophet equip the saints for the work of ministry?

E.      Ephesians 4:11-12 “And Christ 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: Till…we all come in the unity of the faith… knowledge of the Son of God…unto a perfect man…unto the measure of the stature of fullness of Christ…no more children…speaking truth in love…grow up into Him in all things…fitly joined together…increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.”

VI.              Does the prophet and prophecy pass the test of time?

F.      Deuteronomy 18:20-22 “But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.  And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the Lord hath not spoken?  When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.”