GENERAL INTRODUCTION
The Prophetic Ministry and Office play an important role not only in the Church but in the world at large. There is a natural tendency in every man to desire to know things beyond what the Five Senses can know. There is a natural propensity in humanity to inquire of things before they happen. The quest to receive information beyond the realm of matter, space and time has skyrocketedly increase in today's world. This is why patronage has increased in the traditionalist circle. Be it known unto you that the Great Elohim didn't create you to be ignorant or void of the ability to know things beyond the Natural Realm. This is why in these last days, He has promised to POUR OUT HIS SPIRIT UPON ALL MEN. Joel 2:28. He is raising A MIGHTY COMPANY OF PROPHETS IN THESE LAST DAYS. It took me a lot of time before I could come into terms with this because a lot of my theological ideologies had to go for the Present Truth of God to have His way.
THE PROPHETIC OFFICE
The Prophetic Office is undoubtedly the first and the oldest Ministry Office as far as this planet is concerned. The only exception is if you want to bring in the Pioneering nature of the God Head to mean the Apostolic Office. But, the word 'Apostle' was never mentioned in the Old Testament except for its types and shadows. However, the only Ministry Office (by this I mean those described in Eph. 4:8) that was present in the Old Testament and continued into the New is the PROPHETIC OFFICE. This pedestal it to be a very prominent office. Also, it is a known fact that Old Testament Folks do not enjoy the INDWELLING PRESENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. However, the anointing of God only comes upon three sets of people; THE PRIESTS, THE KINGS AND THE PROPHETS. This is so because of the special works they had to do. The role of the kings basically is to govern Israelites in the ways of the Lord. Remember also that the kingly anointing can kill witches and the wicked people in those days. The priestly roles are numerous; offering gifts and sacrifices on behalf of the people to God, custodian, interpreter and teacher of the laws, etc. Under this dispensation, the only sets of people that could speak under Divine impulse were the Prophets. Though the Priests did exhort the people about the ways of God and about carrying out the sacrificial system, it was not necessarily a preaching and teaching ministry. So in a sense, the only sets of Ministers the people had were the Prophets. Under that dispensation, the prophets were the only sets of people that could give guidance and direction to people because the people were bunch of spiritually dead people. So the people had to go to the prophets to inquire what 'Thus saith the Lord'.
But, in the New Testament, many things have changed.
Some of the changes are:
A. Prophets in the New Testament are not the only ones that can speak with Inspired Utterance; all the Five Fold Ministers mentioned in Eph. 4:11 can. In fact, ALL BELIEVERS CAN SPEAK WITH INSPIRED UTTERANCE. Not only that, WE CAN ALL PROPHESY. 1 Cor. 14:31. We can all receive revelations from the Spirit of God.
B. Believers in the New Testament do not need to go to a Prophet to know what 'Thus saith the Lord'. We can all be led by the Spirit. ROM. 8:14, WE CAN ALL KNOW ALL THINGS. 1 John 2:20. Does that means that prophets are irrelevant in the New Testament? No. As a matter of fact, the opposite is the truth. But, be it known unto you that it is SPIRITUAL IRRESPONSIBILITY AND IMMATURITY FOR BELIEVERS TO SEEK GUIDANCE FROM A PROPHET in the New Testament. Their duty is not to guide you but, THEIR ABILITY TO SEE IS MEANT TO CONFIRM WHAT GOD HAS SAID TO YOU. Selah!
C. In the New Testament, all believers are KINGS AND PRIESTS UNTO GOD. 1 Pet. 2:5,9, Rev. 1:6, 5:9,10. All believers have access to God by ourselves. We don't have to go through a priest, a M. O. G. or a sacrificial system to get to God. We don't need any intermediary or mediator. For there is One Mediator; Jesus the Christ.
CAUTION:
Don't take this truth to an extreme to believe the Five fold ministers are irrelevant or attending Church Service and doing other commitments are irrelevant. You do that to your peril. Even God will not support you. You are just a catastrophe waiting to happen. One of the disaster that has befallen the Church has been some misguided believers that have taken some truths to extreme. Sardonic to say, there will always be extremist till Jesus Christ will physically return to this Earth. After all, the False Prophet and the false religion upon which the kingdom and reign of the Antichrist will be founded will come from the Church. Quite disheartening!
Believers don't have to go to their pastors to get their prayers answered or to be able to communicate with God. The pastors perform the work of a spiritual oversight over a local Church as anointed by the Holy Ghost.
In this day and time where there is a massive turning away from the truth, the prophetic ministry is in high demand to be able to point the way to the truth, shed light on things that have once been hidden and sealed and to give exactness to Bible prophecies that don't have a definite time bound to their fulfillment. Tomorrow, we will look deeply into WHO A PROPHET IS.
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ACTIVATION
1Cor 14:31 For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted. This dimension in the Prophetic Realm is available to you. Pray that this ability be activated in you. We (ALL BELIEVERS CAN PROPHESY).
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