Ephesians

6. The gift of prophecy (1 Corinthians 12:10)—the ability to speak for God in a way that calls people to faith, repentance, and holiness. The gift of prophecy and the next gift, the gift of teaching, are Maintenance Gifts that overlap with the Building Gifts mentioned previously, the gifts of a prophet and a teaching pastor. Both prophecy and teaching are Building Gifts, crucial in laying the foundation of the church, and Maintenance Gifts, crucial in maintaining the health, vitality, and growth of the church.

Though easily misunderstood, the gift of prophecy is one of the greatest of all the gifts. In 1 Corinthians 14:3, Paul says, “But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort.” When someone has this gift, his words have power to build, embolden, motivate, encourage, and impart peace to others. This is not a gift only for preachers. Many lay people have the gift of prophecy.

Perhaps you have been in a meeting where a problem was being discussed and a decision needed to be made—but the group had reached a seeming impasse. No one seemed to have the answer. Then someone stood and spoke—and everyone realized that this individual had just spoken the answer! That is the gift of prophecy at work—the ability to speak with power and authority. The church desperately needs the exercise of this gift.

Some people confuse the gift of prophecy with the ability to foresee the future. And it is true that some of the prophets of biblical times such as Isaiah and Daniel in the Old Testament and John in the New Testament did relate portions of God’s program for the future. But the gift of prophecy is not essentially the ability to foretell, but the ability to tell forth the truth of God at decisive moments.