three revelation gifts — the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, or the discerning of spirits
¦— plus prophecy operating consistently in his ministry.
Therefore, we should not confuse the office of the prophet with the simple gift of prophecy
which we are all told to covet: "Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy . . ."(1 Cor. 14:39). We
can all have the gift of prophecy because God wouldn't tell us to covet something that wasn't
available to us, nor to desire something that we couldn't have (1 Cor. 14:1,5,39). Yet all will not
have all the gifts of the Spirit operating in their lives and ministries.
1 CORINTHIANS 14:1,5,39
1 Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may PROPHESY....
5 1 would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye PROPHESIED: for greater is
he that PROPHESIETH than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the
church may receive edifying....
39 Wherefore, brethren, covet to PROPHESY, and forbid not to speak with tongues.
We can all prophesy, but we can't all be prophets. And although we can all prophesy, we must
also realize that prophecy through the office of the prophet carries more authority than the
simple gift of prophecy would operating through the laity.
New Testament Example Of the Gift of Prophecy
In Acts chapter 21, we see a scriptural illustration of some believers who had the gift of
prophecy operating in their lives.
ACTS 21:8,9
8 And the next day we that were of Paul's company departed, and came unto Caesarea:
and we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven; and
abode with him.
9 And the same man l Philip i had four daughters, virgins, WHICH DID PROPHESY.
All four of Philip's daughters had this simple gift of prophecy operating in their lives. They must
have prophesied in the services held in their house because otherwise Paul and his company
would not have known that they prophesied.
Philip's daughters spoke to the whole company to edification, exhortation, and comfort (1 Cor.
14:3). However, when the prophet Agabus came, he had a message from the Holy Spirit on a
higher order, which brought revelation.
New Testament Example of The Prophet's Ministry
ACTS 21:10,11
10 And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet,
named Agabus.
11 And when he was come unto us, he took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and
feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man
that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.
Agabus wasn't necessarily prophesying here in the sense that we normally think of the gift of
simple prophecy. He just had a message from the Holy Ghost. He had a message that had
some revelation with it — the word of wisdom.