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Every time I heard the word ‘prophecy’ I would cringe.  It’s not that I thought it referenced evil – okay, who am I kidding – I thought it was only used in association with witches, warlocks, caldrons, and summoning the dead that only wished to remain dead.  Every time I heard the word I thought of those cheap buildings on the side of the road in some dilapidated neighborhood, the kind of place where people offer to read the stars for you and tell you what’s going to happen in the coming year of your life for $25 or something.

I hated prophecy.

When I began hearing the word used in the Christian circles I was slowly claiming to be a part of – I have to admit, I was a little leery.  Part of it was because my entire understanding of what prophecy was in regards to Scripture and the Christian life was totaling skewed.  It’s not really about fortune telling.  You don’t have to be a witch, you don’t have to be a dead tree, and frankly, I think it’s for every believer in Christ. 

If you can hear the Lord’s voice and if you can open your own mouth, I believe you can prophesy.

The apostle Paul tells us about the gifts of prophecy and tongues in 1 Corinthians 14.  In fact, he starts off by saying that we (as the body) should eagerly desire the gift of prophecy (v. 1), not run from it.  So why do Christians not embrace it more?

I think it’s because they don’t understand it, although most people prophesy without even knowing it.

Paul goes on to tell us in verse 3 that “everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort.”  So prophecy, as it stands in the New Testament can be broken down into three parts: a) strengthening; b) encouragement; c) comfort.

Let’s start by exploring prophecy as comfort.  It’s really easy to bring comfort to people.  If a friend just lost their pet, you might go up to them give them a hug, some encouraging words, etc.  Therefore you have brought them comfort.  It’s prophecy. 

What about encouragement?  Have you ever complimented someone for their outstanding service at a restaurant, or their amazing musical ability?  That’s prophecy. 

And while bringing one comfort and encouragement is easy, I think that prophecy as strengthening is a lot more difficult.  Typically when you strengthen something, you have to break it down.  I think of going to the gym.  If I want to make my muscle bigger when I work out, I’m going to need to break it down.  Usually it’s not the most comfortable process… but in the long run, it brings me increased strength (and bulk). 

Prophecy as strengthening is the same idea.  It’s not easy to deliver certain messages to some people because, well, it’s going to hurt.  I think it takes a more mature Christian who’s unafraid of confrontation to deliver real powerful words of strengthening to a fellow brother or sister in Christ.

One night I was teaching a group about prophecy and they practiced prophesying by using me as the guinea pig.  They brought some incredible words of comfort and encouragement, but no one was getting “ballsy” enough to speak to me hardcore words of strengthening.  After a short silence of them listening to God for words, one of them piped up with a very pointed message that only God and myself would know about.  It caught me off guard!  It was hard to hear, but I needed to hear it.

Prophecy as it’s found in the New Testament isn’t about forecasting doom and gloom over society.  It’s not about the apocalypse or Armageddon.  It’s about bringing words of comfort, encouragement, and strengthening to one another. 

Oftentimes prophetic insight is gathered through listening to the Lord’s voice and the words that He has to speak about someone’s life.  But prophecy is also very simple, as simple as telling someone that you love them or that they’re gifted in a particular way. 

Do you prophecy?  Better yet – have you ever prophesied over yourself?

“But if an unbeliever or someone who does not understand comes in while everybody is prophesying, he will be convinced by all that he is a sinner and will be judged by all, and the secrets of his heart will be laid bare.  So he will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, ‘God is really among you!'” (1 Corinthians 14.24-25, NIV)