Monday, March 2, 2015

Prophets working together in the church

Joan Boney ... apostle/prophet

We have multiple scriptures in Bible showing prophets "traveling" about together.  Prophets have an anointing from God and they are shown things other people often miss.  And "we know in part and we prophesy in part" (I Cor. 13). 

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Acts 11 ... 27 And in these days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch. 28 And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the world:which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar. 29 Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judaea:30 Which also they did, and sent it to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul

(Notice these are prophets working in the New Testament church.)

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Another passage of scripture concerning prophets working together in the church is I Cor. 14.  Paul gave specific instructions for proper order in the gathering of the church.  We see the following concerning prophets in the church.

I Cor. 14 ... 29 Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge. 30 If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace. 31 For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted. 32 And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. 33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

Four of Philip's daughters "did prophesy" to the church.  Prophesy is for the church to warn us, to instruct us, to wake us up.

Acts 21 ... And when we had finished our course from Tyre, we came to Ptolemais, and saluted the brethren, and abode with them one day. 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 had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy.

Small bits of information such as the above are very helpful to us today in showing us specific details of the working of the church.  Here we see women prophesying in church for prophesy is for the church.  These women had to speak in the church in order to prophesy.

When Paul said, 34 Let your women keep silence in the churches:for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. 35 And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home:for it is a shame for women to speak in the church. I Cor. 14, we should be able to see from Acts 21:9 that Paul could not have been forbidding women to prophesy in the church.

God used Acts 21:9 about Philip's 4 daughters to help me to understand what Paul said about women keeping silent.

God said to me (concerning what Paul wrote in I Cor. 14)  "Look at what these women were doing in the church."

35 And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home:for it is a shame for women to speak in the church. I Cor. 14

These women were out of control, interrupting the service by asking questions, and this certainly is a shame.

Questions in general are problems for if we have a question, we should be asking God that question and waiting on God rather than turning to man.

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I mentioned things being in Bible to help us to see the way God wants us to go.  The following scripture was used by God to show me to do something I've never before seen in today's church group.

II Tim. 4:14 ... (Paul said) ... 14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil:the Lord reward him according to his works:15 Of whom be thou ware also; for he hath greatly withstood our words.

I realized God was showing me that I had to correct individuals and name them by name, warning others in the church.  The above scripture gave me the faith and strength to do this as needed. 



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Concerning Elijah ... I Kings 19 ... 4 But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree:and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers. 

5 And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat. 

6 And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again. 

7 And the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee. 

8 And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.
 

9 And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah? 10 And he said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts:for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

(Remember how upset Moses was when he came down the mountain from being with God 40 days to find the children of Israel calling a golden calf their god ... Things like this are very upsetting, especially to a prophet.  But God is going to restore Elijah in his discouragement.)


11 And HE (God) said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind:and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake:12 And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire:and after the fire a still small voice. 13 And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah? 

14 And he (Elijah) said, I have been very jealous for the Lord God of hosts:because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. 

In his discouragement, God gave Elijah an assignment.  This often happens in my life.  When I am a little down, God raises me up by giving me a word to write ...

15 And the Lord said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus:and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria:16 And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel:
and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room. 

17 And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay:and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay. 

18 Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.

Elijah was not alone as he seemed to be.  There were 7000 others in Israel who had not bowed unto Baal.

This makes a very big difference!

I Kings 18 ... 19 So he (Elijah) departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth:and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him. 20 And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again:for what have I done to thee? 21 And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he (Elisha) arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him. 

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Another examples of prophets just "wandering" about together ...

II Kings 2 ...  1 And it came to pass, when the Lord would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. 2 And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the Lord hath sent me to Bethel. And Elisha said unto him, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Bethel. 3 And the sons of the prophets that were at Bethel came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Lord will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.

It has always seemed to me that prophets are everywhere.  They are often behind the scenes (unlike Elijah and Elisha), just quietly there and every once in awhile they surface and speak a word.  

Most people don't even know they are prophets and they themselves may not know they are prophets.  They are often just "quietly" different from the other people.