God made every provision for the church to function in fullness, giving various supernatural gifts to the church to help the church so we would not be deceived by the fleshly thinking of humans.
After the crucifixion and resurrection, God gave the church HIS Spirit to live inside each individual who belongs to God so that by HIS Spirit we might know things of God.
And after the resurrection Jesus gave to the New Testament Church the gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher ... Eph. 4 ... 11 And HE gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
And God gave "specific" gifts of the Holy Spirit to individuals within the church ... and from time to time we will hear an individual speak a "word of knowledge" from God that we are enlightened in a matter ... or we hear an individual speak "a word of wisdom" from God that we know truth ...
An example of a word of wisdom ... A woman wrote me telling me that her mother divorced and remarried and she wanted to tell me the circumstances of her mother's divorce ... I turned to God and asked HIM for help and I heard, "Focus on the scripture, not on the circumstances."
Mt. 5:32 ... But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.
I Cor. 7 ... 10 And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: 11 But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.
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A woman in our little church group had a dream and thought she was supposed to sell her house and move, she knew not where ...
A prophet (Barbara Preston) in our group, read the writing telling of this dream and Barbara was terrified by this woman's plan to sell her house and move. Barbara told the woman she thought the dream was telling her "Don't move." The woman had put her house on the market after having the dream, but after Barbara spoke, the woman took her house off the real estate listings. The woman was greatly helped because Barbara spoke.
God uses prophets in the church to help the church, often prophets bring correction to individuals.
And there is a power of God in the words spoken by a prophet.
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Are there prophets in the NT church since all who are of God in the NT church have the Spirit of God? Are there still prophets?
What does the New Testament show us about this?
Eph. 4 ...
Acts 21 (Agabus a prophet) ...
Acts 15:32 (Judas & Silas, prophets)
Silas (a prophet) often accompanied Paul (an apostle/teacher) on his trips to the churches. Acts 16:25, Acts 17
We see prophets in the New Testament being sent by God to the churches, working in the New Testament churches. This shows us we have prophets today in the New Testament church.
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Individuals are given various spiritual gifts to help the New Testament church ...
I Cor. 12 ... 1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant... 4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. 8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; 9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; 10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: 11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as HE (God) will.
Romans 12 ... 4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: 5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. 6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; 7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; 8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.
Sometimes the church group fails to know God gives these gifts therefore room is not made for the gifts to surface in the church group.
Sometimes individuals who have been given that spiritual gift fail to understand they have that gift and they keep silent, withholding the gift from the church.
But the gifts are there.
Sometimes a person will fail to exercise the spiritual gift thinking, "God didn't tell me I'm a prophet."
God didn't tell me I'm a prophet either but I am. The fruit that comes from me has confirmed this over and over many times as I operate by faith in God, correcting individuals, edifying the individuals in the way of God. The fruit is there.
Paul explains that not all are "apostles" or "prophets" but some are ... and Paul speaks of other spiritual gifts in this scripture: I Cor. 12 ... 28 And God hath set some in the church (to care for the church), first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? 30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?
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In one church I regularly attended a Sunday School class ... After the teacher taught, he never failed to say, "Does anyone have a word from the Lord?"
(He opened the door for the Holy Spirit to speak through the individuals in the class and to give an opportunity for the gifts of the Holy Spirit to come forth in the group that day.)
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It doesn't have to be in the church group for these gifts to come forth. I have often spoken by the spirit of God by phone, by email, by letter, by Internet.
If a "gift" of the Holy Spirit is in us then by faith we exercise the gift by speaking whether in writing or by verbal communication.
It is important to me that I let none of those words or concepts given me by God slip.
These are entrustments given by God for the benefit of the church.
Mt. 25 ... 14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.
15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.
16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. 17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. 18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.
19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.
20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. 21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
22 He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. 23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: 25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
26 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: 27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. 28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. 29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. 30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
We are entrusted by God, with various things from God. We must deal faithfully and in faith and properly with such as God gives us. These gifts from God are not given to pump us up in giving the word, but rather that the church might be edified and helped. Each of us must deal wisely with that given us by God.