GOD CALLED THE PROPHET
Dr. Audrey L. Dickey, Los Angeles, CA (c)
AUDREY DICKEY MINISTRIES
Glory International Center
"A Center for God's Presence"
In response to a question, “What is the purpose of calling oneself a Prophet?” I have a question, what is the purpose of calling oneself a Pastor, an Evangelist, a Teacher or an Apostle?
These are the titles God calls people who are in the fivefold ministry as gifts to the body of Christ the Messiah. This merely identifies the type of call that is on their life and the gifts they have since each office operates in various gifts as the Spirit of God wills.
Ephesians 4:11-12 NIV:
“So Christ Himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip His people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.”
Ephesians 4:11-12 AMP:
“And His gifts were [varied; He Himself appointed and gave men to us] some to be apostles (special messengers), some prophets (inspired preachers and expounders), some evangelists (preachers of the Gospel, traveling missionaries), some pastors (shepherds of His flock) and teachers. His intention was the perfecting and the full equipping of the saints (His consecrated people), [that they should do] the work of ministering toward building up Christ’s body (the church).”
The Lord gave us five ministry gift offices, of which, the offices of the apostle and the prophet are the foundation of the church with Jesus Himself as the Cornerstone (Eph. 2:20). These offices still exist today because God never stopped using them – He always has a remnant. The prophets have an anointing that can destroy yokes and catapult people into their destiny. One of the main purposes of the office of the prophet is to give fresh revelation, confirmation, instructions, insight and strategies from God to help and direct His church (His people).
Amos 3:7 AMP says:
“Surely the Lord God will do nothing without revealing His secret to His servants the prophets.” Also see Rev. 10:7.
2 Chronicles 20:20 NIV says:
“…Have faith in the Lord your God and you will be upheld; have faith in His prophets and you will be successful.”
The fivefold ministry gifts work in conjunction with other gifts located in the Bible. God’s gifts are located in I Cor. 12:7-11, 28 NKJV: “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.” Found in verse 28: “And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues.” Additional gifts of prophecy/preacher, serving, teaching, exhorting, giving, ruling/administration and mercy are located in Romans 12:6-15. Of course, God is not limited to using His gifts only through the five-fold ministry gifts but those of the five-fold will use them more frequently because of their assignments from God.
The Lord’s offices also operate in the marketplace as more of His Kingdom people begin to walk in their callings and purposes outside of the four walls of a church building. We are the church, “His people” and His gifts will be very instrumental in taking back institutions that were taken from the Body of Christ (His Kingdom) over the years. For example: Marriage and family, faith/religion, education, government/law, business/economics, media/new, arts and entertainment. God is everywhere and apart of everything that concerns His people. Therefore, many CEO’s of companies who create and start up are walking in the office of apostles and many prophets are the visionaries of companies. The only difference is the religious or biblical titles have been removed, different titles are used and many have not a clue that it is God who gave them the ability, favor, gifts and talents that they are using and enjoying the fruit of. The anointing (power from God) has been instrumental to their success whether they are aware of it or not.
The prophet is very much needed today to launch churches, free people who are in bondage and find it very difficult to be set free so they can move forward and receive what God has purposed for their lives. God is speaking loud and clear and He is doing it His way. We are aware that anyone can hear the voice of God and have a personal relationship with Him if they are born-again (saved/ a Believer) and seeking Him, (John 10:27). Some of us even heard and were aware of His presence before we received Salvation because the Almighty already knew who would receive and be apart of His Kingdom. But not everyone is “sent” to do a work for God that will affect many lives. These are those chosen, anointed and equipped by God to carry out the assignment He placed on their lives within the five-fold ministry gifts for His purpose from the foundation of the earth. All people are anointed for what God purposed for their lives and all Believers are ministers and have the ability to lead someone else to the Lord. If they seek Him they will discover what their purpose or call is.
The early church operated in and recognized all five offices that God set in place. During the Dark Ages or Medieval Times to the present the enemy has done everything in his power to deceive and water down the church from the power and authority it once had. The early church kept the feasts which kept them in God’s cycle and timing so they could make the right connections at the right time. They witnessed miracles and experienced signs and wonders, healings and major breakthroughs. The early church were basically Jews and a few Gentiles and today as the church is restored it will consist of Jew and Gentile in Christ forming the One New Man (Eph. 2:14). For the Lord has said that He is coming back for a glorious church and in these last days we will do greater works than even He did while on earth as the Son of man (John 14:12).
In and out of the church, many choose to ignore and/or reject God’s prophets and as a result the overall state of the church is full of dead religion and rituals. The flow of the Holy Spirit is not present because He is not welcome. Where the Holy Spirit is welcome the gifts will manifest as God wills. Speaking in an unknown tongue, which is a spiritual language that speaks directly to God, will function (I Cor. 14:2-5) and the prophetic word will come forth as inspired by Holy Spirit through the mouths of the prophets with interpretation. In many cases the prophetic word will come through people with a gift of prophecy who may not walk in the office of a Prophet (I Cor. 12:10; Eph. 4:11). (See The Prophetic Gift on the Prophecy menu).
Discerning who is a true prophet and who is false can be discerned with the help of Holy Spirit Who is able to impart the gift of discernment to help you discern who is and who is not of Him (I Cor. 12:10 AMP). The Bible says you will recognize (know) them by their fruit Matthew 7:16. If they have the fruit, character of God with a Godly lifestyle as seen in Gal. 5:22-23 it will be noticeable. Prophets and all of the offices people hold are not held by “perfect” individuals but those called, chosen and that should be faithful followers Rev. 17:14. What the prophet reveals should line up with the written Word of God. One should also ask God to confirm His Word and not just do whatever is spoken especially if there is no confirmation in their own heart or spirit or if they do not have a peace about it.
A false prophet is not one simply because something that was spoken did not come to pass especially when one thinks it should have. God has appointed times and seasons; maybe the person did not continue with the Lord and therefore hindered the word from coming to pass themselves. Whether it came to pass or not this does not always prove that someone is a false prophet. The Lord says His ways and way of thinking, His thoughts are higher than ours and so God may do something in such away we don’t agree with or expect. Nevertheless, what determines a false prophet is whether or not the person tries to lead someone away from Christ and away from their faith in aTrue and Living God. Remember, if there are false prophets that also means there are true prophets in the earth otherwise there would not be any reason to differentiate between the two.
Many pastors in our churches today operate in the prophetic and some are apostles of God and many are using the title Bishop. Many have not been taught enough about the prophetic office so out of fear of losing their congregations or moving in gifts they do not understand and seeming weird or out of place it is easier to say they are pastors regardless of any one or more of the other four offices they may be anointed to by the Lord. In addition, the structure of the church changed during the Medieval Times and one person called a pastor was and pretty much did everything. This is unfair to the person and unfair to the congregation because the pastoral office does not walk in all of the ministry gifts and therefore people who attend church will not receive the fullness of what God could impart if Holy Spirit and all five ministry offices were in operation per the structure Jesus set forth in His Kingdom Eph. 2:20, I Cor. 12:27-30.
It is time for God’s people to step up and function in what they have been ordained and called to. People need help from all five of the ministry gifts not only from the ones that are acceptable by man (the religious mindset). Remember there is liberty in Christ and religion came to shut it down. But this is the year of the Open Door and season of harvest and acceleration is at hand. Jesus said He is the Door and He is pulling out all stops and delivering promises that so many have been waiting for. There is a transfer of wealth in every area of life going on right now and we need the prophets to announce the plan of God so people won’t miss what God intended for them or His Kingdom advancing (Amos 3:7; 2 Peter 1:20, 21).
The Bible makes it clear that God is not done with the prophets. In Matthew 5:17 it says, “Do not think that I have come to do away with or undo the Law or the Prophets; I have come not to do away with or undo but to complete and fulfill them.” I Cor. 13:8 AMP has been used to convince others that prophecy is not for today as it says “…As for prophecy (the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), it will be fulfilled and pass away; as for tongues, they will be destroyed and cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away [it will lose its value and be superseded by truth].” Notice something, TODAY we still seek after and need knowledge; TODAY millions of people around the world are filled with the Spirit of God and speak in other tongues (I Cor. 14:2) and TODAY prophets are still needed as a vital part of the foundation of the structure of the Church Jesus set in place (Eph. 2:20-21). When the complete and perfect (total) comes (the Second Coming of Jesus, Rev. 19:11-13) then these gifts will no longer be needed (I Cor. 13:10) but for TODAY they are very much needed and in operation if change in the Kingdom is really going to advance.
Jesus/Yeshua did not come and die and rise from a grave to give us religion. He came to bring us life and it in abundance which includes a wonderful relationship with a Living God! (John 10:10). With your hope, faith, trust and willing heart to follow Him, He “will do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us…” (Eph. 3:20).
Audrey L. Dickey, PhD
Christian Love Fellowship Church, Inc.