The gift of prophecy is one of the nine manifestations of the Spirit named in 1 Corinthians 12. In this lesson, we explore how prophecy communicates God’s message, encourages faith, and calls believers to obey His Word. Two remarkable biblical accounts help us understand this gift: Jesus raising Lazarus in John 11 and Ezekiel’s vision of the valley of dry bones in Ezekiel 37.
Where Prophecy Fits Among the Gifts
We can better understand the nine gifts of the Spirit by considering three familiar groups. The revelation gifts include the word of wisdom, word of knowledge, and discerning of spirits. These gifts reveal something. The power gifts include faith, gifts of healing, and working of miracles. These gifts do something. The utterance or vocal gifts include prophecy, divers kinds of tongues, and interpretation of tongues. These gifts communicate something. These groupings help explain the gifts, although 1 Corinthians 12:8-10 itself lists them without dividing them into three categories.
Revelation can be compared to turning on a light in a dark room. The light does not create the furniture; it allows people to see what was already there. In a similar way, a revelation from God can bring something to a person’s attention that was previously hidden from their understanding. The purpose of the gifts is not to elevate the person through whom they operate, but to help people recognize God’s work and respond to Him.
What Is the Gift of Prophecy?
Prophecy may be understood as a supernatural utterance declaring God’s will or purpose in a language understood by those hearing it. Unlike tongues and interpretation, a prophetic message does not first require an utterance in another tongue. The New Testament places prophecy among the Spirit’s gifts (1 Corinthians 12:10), and Paul teaches that prophecy should serve the church through edification, exhortation, and comfort (1 Corinthians 14:3).
Prophecy is not limited to predicting distant events. Biblical prophetic speech can announce what God is doing, call people to respond, or strengthen them in faith. Nevertheless, a person’s strong feelings, encouraging words, or predictions are not automatically prophecy. Scripture directs believers to weigh what is spoken rather than accept every claimed revelation without examination (1 Corinthians 14:29; 1 Thessalonians 5:20-21).
Jesus and Lazarus: Faith in the Presence of God
In John 11, Jesus learned that Lazarus was sick, yet did not immediately go to Bethany. When He told the disciples He would awaken Lazarus, they thought He meant ordinary sleep. Jesus then spoke plainly: “Lazarus is dead” (John 11:14). Jesus’ announcement of what He would do illustrates the certainty of His divine purpose.
By the time Jesus arrived, Lazarus had been in the grave four days. Martha worried about the condition of his body when Jesus commanded that the stone be removed. Jesus answered, “Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?” (John 11:40, KJV).
Notice another important detail: before calling Lazarus from the grave, Jesus thanked the Father for hearing Him (John 11:41-42). His point was that believers can pray with confidence that God hears them, even when they do not feel an immediate response. God is not distant from His people, and we can approach Him in prayer with confidence.
Jesus then cried, “Lazarus, come forth” (John 11:43), and Lazarus came out alive. The account reveals Jesus’ authority over death and displays the glory of God. While this account teaches us about the power of God’s spoken word, Jesus’ command in this passage must not be treated as proof that any believer can produce a resurrection merely by declaring one. The miracle belongs to the authority of Christ.
Ezekiel and the Valley of Dry Bones
The central Old Testament example is Ezekiel 37:1-14. The Lord brought Ezekiel into a valley filled with very dry bones and asked, “Son of man, can these bones live?” Ezekiel answered, “O Lord GOD, thou knowest” (Ezekiel 37:3, KJV). Ezekiel did not pretend to know what would happen. He trusted the One who did.
God commanded Ezekiel to prophesy to the bones. As he obeyed, the bones came together, and sinews, flesh, and skin covered them. Yet they still had no breath. The Lord then told Ezekiel to prophesy to the breath, and the bodies came alive and stood as an exceedingly great army (Ezekiel 37:4-10).
The repeated phrase matters: Ezekiel prophesied as he was commanded. He was not inventing an outcome or exercising an independent power over death. He spoke the words the Lord gave him. This account reminds us of the importance of obedience and faith when circumstances appear impossible.
We should also remember the vision’s stated meaning. God identifies the bones as “the whole house of Israel” and promises to bring His people out of their graves and restore them to their land (Ezekiel 37:11-14). The vision can encourage us to trust God’s power to restore, but its original message concerns God’s promise to Israel. Its imagery should not be detached from that explanation.
Prophecy, Faith, and Humility
In Romans 12:1-6, Paul calls believers to present their bodies as a living sacrifice, renew their minds, and think soberly about themselves. The passage describes members of one body receiving different gifts by grace and instructs, “whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith” (Romans 12:6, KJV).
Prophecy is connected with trusting God enough to obey His direction, rather than attempting to impress others with dramatic declarations. The gift is not an opportunity for self-importance. It belongs within the life of Christ’s body, where different members serve one another according to the grace God gives.
The Gift of Prophecy and the Office of a Prophet
We should also distinguish an occasional manifestation of prophecy from the ministry of a prophet. First Corinthians 12:10 speaks of prophecy among the Spirit’s manifestations, while Ephesians 4:11 names prophets among the ministries Christ gives to the church. The gift may operate at particular moments as the Spirit moves, whereas the office describes a broader ministry calling.
These passages support distinguishing a gift from a ministry role, but neither makes a prophet’s every statement automatically infallible. The church remains responsible to judge prophetic messages in accordance with Scripture (1 Corinthians 14:29).
Prophecy Should Serve People
The purpose of spiritual gifts is to help people and glorify God. A word spoken at the right time may encourage someone toward renewed faith, and God’s work is not confined to a church building. Believers encounter people at work, in stores, and throughout daily life who may need compassion and encouragement.
Not every timely word of encouragement should be labeled prophecy. Yet believers can remain sensitive to opportunities to speak truth and hope while remembering that the Spirit distributes His gifts “severally as he will” (1 Corinthians 12:11, KJV). Any message presented as coming from God must be approached with reverence, humility, and biblical discernment.
Conclusion
The gift of prophecy is not about making bold statements or commanding events to follow our desires. It is about God’s message being faithfully communicated for His purposes and the good of others. Jesus’ raising of Lazarus points us to His divine authority; Ezekiel’s vision reminds us of the power of God’s Word and the importance of obeying what He actually commands. As we seek the gifts of the Spirit, let us also seek the humility, love, and discernment necessary to use them faithfully.
Footnote: This lesson is based on notes and a recording of The Gifts of the Spirit class at Pine Grove Pentecostal Church on Wednesday, June 7, 2023, taught by Bro. Jerome Fedrick. The material has been organized and edited for readability, with additional scriptural clarifications.