Your Sons & Daughters Shall Prophesy - Prophetic Gifts Today In The New Testament Church

Increased Interest in Prophecy

The task of the early Church prophets was not to create words on a par with the original historical sayings of Jesus, but rather to speak con temporary application of spiritual principles for current situations.I must conclude that insufficient evidence, unprovable theories and an unfortu nate lack of understanding of the true nature of the gift of prophecy in the early Church render this a most implausible theory. 14

2. The Cessationist Approach

This view holds that biblical prophecy in both Testaments became the written biblical record called the Bible.The gift of prophecy made the writing of Scripture an inerrant experience so that the words of the orig inal copies were completely accurate.There may have been, they say, some prophecy for domestic situations for a short while, but it was without error, for the message came in unmistakable clarity. F. David Farnell, a leading advocate, says: "Current novel attempts at defining prophecy impugn the miraculous nature of New Testament prophecy....The gift of prophecy played a vital role in the foundational aspects of the Church.With the Church firmly established through the ministry of the first-century apostles and New Testament prophets, prophecy passed from the scene." 15 Cessationists are to be commended for their fervency in protecting the integrity and inspiration of the Bible. God's Word is certainly clear that the Spirit of prophecy did inspire the giving of Scripture.Unfortunately, no acknowledgment is given by cessationists that prophecy could be used in any other way.They make no recognition of other operations of the prophetic anointing (non-Scripture prophecy) that occurred in both Old and New Testaments. 16 This viewpoint also neglects a most significant reference, Revelation 19:10: "He said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the tes timony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy" (KJV).If prophecy was to cease after the scriptural canon was established, would this not mean the ces sation of Jesus' voice (through the Spirit) in the Church? Although the Greek text supports either "the witness about Jesus" or "the witness by Jesus," 17 it seems likely that this text equates prophecy in the Church with Jesus' voice.Jesus' own testimony is maintained in and through His Spirit-filled, prophetic people.We could say, then, that Jesus speaks to the local church not only through the Bible but also through inspired prophecy.I agree with Rick Joyner's comment on this verse: "All true prophecy is His testimony.It comes from Him and draws us to Him. It is what He is saying to His church." 18

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