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

Suggestions for Public Services

1. Simeon and Anna (Luke 2:25-38). These two elderly saints came as a prophetic team to confirm the Christ Child and strengthen the parents. 2. The Antioch presbytery (Acts 13:1-4). The Holy Spirit spoke prophetically, saying the time had come for thrusting out Paul and Barnabas on the first missionary journey. 3. The apostolic team (Acts 15:22, 25, 27, 32). Two apostles (14:14) and two prophets traveled together, visiting and strengthening the churches. 4. The Timothy triad (1 Timothy 1:18; 4:14; 2 Timothy 1:6). These three references, mentioned frequently in this study, indicate the importance of prophetic guidance and impartation to Paul. 5. Don't despise, do examine (1 Thessalonians 5:19-21; 1 Corinthians 14:29). It was common practice to test and examine the prophetic guidance that came to the early New Testament churches. 5

Public Ministry to Individuals

In addition to congregational prophecy done on a regular basis, and prophetic presbytery ministry performed at more selected times, we can experience the ministry of church members inspired with insight, that are shared with other individuals.

Public Statements

In the atmosphere of meetings like the presbytery meetings just described, it is not unusual during worship or another appropriate time for a visiting prophet to receive a prophetic word for an individual or for the whole church. Apart from the presbytery meeting, ministry to an individual is usually given by a visiting prophet or recognized ministry in the local church fam ily. In the local church setting, it is always important that permission be acquired from the pastor or the person addressed before making any such public declaration. It is possible in a local church setting for a church member to receive a revelation about another person in the same church. My wife and I received such a word approximately eight years ago from a man in our own church. He prophesied that Joy and I would be known as "the gal loping grandparents." A few years passed and we found ourselves in a traveling ministry. We have since "galloped" all over the country and to a number of foreign nations as well! We wondered at the time about the 361 •