The Prophetic Identity

Viv Grigg

The Person of the Holy Spirit

Ruach, the wind, the breathe of God, carrying the voice of God across the earth and universe, that personality of the Godhead who remains with us

His nature in Gal 5:22, 23 The comforter, counsellor, guide

The Nature of the Prophet

At times overwhelmed by the Spirit

Pathos – sensitive souls feels the pathos of God and

speaks it to the people Feels the pain of the people and

speaks it to God Don’t speak often

Can only speak what God says Must speak what God says

The first thing people will say is “that is your opinion, your idea.” Testing Or challenging God

Creates an alternative consciousness Rejects pride, grreed, the show Call to simplicity, to humility, to

dependence on God Call to do justice and care for the

oppressed False prophets prophecy to

please – peace, peace (Jer 28:9) Calls Kings to War

Lays out the battle plans

Types of the Prophetic When the Lord reveals he uses different entrance points to personality

The mind and spirit prophets Moses Isaiah Ezekiel Jeremiah

The direct revelation prophet Amos Jonah

The dream prophets Joseph

The speakers to national and international consciousnesses Prophecy against the city or the nation

Moses – let my people go Jesus: Oh, Jerusalem, Jerusalem

Calling a nation forward Joseph – there will be seven years…

Those who speak to individual lives You are Peter the rock Behold a man in whom is no guile

Types of Prophecy

The Prophetic Oracle The Prophetic Exhortation The Prophetic Prayer The Prophetic Song The Prophetic Vision

Prophets = Seers In the Spirit (Rev 4:1-3)

The Written Prophetic After much social analysis The final steps in the analysis are the call to action Collective discernment is important in this process

The Prophetic Action Jer 27: 2-3

The Relationship of the Prophet to the Other Leadership Gifts Church is built on the prophets and apostles When prophets speak, apostles act

Prophets may move to the apostolic role but the basis of their authority then changes

Earnestly desire to prophecy (1 Cor 14:1) All can prophecy

Differentiate the gift/ calling, and the activity of the Spirit who can use anyone (1 Cor 14:.

The spirit of the prophets is subject to the prophets Apostles and prophets as foundational

Prophetessses: There are both men and women prophets in the scriptures (Agabus’ daughters(Acts 21:9); Aaron’s sister, Mriam (Exodus 15:20); Deborah (Judges 4:4) Hldah (2 Kings 22:1ff).

The gifts are given as he wills The limitation is in the exercising of authority over men as church elders

(1 Tim 2:12). Thus women prophesying or in other leadership roles need to exercise appropriate care as to the style of communication.

We have to differentiate the prophetic from the outworking of that prophetic into the apostolic or administrative structures to do what God is saying

The basis of authority is different The style of leadership is different

The prophet calls vision into being The leader carries people into the vision The administrator structures the vision

Releasing the Prophetic

Requires the cleansing of the baptizer Brokenness

Prayer and fasting leading to intercession Develops in an intercessory lifestyle

Social analysis Biblical understanding ( training in Biblical justice themes) If we do not speak to the issues of the day, we are not speaking - need

to know Long hours alone

Begins in Intercession The Intercessor is the one who stands between The intercessor feels the pains, the groans of the people But intercessors need to be guided by the prophetic often expressed as

the vision of the church or mission or group.

Testing Prophecy (1 Thes. 5:19-22)

Affirm the prophetic, test it You only really know someone is a

prophet when prophecies are fulfilled

Background Reading on the Prophetic

Barr, K. J. (1995). Fire on the Earth: Prophetic Religious Life for the 21st Century. Melbourne, Spectrum.

Brueggeman, W. (1977). Hopeful Imagination: Prophetic Voices in Exile. Philadelphia, Fortress. --- (1978). The Prophetic Imagination. Philadelphia, Fortress. Gentile, E. B. (2002). Your Sons and Daughters Shall Prophesy: Prophetic Gifts in Ministry

Today. Grand Rapids, Chosen Books. Heschel, A. (2001). The Prophets. New York, HarperCollins. --- (2001). What Manner of Man is the Prophet? The Prophets. New York, HarperCollins: 2-26. Knight, H. (1947). The Hebrew Prophetic Consciousness. London, Lutterworth Press. Lanhma, K. S. Maori Times, Maori Places: Prophetic Histories, Rowman and Littlefield Publishers

Inc. McKane, W. (1965). Prophets and Wise Men. Napierville, IL, Allenson. Reese, A. (2002). The Presence of God and His Prophetic Voice: A Study in the Development of

the Prophetic Voice and its Significance for the Church Today. Auckland, New Covenant International Bible College.

Weber, M. (1963). The Prophet. The Sociology of Religion. London, Beacon Press.