 Prophecy and prophetic ministry is like a swimming pool. There is a shallow end that we all can safely use. This is operating in the gift of prophecy where the aim is to inspire, encourage, build up and comfort people. It is non-directive, not correctional and seeks to bless people and glorify the Lord in simple terms. When Paul declared that he desire that all would prophecy, it was this level of prophecy he had in mind.

 It was not a general call for everyone to become a prophet. But in prophetic ministry the call is to push on in a gradual deeper expression of the heart of God. It is then a more frequent and more intense use of the gift of prophecy that will take us in the direction of a prophetic ministry, rather than just a casual use of the gift.

 The ‘office’ of a prophet would then continue along the same lines, but will go deeper into the supernatural realm of hearing God and being his mouthpiece, often bringing the correction and direction as prophets both forth tell the word of the Lord and foretell his purposes.

 DRAAI TERUG NA GOD TOE MET JULLE HELE HART.

 2 Kon 17: ‘En hulle het die drekgode gedien waarvan die HERE vir hulle gesê het: Julle mag dit nie doen nie. En die HERE het Israel en Juda gewaarsku deur die diens van elke profeet en elke siener en gesê: Bekeer julle van jul verkeerde weë en onderhou my gebooie, my insettinge, volgens die hele wet wat Ek julle vaders beveel het, en wat Ek deur die diens van my diensknegte, die profete, vir julle gestuur het. Maar hulle het nie geluister nie en hul nek verhard soos die nek van hul vaders wat nie op die HERE hulle God vertrou het nie.’

 Eze 13:1-7. ‘The word of the Lord came to me: Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who are now prophesying. Say to those who prophesy out of their own imagination: Hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing! Your prophets, O Israel, are like jackals among ruins.’   ‘You have not gone up to the breaks in the wall to repair it for the house of Israel so that it will stand firm in the battle on the day of the Lord.’   Their visions are false and their divinations a lie. They say, ‘The Lord says’, when the Lord has not sent them; yet they expect their words to be fulfilled. Have you not seen false visions and uttered lying divinations when you say, ‘The Lord says’, though I have not spoken?’

 1 Thes 5: ‘Do not quench (suppress or subdue) the Holy Spirit. Do not reject the gifts and utterances of the prophets [do not depreciate prophetic revelations nor despise inspired instruction or exhortation or warning]. But test and prove all things [until you can recognize] what is good; [to that] hold fast.’

 1 Kor 14:29. ‘Laat twee of drie profete spreek en die ander dit beoordeel.’

 1 Jh 4:1. ‘Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.’

 Jer 14:14. ‘And the Lord said to me, ‘The prophets prophesy lies in My name. I have not sent them, commanded them, nor spoken to them; they prophesy to you a false vision, divination, a worthless thing, and the deceit of their heart.’

 Jer 23:16. ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They make you worthless; they speak a vision of their own heart, not from the mouth of the Lord.’