The role of prophets in the New Testament

Eph 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

As we are discussing Eph 4 and the unity of the body, I find that the role of the prophet in the body of Christ is most misunderstood.

Some say teaching doctrine and prophesy is the same. I do not think so. Some say prophets are no longer necessary since we have the full canon of scripture. I do not share this view. Some say prophecying is about dreams and visions and foretelling the future in part. I think this may be part of it, but not all.

Apostles are builders and found new fellowships. After its establishment they move on and may keep an advisory role.
Evangelists bring new people into the kingdom of God and help fellowships to evangelize.
Pastor serve with instruction in the word and pastors care for sole and both roles may be contained in the same person.

The prophet, as I understand it will bring mostly bring correction to the body of Christ. Some say that real prophets should better be itinerant, because their message can be hard and fiery and bring conviction and will cause a stirr in the body. In times of distress and persecution, prophets may bring messages of consolation, just as Jeremiah. They afflict the comfortable and confort the afflicted.

I do believe that there is both the gift of prophesy in within the body of Christ. Brothers and sisters can prophesy, but they may not be in the office of a prophet.

As the end of all things is drawing closer and events in the world match up with prophesy in scripture. We are told that many false prophets will arise, and we have witnessed it.

I think we are very much in need for true prophets that serve the body of Christ in our present days.

Do any of you know some good teaching material on the subject of New Testament prophets and prophesy?

Isn't the New Testament sort of a prophet? Doesn't it tell us all we need to know about the future already? Is it possible for someone to add to what the Bible already tells us? The only way I could imagine the need of a prophet today, would be if God forgot to tell us something, who knows, maybe he could supplement his word through man, his ways are not our ways.

NT prophetic gift is explaining spiritual truths of Scripture for building up the church in strength and maturity in Christ.

1 Corinthians 2:13
But those things we speak are not in the teaching of the words of the wisdom of men, but in the teaching of the Spirit, and we compare spiritual things to the spiritual (Or, explaining spiritual things to spiritual people).

It is good idea to study Scripture and writings of early church fathers.

[NT prophetic gift is explaining spiritual truths of Scripture for building up the church in strength and maturity in Christ. ]

I see this rather as a description of the teaching ministry. The ministry of the prophet must differ from teaching, otherwise it would be pointless to list prophets separately.

They afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted..

I like that!

They afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted..

I read this somewhere, not sure who said that, sounds a bit like Ravenhill

To a certain extent I do not believe the NTprophet is to much different than the OT prophet was. Excluding the cannon of scripture. I believe The they are servants Of The Holy Spirit given to prayer and moved by The Holy Spirit to warn both the church and society at large Acts 11:28 and Acts 21:11. There are subtle things one can notice here, the most obvious being how easy it was that the early church accepted or received what was spoken.

Unfortunately in this day I do not believe anyone is listening. We have become a society of instant gratification and want instant manifestation. David Wilkerson fore told of the California fires,that as part of divine.judgement, obviously no one was listening.. So the full time prophet lives with burdens is given to a life of intercession and operates in The Spirit both in the church and on God,s behalf in The world. .
I personally have been vexed and saddened greatly by the misuse by some of their calling in this office and because of this The prophet has been diminished in this day and become a freak side show more like one in entertainment rather tha one delivering a Holy Word directed by God The Holy Spirit.

Nothing against David Wilkerson, but I'm pretty sure we believers knew about the fires way before David Wilkerson was on the scene, just read your Bible. (Acts-2:19) And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke. The Word might not pin them down to California, God doesn't have to do that, why? because then we would all just be looking for fires in California, instead of every possible place. It's all in the Bible folks, God did not leave anything out, it's all in the Bible.

War on a large scale.””Matthew 24:7; Revelation 6:4.

Famine.””Matthew 24:7; Revelation 6:5, 6.

Great earthquakes.””Luke 21:11.

Pestilences, or epidemics of "terrible diseases.”””Luke 21:11.

Increase of crime.””Matthew 24:12.

Ruining of the earth by mankind.””Revelation 11:18.

Deterioration of people’s attitudes, as shown by many who are "unthankful, disloyal, . . . not open to any agreement, slanderers, without self-control, fierce, without love of goodness, betrayers, headstrong, puffed up with pride.”””2 Timothy 3:1-4.

Breakdown of the family, with people who have "no natural affection” and children who are "disobedient to parents.”””2 Timothy 3:2, 3.

Love of God growing cold in most people.””Matthew 24:12.

Noteworthy displays of religious hypocrisy.””2 Timothy 3:5.

Increased understanding of Bible prophecies, including those related to the last days.””Daniel 12:4.

Global preaching of the good news of the Kingdom.””Matthew 24:14.

Widespread apathy and even ridicule toward the evidence of the approaching end.””Matthew 24:37-39; 2 Peter 3:3, 4.

The simultaneous fulfillment of all these prophecies, not just a few or even most of them.””Matthew 24:33.

In my opinion,God is the only One who can predict the future, and make His predictions come true.

Nice list but I believe Wilkerson s was smaller , as fires were concerned I believe California Nevada Florida specific and New York City was to have 1000 fires from civil unrest and a military presence..
AGABUS the word he delivered in today’s church would have left.many starving to death, I mean Jesus did say that there would be famines, the difference than verses now is the church knew how to respond and where to respond.

Amos 3:7, that is a principle which has never changed. But I do understand what you are saying the trouble is in your last statement you are just wrong God works with and through people in a sleeping church and an unbelieving world. The genuine office of prophet today is very much like like in the OT. I do not believe we have seen many of them but they are out there faithfully interceding and being moved by The Spirit as directed.

Nice list but I believe Wilkerson s was smaller , as fires were concerned I believe California Nevada Florida specific and New York City was to have 1000 fires from civil unrest and a military presence..
AGABUS the word he delivered in today’s church would have left.many starving to death, I mean Jesus did say that there would be famines, the difference than verses now is the church knew how to respond and where to respond.

Amos 3:7, that is a principle which has never changed. But I do understand what you are saying the trouble is in your last statement you are just wrong God works with and through people in a sleeping church and an unbelieving world. The genuine office of prophet today is very much like like in the OT. I do not believe we have seen many of them but they are out there faithfully interceding and being moved by The Spirit as directed.

The prophet, as I understand it will bring mostly bring correction to the body of Christ. Some say that real prophets should better be itinerant, because their message can be hard and fiery and bring conviction and will cause a stirr in the body. In times of distress and persecution, prophets may bring messages of consolation, just as Jeremiah. They afflict the comfortable and confort the afflicted.

I am not sure I have a better idea of this than what I have seen from men that I believe carry this office. They are typically men of prayer on a level that most others are not. By contrast, as a teacher, I spend copious amounts of time in the word. These men seem to spend copious amounts of time in prayer. They are typically men who seem to have the word from the Lord in due season. I am thinking of one such man who it seems is constantly hearing from God and bringing what he hears to specific people, or to the body. I cannot think of a time that it was not the word of God in due season, and right on in accuracy.

Hi twayneb

You are right, they must be men of prayer foremost. Only those who have the mind of the Lord are qualified for this office.
I think of those more present ones, Art Katz, David Wilkerson and Leonard Ravenhill were true prophets. Of those living can only think of David Pawson.

New testament prophets.

Prayer with the added dimension of listening for the voice of the Lord outside of a human agenda.

A discerning with the added dimension of recognizing the purposes of God behind calamity or blessing.

Intercessions with the added dimension that what the man of God confesses in regards to sin, correction, reproof, comfort, edification he is willing to give of himself regardless of their response.

A high regard for the office of the prophet, with the added dimension that he has made it his life to understand the working of the Spirit in the prophets of the Old Testament.

A 1 in a million man, he sticks out because he's the only guy in front of 850 other prophets telling them they are false.
The man who at risk of his own life rebukes the king, he's the man that has everything to loose by speaking the word of the Lord to an audience that wont listen, has no intention to obey and will be regarded as false and a liar.

Add to all of this the burden and calling from God.

The only real prophet a backslidden worldly people like is a dead prophet.

Years back I joined a prophetic group designed to help other prophets learn about their gift and help them to grow in God and in their calling.
In less than 1 week I was cut out and told I could no longer speak.
Why? Because I told the lead prophets they did little that resembled a prophet, they spent their time approving and back-slapping those that honored them.

He accused me of never seeking God, nor travailing in prayer or seeking the Lord in tears. I told him, those very things I did every day ( at that time in my life tears were and everyday thing)He said I was false and tossed me out.

So, even when you attempt to learn from the prophets about being what God has called you, you find out quickly a school for prophets had little room for someone who didn't do much more than discern pride and man-pleasing.
They could be right, I am no prophet, yet how fragile their leaders were at the reproof of a nobody.

That testimony is really sad and tellingl. Truth be told you were better off on your own. In the end God has always looked for a man/woman to stand in the gap. God bless bro dmiller

This is Leonard Ravenhill's description, I think it had been posted before in SI in a different context:

The prophet comes to set up that which is upset. His work is to call into line those who are out of line! He is unpopular because he opposes the popular in morality and spirituality. In a day of faceless politicians and voiceless preachers, there is not a more urgent national need than that we cry to God for a prophet! The function of the prophet, as Austin-Sparks once said, "has almost always been that of recovery."

The prophet is God's detective seeking for a lost treasure. The degree of his effectiveness is determined by his measure of unpopularity. Compromise is not known to him.
He has no price tags.
He is totally "otherworldly."
He is unquestionably controversial and unpardonably hostile.
He marches to another drummer!
He breathes the rarefied air of inspiration.
He is a "seer" who comes to lead the blind.
He lives in the heights of God and comes into the valley with a "thus saith
the Lord."
He shares some of the foreknowledge of God and so is aware of
impending judgment.
He lives in "splendid isolation."
He is forthright and outright, but he claims no birthright.
His message is "repent, be reconciled to God or else...!"
His prophecies are parried.
His truth brings torment, but his voice is never void.
He is the villain of today and the hero of tomorrow.
He is excommunicated while alive and exalted when dead!
He is dishonored with epithets when breathing and honored with
epitaphs when dead.
He is a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ, but few "make the grade" in his class.
He is friendless while living and famous when dead.
He is against the establishment in ministry; then he is established as a saint
by posterity.
He eats daily the bread of affliction while he ministers, but he feeds the Bread of
Life to those who listen.
He walks before men for days but has walked before God for years.
He is a scourge to the nation before he is scourged by the nation.
He announces, pronounces, and denounces!
He has a heart like a volcano and his words are as fire.
He talks to men about God.
He carries the lamp of truth amongst heretics while he is lampooned by men.
He faces God before he faces men, but he is self-effacing.
He hides with God in the secret place, but he has nothing to hide in
the marketplace.
He is naturally sensitive but supernaturally spiritual.
He has passion, purpose and pugnacity.
He is ordained of God but disdained by men.

Brother Miller: I didn't want to be on my own, I wanted a camaraderie and wisdom from others. What God gave me from it was an assurance that I was still his, I see some things, I cannot see all things. Truth is, I felt bad for them, I would have rather been in the wrong, I would have repented and stayed with them. I could not walk with them in agreement therefore I needed to depart.

//Brother Miller: I didn't want to be on my own, I wanted a camaraderie and wisdom from others. What God gave me from it was an assurance that I was still his, I see some things, I cannot see all things. Truth is, I felt bad for them, I would have rather been in the wrong, I would have repented and stayed with them. I could not walk with them in agreement therefore I needed to depart.//

You a very humble attitude. Reminds me of Paul and Moses who would rather suffer loss if it helped the course of his fellows. God will lift you up, brother.

Jeremiah 28:5 Then the prophet Jeremiah said unto the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests, and in the presence of all the people that stood in the house of the Lord,

6 Even the prophet Jeremiah said, Amen: the Lord do so: the Lord perform thy words which thou hast prophesied, to bring again the vessels of the Lord's house, and all that is carried away captive, from Babylon into this place.

I remember in time past when such a thing happened to me. Where men of God said things that contradicted what I had believed to be God, I said, "This is a good thing" God grant us what has been said".

But no sooner than I had said it, I felt very uneasy in my spirit and I went away somewhat fearful and somewhat questioning..."had I heard God?"

Later, what was said was completely false and what God had revealed to me was true. I was learning the voice of God, but I needed to learn to re-approach what was said without fear.

To this day I stumble, God forgive my unbelief.

Its hard to have something that you totally believe to be God...and you know that when you say it, a train-wreck be a comin. Meaning you are done fellowshipping with anyone or any of the leaders even wanting to look at you. This happened just two months ago...it wasn't even a prophecy just an exhortation that immediately the district super reversed what was said and I didn't get so much as a good-bye from my brothers when the men's retreat was done.

Was I wrong? Not in the slightest, but my failure was letting Satan beat up on me afterwards and depress me. I repented for so immaturish actions.

Few will hear ya but James instructs is about the fruit of wisdom and proverbs talks about making wisdom acceptable. I know sometimes I tend to rush in when I should just be still and wait on Gods timing, personally for me the waiting seems so very hard..

Of late though I cannot seem to do nothing but weep. Read the Word ....weep ,, pray...weep, see current events unfold ,weep,look at the church, weep, even some things I see posted I read them and just weep..Just know that you are not alone. Blessings in Christ bro dmiller

I'd be happy to be of that remnant that had not bowed their knee to Baal.

As I spoke in the men's retreat, I spoke calmly, no raised voice or dramatics, just straight forward speaking.

Maybe it was the part where God said "Leaders are especially susceptible to putting on a filter so that what they hear is just critiqued and they do not do what they hear".

"resist putting on your Pentecostal glasses so that what the Spirit has to say is reduced to amens and what sounds like good-Pentecostal preaching"
"to do this is to avoid actually hearing what is said so that all that was said cannot affect your life"

I could see the men receiving well what I was saying, their acceptance and interest was noticeable. When I finished the leader was quick to pray-away any conviction or repentance that might arise from facing a word from God.

But, I soon realized what God gave me was a stand alone word, the leaders teaching spoke only on a soulish level.
They had no word from God even though we read scripture. What was read and what was preached were two different worlds.