Prophecy. Do you want it?

Pursue love, yet earnestly desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. 1 Corinthians 14:1

Do the scriptures say we are to earnestly desire teaching and pursue it from men or women? Who is supposed to be our ‘teacher’? Who should we be listening to?

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. John 14:6

What is probably the biggest divisional issue in the institutional (business) church today? How they view the work and life with the Holy Spirit. What is the work and fruit of the Holy Spirit? Galatians 5:22-23. How does the Holy Spirit move THROUGH those who seek Him? Read 1 Corinthians chapters 12, 13, and 14. These are some of the most controversial passages today. So many can’t quite wrap their heads around them. Why? Because they are mainly understood spiritually and experientially more than mentally. So much of the things of the Spirit do not compute within our finite minds. So, when confused… most people make the mistake of asking the wrong person of what they should do or think. Or they go to the academic halls for the intellectual explanations of the spiritual. Who should they first ask? The Holy Spirit Himself. We have to be bold enough to ask Jesus and the Holy Spirit for answers … directly. So many don’t have a clear understanding of prophecy and what it is … and how now it is to be used in the ekklesia (The Body of Christ / Church).

This is actually where a mature gift of Jesus to the church is a BIG help to equip the people in understanding what, how, and why the Holy Spirit does and wants to work in EVERY disciple of Christ’s life. What gift is this? The gift of the prophet to the Body of Christ for the express purpose of equipping and building up of the Body. (Ephesians 4:11-12) This individual whom Jesus gives – is one who understands the Holy Spirit and how He works in our lives. They have a long life of experience of working with Him. They should be mature spiritually (at the very least over 40) and have a strong scriptural ability to explain what the Holy Spirit is like.

Prophecy should be the ordinary experience of church life. Prophecy invites intimacy. Prophecy reveals Jesus. And prophecy should be desired by all believers. So, there are issues of learning to listen to the Holy Spirit, practicing with Him, speaking ONLY His words, and receiving prophecy correctly. And finally obeying His directions explicitly. Because most of the academic halls can’t wrap their heads around the spiritual realm and supernatural works – it is usually ‘explained’ that they were only for a ‘certain’ time in the first century church. This is mainly from ideas that fall under the umbrella of the doctrine of Cessationism. But for those precious disciples in countries that are highly persecuted for their faith in Jesus – prophecy is their lifeline day in and day out.

Do you want to know more? Look up “The Familiar Stranger / (Re)introducing the Holy Spirit to those in search of an experiential spirituality” by Tyler Staton. Copyright 2025