Photo by Shane Hoving on Unsplash

I first learned about the gift of prophecy while reading my Bible. In 2001, I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Saviour and spent many hours in Bible study. I attended group Bible studies and read my own Bible and its commentary.

I also wrote. Each day, I would write three morning pages. I dedicated the first page to whatever came to mind. It usually reflected my current mood and general state of mind. The second page covered deeper issues and concerns, and I’d frequently ” talk” with God about things of faith. The third page often ended with an insight or answer to questions on page two.

On many days, page three felt like I was taking dictation — as if something was talking to me through my pen. Or rather, Someone.

Those days felt exceptionally special to me. I’d have a visceral reaction and often I’d end in tears.

Sometimes the insight or answer that I transcribed dealt with others. I’d share these notes with the individuals, and they’d be encouraged.

When I came upon the Gifts of the Spirit in the Bible, I wondered if the Holy Spirit had given me the gift of prophecy.

What is the gift of prophecy?

The gift of prophecy is a gift from the Holy Spirit to share a message of God. It is the speaking of truth to uplift and instruct others.

There are three parts to the gift of prophecy:

1. Revelation — what God gives

Once I received a revelation that my nephew may drown.

 2. Interpretation — what it means

I took this to mean that he would literally die in water.

3. Application — what we do with it

I immediately sent this message to my sister-in-law. This greatly upset her (and rightly so).

I then turned to a minister to inquire whether I had been wrong in sharing this prophecy.

His first question was to ask whether I had tested it. At my ignorant reply, he shared two questions I needed to ask to test a prophecy.

Testing the Gift of Prophecy

1. Is this from God?
   Does it line up with Scripture or contradict scripture? True prophecies never contradict what is said in the Bible.
2. Does it edify and encourage?
   Are others strengthened, encouraged, and comforted? True prophecies have the undercurrent of God’s love.

One author recommends putting the prophecy through the ABC filter. Is the prophecy Affirming, Biblical, and Christlike?

Obviously, I should have tested the message about my nephew before I shared it. Was it from God? Reflecting back, I had not experienced the visceral reaction, and the words just “popped” into my mind — unlike my other experiences. Did it encourage my sister-in-law? No, it terrified her.

The minister shared with me one last way to test a prophecy: time. Over the course of time, a real prophecy will come true.

The Bible is full of prophecies that have been proven true through the test of time. Fulfilled prophecy is just another reason I believe what the Bible says.

And this is another reason why I continue to read and study the Bible since I first started in 2001.

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