Why is it that prophetic ministry always comes under such scrutiny?  Why do prophetic voices gain so much attention and cause such a stir? What is it about prophecy that causes such controversy on the one hand, and such hunger on the other?

I believe one of the primary reasons is that true prophecy opens the door to the unseen realm. Pure prophetic operation reveals a supernatural God and realities not otherwise experienced or known to our flesh. It is a reminder that there are mysteries and heavenly revelations accessible to mankind; a tangible demonstration that we can hear God’s voice and even know God’s heart. And though most of our understanding of prophecy comes from the New Testament, I find an interesting statement from Moses in the Old Testament that points to a core value of the prophetic.

So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord. And he gathered seventy men of the elders of the people and placed them around the tent. Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders. And as soon as the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied. But they did not continue doing it. Now two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the Spirit rested on them. They were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp. And a young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” And Joshua the son of Nun, the assistant of Moses from his youth, said, “My lord Moses, stop them.” But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? WOULD THAT ALL THE LORD’S PEOPLE WERE PROPHETS, THAT THE LORD WOULD PUT HIS SPIRIT ON THEM!” (Numbers 11:24-29 ESV)

Moses knew the true value of prophecy. He knew the reason for its potency, and it wasn’t just to speak for God.  Prophecy was the result of being overshadowed, overwhelmed, and empowered by the Spirit of a holy God. It was being so covered by His presence, one could not help but speak. And this was the same admonition the apostle Paul gave in 1 Corinthians 14:5 when he said, “I wish you would all prophesy!” In both the old and new covenants, the core essence of prophecy is to be under the influence and direction of the Holy Spirit. It’s to be motivated and prompted by the only Spirit who is holy, pure, and true.

The Greek word for “prophecy” means “…to speak forth by divine inspirations; to utter forth a thing which can only be known by divine revelation; to break forth under sudden impulse in lofty discourse or praise of the divine counsels.”

To prophesy means to speak out of an overflow of God’s presence. To reveal and declare the wonder and awe of His presence. And both Moses and Paul are reminding us it’s not just for prophets, but for everyone. It is what will come to any believer who spends time with the Lord and leans on His chest. When we are overshadowed by the Spirit of God, we are given access to God’s heart, God’s will, and God’s Word. This is the prophetic potential available to all. Oh that everyone would be so overshadowed by God’s Spirit that we could not help but declare it!

And this is why the enemy works so hard to defile, destroy, and discredit this manifestation of the Spirit. Because if the people of God actually embraced it and stewarded it correctly, we would become a people so filled with His presence and power, every work of darkness would come to naught. The gift of prophecy is not merely spouting God’s words or giving spiritual readings. It’s about knowing our God so deeply and intimately we speak from the overflow. It’s about a face to face relationship that results in supernatural presence and power. If every believer fully engaged in their prophetic potential, just think of how God’s light and truth would shatter the lies and overcome the strongholds that chain us.

And this is why we must contend for prophetic ministry. Because it’s not about pursuing the prophets of God, but the presence of God. He desires for us to be a prophetic people who have spent such time with Him, we can’t help but overflow with His heart, His will, and His words. It is His Spirit alone that gives birth to the prophetic and anything else will only be a corrupted counterfeit of the flesh.

The Spirit of God that rested on Moses was not due to his personal ambitions as a prophet or a need for special recognition. It was his own desperation of soul and his hunger for God that drew him to the secret place of worship. As a result, he became a carrier of God’s glory and led God’s people into freedom. May we become a prophetic people that carry this glory, not because we prophesy well, but because we’ve been in the presence of a holy and powerful God.