The Difference Between Being 'Prophetic' and Being a 'Prophet"

One of the most common questions I get asked is "What's the difference between being 'prophetic' and being an actual 'prophet'". The Bible writes that all of us have the ability to prophesy (1 Corinthians 14:31), but that doesn't mean that all of us are "prophets" as described in Ephesians 4. I believe it comes down to three things.

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Transcript

- Hey guys. One of the big questions I often get asked is what's the difference between being prophetic and being a prophet. Now, there are a number of things that I think will help you discover whether or not you're a prophet. There's some few common things that I see with a number of people who have stepped up into the gift of being a prophet. Things like going through seasons, maybe of difficulty, but discovering God in a very real and tangible way, having a direct access by knowing things ahead of time, sensing things before they happen. These are all little indicators, being kind of otherworldly, being aware of another dimension, called God's dimension, and sometimes being caught up in that more than this physical dimension. And those are just some of the kind of key things that I find often indicate something of a brewing prophetic dynamic. But the reality is, all of us are prophetic, all of us get to prophesy. The Bible tells us in 1 Corinthians 14 that everyone can prophesy. So by nature, with that fact, everyone is prophetic, but there is a difference between those who are prophetic and a prophet. It's important for us to see that scripture tells us when Jesus went to heaven, He gave gifts of Himself in the expression of apostles, prophets, teachers, pastors, evangelists. And I wanna talk to you about what it means for us to receive the gift of Jesus as a prophet. and the first key to know whether or not you're a prophet, is have you had an encounter with Jesus, where He personally commissioned you to be a prophet? It seems to me that all the prophets in Old Testament had an awakening from God about their gift, and that's how they discovered they were prophets. And I would argue that every single aspect of the gifts of Jesus in the ministry of Jesus, I would argue, has to come as a result of God or a encounter with Jesus that empowers you to live and walk in that gift. I can tell you the day and the moment that Jesus came to me and said to me, "Son, you will be a prophet to the nations." It was clear, it was concise, and it was a commission that began the journey of being a prophet. The second aspect of understanding whether or not you're a prophet is that your prophetic gift will make room for you. And by that, I mean, it's not just that you're able to prophesy, but that there's been a consistent track record of prophecies being fulfilled. When we understand that, people will begin to say, "Hold on, there are numbers of prophetic words that are now coming to pass. This not just a one-hit wonder. This is someone who is consistently bringing a reward with the prophetic of fulfilled, prophetic promises." That's a clear sign that God is shaping you beyond just being someone who's prophetic, into being someone who is consistently bringing directional and prophetic words that are tested, and have come to pass. The last aspect that I would say has to do with understanding that when you know you're a prophet, God will give you platforms that will be recognized by other people. In other words, you will start to have greater spheres of influence, and you'll be able to prophesy into different contexts and into different spaces. Those three things, the simplicity of commission from Jesus, recognition that your words are coming to pass, and platform, because others are recognizing you and calling you a prophet, are key ways to know the difference between being prophetic and being a prophet. God bless and thanks for watching. Hey, if you enjoyed this video, and you're looking to grow more in your prophetic gift, check out my online prophetic course Vox Dei, and find out more in the description below.

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