For edification and exhortation and consolation.

1 Corinthians 14:1-17 (NASB) from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

Prophecy a Superior Gift

Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. ² For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God; for no one understands, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries. ³ But one who prophesies speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation. ⁴ One who speaks in a tongue edifies himself; but one who prophesies edifies the church. ⁵ Now I wish that you all spoke in tongues, but even more that you would prophesy; and greater is one who prophesies than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may receive edifying.

⁶ But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking in tongues, what will I profit you unless I speak to you either by way of revelation or of knowledge or of prophecy or of teaching? ⁷ Yet even lifeless things, either flute or harp, in producing a sound, if they do not produce a distinction in the tones, how will it be known what is played on the flute or on the harp? ⁸ For if the bugle produces an indistinct sound, who will prepare himself for battle? ⁹ So also you, unless you utter by the tongue speech that is clear, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air. ¹⁰ There are, perhaps, a great many kinds of languages in the world, and no kind is without meaning. ¹¹ If then I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be to the one who speaks a barbarian, and the one who speaks will be a barbarian to me. ¹² So also you, since you are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek to abound for the edification of the church.

¹³ Therefore let one who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. ¹⁴ For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. ¹⁵ What is the outcome then? I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also; I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also. ¹⁶ Otherwise if you bless in the spirit only, how will the one who fills the place of the ungifted say the “Amen” at your giving of thanks, since he does not know what you are saying? ¹⁷ For you are giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not edified.

Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. There is a tendency, when we hear the word prophecy, to think of it as predicting the future. Like the prophecies which  spoke of the birth of Jesus long before He actually came, or like the end time prophecies we read in both the Old and the New Testaments. That is one aspect of prophecy.  Amos 3:7 says: Surely the Lord GOD does nothing Unless He reveals His secret counsel To His servants the prophets. God does not have to tell us what He is doing, but He does.  The revelation that He gives through the gift of prophecy can be for one or for everyone.

We also have a tendency to think of prophecy as a warning from God of coming judgment or punishment. While there are certainly many prophetic warnings throughout scripture, that too is just one aspect of prophecy. Paul says:  But one who prophesies speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation. Prophecy is not just some mystical ability to hear from God and speak of things to come. It is not simply saying, “thus says the Lord” and declaring coming judgment for turning from God. Prophecy is a spiritual gift that we are all to earnestly desire. We are to prophesy to the church and to the world, speaking words of edification, exhortation and consolation.

Proverbs 18:21 says: Death and life are in the power of the tongue… What we speak to and of others has that power. We can edify and build up with our words or we can kill and destroy. Ezekiel 37:1-10 gives us a tremendous picture of the power of prophesy to affect positive change.

 The hand of the Lord was upon me, and He brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley; and it was full of bones. ² He caused me to pass among them round about, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley; and lo, they were very dry. ³ He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, You know.” ⁴ Again He said to me, “Prophesy over these bones and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.’ ⁵ Thus says the Lord God to these bones, ‘Behold, I will cause breath to enter you that you may come to life. ⁶ I will put sinews on you, make flesh grow back on you, cover you with skin and put breath in you that you may come alive; and you will know that I am the Lord.’” ⁷ So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and behold, a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to its bone. ⁸ And I looked, and behold, sinews were on them, and flesh grew and skin covered them; but there was no breath in them. ⁹ Then He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they come to life.”’” ¹⁰ So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they came to life and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.

As we look around both the world and the church it is easy to see the problems that exist. It is easy to fall into the trap of speaking words of death and defeat. The gospel is good news. Rather the going around declaring the darkness that we see in the world, we should speak words of life. God’s word is filled with His promises, words of hope, faith and encouragement. These are the prophetic words we should speak over situations and people.

Sam Rayburn, a U.S. politician and Speaker of the House, was quoted as saying: “Any jackass can kick down a barn, but it takes a carpenter to build one." It is easy to criticize and tear people and things down. Jesus is the master builder and if we are to be like Him, then our words and our actions should be words and actions that build up. We should speak words of life.

Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy... One who prophesies speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight,
O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer. (Psalm 19:14) May my words be words of life, edification, exhortation and consolation.    Amen.