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PROPHESYING:
TO BUILD UP, TO INVITE AND TO COMFORT
The
Gift of Prophesying is speaking God's heart under the
inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The scripture says
that to prophesy is to build up/confirm, invite/entreat, and
comfort/encourage. That is a simple and exact definition.
1 Cor 14:3 NKJV
But he who prophesies speaks
edification {3619} and exhortation {3874} and comfort
{3889} to men.
TO BUILD UP - Edify
According to the Greek, to build
up is raising a structure that is built through
confirmation. For those of you who are confirmed in
your walk in the Lord through reading the Words the Lord
gives me, it means that you are being built up or
edified. It means that He is building His abiding house
inside of you, where you will dwell together in peace
and maturity. It also means that together, He is also
bringing us together to build up His corporate heavenly
house.
TO EDIFY - Greek
oikodome
NT:3619 oikodome (oy-kod-om-ay');
feminine (abstract) of a compound of NT:3624 and the
base ofNT:1430; architecture, i.e. (concretely) a
structure; figuratively, confirmation
KJV - building, edify (-ication,
-ing).
NT:1430
NT:1430 doma (do'-mah);
from demo (to build); properly, an edifice, i.e.
(specially) a roof
KJV - housetop.
Other scriptures using the
same Greek word, "To Edify"
Matt 24:1 Mark 13:1 Mark 13:2
Rom 14:19 Rom 15:2 1 Cor 3:9 1 Cor 14:3 1 Cor 14:5 1 Cor
14:12 1 Cor14:26 2 Cor 5:1 2 Cor 10:8 2 Cor 12:19 2 Cor
13:10 Eph 2:21 Eph 4:12 Eph 4:16 Eph 4:29
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English synonyms for
the word Edification:
Uplifting, enlightening, teaching, instructing,
guiding, leading, steering. To Edify: coach,
direct, raise up, inform, prepare, benefit,
uplift, tutor, etc. |
Prophesying with the goal to edify is
to build up people’s faith, their inner man, their
character, their understanding, their identity in Christ.
Prophesying through edification is building the body of
Christ into the image of Jesus.
Eph 4:12-13 AMP
His intention was the
perfecting and the full equipping of the saints (His
consecrated people), [that they should do] the work of
ministering toward building up Christ's body (the
church), [That it might develop] until we all attain
oneness in the faith and in the comprehension of the
[full and accurate] knowledge of the Son of God, that
[we might arrive] at really mature manhood (the
completeness of personality which is nothing less than
the standard height of Christ's own perfection), the
measure of the stature of the fullness of the Christ and
the completeness found in Him.
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TO EXHORT - To implore, bring solace,
invite, entreat
In the Greek, prophesying through
exhortation means to implore and it comes from a root word
meaning to call for or invite, perhaps even pray as in
pleading.
TO EXHORT - Greek
paraklesis
NT:3874 paraklesis (par-ak'-lay-sis);
from NT:3870; imploration, hortation, solace
KJV - comfort,
consolation, exhortation, intreaty.
NT:3870
NT:3870 parakaleo (par-ak-al-eh'-o);
from NT:3844 and NT:2564; to call near, i.e. invite,
invoke (byimploration, hortation or consolation)
KJV - beseech, call for,
(be of good) comfort, desire, (give) exhort (-ation),
intreat, pray.
NT:2564
NT:2564 kaleo (kal-eh'-o);
akin to the base of NT:2753; to "call" (properly, aloud,
but used in a variety ofapplications, dir. or
otherwise)
KJV - bid, call (forth),
(whose, whose sur-) name (was [called]).
Other scriptures using the
same Greek word, "To Exhort."
Luke 2:25 Luke 6:24 Acts 4:36
Acts 9:31 Acts 13:15 Acts 15:31 Rom 12:8 Rom 15:4 Rom 15:5 1
Cor14:3 2 Cor 1:3 2 Cor 1:4 2 Cor 1:5 2 Cor 1:6 2 Cor 1:6 2
Cor 1:7 2 Cor 7:4 2 Cor 7:7 2 Cor 7:13 2Cor 8:4 2 Cor 8:17
Phil 2:1 1 Thess 2:3 2 Thess 2:16 1 Tim 4:13 Philem 7 Heb
6:18 Heb 12:5 Heb13:22
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English synonyms for
the word Exhort: Urge, persuade, sway, promote,
prevail upon, press, peptalk, encourage,
animate, stimulate, impel, instigate, inspire,
provoke, rouse, hasten, recommend, caution,
warn, alarm, enjoin, entreat, charge, impress,
preach, lecture. |
The gift of exhortation is the ability
to inspire someone to move forward from the past. It can
touch a heart to begin again and move into action. It gives
hope and encouragement to see beyond the difficulties and
onto a brighter future.
I know a special lady who has a
vivacious personality, and loves to talk to people.
Throughout the years she’s had a "ministry" to people who
are sick. Visiting often, calling and sending cheer, she
has been a real uplift to many people. Whether she has ever
thought of it as a ministry, I do not know. My guess is
that she just considers it a part of her own personality and
natural life. But it is obvious that her gift of cheer is
God-given and is a wonderful uplift.
For some, this gift needs the balance
of patience. An exhorter has the ability to foresee the
desired result and is greatly motivated towards helping one
obtain it. His zeal is so fervent he needs patience to slow
down to the pace of the downhearted one. Someone having
this wonderful gift to encourage and motivate others may
often seem insensitive to the pain of the moment, being
misconstrued as a lack of compassion. Yet, the Holy Spirit
has so touched the one who has the gift to exhort, there is
great motivation to do something about it.
The gift of prophesying through
exhortation within Jesus' body is His heart, saying, "I
believe in you." Next time someone reaches out with a
smiling touch of words, listen for the Lord's great zealous
heart to motivate you away from the "mully-grubs."
Understand that He waits to see your tear sparkled eye look
up and say, "OK Lord, I dare to try again."
1 Thess 4:1-2 NKJV
Finally then, brethren, we urge
and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more
and more, just as you received from us how you ought to
walk and to please God;
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TO COMFORT - To encourage, comfort and
console.
To comfort is to give encouragement,
consolation, and draw near to in comfort.
TO COMFORT- Greek
paramuthia
NT:3889 paramuthia
(par-am-oo-thee'-ah); from NT:3888; consolation
(properly, abstract)
KJV - comfort.
NT:3888
NT:3888 paramutheomai
(par-am-oo-theh'-om-ahee); from NT:3844 and the middle
voice of a derivativeof NT:3454; to relate near, i.e.
(by implication) encourage, console
KJV - comfort.
Other Scriptures using the
same Greek word, "To Comfort"
Luke 2:25 Luke 6:24 Acts 4:36
Acts 9:31 Acts 13:15 Acts 15:31 Rom 12:8 Rom 15:4 Rom 15:5 1
Cor14:3 2 Cor 1:3 2 Cor 1:4 2 Cor 1:5 2 Cor 1:6 2 Cor 1:6 2
Cor 1:7 2 Cor 7:4 2 Cor 7:7 2 Cor 7:13 2Cor 8:4 2 Cor 8:17
Phil 2:1 1 Thess 2:3 2 Thess 2:16 1 Tim 4:13 Philem 7 Heb
6:18 Heb 12:5 Heb13:22
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English synonyms for
the word Comfort: To console, solace, pacify,
calm, compose, tranquilize, give respite,
relieve, ease, alleviate, soften, lighten one's
burden, hearten, disburden, support, sustain,
bear up, cheer, gladden, divert, warm, nourish,
refresh, receive, soothe, compose, reassure,
warmth. |
Our God is comforting. He speaks ease
and consolation to our pain. When we prophesy God’s
comfort, we are speaking His Words that console, calm,
reassure, soothe, support and lift up those who are
suffering.
"As whom his mother comforts, so I
will comfort you." (Isaiah 66:13 NKJV)
THE GIFT OF SPEAKING
IN TONGUES
Do you pray in tongues? When the
Lord fills your mouth to pray, it can be in your language or
in other languages of men and angels. You might start with
the first few words that pop into your mind, but once you
start, the flood gates open and words begin to pour out.
You pray mysteries, but you pray according to God’s will.
Rom 8:26-27 NKJV
Now He who searches the hearts
knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes
intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
WHAT DOES SPEAKING
IN TONGUES ACCOMPLISH?
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Constructs and confirms the
house of God within you (Edify; 1 Cor 14:4)
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Releases the dynamite power of
God within you
(Power; Acts 1:8)
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Submerges you as though fully
wet and covered in the spiritual liquid of His Presence
(Baptize; Matt 3:11)
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Puts lightning upon your head
(Fire; Matt 3:11)
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Hugs and embraces you with His
Presence (Fell; Acts 11:15)
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Pours out upon you as a gift
(Poured out & Gift; Acts 10:45)
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Intercedes, prays for you
(Comforter; John 14:26)
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Gives you boldness (Boldness;
Acts 4:31)
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Supplies & furnishes what you
need (Filled; Acts 2:4)
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Teaches you and causes you to
learn (Teach; John 14:26)
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Recalls to memory
(Remembrance; John 14:26)
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Speaks a secret or mystery in
the spirit (Mystery; I Cor 14:2)
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Follows as a sign (Sign; Mark
16:17-18)
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Is a sign to unbelievers
(Sign; 1Cor 14:21-22)
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Protects from satan (Snakes
and Not hurt; Mark 16:17-18)
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Builds faith (Building Faith;
Jude 20-21)
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Petitions for the saints
(Supplication; Eph 6:18)
MY
PERSONAL EXPERIENCES
When people receive the gift of
speaking in tongues, not everyone receives in the same way.
For myself, I went to kids camp in my teens and was prayed
over to receive what they called the “Baptism of the Holy
Spirit” (Acts 1:5) I was supposed to feel the Holy Spirit
come upon me, then speak in tongues. I felt nothing when
they prayed. I was expecting some bolt of lightening to come
down from the sky and hit me in a whoosh of the Holy Spirit.
But they simply prayed, and I simply thanked Jesus like they
told me to do.
However, an hour later as I lay in
my bunk bed, little foreign sounding syllables popped into
my mind. So, I spoke them with my head under the pillow. It
was one sentence. My counselor told me that could happen,
and to be faithful to practice my new language and it would
grow. So that is what I did. I spoke my one sentence
faithfully for about a year! To this day, I still remember
that sentence.
Then one day I was driving to
school singing a popular love song along with the radio, and
the second verse was sung in French. So I started singing my
own pretend “French” to the words. By the end of the song, I
had a complete and wonderful language, only I didn’t know
it! However, every time I sang that song I would sing it in
my “pretend language” even when they were singing in
English. It sounded so beautiful I didn’t want to sing it in
English. Then one day I started singing other popular love
songs of the day in the same way. Then the realization hit
me, I was doing what the Bible called “singing in the
Spirit”! (1 Corinthians 14:15) “Wow! Is this finally the
expansion of my new language?” So I stopped singing and just
spoke it. Sure enough, there was a full blown language!
Now, not everyone will struggle as
hard as I did. The reason it took me so long was because of
doctrinal currents against me. I was told speaking in
tongues was of the devil and that the occult speaks in
tongues. It didn’t seem to connect with me that Paul in the
Bible spoke in tongues all the time. (1 Corinthians 14:18)
The only reason I had the courage to receive it, was because
of the loving counsel of a dear lady who shined with the
love of God. I felt that if she could love me like that, and
she spoke in tongues, then she certainly wasn’t of the
devil. Simply put, I knew the devil couldn’t love and she
was no devil.
Since that time long ago, now that
I am fluent in the spiritual gifts, I have come to realize
that the devil can not create. Only God can create. The
devil only mimics, only copies the real thing. So of course
the occult speaks in tongues, that’s because God created the
real speaking in tongues!
I have received a couple of
wonderful confirmations about speaking in tongues. One time
I was praying in tongues and in English over people I’d met
on the Internet and I saw a picture-vision of a flat bed
truck driven by 2 angels. On the flat bed truck were a whole
bunch of packages, each wrapped and looking exactly like the
size of bricks. The Lord told me I was dispatching supplies.
So I asked Him what those bricks were. He said, “Each
individual prayer.” Then a few days later I listened to a
tape where a man was given a vision that every time he spoke
in tongues, he saw packages the size of bricks come down
from heaven that were deposited inside of him. When they
were deposited, he felt a strengthening of his inner man. He
was praying supplies for himself. So, not only did the Lord
confirm that my praying in tongues was praying in supplies
to others, but at the same time, I was praying in supplies
for myself.
I have an interesting story about
praying in supplies for others. Remember that one little
sentence I mentioned when I first received tongues? When I
shared it with Anna, my Mom, who also had been indoctrinated
against tongues, she said it sounded like Spanish and looked
it up in her Spanish dictionary. She was so surprised at the
meaning, she also sought and received the Baptism of the
Spirit.
Twenty-five years after that,
having completely forgotten its meaning, Anna happened to
ask me if I still remembered my one little sentence. I spoke
what I remembered and she again looked up the words in her
old Spanish dictionary, and this is what she found; my
sentence was translated, “Door of a port hole released. They
eat with Daddy.” This was my commission from the beginning.
I didn’t know I was repeating a request thousands upon
thousands of times. I was bombarding heaven and didn’t even
know it! I believe part of that fulfillment is the opened
doors to a website ministry and also a writing ministry. It
is a good lesson in the importance of tongues.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FREE E-BOOK:
THE BAPTISM OF THE SPIRIT AND SPEAKING IN TONGUES
GOD SPEAKS THROUGH
INTERPRETATION OF TONGUES
The gift of interpretation of tongues
gives under-standing to an unknown language. This
under-standing is not necessarily a word for word
translation. Interpretation edifies those who hears.
1 Cor 14:5 NKJV
I wish you all spoke with tongues,
but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is
greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he
interprets, that the church may receive edification.
1 Cor 14:13-15 NKJV
Therefore let him who speaks in a
tongue pray that he may interpret. For if I pray in a
tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.
What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit,
and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing
with the spirit, and I will also sing with the
understanding.
1 Cor 14:26-28 NKJV
How is it then, brethren? Whenever
you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching,
has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let
all things be done for edification. If anyone speaks in a
tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn,
and let one interpret.
The scripture says tongues is the
language of men as well as angels. I have heard testimonies
of people who have spoken in an unlearned language and those
in the audience have recognized the language. A friend told
me a story where a preacher in a foreign country just
started speaking in tongues from the platform. Many
wonderful conversions took place because even though he was
just speaking in tongues to the Lord, they understood what
he said. I have another friend who went to Africa and
preached in tongues. Members of his worship and ministry
teams understood the whole sermon in English. All were
amazed.
I have been in prayer rooms where
people are speaking in tongues and I can hear a phrase or
two of what they spoke, through God’s still small voice in
English. It happens simultaneously with one voice
superimposed over the other.
At other times, the language may be
one of angels and no one would recognize it unless through
an interpretation.
1 Cor 13:1 NKJV
Though I speak with the tongues of
men and of angels...
One time in a vision I saw a
deliverance angel who was massive. He picked me up and
moved me to a safe place. As he was picking me up, I heard
him speak in his own angelic language. I could hear his
deep, profound voice in his own tongue, but superimposed
over his voice, I heard him speak the same words to me in
English.
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