John 8:12Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
Light is ours in Christ.
The Father has bestowed blessings in Christ for us.
Anything found in Him is ours .
Ephesians 1:3(KJV) 3[Blessed ] be[ the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly ] places[ in Christ:]
No faith required. Just acknowledge it.
Philemon 6That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.
To acknowledge here is far more weightier than assent.
It's to have precise understanding and information.
At times we have been found chasing after men to guide us.
I have heard some teachings like"who is the prophet over your life"
This arose or still arises because of lack of study, misinformation or mischief.
We have wrongly interpreted scriptures such as Amos 3:7 Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.
This scripture defines the role of prophets under the old covenant.
John the Baptist was the greatest of this company. Matthew 11:11(KJV) 11Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
Yet He doesn't qualify in the kingdom to be called a prophet New converts are greater!
Their role was to reveal Gods plan of redemption .
They spoke CHRIST'S death and glory in prophecies.
1 Peter 1:9-12 (KJV)
9[Receiving the end of your faith, ] even[ the salvation of ] your[ souls.]
10[Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace ] that should come[ unto you:] 11[Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.]
12[Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.]
They revealed Gods agenda to save.
Luke 24:25-27 (KJV) 25[Then he said unto them, ] O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: 26Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? 27[And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.]
The had foretold CHRIST's redemptive work.
Peter opines it further this way .
2 Peter 1:20-21 (KJV) 20[Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.] 21[For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake ] as they were[ moved by the Holy Ghost.]
Private interpretation means private source.
All scriptures had the same Origin.
The Spirit of Christ. A Christ testifying -Spirit.
Because under the old covenant men were not given the Spirit, rather they had prophets .
Isaiah did declare this(Isaiah 64:4) Paul quoted him and wrote 1 Corinthians 2:8-9 (KJV) 8[Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known ] it[, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.]
9[But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.] Eye didn't see it, ear didn't hear it. Here, he doesn't refer to the new creation. Sons. Men in Christ. He will refer to believers in later verses.
10[But God hath revealed ] them[ unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.] 11[For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.] 12[Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.]
God never used(uses) prophets to reveal His word and will to His sons.
He gave us His Spirit. We are not men of the flesh. He will give us prophets in the Church.
1 Corinthians 12:28(KJV) 28[And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.]
They are not functioning the same way,Though they bear the same title with prophets of old. The Holy Spirit is the revealer in the Family.
Jesus puts it this way
John 16:12-14 (KJV) 12I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. 13Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
14He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
He is the Paraclete.
Another is a Greek word meaning same .
Allos The same revealer.
Paraclete is a revealer of information .
He won't do it externally.
John 14:16-17 (KJV) 16And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
He will dwell in ALL believers. He will be ,forever.
Thus,He will teach forever.
Hence Johns admonition 1 John 2: 20[But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.]
27[But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.]
John was present when Jesus had pre-informed of the indwelling function of His Spirit.
The Spirit of God. He wrote it. He taught it. We should know it. Prophets in the Church are teachers of the word, The finished work of Christ.
They are to unveil Jesus's words to us.His death ,burial and resurrection Not who to marry,when to travel ..,that's not a ministry in the New Testament
Ephesians 4:11-14 (KJV) 11[And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;] 12[For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:] 13[Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:]
14[That we ] henceforth[ be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, ] and[ cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;]
They teach us to walk and receive the ministry of the Spirit within us.
We mature with these. We don't jump around looking for "prophetic words"
We don't seek what we already have.
Joel had prophesied that all believers will replace the functions of the prophets of old.
Peter recalled it.
Acts 2:16-18 (KJV) 16[But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;] 17[And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:] 18[And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:]
The Spirit is now upon all flesh .
This implies male and female.
Since Pentecost ,these has multiplied in millions Though a good number are still babes.
We can prophesy and see visions.
This ends the attempt to import the Old Testament prophets function into the new.
Acts 11:25-27 (KJV) 25[Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul:] 26[And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.]
27[And in these days came prophets from Jerusalem unto Antioch.]
They taught and they made students of the Word out of believers .
Acts 15:32-(KJV) 32[And Judas and Silas, being prophets also themselves, exhorted the brethren with many words, and confirmed ] them[.]
These are New Testament prophets ,though they will function in gifts of revelation(as other believers do) Yet their ministry to the Church is to strengthen.
Confirmed means establish by teaching. God our father has made a better provision for us in the new covenant .
He will not subject His sons to the toils of looking for direction. He had provided same in Christ.
Hebrews 8:10-11 (KJV) 10[For this ] is[ the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:] 11[And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.]
One key characteristic of the new covenant is revelation .
We have since left the path of "wanting leading"
We are born again.
We should not be caught "sowing seeds "for prophecies.
Or connecting to "a man of God"..for a word from The Lord "
We are led by His Spirit.
We are led because we are blessed(Ephesians 1:3)
We ought to lift our hands in praise in thanksgiving and faith declaring boldly... I know God's will and mind ,am His son ,He is my Father.
I have His Spirit ,I have His direction. (We continue from here later)
Blessed? We have left the life of confusion, we are in the realm and kingdom of Light.
Jesus is Lord, We win!
Pastor Onayinka Olusegun
https://www.facebook.com/onayinka.olusegun/posts/10154444022471397
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