Praying and Prophesying

In the New Testament, prophesying seems to function in three basic actions. One is announcing the future (Acts 11:28), one is commanding something to happen (Acts 3:6), and one is interpreting events or circumstances, either by use of a Scripture, a word from the Spirit of the Lord, or both (Acts 15:12-21).

When His disciples asked Jesus to increase their faith, He instructed them to prophesy, and to do it with a recognition of their authority (Luke 17:5-10). When James wrote that we should pray as Elijah prayed, specifically regarding raining and not raining (James 5:13-18), he was referring to Scripture that stated that Elijah prophesied (1 Kings 17:1).

There are days when I ask my employer whether to spend money on a certain project or not. Other days, I use the credit card he has entrusted me with to spend money he has given me authority to spend. Some days, we should pray of our King that He would do something. Some days we should command things to happen that we already know should happen. Other days, we should ask Him what to do, and if He tells us to do it, do it.

When it was already late, His disciples approached Him and said, “This place is a wilderness, and it is already late! Send them away, so they can go into the surrounding countryside and villages to buy themselves something to eat.”

“You give them something to eat,” He responded.
(Mark 6:35-37 HCSB ©®)