The Spirit of Prophecy

Scripture:

Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him, and took some of the Spirit that was on him and put it on the seventy elders. And as soon as the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied. But they did not continue doing it.

Now two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad, and the other named Medad, and the Spirit rested on them. They were among those registered, but they had not gone out to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp. And a young man ran and told Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” And Joshua the son of Nun, the assistant of Moses from his youth, said, “My lord Moses, stop them.” But Moses said to him, “Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the Lord's people were prophets, that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!” And Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp.

Numbers 11:25-30

Observe:

The Spirit of God was ‘put on’ to the seventy elders and they began to prophesy. They began to describe things revealed to them by God. They started to speak with authority and they began to speak for God to the people.

‘Come quick!’ Joshua says to Moses ‘There are people speaking for God to the people, make them stop!’ concerned as he was that these men were behaving in a way that undermined Moses’ authority. You see at that time Moses was the leader appointed by God, he was the one permitted to speak for God to the people and resisting his authority had already led previously to a disastrous loss of life (as in Numbers 12).

Joshua is fearful therefore both for Moses and for himself, for the consequence a challenge against him could result in for the camp. But Moses isn’t worried. In fact, not only is Moses not worried, he wants more people to prophesy, he wishes that everyone was a prophet.

Moses felt the burden of leading the people and saw how much people needed the Spirit of wisdom and insight. Here then, is the appropriate heart response for anyone involved in ministry; for any leader or influencer within the church. We need the Holy Spirit and we need leaders who recognise our need of the Holy Spirit. Too many of us suffer from an undiagnosed messiah complex, thinking that we are the ones the church needs. It is our preaching, our leadership, our example, our gifts that will make the difference that’s needed. Leadership is important and does make a huge difference and we do need better preaching, leadership and godly examples in church. BUT the job of anyone in leadership in the church is to point people to and lead them to Jesus. He actually is the messiah, the rest of us only delude ourselves into thinking we are!

Apply

We live at a time after the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was sent into the world, to live and dwell with each of us. Now we are able to be filled with the Spirit, to use the gifts of the Spirit and to prophecy in the power in the Spirit. The desire of Moses has been fulfilled, now all of God’s people can prophesy. ‘I wish that you would all speak in tongues,’ Paul wrote to the church in Corinth ‘but I’d rather you prophesy.’ (1 Cor. 14:5).

Prophesy is possible and something to be desired. If you’ve never prophesied before, the good news is that you can! To begin, why not find a quiet space, grab a pen and paper and ask God to speak to you. Think of a particular situation or a specific person and ask God to give you some prophetic insight or encouragement for them. Pray that it would bless them and then simply give it to them. We never know if something is prophetic until we speak it since the weighing of prophecy is in the giving and speaking of prophecy.

Prayer

Thank you Father for sending your Spirit to be with us. Thank you that he is here among us and living in me. Please would you fill me afresh with your Spirit and give me the gift and privilege of prophesying. I would love to encourage the people around me with prophetic words. Amen.