Pastor and 1st Lady Mims

Mims Chapel Church

Week 12, August 23, 2026

LESSON 12

The Gift of Prophecy Versus
the Office of a Prophet

Lesson Text:

2 Chronicles 20:1-18; 1 Corinthians 12:7-11

Memory Verse
"But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal."
1 Corinthians 12:7

Key Terms
crucible • a ceramic or metal container in which metals or other substances may be melted or subjected to very high temperatures; a situation of severe trial, out of which something good comes.

liturgical • relating to the rites prescribed for public worship.
manifestation gifts • supernatural demonstrations of the Holy Ghost's presence and power.

Suggested Emphasis

With our previous lessons we emphasized the significance of a prophet as a vehicle to communicate revelation to the church. But we know that there are "diversities of operations" of the Spirit, and it is not the case that any single vehicle will always be employed. The Spirit imparts to us gifts "severally as He will." It is His prerogative to determine how and when He moves. And so, sometimes the manifestation gift of prophecy may rest on an individual who is not otherwise in the prophet's office. In no situation, when God's people need a rhema word, is God hindered by the physical absence of a prophet. There is a well-known account from the reign of King Jehoshaphat in Judah that illustrates this principle. When the crown city was attacked by a league of Moabites, Ammonites and Meunites, the king called a solemn assembly to seek the Lord's help. Jehoshaphat gathered with the inhabitants of Jerusalem at the temple and led a public prayer for deliverance.

Emphasis 1:

The Spirit Falls on a Music Minister

The pressure-packed situation faced by the entire nation was a crucible in which the Spirit again burned hot. But the manifestation was not upon a prophet or son of a prophet. Instead, the chosen vessel for the revelation was one of the sons of Asaph: a liturgical singer. A minor minister was inspired to impart a message of encouragement to the intently awaiting congregation. Moreover, his word of knowledge explained the direction the armies would advance against the city and where the Judean forces should align to meet the enemy. A final instruction was for the people of God to forgo fighting, only "stand and witness the salvation of the Lord" (2 Chron. 20:17). In obedience, the Judeans only sang praises on the battlefield, and a miraculous delivery was made just as the young minister had prophesied (2 Chron. 20:22-25).

Emphasis 2:

Any Saint May Manifest
a Spiritual Gift

In the modern church we often declare that God will use a willing vessel, but have we understood the full implications of this teaching? Are we mindful that He is not beholden to operate according to the hierarchies of our organizations, along the lines of our protocols, or within the constraints of our schedules? God is sovereignly able to choose when and where and through whom He will manifest His spirit. This places the responsibility upon each and every member of the church family. To borrow from the old spiritual, "We have to live so God can use us, anywhere and anytime." Any brother or sister can be overshadowed by the Holy Ghost to deliver a message to the church. The only qualification of scripture is that the vessel be clean. The 1 Corinthians 14 model of service should not be forgotten: when we come together, any one of us may have a song, a teaching, an ecstatic speech, an interpretation, or other revelation to share with the congregation. But we are warned that the proceedings must be in decency and in order. "For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace" (1 Cor. 14:33).

Emphasis 3:

"Would God That All the Lord's
People Were Prophets"

The gathering of the saints should not be so rigid that the Spirit is not allowed to change the order of service. The program should not be so inflexible that the con-gregants are not allowed to contribute. The leadership should not be so jealous of the platform that the anointing is not recognized wherever it falls. "Would God that all the Lord's people were prophets," Moses responded when Joshua entreated him to prevent other men prophesying in the camp (Num. 11:29). Now, in the church age, we see the day when "all the Lord's people" are genuinely candidates for pro-phetic ministry.

World Mission Questions

When might it be appropriate to restrict members of the congregation from interjecting their revelations to the church?
Waiting for an answer to Jehoshaphat's prayer, now might the congregation been surprised that a son of Asaph was anointed to speak?
What is the danger of indiscriminately forbidding prophesying in the service?

World Missions Prayer Points

Let us pray that we meet the conditions for the Holy Ghost to move freely in the midst of the people of God.
Let us celebrate God for His willingness to perform exploits through His yielded vessels.
Let us pray for wisdom to act appropriately when the spirit of prophecy is operating in the congregation.