DOING PERSONAL PROPHECY

1. Doing Personal Prophecy  

a) Writing to the Church in Corinth, the apostle Paul made this important declaration:

1 Corinthians 14:1 (NKJV) 
14 Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.

b) In that same chapter, Paul explains:

1 Corinthians 14:31 (NKJV)
31 For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged. 

c) 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. (1 Corinthians 14:26)

1 Corinthians 14:26 (NKJV)
26 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.

d) So personal prophecy is not only encouraged by Paul, he teaches that it is a gift that all can participate in, and that it should be eagerly desired.

e) Why? Because God wants to speak to the lost through His people - which may be the only way that they will hear His voice. And he wants His Church to be strengthened through edification, exhortation, and comfort. (1 Corinthians 14:3) 

1 Corinthians 14:3 (NKJV)
3 But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men.

f) Why? So that they can become mature in their relationship with God.

g) So if we are to allow personal prophecy in the Church, encouraging people to be zealous to prophesy and move in the other gifts of the Spirit, it is wise and biblical to have some guidelines in place to all "all things to be done - decently and in order."