The Power of Prophecy

Ron Freeman and several other preaching students were permitted to visit Brother G. E. Steward, a masterful preacher of the gospel, who was holding a gospel meeting in Houston, TX, in the summer of 1972. We were permitted to bring lessons at that meeting.

He was following Brother Keeble’s manner of training preacher, in many of his gospel meetings. Keeble would come up behind the younger preachers, and deliver the lesson for that evening; building on what they had presented.

Brother G. E. Steward, did the same thing, the night we visited and preached in Houston. After the meeting was over, he talked to all of us young preachers. His main comment on our presentations was: “Not enough scriptures.”

He stressed, “I heard a lot of your words; but, not enough words from the Scripture.” He continued: “Fill your sermons and preaching with the word of God. The power of our preaching is in the Word.”

Peter wrote: “As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever,” Amen, 1 Peter 4:10-11; Hebrews 4:12.

The early church at Corinth struggled with noise level in church. They did not so much contend with volume as they did with a muddled and confused message. Many believers wanted to speaking tongues so badly, they misunderstood that the purpose of tongues was to communicate the gospel in a language the preacher did not understand but that the hearer did understand so that they could get saved. 1 Corinthians 14 was a treatise on the misunderstanding and misuse of this Pentecostal miracle.

While most of us do not struggle with the misunderstanding of Biblical tongues, we too become noisy and muddled in our message. Often preference, politics, and personal prejudice make up a cacophonous background din so loud, the pure word of the gospel cannot be clearly heard or understood by those who so desperately need to hear it.

The Apostle creates a clear distinction between the noise of our puffed up proclamations and the power of the word of prophecy.

1 Corinthians 14:24–25 KJV

But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all: And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.

All Believers Can Prophesy.

King James Version Chapter 14

But if all prophesy

Prophesy is the bold declaration of God’s revealed word.

Ezekiel 33:7–9 KJV

So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me. When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.

“Thus Saith The Lord” 415 times in scriptures.

Direct Revelation has ended.

1 Corinthians 13:8–10 KJV

Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

Revelation 22:18–19 KJV

For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

We have all the direct revelation we need in scripture.

2 Timothy 3:16 KJV

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

Prophecy in this dispensation is the bold declaration and application of God’s perfect Word. In Church, not just the preacher, or the prophet, but all can prophesy.

Unbelievers and Unlearned Will Be Convicted.

King James Version Chapter 14

he is convinced of all, he is judged of all: 25 And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest;

Convinced - convicted/ called to account

First, the unbeliever is “convicted by all, is called to account by all.” These two verbs together imply the deep probing work of the Holy Spirit in people’s lives, exposing their sins and thus calling them to account before the living God. Lying behind the word “convicted” is the OT view that one is exposed before God through the prophetic word; inherent in such “exposure” is the call to repentance,631 the summons to have one’s exposed sins confessed and forgiven by a merciful God.1

1 Gordon D. Fee, The First Epistle to the Corinthians, ed. Ned B. Stonehouse et al., Revised Edition., The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2014), 760.

The word here rendered convinced (ἐλέγχετἀι) is rendered reprove in John 16:8, “And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin,” &c. Its proper meaning is to convict, to show one to be wrong; and then to rebuke, reprove, admonish, &c. Here it means, evidently, that the man would be convicted, or convinced of his error and of his sin; he would see that his former opinions and practice had been wrong; he would see and acknowledge the force and truth of the Christian sentiments which should be uttered, and would acknowledge the error of his former opinions and life. The following verse shows that the apostle means something more than a mere convincing of the understanding, or a mere conviction that his opinions had been erroneous. He evidently refers to what is now known also as conviction for sin; that is, a deep sense of the depravity of the heart, of the errors and follies of the past life, accompanied with mental anxiety, distress, and alarm. The force of truth, and the appeals which should be made, and the observation of the happy effects of religion, would convince him that he was a sinner, and show him also his need of a Saviour.1

1 Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament: I Corinthians, ed. Robert Frew (London: Blackie & Son, 1884–1885), 270.

Judged / examined - producing deep self condemnation.

The second word appeared previously in this letter to describe the Corinthians’ “examination” of Paul and his apostleship (4:3–4; 9:3); it is also used in an earlier argument (2:14–15) to describe the proper sphere of activity of the “Spiritual person,” meaning something like “discern.” Perhaps there is an intended deflection by the use of this word here. Instead of “examining” Paul on their grounds/understanding of Spirit activity, they should seek to prophesy in the assembly so that the proper “examining” might take place, that of the Spirit in the heart of the unbeliever, bringing such a person to a place of repentance.1

1 Gordon D. Fee, The First Epistle to the Corinthians, ed. Ned B. Stonehouse et al., Revised Edition., The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2014), 760.

1 Corinthians 2:14–15 KJV

But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.

Exposed - hidden things of the heart revealed, producing conviction.

And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest. Made manifest to himself in a surprising and remarkable manner. He shall be led to see the real designs and motives of his heart. His conscience would be awakened; he would recall his former course of life; he would see that it was evil; and the present state of his heart would be made known to himself. It is possible that he would suppose that the speaker was aiming directly at him, and revealing his feelings to others; for such an effect is often produced. The convicted sinner often supposes that the preacher particularly intends him, and wonders that he has such an acquaintance with his feelings and his life; and often supposes that he is designing to disclose his feelings to the congregation. It is possible that Paul here may mean that the prophets, by inspiration, would be able to reveal some secret facts in regard to the stranger; or to state the ill design which he might have had in coming into the assembly; or to state some things in regard to him which could be known only to himself; as was the case with Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1, seq.); but perhaps it is better to understand this in a more general sense, as describing the proper and more common effect of truth, when it is applied by a man’s own conscience. Such effects are often witnessed now; and such effects show the truth of religion; its adaptedness to men; the omniscience and the power of God; the design of the conscience, and its use in the conversion of sinners.1

1 Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament: I Corinthians, ed. Robert Frew (London: Blackie & Son, 1884–1885), 270–271.

Hebrews 4:12 KJV

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Unbelievers and Unlearned Will Be Converted.

and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.

Fall down/ humble himself.

James 4:7 KJV

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

James 4:10 KJV

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

And so falling down on his face. The usual posture of worship or reverence in eastern countries. It was performed by sinking on the knees and hands, and then placing the face on the ground. This might be done publicly; or the apostle may mean to say that it would lead him to do it in private.

He will worship God. He will be converted, and become a Christian.1

1 Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament: I Corinthians, ed. Robert Frew (London: Blackie & Son, 1884–1885), 271.

Worship God - a Transfer of Trust.

Hebrews 6:1 KJV

Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God,

Testify that God is in This Church.

Converted persons drop all their prejudices against the people of God, and speak honourably of them. “He will report that God is in you of a truth.” Profane people treat them with contempt and scorn. But no sooner does a man come to himself, and see things as they are, than he forms a very different opinion of godly persons. He sees that they are the excellent of the earth, the children of God, and heirs of eternal glory. (G. Burder.)1

1 Joseph S. Exell, The Biblical Illustrator: I. Corinthians, vol. 2 (New York: Anson D. F. Randolph & Company, n.d.), 363.

And report that God, &c. Will become your friend, and an advocate for the Christian religion. An enemy will be turned to a friend. Doubtless this was often done. It is now often done. Paul’s argument is, that they should so conduct their public devotions as that they should be adapted to produce this result.1

1 Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament: I Corinthians, ed. Robert Frew (London: Blackie & Son, 1884–1885), 271.

The preacher stood on the street corner preaching to anyone who would listen. A man approached him who looked like he had lived on the street forever. "Can I help you" asked the preacher. "I think you can" said the bum. "Would you like me to tell you about Jesus?" "No." "Would you like me to pray for you?" "No." "If you don’t want me to tell you about Jesus, and you don’t want me to pray with you, how can I help you?" "You can give me your Bible." "Why would you want my Bible if you have no interest in knowing more about Jesus?" "I noticed that the pages of your Bible are very thin; I can use the pages to wrap a cigarette (or a joint)." Wisdom came suddenly to the preacher, who said, "I’ll give you the Bible, if you will agree to read a page (of the Bible) before you smoke it." The bum agreed, took his new Bible, and left. The preacher thought he had seen the last of the bum, but he could get another Bible. Several months passed, and the preacher was on the street corner once again. A man came up to him dressed in a three piece suit. "You don’t know me, do you?" said the man. "No. I’ve never seen you in my life." "Yes you have. I’m the man you gave a Bible to (about four months ago)." The preacher couldn’t believe his eyes and ears. "What happened? Tell me what happened." "Well, I smoked Matthew, and then I smoked Mark, and then I smoked Luke--and then John smoked me."

To Prophesy in this dispensation is to boldly declare God’s Word, and we all can and should do it. When someone comes within our sphere of influence, they all should hear the word of God.

Lives will be reached and changed not by slick advertising but by God’s Word. Conviction and conversion comes as all, not just the preachers and teachers, proclaim boldly and clearly the truth of God’s Word. This is the Power of Prophecy.