The difference in the gift of prophecy and being a prophet

[Azzure]

I am researching the gift of prophecy and being prophetic and being a prophet, my understanding though I admit I have no basis for it is that being prophetic and having the gift of prophecy is not the same as being a prophet and I was wondering if anyone had any insight on this matter. to me at least though I have no idea why I believe this is that having the gift and being prophetic is something like recieving from the God and speaking it forth to the body but being a prophet is more of a leadership type role a heavy burden  much accountability to go with it.

 

I see many false prophets on youtube everyone seems to want to be a prophet but not considering the cost or accountability, but the scriptures say 

1 Corinthians 14:1:

"Pursue love, and earnestly desire spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy But even so I am wanting to go into deep detail on this subject I want to learn what it actually means to have the gift and how it can differ from actually being a prophet any insight would be greatly appreciated

[JohnD]

Let's get to the root on the matter.

Prophet / prophecy / prophesy / prophetic all come from the same

root word and meaning:

To profess. To make a statement.

Prophet = Professor

Prophesy / prophecy = profess

Prophetic = profession.

So you see, little emphasis is to be truly placed on the one having the honor

of professing the Word of God. The emphasis is on the profession (the Word of God) instead.

And this understanding also lends itself to the distinction between prophecy and predictive prophecy.

All of which hinges on the Word of God and the God who is giving us his Word.

Prophecy can declare current issues and events,  past issues and events, or future issues and events. 

So you see, it's all about God and his Word and his ability to see all things past present and future. And

nothing to do with man (except the honor bestowed by God upon the human mouthpiece / scribe). 

[Tristen]

1 - There are five leadership gifts bestowed for the purpose of establishing and building the Church (i.e. the body of believers).

Ephesians 4:11-13
11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;

The role of the Prophet in this ministry context is to administer God's vision for the Church.

 

2 - There are gifts given to believers by the Holy Spirit to bless the Church - that are independent of leadership roles.

1 Corinthians 12:4-11
4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

The role of the gift of prophecy is to provide specific encouragement to believers from the heart of God.

1 Corinthians 14:1-4
1 Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. 2 For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. 3 But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. 4 He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church.

 

 

 

[Walkingshrimp]

 

Ok so this is what my Pastor told me when she was still alive.

Being a prophet means, You are a mouth piece for God. You are given a message from God, to give to someone or a people.

For example, Jonas and the whale. He was given a word to give to a people, but he then tried to run from it.

Prophecy, you might get a prophecy, but it doesn't necessarily mean you are to tell anyone. The prophecy can be past, present, future.

Past, present, an example in new testament. Using it you can tell a man about he's sins and it's purpose is for repentance.

Future, you might be given a prophecy about something that could happen to someone. I was given two such prophecies, two different times. Both times the person would not repent, and they died, just like I said, a car crash. Both of them blasphemed God and spoke evil about him before it happened to them.

Sometimes future prophecies are not a warning. Sometimes you are bringing good news to them. Which is needed in the church. It builds up and edifies the church.

Edited March 18 by Walkingshrimp

[timf]

The gift of prophecy was given to early Christian believers so that someone could say the words of God so that everyone else could believe it.

Prophets were given to the nation of Israel and spoke the words of God their entire lifetimes and few believed it.