The Prophet by Pastor Dolapo Lawal: MP3 Download & Sermon Notes

There is a clear distinction between someone who is prophesying, the gift of prophecy, the spirit of prophecy, and the office of the prophet.

• The gift of prophecy — that which you mature into through fellowship and intimacy with the Lord.
• The spirit of prophecy — accessible to all believers through the finished work of Jesus and the Holy Spirit within us.
• The office of the prophet — a very powerful, specific governmental office.

All of us who are not in the office of the prophet manifest with the spirit of prophecy. But the office of the prophet is something else entirely.

1. The Office of the Prophet Is a Ministry Gift Christ Gave the Church

Ephesians 4:11–12

And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers — for the equipping of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body. If all of them are not working together, that equipping cannot happen in your life.

The healthy way to run ministry is team ministry. An apostle has a very distinct message — a specific doctrine given through encounter. A pastor must think holistically. If you have only an apostle in a church and that is the only thing being taught, the practical needs of the people will not be met. The way we currently run church cannot be God's will.

When we receive a prophet, we receive a prophet as a gift from Jesus.

2. The Office Carries a Governmental and Revelatory Function in the Body of Christ

Ephesians 2:19–20

Built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone. The prophet therefore does not merely edify a local gathering. They help lay and maintain doctrinal and directional foundation — what can be called ordinances — within the body of Christ.

A prophet is a custodian of teachings because what a prophet has is revelations of God. They don't just know word of knowledge. The word of knowledge is a sign to help you believe their prophetic ministry.

If a prophet comes to you and says, "Thus says the Lord, in three days God will multiply you," you may say amen casually but you don't have the release of faith. The word of knowledge is the sign that activates that faith. If a prophet says, "I saw you two weeks ago in Alabama, wearing an orange dress, entering Walmart, giving somebody money" — that revelation of what you did in private is witness that whatever he wants to say prophetically must be from God. The word of knowledge is not the function. It is to help the function.

The prophetic anointing is such that you can be prophetically mighty in the sight of God and nobody knows you. In this generation we think popularity is validation of anointing. Anna — nobody knew her, but she was the Lord's prophetess. God told a 70-year-old woman in a village in Africa to intercede for Justin Bieber — she couldn't even pronounce the name. That prophecy left America and went to find a woman in a village because she is his prophet. You can be deep and not known.

The Prophet Is a Teacher

Exodus 35:1 — Moses, who was a prophet, gathered the congregation and said to them, "These are the words which the Lord has commanded you to do." Moses was instructing them, directing them.

Exodus 24:12 — And the Lord said unto Moses, "Come up to me in the mount and be there and I will give you the tables of stone and a law and commandments which I have written, that you may teach them."

You do not have a prophetic ministry if you cannot teach. You are not prophetic if you cannot teach.

John the Baptist did not do miracles, yet Jesus said in Matthew 11:11 that of all men born of women, John the Baptist is the greatest. He was a teacher — he taught his disciples how to pray. Matthew 6.

The prophetic anointing is awareness of the spirit realm, and using the Word of God as a compass in your journey with the Holy Spirit. That is what it means to be prophetic.

3. The Office Carries Life and Death Accountability

God called Jeremiah and said, "I have called you a prophet." The first thing Jeremiah said was "alas" — a strong feeling of grief and loss. He was a young man. He had not married. He said, "Why are You calling me?"

God told Hosea to marry a prostitute. God told Isaiah to walk naked for three years and prophesy. Isaiah was one of the most accurate prophets — Jesus quoted him more than anybody — and yet a naked, so-called madman was seeing the Christ.

Jeremiah said, "This prophecy is what puts me inside trouble. But His word was like fire. I can't help myself."

Make sure you don't hide your scars. If you do, you don't have a ministry. Those scars, those touching points — that is what God wants to say. God first showed you to yourself, so that condemnation would be out of your mouth as a minister. As a prophet, you will look into your life and see touching points. You might be struggling with something and God will be bringing people to you who have the very same struggle — and what comes out of you will amaze even you. He's supplying wisdom through your context.

The Test of a True Prophet — Not Accuracy Alone

Deuteronomy 18:20–22 — When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not come to pass, that is what the Lord has not spoken.

But does accuracy mean it is of God? No.

Deuteronomy 13:1–3 — If a prophet gives you a sign or wonder and the sign comes to pass — and then says, "Let us go after other gods" — you shall not listen. For the Lord is testing you. Accuracy does not mean it is of God.

Acts 16:16 — A slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination followed Paul and cried out, "These men are servants of the most high God who proclaim the way of salvation." It was accurate. But it was not truth — it was not coming by the Spirit of God.

If you use the Spirit of God to say what will happen, it is called prophesying. If you use the spirit of divination to say what will happen, it is called witchcraft. It is not what you are doing — it is by what spirit.

Signs from the spirit of divination include: people paying you to prophesy, and not having a prayer life. If you are prophesying without a prayer life — where are you getting what you are saying from?

Moses hit the rock instead of speaking to it. Water still came out. That did not mean he was in obedience.

Some prophetic words come as warnings that God does not even want to come to pass. The book of Lamentations is Jeremiah lamenting that his prophecy came to pass. God didn't want the prophecy He sent Jonah with to Nineveh to come to pass. You can also say something "didn't come to pass" when actually God gave it as a warning and the person repented.

God can also move a prophetic word from you and give it to your child. Some things you are walking in right now — you can trace them to your mother or your father.

If you have a prophetic call, take doctrine very seriously. By doctrine I mean Bible study and interpretation of scripture. Don't joke with it. The spirit realm is so compelling. You need the Word of God to divide. The devil can appear as an angel of light. How do you know the distinction between an angel and a demon? The Word. Jesus was full of the Word — when Satan came, He said, "It is also written." Being prophetic means being aware of the spirit realm and using the Word as your compass in your journey with the Holy Spirit.