The Prophet’s Office

Over the years, I have heard numerous individuals communicate their belief that there’s no such thing as a prophetic office. In fact, some have doggedly argued with me about it. Nevertheless, I am of the belief that the prophet’s office exists, it’s relevant today, and it’s desperately needed by the Church. Unfortunately, there’s so much confusion over the prophetic office, prophetic ministry, and prophetic ministry, that confusion has led to frustration and accusations against those who actually call themselves prophets and those who actively practice prophetic ministry. For that I reason, I’d like to share what the scripture actually says about the prophetic office in this post.

For those unfamiliar with prophets and prophecy, and even those who have studied prophets and prophecy, many do not know the origin of the prophet’s ministry — it’s origin and how it was viewed and respected in Israel’s history. As such, I’d like to provide a backdrop for the prophet, his office and ministry. Scripture affirms Father Abraham as the person who’s first called a prophet in scripture. For that reason, I’d like to take a look at Father Abraham, his prophetic calling, and his prophetic office. Yes, Father Abraham did and does have a prophetic office.

Father Abraham had authority with God. In fact, he was actively involved in negotiating for preservation of the sinful cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. How’d he do that? Prayer. In fact, God said to Himself, “Should I hide my plan from Abraham?” Genesis 18:17, NLT. The answer was, No. God revealed to Father Abraham what He was about to do to Sodom. Why did God reveal what He revealed to Father Abraham? “Abraham will certainly become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him. Genesis 18:18, NLT. God wanted Father Abraham to know what He was doing in the earth of His own accord, due to his office as the patriarch of a nation (Israel) and many nations. Genesis 17:5, KJV. And because he was the friend of God. That position gave him authority with God. 

God still gives individuals authority. Although much of the Church has structural authority today, having structural authority doesn’t give one authority with God. God choose to give authority to His friends. And prophets, like them or not, have become the friend of God. For that reason, God chooses to put them in ministry. In fact, it was the Apostle Paul’s faithfulness to God that caused God to put him in ministry. To his son in the faith, Apostle Timothy, he wrote, “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has granted me [the needed] strength and made me able for this, because He considered me faithful and trustworthy, putting me into service [for this ministry]”. 1 Timothy 1:12, Amplified Bible.

 “The prophetic office is vital to the Church, believers, and even cities and nations.”—Scott Wallis

God places men or women in the prophetic office, due to their faithfulness to Him. Yes, that gives them authority with God. That authority authorizes them to speak for God. God choose whom He uses to speak for Him. Speaking for God from God is such an important act and so vital to God’s work on earth that God hand selects those whom He uses to speak for Him. It’s an honor and privilege to speak for God. When prophets or people falsely claim to speak for God, it brings reproach on the name of God and can even cause people to blaspheme God. That’s why it’s vital we know the difference between true and false prophets — the prophetic office is vital to the Church, believers, and even cities and nations.

Our lack of understanding regarding the prophetic office has enabled false prophets and prophecy to flourish in the Church. We must gain a greater understanding of the prophet’s office and ministry. Prophets who are in the office of prophet carry the authority of Christ the prophet with them wherever they go. The failure to receive them is the failure to receive Christ the prophet and the Father. Jesus taught that truth throughout His ministry. 

Possibly, Jesus’s greatest teaching on this particular truth was when He was asked by the Jewish leaders, “‘By what authority are You doing these things?’ they asked. ‘And who gave You the authority to do them?’” Mark 11:28, Berean Standard Bible. The same question is still asked of prophets today. And often, prophets try to answer that question. Jesus didn’t. Rather, He pointed to John the Baptist, a recognized prophet. Dear young prophet, don’t try to answer that question. Rather, ask if they’ve received an established prophet, as Jesus did, “The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men?” Or similarly, was the established prophet’s ministry from heaven or men? 

Prophets haven’t learned how to stand in their authority as prophets because they haven’t known they’re given an office by God. If you don’t know that truth as a prophet, you will constantly fall short in your prophetic calling. You can only go as far as the authority you walk in carries you. If you don’t discern or understand that authority, you will never be able to fulfill your calling, even if you’re called to be a great prophet. 

Rather than discerning their authority, prophets have tried to prove that authority through the prophetic words they give. The problem: 1) not everyone will receive a genuine word from God, and 2) it often takes years for the prophet’s word to be proven true. As a result, prophets, even genuine prophets, can be falsely accused of being false. That’s why it’s an essential part of the prophet’s office to learn to walk circumspectly with wisdom. That absence of wisdom among prophets is why so many have been hurt by prophets. 

Yes, there’s a prophetic office. Yes, God chooses men and women to walk in that office. Yes, prophets are authorized to speak for God. It’s on those who hear them to discern them. Prophet don’t try to prove yourself…ever. Stand in your office, if you’ve truly stepped into it. It’s on you to discern that and not step into an office you’re not authorized to walk in yet. Being called by God as a prophet doesn’t equal being commissioned by Him into the prophet’s office. There’s a difference.

Today, many are trying to walk in an office they’ve not been commissioned into by God. Although called, they lack the spiritual maturity or training to fulfill their calling as a prophet. And many of those “schools of prophets” fail to adequately mentor prophets in functioning in the prophet’s office. Instead, they become good prophesiers, nothing more. That’s not what being a prophet is about, beloved. Anyways, that’s for another day. 

My prayer is, God raise up prophets who know who they are as prophets, know how to function in the prophetic office they’ve been given, and can learn to walk in the prophetic office, circumspectly, with Your wisdom. And that your Church will truly learn to understand and discern between true and false prophets. Amen.

Let Us Pray!

 — Scott Wallis