To understand the role of prophecy and prophets in the local churches it is of paramount importance to to understand the nature of prophecy itself.

This verse in from Revelation 19 is a key to understanding the prophetic and prophets.

At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

The prophetic is the Lord himself giving his testimony concerning a matter.
When the Lord himself gives a message by inspiration of the Holy Spirit through a person this is the biblical defintion of the prophetic. The Hebrew word for prophet means , one who speaks through divine inspiration.
The greek word for prophet refers to an authorized spokes person.
So a prophet is one who is called by God as his spokes person, and speaks messages from God by inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The role and office of the prophet has not changed since the time of Adam.
The Bible gives us what God has said and is perfect for sets up general parameters for Christian living. The Bible it self is a prophetic book as it declares itself to be written by men who were moved by the Spirit of God.
The first half of the scriptures were written by the prophets and the second half was written by the apostoles under prophetic anointing. The scriptures defines the revelation of God in Jesus Christ upon which the Church was founded. Jesus himself is the chief corner stone of the Church and all the scriptures revolve around him. True prophecy will never violate what is written the scriptures, because the author of Bible and the Spirit that inspires true prophecy are one in the same, both are products of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God will never contradict himself. So prophetic word and scripture should alway be in agreement in regards to plan pupose and character of God.
While the written Word of God is the said Word of God. The prophetic word is the saying word of God, or what God is saying at the moment. The written word in general knowledge of while the Prophetic word is specific, fills needs of the believer at the moment of need. Because the source of the prophetic is the testimony of Christ given by inspiration of the Holy Spirit it contains knowledge that is hidden from every one else but God.
God know all things, and when he talks through some one he shows that he sees all the circumstances in a persons life in total detail. God uses this to encourage his saints in ways that the written word cannot.
The Lord God is very interactive with his children, and at times he chooses to interact with loved ones through this means.
Prophets are ministers of the Word of God, but they and the apostles recieve their messages almost entirely by inspiration of the Holy Spirit. They get word directly from the throne of God himself, it carries divine authority be cause it is a word from God.
In closing gentlemen prophecy is something of the Spirit and you can only understand it by the Spirit. If you an intelectual approach to this subject you will never unerstand. Understanding of things such as these come only by Divine inspiration.

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