Dennis Cramer - You can all prophesy : a balanced approach to giving and receiving personal prophecy

You Can All Prophesy

A Balanced Approach to Giving and Receiving PERSONAL PROPHECY

By Dennis Cramer

Dedication

To all my friends who encouraged me to revise and republish this book

To the Church of Jesus Christ, and her members who hunger for clarity regarding the gift of prophecy.

PROPHECY

A supernatural, verbal gift of the Holy Spirit given for the purpose of strengthening, encouraging and comforting a believer or group of believers. (See First Corinthians 14:3.)

...be eager to prophesy...! (1 Cor. 14:39)

For you can all prophesy...! (1 Cor. 14:31)

Table of Contents

Introduction

Why Do We Wait?

Since first writing this book in 1981, I have been amazed at the growth the Church has experienced in the area of prophecy. There has been a mighty restoration of many aspects of prophecy. This restoration has made this particular book even more relevant today than when it was originally written some 12 years ago.

Prophetically speaking, the Church has come alive and scores of believers already have begun to operate in the gift of prophecy. Yet many more believers are eager to operate in the gift of prophecy who have not yet done so. Perhaps you, the reader, are one who needs to step out and begin to experience this gift of prophecy. Yes, you can prophesy! Fortunately, for the Church, God has been just as willing to teach us as we have been to learn. For all those hungry and thirsty believers, there is plenty to learn about prophecy. This book can teach believers about the gift of prophecy and how to make it a reality in their lives.

This updated and slightly expanded version of You Can All Prophesy contains several alterations that reflect personal changes in my life as a member of the Body of Christ. First, beginning some years ago, I decided to change from a King James Version of the Bible to a more accurate and contemporary translation. My personal choice was the New International Version, although there are several other good translations. Consequently, almost all of the references in this book are now from the NIV. Second, I decided to update one of the mechanics I utilize when I am operating in the gift of prophecy. I no longer prophesy in King James English, but speak in modern ,, contemporary English Both of these adjustments have made me more effective in the lives of the believers I am attempting to influence for Christ, The remaining changes in this edition of You Can All Prophesy are an accumulation of the additional knowledge and experience

I have gained over the past 12 years since Ye May All Prophesy was first written. Hopefully all of these changes will benefit you, the reader, to better understand and to better operate in the gift of prophecy.

Perhaps the single greatest misconception in the Church today deals with our failure to take God at His written Word literally. Usually that can be attributed to two basic errors in our reasoning toward God. The first misconception in our reasoning leads us to believe that there is another spiritual realm that we must somehow discover, experience or achieve in order to operate in the gift of prophecy. However, this alleged spiritual realm does not exist. Consequently, we cannot discover, experience or achieve something in a realm that simply does not exist. There is no other spiritual realm! It does not exist! We are living in the Kingdom of God right now, today. There is no greater spiritual realm in which to live than the Kingdom of God. Gods Kingdom is the realm He has prepared for us (believers) while here on earth. It is in this present spiritual realm, or Kingdom, that the Scriptures teach the gift of prophecy has been made available to every believer.

The second misconception is what I call the old school theology which states that God has only a few, choice, select individuals through which He speaks to the Body of Christ prophetically. That is simply not a scriptural perspective. The apostle Paul wrote to the church at Corinth and said, For you can all prophesy... (1 Cor. 14:3 1). This was a large church with thousands of members. Paul said they could all prophesy. It is true that Paul wrote they were to do all things decently and in order (I Cor. 14:40 KJV). However, this presupposed that they were going to do all things ! We have always seen this verse as a restriction of sorts, or a warning against prophecy. On the contrary, it was and is an encouragement to do all things! Just remember to do all things in an orderly fashion, as outlined throughout the fourteenth chapter of First Corinthians. That includes the operation of the gift of prophecy specifically in the setting of the public gathering or assembly. Furthermore, if only a few, choice, select individuals have been called of God to operate in the gift of prophecy, then obviously the disciples at Ephesus (Acts 19:1-6) were unaware of this supposed theology. These men were merely believers (like you and me), newly filled with the Holy Spirit (v. 6), and yet they all spoke in tongues and prophesied ! Obviously, it is our contemporary theology that is in error. It has been the traditions and unbelief of man that has limited the Churchs access to this precious gift and not the will of God! Gods Word has always been crystal clear on this point. That point is, all Spirit-filled believers can immediately operate in a prophetic gift as a result, or evidence, of being filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 19). This fact was true and applicable to the believers then and it is true and applicable to believers now. Amen! Whether we are referring to a brand new convert or to the seasoned believer who has been serving God for years, clearly all can prophesy as inspired by the Spirit of God.

Let us use the words general and special to better clarify this gift of prophecy. In this book we deal with the so-called general gift of prophecy. We will define the word general as universal and available to all believers. This general gift seldom, if ever , contains any revelation or specific divine information. It seldom contains any direction. It seldom contains any correction. This general gift is simply (yet effectively) used by God to strengthen, encourage and comfort the believer (1 Cor. 14:3). This is the gift God has made available to all believers. In addition, God has His prophets and there is that special gift of prophecy reserved for the office (ministry) of the prophet (Eph. 4:11). This special gift of prophecy contains specific revelation (divine information) into the mind and counsel of God. It can be directive and corrective. This special gift of prophecy is only for those called to the office of a prophet and not for the Body of Christ in general. That is why Paul writes, Are all prophets? (1 Cor. 12:29). The implied answer is no. But when Paul further addresses the same church, he writes, Therefore, my brothers [men and women alike], be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues (1 Cor 14:39). Does this represent a conflict? I think not. It shows us that there are clearly two types of prophecy in the Church (excluding false prophecy, of course). The general gift of prophecy is for us all. On the other hand, the special gift is a specific gifting for certain believers (prophets) as God sovereignty chooses. The Scriptures teach that God has placed some, not all, in the Church to fill these five ascension gift ministries. Ephesians 4:10 and 11 says, He [Christ] .. .ascended ..., then He gave ...some to be prophets.... Thus the term ascension gift ministries. Not everyone will be a prophet, but everyone can prophesy. Not everyone will have the special gift of prophecy, but everyone will have access to the general gift of prophecy as God inspires them.

Concerning this general gift of prophecy for all believers, what do the Scriptures really say? What does the New Testament really give us today as working examples to follow in our lives, on this subject? From Scripture, here is the conclusion I have drawn: if we can all speak in tongues, then we can certainly all prophesy. Why then is there such confusion?