What is prophecy?
Merely human words… “telling something that God has spontaneously brought to mind.” – Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology, page 1049.
1 Corinthians 14.29-32
Paul is simply referring to something that God may suddenly bring to mind, or something that God may impress on someone’s consciousness in such a way that the person has a sense that it is from God. It may be that the thought brought to mind is surprisingly distinct from the person’s own train of thought, or that it is accompanied by a sense of vividness or urgency or persistence, or in some other way gives the person a rather clear sense that it is from the Lord. – Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology, page 1056.
Spontaneous, direct edification that is subject to scrutiny, and motivated by love.
1 Corinthians 14.3-4
How do we do it?
1 Thessalonians 5.20-21
No criteria are suggested here for distinguishing genuine prophecy from false… it is especially necessary that those in positions of responsibility should be able to exercise this kind of discernment. – F.F. Bruce, WBC 1&2 Thessalonians, pg 126.
1 Corinthians 14.29 ESV
…only that the responsibility for evaluation is not permitted to rest with the prophets, but is extended to the broader community. – D.A. Carson, Showing the Spirit, pages 120-121.
Not wanting to?
1 Thessalonians 5.19-20
… refuses to utter the message he has been given, or when others try to prevent him from uttering it. – F.F. Bruce, WBC 1&2 Thessalonians, pg 125.
1 Corinthians 12.7,10,11
1 Corinthians 14.31a
After all, ‘seek earnestly the better gifts’ for the edification of the body is an imperative, not a polite invitation. At the individual level, my stock answer is admittedly not always helpful: hunger and thirst with openness. For some this puts too much emphasis on the human rather than the divine side; and I too fear that. But my own experience in the church is that there is a clear correlation between our hunger after God, on the one hand, and our experience of God, on the other. This does not remove the experience of the Spirit of God from God’s own sovereignty, nor does it imply that the one hungering and thirsting does not [already have] the Spirit in full measure. I simply know of no other practical solution. – Gordon Fee, as quoted by Aron Osborne, Eagerly Desiring Spiritual Gifts, Sovereign Grace Worship God ‘06 Conference handout.
