1 Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.

3 he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men.

In the last devotional, we explored the gift of the word of knowledge, how Jesus, through the Spirit, could supernaturally know hidden details about a person or situation. We saw that this wasn’t just for Him, but a gift available to every believer.

Now, we continue by looking at another gift that often flows alongside the word of knowledge: the gift of prophecy.

While the word of knowledge reveals facts that are unknown by natural means, prophecy goes a step further declaring what is to come and declaring what is in God’s heart. And just like every other gift we’ve explored so far, we find our ultimate model in Jesus.

Before Jesus ever spoke a word, prophecy had already surrounded His life. His birth, life, ministry, death, and resurrection were foretold by prophets centuries before His arrival. Isaiah, Micah, and David all spoke of a coming Saviour: He would be born of a virgin, suffer for sins, and rise again. Jesus fulfilled them all.

But He didn’t stop at fulfilling prophecy, He lived prophetically.

Throughout His ministry, Jesus demonstrated what it meant to walk in prophecy. He foretold His death and resurrection (Matthew 16:21), Peter’s denial (Luke 22:34), Judas’s betrayal (Matthew 26:21-25), and even the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem (Matthew 24:2). And He didn’t just prophesy personal details, He declared global events.

Matthew 24:6-8
New King James Version

6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars.

7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.

8 And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows.

To the natural ear, these words sound intense, even frightening. But Jesus wasn’t trying to instil fear. He was preparing His disciples. He was pulling back the curtain of time and giving them a window into what was to come. Why? Because that’s what the Father does; He reveals His plans to draw hearts back to Him.

Prophecy is not just about knowing the future. It’s about revealing the heart of God.

Jesus also practiced forthtelling—declaring God’s truth into the present. In Matthew 23, we see Jesus boldly calling out the religious leaders of His day. He wasn’t gossiping or criticizing—He was revealing God’s heart for repentance and truth. He was calling people back to purity of worship. That’s prophecy too.

So what do we learn from Jesus? Prophecy has two expressions:

• Foretelling – Speaking about things to come.

• Forthtelling – Speaking God’s heart into a current moment.

Both of these are meant for a single purpose: to draw people closer to God.

Now here’s the beautiful truth: Jesus didn’t model this gift just to amaze us. He modelled it so that we would walk in it too.

John 14:12
New King James Version

12 He who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also.

That includes prophetic works.

If you’re a believer, the same Holy Spirit that rested upon Jesus now lives in you. The gifts of the Spirit are not reserved for a few, they are available to all who believe. That’s why Paul urges us:

1 Corinthians 14:1
New King James Version

1 Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.

Why especially prophecy? Because prophecy builds up the church. It encourages. It strengthens. It brings comfort. While tongues may edify the individual, prophecy is for others, it’s for the body. It is one of the most direct ways we can reveal God’s heart to people in real time.

But there’s something important we must never forget: Prophecy must flow from love.

1 Corinthians 13:2
New King James Version

2 Though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge… but have not love, I am nothing.

This is how Jesus used prophecy. Never to boast, never to impress, and never to manipulate. He used it to love people. To guide them. To protect and correct them. To draw them closer to the Father.

Even in Matthew 24, after laying out end-time events, Jesus follows up with wisdom:

Matthew 24:44
New King James Version

44 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

He didn’t just tell His disciples what would happen; He told them how to respond.

This is true prophetic ministry: not only declaring facts but pointing people toward obedience and faith.

As you grow in this gift, ask the Holy Spirit for grace to pair every word you speak with wisdom and love. Ask Him for the sensitivity to know when to speak, and when to simply pray. Remember, the goal is not revelation, it’s reconciliation. It’s not just what you say, it’s how and why you say it.

Like Jesus, you may find that the gift of prophecy often flows with other gifts like words of wisdom and words of knowledge. You may sense what’s coming and what someone should do about it. Or you may receive insight into a current issue and a prophetic promise attached to it.

These gifts don’t compete, they complement. They work together to edify, instruct, and call people into deeper relationship with God.

So what should you do with all this?

Desire the gift. Pursue love. Speak as Christ did.

Ask the Holy Spirit to use your mouth to echo heaven’s heartbeat. Whether you’re praying for a friend, speaking to a room, or just encouraging someone over coffee, be ready. God still speaks. And He wants to speak through you.

Prayer Point:
Lord, I earnestly desire the gift of prophecy. Just as Jesus revealed Your heart and declared Your truth, I want to do the same. Help me to speak from a place of love, led by Your Spirit, and faithful to Your word. Teach me to steward this gift with humility, to build up the church and draw others closer to You.