What Is the Gift of Prophecy?

“The one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort.”
– 1 Corinthians 14:3

There’s a lot of confusion in the Church today about the spiritual gift of prophecy. What is it, and are there prophets alive today?

 

The first man in the Bible to be called a prophet is Abraham. In Genesis 20:7, Abraham is described as a man who has a direct line of communication with God. And as the Old Testament unfolds, it becomes clear that Jewish priests spoke to God on behalf of the people, while prophets spoke to the people on behalf of God.

 

In the New Testament, the spiritual gift of prophecy is shown as the God-given ability to communicate divine revelations for the education, encouragement, and comfort of the Church. In 1 Corinthians 14, Paul emphasizes prophecy because in his day — before the New Testament books had been written — God delivered His holy Word directly to prophets, and the prophets proclaimed it to the Church. Prophecy was the primary way for Jesus Christ to speak His word to His Church.

 

How about today? The primary way that Christ speaks to His Church is through preaching and teaching of the Bible … the written Word of God. So, as prophecy was to the church in Corinth, preaching and teaching God’s Word are to churches today. As a pastor, I’m a teacher of God’s Word as it’s revealed in Scripture — as opposed to a prophet, who receives fresh revelation from God.

 

So, is the spiritual gift of prophecy still active in the Church in 2026? Because God’s revelation to mankind was made complete in the New Testament, I believe the answer is “No.” It seems clear that the spiritual gift of prophecy was vital in the early years of the Christian Church, before the New Testament was assembled. But biblical and historical evidence indicates that this gift is not active in today’s Church — at least, not in the same way it was active in the early Church.

 

Since preaching and teaching are for Christians today what prophecy was to Christians in Paul’s day, it is the preaching and teaching of God’s Word that must be at the center of ALL ministry … both to Christians within the Church, and for the evangelism of unbelievers outside the Church. As the Bible tells us in Hebrews 4:12: “The Word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

 

Whether it was through gifted prophets in First Century Corinth, or through preachers, teachers and evangelists today, God’s #1 tool for building up Christians is the Word of God.

 

Dane Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church in Victorville. Join us at Impact for Sunday services at 9am: at 17746 George Blvd. in Victorville, or at 9 a.m. on Facebook Live or YouTube. For more information, visit www.GreaterImpact.cc.