A Shift in Leadership

Building Antioch Churches

concerning an apostolic call. These words helped to encourage me to pursue and believe in the call. Apostolic leaders need the confirmation of proven prophetic ministries. This will encourage them and help to activate the gift inside. Everything we are doing today was declared prophetically before we did it. Prophecy thrusts you into the purposes of God. It encourages you to move into the will of God. It releases faith to operate beyond what you are accustomed to. It helps to break the barriers and limitations we have accepted through tradition or lack of knowledge. I cannot overemphasize the importance of teaching on and releasing the prophetic ministry within the local church. This is instrumental in helping a church move fully into an apostolic ministry. When we speak of prophetic ministry, we are not limiting it to prophets. We are also including prophecy as one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and the spirit of prophecy that every believer has through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. We make a distinction between the simple gift of prophecy and the ministry of the prophet. Every believer can prophesy (Acts 2:16-18). Prophesy is utterance that comes from being filled with the Spirit (Acts 19:6). We know that everyone is not a prophet (1 Corinthians 12:29). Prophets prophesy with more authority and revelation because they speak from the strength and position of their office. The simple gift of prophecy, however, is speaking unto men to edification, exhortation, and comfort (1 Corinthians 14:3). Prophecy is a building gift. To edify means to build. We

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