Word Study: Navi, The Prophet

 

BYTES~ Word Study: Navi, The Prophet

By Meaghan Spies 

What Is A Prophet?

Acts 2:17 ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams.

We live in the most amazing, anointed and powerful time in the history of the world simply because God decided to pour out of His Spirit on His sons and daughters. God the Holy Spirit is the power behind all that God has done, is doing and will do in the lives of those who would believe, and in the earth. God said that when He poured out of His Spirit on all flesh that then His people would 

    1) prophesy the oracles of God,

    2) see life-altering visions, 

    3) and dream dreams without limitation. 

He has, and is still, fulfilling what He has said since the Day of Pentecost.

In the Greek, to prophesy is propheteuo,projhteuw, which according to The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible {© 1995, 1996 by Thomas Nelson Publishers} is a verb meaning: 

    1) to foretell, or prophesy;

    2) to set forth matter of Divine teaching by special  faculty. 

To prophesy, or propheteuo, comes from the word for a prophet, prophetes, who is described as 

    1) one (male or female) who foretells events under divine authority, 

   2) one who speaks under inspiration; 

   3) an inspired speaker, who exercises the prophetic office, and is even known as a poet. 

Navi in the Hebrew is defined as an inspired man or woman, a prophet, who speaks or writes under Divine inspiration. The prophet can therefore be described as one who makes God’s thoughts known or affirms what has already been revealed under Divine inspiration.

Discerning Prophecy

1) Who Is The Prophet of Your Life? Who are you allowing to speak into your life? There are many voices around us ever ready with something good, or toxic, to say about us. The media, politicians, spiritual leaders, family and friends and haters have so much to say about our pasts and what they believe will be coming attractions in our future. Thing is, you must discern whose word is prophecy, spoken under Divine inspiration, to you and about you, and whose is not.

2) The Bible Must Be Your Go-To Concerning Any Prophecy. Any word spoken to you must be filtered through the truth and grace found in the Word of God. Do not receive any word or prophecy without first bringing it before God in prayer. Wait for Holy Spirit’s affirmation in your spirit before acting on the prophecy. He knows what He has said about you and He is more than able to confirm His Word to you. Prophets are a gift and a blessing to the church. But we must not exalt any man or woman above the Lord.

3) Let God Affirm His Prophets. Do not just take their word for it. Abraham was a prophet of God, affirmed by God.

Genesis 20:7 “Now therefore restore the man’s wife; for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you shall live. But if you do not restore her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours.” ~ God to Abimelech when he took Sarah into his harem.

God stood up for His prophet, Abraham, because He knew him well. God knows His prophets and will always make a way for others to know that they are His.

4) Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing exist in the church. These prophesy for gain, not caring about the welfare of Jesus sheep.

Nehemiah 6:12 Then I perceived that God had not sent him at all, but that he pronounced this prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. For this reason he was hired, that I should be afraid and act that way and sin, so that they might have cause for an evil report, that they might reproach me.

Just as Nehemiah perceived deception in a fellow brother’s heart, so you, too, should listen to your spirit. God opened the eyes of Nehemiah’s understanding to perceive that the prophet who came to him with a message from ‘God’ was not sent by God, but was sent to mislead him, to cause him to sin, and to stop the work God had instructed him to do. Let us not be ignorant of satan, his devices or his minions! ‘Nobody is perfect’ is a maxim to live by. Nobody, no prophet and no Christian, is above deception.

 I perceive in my spirit that there are many reading this Blog who have been scared off by what they have seen in other church folk. We must not live by fear, limiting what God can do in and through our lives because of a few rotten apples in the church. You have been faithful to God. You have kept the faith but fear and uncertainty have kept you silent, have kept you from God's work. God sees you. He also sees what His church is up to. He wants you to trust Him and not trust in the fear of what man can do to you. We must rise up and live and speak in faith in Him.  

Prophecy is a beautiful and a necessary gift from God to His church.

Prophecy is given for our edification, exhortation and comfort.

Let us learn to enjoy and appreciate this wonderful gift from God to us, as the Spirit wills.

Meaghan Spies © 2022