Cecilia Marfo is still very much under fire for embarrassing Joyce Blessing on the stage of the Unity Group of Companies annual Thanks Giving Service last week Friday in Kumasi.
The Ghanaian "prophetess" had rushed to snatch the microphone from Joyce Blessing in the middle of the artiste's performance.
On the grounds that the Holy Spirit directed her to do so because God wanted Joyce Blessing to know that she must go back to her abandoned marriage.
Pastor William Boachie-Ansah, who recently pointed out the faults of the prophetess' action has delivered another in-depth analysis on what Ghanaians, and the whole world in general, should look for when it comes to the prophetic.
He originally said in his first analysis that there is nothing right about what Cecilia Marfo has done, even in the scriptures as the Holy Spirit would not embarrass a person to deliver a message to them just like she had done.
In his latest submission, he stated that God has given each and everyone a brain to use and Christians don't have to wait for prophetic directions before they act.
He posited that Christians have now become over-reliant of the words of pastors for their everyday actions, which is not how God intended it to be.
According to him with backings from the scripture, the prophetic is for the edification of the church as a whole because God has directed that every man thinks for himself.
He also claimed that a pastor and prophet are not the same because they have two different functions.
READ ALSO:
Read his full second submission below.
*HANDLING THE PROPHETIC MINISTRY - 2*
TOPIC: *WHAT PROPHECY IS NOT*
Texts: 1 Corinthians Chapter 12 & 14
_Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed...._ 1Cor. 12:1
_The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. For God is not a God of disorder but of peace. Therefore, my brothers, be eager to prophesy and do not forbid speaking in tongues. But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way._ (1 Cor. 14:32-33, 39-40, NIV)
Today's discussion is about what prophecy is not. How do we explain this? I first want us to clear our minds of certain things or some mistakes we can make when dealing with the subject matter.
We stated yesterday that Prophecy is a gift of the Holy Spirit, (1Cor 12). *Prophecy is the supernatural ability to utter a word directly from God at the impulse of the Holy Spirit in a known language.* (Acts 13:1-2, 21:8-10, 11:23, 1Cor 14:3, 25,22,31,39). Prophecy, therefore, is a spontaneous, inspired, and anointed utterance in a known tongue.
*2.1. WHAT PROPHECY IS NOT*
*1. It is not preaching.*
If you are a preacher, please stick to your ministry. Though you may receive illumination on a particular issue, you may still bring it out without telling the audience that you are prophesying upon their lives. In preaching, we sit down and plan what to say before time, but prophecy is not like that.
*2. It is not planned*
Prophecy just flows into you without planning ahead what to tell the people. If you do that, you are either exhorting the congregation or you are preaching! If you are in the prophetic, the Holy spirit drops the message in bits. You need to take time and receive everything before you consider the rightful words to convey the message.
*3. It is not foretelling nor giving guidance*
Prophecy is, in most cases, for edification, exhortation, and comforting of the Church. It is not always that prophecies should direct us on what to do. If we decide to always wait for a prophecy to direct us, it means we are relegating the gift of planning ahead what to do into the background. God doesn’t want us to close our minds and throw our sanctified common sense away. We are not robots, but God’s children. Never throw away your ability to think because some prophet has assured you that he can give you akwankyerɛ to guide you in everything you do.
*4. It is different from the office of the Prophet*
The one given the gift of prophecy does not automatically become a prophet. Being a prophet is by special recognition and ordination, although the officeholder must have the gift of prophecy in addition to other gifts.
*5. It does not always begin and end with ‘thus says the Lord”*
As the one with the gift grows and matures in his walk with God, the gifts in him also grow,. He gains experience not only in hearing from God but also in his ability to communicate the prophetic message. Mature people will be able to control their emotions, movement and voice.
*6. It is not for personal guidance*
Prophecy in most cases is for the common good of the Church. If it becomes personal, then it must be delivered to the person concerned in private, or in the presence of only a few mature believers, or very close relatives. There no need to make a show about your ability to receive messages about individuals. You may end up exposing the person to demonic or physical attack, ridicule and danger.
*7. It is not an uncontrolled utterance*
Every prophecy can be controlled, either by the one who receives the message, or leadership in control of the program under which the prophecy is coming. He could take his time to receive the full message and summarise it or the controller of the program may cut it to save time for other things, or prevent an embarrassing situation. God is not an author of confusion.
*8. One giving the prophecy does not fall into trance or out of mind control*
When the gift is being received for the first time, so many things may take place. But that does not mean everything should always be like that. Every person who operates in the prophetic is responsible for whatever comes out of him. The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. For God is not a God of disorder but of peace.(1Cor 14:32-33)
*9. It does not come in unknown tongues*
When it comes in an unknown tongue, it is not a prophecy but rather a different gift known as interpretation of tongues. All prophecies come in known languages. If people don’t understand the language, leadership should get an Interpreter.
Every church leader should not be ignorant of these things. God bless you.
To be continued tomorrow.
#PossessingtheNations
#thebattleisnowintheair
#propheticministry101
Tanitoluwa J. Adedotun 
