“Now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine” (1 Corinthians 14:6). Speaking in tongues in the presence of others does no benefit to anyone, because your inner spirit is speaking to God’s Spirit. It means nothing to others around you. But, then he gives us four types of prophetic messages that do bring benefit to the church. These are what we should be speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit:

1. “by revelation“. The root word here is ‘reveal’. There are things that are hidden that need revealed. A couple of days ago I was counseling with a couple that had difficulties in their relationship. They were both trying to make each other jealous (unhealthy). So I probed a little deeper to find that the woman had a history of being used sexually since age 4 and abandoned by those she loved. In her mid-life she is craving for some kind of security and love in her life, always fearful what she has won’t last. These patterns are typical so it didn’t take me long to figure them out. But, when I put into words why she was feeling this, tears flowed from her eyes, her husband reached out his hand to conform her, and the healing had begun. She needed that revelation by the inspiration of God.

2. “by knowledge“. As described in 1 Corinthians 12:8, a word of knowledge is when God reveals a fact to us about someone or something that we could not have already known. This insight must be confirmed, but is one of the revelation gifts that sets people free.

3. “by prophesying”. Prophecy is speaking to someone else the word of the Lord. Each of these four ways of ministering God’s delivering power to others can overlap a bit with others. Each is distinct, however. Prophecy to the body of Christ is God speaking through another and always requires edification, exhortation, and comfort (1 Corinthians 14: 3).

4. by doctrine. A doctrine is a statement of position held by the body. In other words, it states what the church believes about something: the doctrine of the Cross, the doctrine of the resurrection, etc. This teaching that clarifies fuzzy areas of belief is needed in the church and is an inspired gift to the body. What is your doctrine of abortion? or your doctrine of racial equality? These are areas of belief that need addressed by godly men and women or the church will be divided on petty issues not related to the gospel.

These are four areas that I think are examples, not a conclusive list. Speaking these truths by inspiration of the Holy Spirit have more value in the body of Christ than one person speaking in tongues all day.

By all means, pray with your prayer language, but let’s invest words in others that build up and strengthen the body of Christ. Have a Merry Christmas!

Tags: prophecy, revelation, spiritual gifts