At the same time, we have to see that among all the spiritual gifts, the most excellent and outstanding one is prophesying (1 Cor. 14:1). To prophesy is to speak for God, to speak forth God, and to supply Christ to others. This is the greatest of all gifts.
Paul said in 1 Corinthians 14:12, “Since you are zealots of spiritual gifts, seek that you may excel to the building up of the church.” We should seek to excel for the building up of the church. In other words, we have to excel over the low pursuits. The reason Paul spoke this word is that the saints in the church in Corinth desired after tongue-speaking. However, to speak in tongues is easy. But it is low. This is why Paul told the Corinthians, “But he who prophesies speaks to men for building up and encouragement and consolation. He who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but he who prophesies builds up the church. Now I desire that you all speak in tongues, but rather that you may prophesy; now greater is he who prophesies than he who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, that the church may receive building up” (vv. 3-5). Paul pointed out that the reason prophesying excels is that it is not merely a prediction, but a speaking for God. It is extraordinary, and it builds up the church. For this reason prophesying excels.
The content of the prophesying is words for building up, encouragement, and consolation. Following this, Paul said, “If therefore the whole church comes together in one place....if all prophesy and some unbeliever or unlearned person enters, he is convicted by all, he is judged by all” (vv. 23-24). If such a one has some secrets of the heart, such as refusal to confess or hatred for others, he will be convicted and judged when he comes to such a meeting where everyone prophesies one by one to speak forth God and to speak God into others. “The secrets of his heart become manifest; and so falling on his face, he will worship God, reporting that God is really among you” (v. 25). This is the excelling of the prophesying. It is also what God treasures. For this reason, Paul exhorted the Corinthians again, “For you can all prophesy one by one” (v. 31). “Therefore, my brothers, desire earnestly to prophesy” (v. 39).
Christianity has given up this matter. The reason for this is that it is not an easy thing to have. The light that the Lord has led us to see today is to realize and recover 1 Corinthians 14 in this end time. Throughout church history since the passing away of the first group of apostles, this chapter of the Bible has never been practiced. Christians dare not even speak too much about this chapter. In its place they have found a way of substitution by having pastors and preachers who have gone through theological training to preach exclusively in the church buildings. The rest of the believers simply come and listen. This developed into a distinction between the laity and the clergy. There was no more the prophesying, and the spiritual function within all the saints was annulled.
Let me relate a story to you. When I was a little over forty-one years old, I contracted tuberculosis. It was necessary for me to rest for two years. The doctor told me that the first half year I had to rest completely. I must lie in bed all the time, and must not get up to move around. After six months of lying in bed, when I tried to get up from the bed to walk, my two feet could hardly hold me up. I discovered then that when the legs are not exercised for six months, they lose their function. Furthermore, the doctor told me that if a man’s eyes are covered and are not allowed to see for a prolonged period of time, they will lose their ability to see. The function of the eyes will then be annulled.
This is a very serious matter. In Christianity, people listen to sermons week after week and year after year. In the end, all the spiritual functions in the saints are annulled. However, the Bible has revealed to us the proper way to meet. First Corinthians 14:26 says, “Whenever you come together, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.” “For you can all prophesy one by one” (v. 31). From these verses we see that when we come to the meetings, we have to open our mouths. When our mouths are open, our hearts are open, and our spirits are open as well. At least we can say four words, “O Lord! Amen! Hallelujah!” The more we sing and speak, the more living we will become, and the more the spiritual function within us will be manifested.