The five items listed in this verse, whether it is a psalm, teaching, revelation, tongue, or interpretation, are related to our speaking. For this, we need to learn the Lord’s word and have much practice in prophesying. Verse 31 tells us that we “can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all be encouraged.” This implies that the speaking of the prophets can cause people to learn and to be encouraged. Of course, the prophet himself has to learn and experience first. He has to learn the Lord’s word first; then he can cause others to learn through his speaking for God.
In order for us to be able to speak for the Lord, not only do we need to learn the Lord’s word, but also know the truths (1 Tim. 2:4). The truths denote reality, which refers to all the real things revealed in the Word of God, which are mainly Christ, the embodiment of God, and the church, the Body of Christ. Everyone who wants to speak for the Lord must have a full knowledge and complete understanding of these things.
In the matter of speaking for the Lord, besides learning and knowing the Lord’s word, we also need to experience the Lord. We cannot relate to others what we ourselves do not know; neither can we supply others with what we ourselves have not experienced. When we have the objective knowledge plus the subjective experience, we can be equipped to be one who speaks for the Lord and speaks forth the Lord.
Finally, the only way for us to be one who speaks for the Lord is to practice. We all know that knowledge is one thing and speaking is another. Moreover, if you want to speak well, to speak with revelation and with supply, you need to have much practice and learning. Therefore, from now on not only do you need to learn the Lord’s word, know the truths of the Bible, and experience the Lord, you also need to practice speaking the Lord’s word in all kinds of meetings and environments. The more you speak, the more you will know how to speak. The more you speak, the more you will be good at speaking. I hope that you can establish such a habit to be a prophesying one. May the Lord be gracious to us!
(A message given by Brother Witness Lee in Taipei, Taiwan on April 19, 1988)