Three levels of prophecy

There are three levels of new testement prophesying, or speaking on behalf of God.  Each represents relationship to a person of the Godhead.  Each is powerful and critical.  As you are faithful in one He will give you more of it and can move you to greater levels of exercising the gift. 

The first level is speaking what God the Father has revealed through the scriptures.  This demonstrates good stewardship of what we know is true and what has already been revealed.  We must rightly divide the word of truth and be faithful in the ministering of it for the blessing of the gift to increase to the next level.  This level represents God the Father, the foundation of all of the convenants and promises.  It is available to all those who seek God through the truth of scripture.  For example, I can tell anyone and anyone can tell anyone else a promise of scripture and it is true, for God is not a liar.

The second level is speaking what the Father reveals to you directly.  This level represents Jesus Christ the only begotten of the Father.  Just as Jesus said that He only said what He heard from the Father we too can hear the Father speak to us and repeat it on His behalf.  Words of Knowledge and Words of Wisdom operate on the level and are a gift of the Holy Spirit.  Anyone who believes in Jesus and has received the Holy Spirit can be used in this way because it is a gift of the Holy Spirit. 

The third level of prophesying, and acting as a prophet (and this was the WOW that the Lord revealed to me above all) is speaking from the position of and with the authority of Christ, and represents the Holy Spirit.  This is only available to someone who is filled with the Holy Spirit and has been faithful in ministering the Word of God through prophesy at the second level.  This is when the prophet speaks something into someone's life that they have not received directly from God but that they know is in line with God's character.  It rises up as a request before the Father through the name of Jesus and because of the prescence of the Holy Spirit in the one prophesying that request can be granted.  Here was a big "catch"... the one to whom the prophesy was given must receive and believe or it will not come to pass.  This does not make the prophet false.  Consider if Samuel's mother, or Elizabeth, or Sarah had not then went home and lay with their husbands... they would not have had children and the prophesies would not have come to pass.  When Paul was annoyed with the woman with the spirit of divination he acted at this level when he made her silent... the demon being subject unto agreement because of the name of Jesus.

SDG