All Should Pray and Prophesy

That may seem like a bold statement: that all should speak in tongues and prophesy – but I’m not the one who made it; Paul did in his first letter to the church in Corinth.

1 Corinthians 14:5, “Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up.”

Paul’s main focus was to build everyone up, and he knew that speaking in tongues builds up the one speaking in tongues, which is why he said he wished everyone spoke in tongues.

Here’s a revelation that just came to me regarding prophecy, because clearly Paul is focused on prophecy as the means to build others up. I do believe that when you pray in tongues, you build yourself up and build others up as well because you fill yourself up so full of the Spirit that it spills out of you everywhere you go.

I get that idea of being filled by the Holy Spirit from speaking in tongues from Acts 2:4, “And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues…” Being filled with the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues are closely connected. We all received the Holy Spirit when we got saved, but speaking in tongues fills you up.

Ephesians 5:18–19, “…be filled with the Spirit. 19 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.” The word “be filled” in verse 18 is in the present tense, meaning it’s an ongoing action. Commentary says of being filled by the Spirit, “This is an ongoing process, not a one-time event.” Then, in verse 19, Paul says to speak in spiritual songs, meaning sing in the Spirit, sing in tongues. (Praying in tongues is also called praying in the Spirit.)

But here’s the revelation I just got: praying in tongues leads to prophesying, and it’s not an exclusive gift; everyone who prays in tongues can prophesy. Here are some verses on that:

Acts 2:17–18, “In the last days, God says, I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18 Even on My menservants and maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.”

God says He will pour out His Spirit on all people, and all will prophesy.

Acts 19:6, “And when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.”

Speaking in tongues leads to prophesying, and any believer can speak in tongues.

I’ve heard it said that you have to ask for the baptism of the Holy Spirit in order to speak in tongues, but that’s not something I’ve ever seen in the Bible. People will point to Jesus saying, in Luke 11:13, “…how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”, as evidence of that.

But you receive the Holy Spirit when you ask Jesus to be your Saviour, so I don’t think that Jesus was saying to ask for something other than for Him to be your Saviour. Because when you do that, you receive the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:38, “Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” That being said, if you want to ask for the baptism of the Holy Spirit before you start praying in tongues, there’s nothing wrong with that. I just don’t think you need to; every believer has the Holy Spirit and can pray in tongues.

1 Peter 4:10–11, “As good stewards of the manifold grace of God, each of you should use whatever gift he has received to serve one another. 11 If anyone speaks, he should speak as one conveying the words of God.”

If you speak, speak as a good steward of the manifold grace of God; speak about grace, and the way you do that is through the gift of prophecy that God gave you.

Prophecy isn’t just telling future events; it’s preaching about the manifold grace of God.

The Greek word for 'prophecy' is 'prophéteuó'.

Strong’s Greek Concordance says this: “The verb “prophéteuó” refers to the act of delivering a message from God, often involving foretelling future events or declaring God’s will. In the New Testament, it encompasses both the prediction of future events and the proclamation of God’s truth. It is a spiritual gift that involves speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, often for the edification, exhortation, and comfort of the church (1 Corinthians 14:3).”

So, prophesying includes “the proclamation of God’s truth". God’s truth is grace. Then it says, "Speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, often for the edification, exhortation, and comfort of the church.” It takes revelation to know the grace of God, so when you teach about grace, you’re teaching from the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, because all revelations come from the Holy Spirit, and when you preach grace, you edify (build up), exhort (encourage) and comfort the church.

So, prophesying does include telling the future, but it also includes telling people about grace.

Also, look at what Paul said in 1 Thessalonians 5:19–20: “Do not extinguish the Spirit. 20 Do not treat prophecies with contempt.”

How many people come against the message of grace? Unfortunately, when they do, they’re extinguishing the Spirit because they’re treating the Holy Spirit’s inspiration with contempt. Those same people who come against grace are the same people who don’t believe in praying in tongues; it’s all connected. Legalism blinds these people to all of God’s truth.

1 Corinthians 14:39: “So, my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues.”

Paul tells us to be eager to prophesy, meaning be eager to speak the truth about God’s grace, and if you get a word from God about the future, then share it if you have a way to do so.

Then he says to not forbid speaking in tongues. But people who come against grace will come against tongues as well.