OPERATIONS OF DIFFERENT MINISTRY OFFICES 1

"AND HE HIMSELF GAVE SOME TO BE APOSTLES, SOME PROPHETS, SOME EVANGELISTS, AND SOME PASTORS AND TEACHERS."
Ephesians 4:11 (NKJV)

28 IN THE CHURCH GOD HAS GIVEN A PLACE FIRST TO APOSTLES, SECOND TO PROPHETS, AND THIRD TO TEACHERS. THEN GOD HAS GIVEN A PLACE TO THOSE WHO DO MIRACLES, THOSE WHO HAVE GIFTS OF HEALING, THOSE WHO CAN HELP OTHERS, THOSE WHO ARE ABLE TO GOVERN [leaders], AND THOSE WHO CAN SPEAK IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES [diverse or various kinds of tongues].
29 NOT ALL ARE APOSTLES. NOT ALL ARE PROPHETS. NOT ALL ARE TEACHERS. NOT ALL DO MIRACLES.
30 NOT ALL HAVE GIFTS OF HEALING. NOT ALL SPEAK IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES. NOT ALL INTERPRET THOSE LANGUAGES."
1 Corinthians 12:28–30 (New Century Version).

In the course of ministering to different people, I have met some people who told me, after their prayers are answered that one prophet or another had one time or the other told them to do a particular thing or another.

A man and his wife were prayed with and the prayer was answered by God. The wife was later telling my wife that she and her husband had been to a prophet who told them to go and fetch water from different seven big rivers. That they would pray with the water and their problem would be solved. But their problem was solved without the water from the big rivers.

Now, I would not know the prophet they had gone to for prayer or help, but we did pray and God answered the prayer.
Could it be that the prophet they met who told them such a thing is not genuine, not of God, or there is something about it? The prophet might be or might not be of God, but the usual common pattern of prophetic ministration is about asking people to do one thing or another for their prayers to be answered (2 Kings 4:1-7; 38-41).

It is a usual pattern of the prophets to tell people who come to them to do one thing or another for their problems to be solved (2 Kings 5:10-14).
Although, there are false prophets, but It is known through the Bible that the pattern of prophets ministrations to people in order to get their needs met or their problems solved is by giving them an instruction, telling them what to do for their problems to be solved—even genuine prophets of God in the Bible did It (1 Kings 17:10-15; 2 Kings 2:19-22). When Elisha wanted to minister to Naaman the captain of Syrian army, he was told to go and bathe or immerse himself in a specific river, river Jordan. Naaman initially objected, because, to him It does not make any sense, but with a little persuasion from his subordinates or servants, he yielded and did it and immediately received his healing (2 kings 5:9-14). There are other such situations in the Bible where people had heeded what a prophet told them to do and received their miracles (1 Kings 17:10-15).

In the contemporary time, we have seen prophets using the same method of operation in ministering to people's needs. Although, the new testament prophets are not expected or meant to operate like the old testament prophets, because they are not in the same class. The old testament prophets at their time were dealing with the people who were not saved or regenerated, their human spirit was not reborn. But the new testament prophets today are dealing with the people who are saved and had the Holy Spirit on the inside of them, to guide and lead them (Romans 8:14; 1 Corinthians 3:16; 6:19).

If a genuine prophet of God through the leading of the Holy Spirit instructed or told someone to do something as Elisha told Naaman to take a particular practical step and the person obeyed, the person would get or receive an answer to his or her problem: "SO HE [Naaman] WENT DOWN AND DIPPED SEVEN TIMES IN THE JORDAN, ACCORDING TO THE SAYING OF THE MAN OF GOD; AND HIS FLESH WAS RESTORED LIKE THE FLESH OF A LITTLE CHILD, AND HE WAS CLEAN" (2 Kings 5:14 NKJV).
Also, If a believer who is under a pastor who teaches the Word of God, no prophetic visions or trances or whatever, but the emphasis is mainly on the practice of the written Word of God (James 1:25); If such is also prayed for by his or her teaching pastor, there would still be a miracle. The teaching minister might not see any vision, so to speak, but If those who are under his or her leadership abide by what they are being taught in the Word of God, the Bible, they also would always have their needs met or receive answers to their prayers:
"BUT THE ONE WHO LOOKS CAREFULLY INTO THE PERFECT LAW [the Bible], THE LAW OF FREEDOM, AND CONTINUES TO DO SO—SINCE HE DOES NOT HEAR AND FORGET BUT ACTUALLY DOES WHAT IT SAYS—THAT PERSON WILL BE BLESSED IN WHAT HE DOES [in the work of his hands or in all his endeavours]" (James 1:25 Evangelical Heritage Version).

The difference is, those who are under a minister with prophetic visions would mostly get their prayers answered by obeying what they are asked to do by the leading of God through their prophets.
However, they would have deficiency in their spiritual lives:
• They would not be able to grow in the knowledge of God through His Word like their equals or fellow believers in other churches who are under the ministry of teaching ministers or pastors.
• Also, they may not be able to build a good and strong fellowship or communion and intimacy with God; because they solely depends on the visions which they received from their prophets.

God will honour or answer your prayer If you obeyed what His genuine prophet leads you to do, and likewise a believer who faithfully abides in the teachings of the biblical principles taught by a genuine minister—pastor-teacher—teaches as well.

In summary, obedience to the prophetic instruction through a prophet would bring an answer to a prayer, while obedience to the principles being taught by a pastor-teacher equally would bring a result, an answer to a prayer.

That being said, there would be a difference in the spiritual growth of both believers:
a. Someone under a teaching minister or leader would be more steadfast in the faith and would be able to differentiate his or her left hand from the right hand. b. Such would be mature in the things of the spirit, whilst the person under a prophetic minister would always look up to their leader for what to do or the step to take—they might remain in the babyhood stage of the spiritual growth for a long time. At the time they ought to have grown in the knowledge of the Word of God and the things of God like their fellow believers under the teaching ministers, they would still not know much: "YOU HAVE BEEN BELIEVERS SO LONG NOW THAT YOU OUGHT TO BE TEACHING OTHERS. INSTEAD, YOU NEED SOMEONE TO TEACH YOU AGAIN THE BASIC THINGS ABOUT GOD'S WORD. YOU ARE LIKE BABIES WHO NEED MILK AND CANNOT EAT SOLID FOOD" (Hebrews 5:12 NLT).

You will not fail in Jesus' name.
Should there be any sickness in your body, you are declared completely healed in Jesus' mighty name.
Peace.
TO BE CONTINUED

STEPS TO SALVATION
• Take notice of this:
IF you are yet to take the step of salvation, that is, yet to be born-again, do it now, tomorrow might be too late (2 Corinthians 6:1,2; Hebrews 3:7,8,15).
a. Acknowledge that you are a sinner and confess your Sins (1 John 1:9); And ask Jesus Christ to come into your life (Revelation 3:20).
b. Confess that you believe in your heart that Jesus Christ is Lord, and that you confess it with your mouth, Thus, you accept Him As your Lord and Saviour (Romans 10:9,10).
c. As you took the steps A and B your name is written in the Book of Life (Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:8).

• If you took the steps As highlighted above, congratulations, It means you are saved—born-again. Join a Word based 1 in your area and Town or city, and be part of whatever they are doing there. Peac