A prophecy is a message of encouragement, of admonition or direction given by God through a human or angelic agency, for the purpose of equipping, exhorting, warning or shaping the soldiers of Christ in their confrontation with the enemies of God. It could also be a specific information to the armies of God intimating them about the anger of God over a botched campaign or a disobeyed command.
No true prophecy is of human origin. Neither can it be of human interpretation. This is what Peter meant when he wrote that:
We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation (2 Peter 1:19-20).
As are source in the day of battle, prophecy is not by the will of man. It is God that has the perfect knowledge of what the army of God needs to overcome the enemy. Prophecies are significant in spiritual warfare because they provide the soldiers with the relevant information with which to fight. Our God declares the end from the beginning. He does so by prophecy. We have noted that Ezekiel prophesied about the dispersal and return of Israel from the Diaspora. The process began before 1948 and was concertized by that year. Knowledge of this prophecy, its fulfillment to this date and its implications for the relationship between Israel and the Arab nations has aided the nation of Israel and believers as a whole to back up God’s people in all their confrontations with their neighbours. We know what God’s mind is concerning Israel, and because this knowledge has been communicated to us by God, we are better equipped to fight, knowing that He who has promised will bring it to pass.
Without the voice of God in the camp of God’s soldiers, the warriors will be fighting like blind men who do not know the right step to take in order to avoid ditches. God, in His sure word of prophecy, has warned the world about several things which are to befall the believers at the end-time. We have been told that the Anti-Christ will be revealed and that he shall make war with the saints. We have been told that a false church like a mother of harlot will rise and link up with all false religions to persecute the saints. We have been told that there shall arise a great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no nor even shall be (Matthew 24:21). We have been informed that the tribulation will be so tough that “…except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened” (Matthew 24:22).
There are many more things which God, by the Holy Spirit, has communicated to His soldiers. The essence of this communication is that people should be prepared on the basis of what they know through the sure word of prophecy. Believers today are, against every word in the Scripture, surprised at the turn of events in the world—the war, the rumours of wars, the pestilence, the famine, the present trend towards false peace and the rise in iniquity. Such things ought not to surprise us because the great communicator has already informed us of their coming. Every army that received highly secret and coded information on the plans or strategies of the enemy always makes good of this information. The church of God in like manner must begin to put her battle dress on in anticipation of the things we have been told will surely come to pass. If the birth of Jesus by a virgin was prophesied and it came to pass; if His death on the cross was revealed and His resurrection was communicated to man before they occurred, you can be sure that Heaven and earth may pass way, but no one sure word of prophecy will go without being fulfilled.
It is important to note, on the issue of prophecy, that the church must be aware that the devil can jam the devices for God’s communication to His people, if the channels of communication are not properly concerned. It is in this respect that every prophecy ought to be judged to determine whether if conforms to the word of God, or whether it glorifies Jesus. Similarly, the vessels must operate in unity and proper comportment and there must be no confusion. This is what Paul meant when he wrote:
Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge. If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace. For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted. And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints (1 Corinthians 14:29-33).
God can speak the language of man in the process of communicating His plans. He can speak English, French, Igbo, Okrika, or Ibibio. However, he can also use His own language which man can speak without understanding except, of course, this understanding comes from God. The gift of diverse tongues and interpretation of tongues are two related resources by which man can speak to God and God to man. The gift of diverse tongues is given to make for a smoother and less cumbersome. And closed channel of communication between God and man. The gift enable man to speak to God in the language of the Holy Spirit. It enables him to tell God his numerous needs for battle instructions, to call for help for his inability to fully express himself in human language. It does not jeopardize true communication, which is built on clarity. “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered” (Romans 8:26).
The process of speaking in diverse tongues by the Holy Spirit helps usto communicate because “And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God” (Romans 8:27).
