Does prophecy necessarily mean to tell the future?

Does prophecy necessarily mean to predict things that will happen in the future if people do not repent of their sins? Are dreams considered prophecy if their interpretation do not involve predicting the future but still encourage people to repent of their sins? Are there real prophets speaking from God nowadays?

Prophecy is used to prove who God is.

He told the nation of Israel if anyone prophecies and the prophecy does not come true. Then they should not listen to that prophet.

It his him staing something, and that something coming true. which sets him apart from all other gods.

Real prophesying comes from God. It isn't something that you will control. God can use people to either foretell a future event, give wisdom for current or past events, interpret something, or otherwise.

Simply put, no, a prophecy is not always a forecast of the future. Often prophecy is simply stating the already revealed and divinely-inspired Word of God directly out of the Bible.

I think this question was asked in a different thread.

Prophecy is twofold.

1. foretells = something is the future
2. fourth tells = present application depending on the context.

The word of God is our Primary source for what God has to say to us. Second would be the Gifts to the church from Christ

( a)postles, prophets, evangelists, pastors/teachers. These are known as the gifts of Christ to the church


Eph 4:11-13

And it was He (Jesus) who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for works of ministry and to build up the body of Christ, 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, as we mature to the full measure of the stature of Christ.



Dreams are not on the top of the list. God uses dreams but so does the devil to attack the believer. That is why we pray and go right to the word of God.

One thing many believer must learn I believe and I can be wrong , is


"Confirmation. " Listen many people are tripped up by false words from God.

This will be very powerful to those who pray and listen to what I am about to say.

When God speaks to you, He wants to speak to you!

• How does HE speak to you?
• what method does He use as normality?

I am glad you asked

1. The word of God
2. Prayer

That is it. If you are a saved born-again believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, HE desires to speak to you through those means Primally.


Now If you are praying and studying the word of God, He is speaking to you. So when God speaks, HE speaks to you first because you are in a personal relationship with Him. Jesus said draw near to God He will draw near to you.


The pastor is used by God to confirm to you what God has been saying and those in the other gifts given to the church.

Two things will let you know that God is confirming to you what is being said

1 The word of God
2. the Holy Spirit

These two things are a must = have confirmation.

The Holy Spirit will prompt you and the word of God will give you clarity = discernment

IF the word was given to you by someone" have a word from the Lord" and it is way out in left field Like The lord said to leave your wife and marry me, or God has said to sell all your things and go to the edge of the red sea and preach there.


Yet you have not had any kind of desire, heart for what is there and God has not spoken to you through the Holy Spirit about this,

don't do it. Pray! If it is of God and you have not been listening to clarity YOU are not ready to go to the ends of the earth to preach to the red sea.

John chapters 14 through 16 read it.

The Holy Spirit leads us and guides us into ALL Truth, not half-truths. He speaks of Jesus, He reminds you of all that Jesus taught.


And He speaks to you first. through pray and His word, then by those gifts to the church. dreams are not going to takeaway from the confirmation they will enhance it, dreams are not authoritative the word of God is.

Welcome to CC.
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Nowadays..many people claim that they are prophets.
- Having a gift of prophecy is not same..as being a prophet.
More 'spiritual discernment/discerning spirits' are needed..
- Concerning 'prophecies & prophets'

The purposes of prophecy today:
“one who prophesies speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation.” (1 Corinthians 14:3)

It is taught in Revelation, anyone who professes, confesses, Jesus has the Spirit of prophecy.

Prophecy, as Magenta has well indicated, may simply be spirit filled praise of our Maker. It is more than simple predictions although there are many contained in prophecy.