In the Old Testament the prophet Joel (2:28) said that after God poured out His Spirit upon all flesh that “…your sons and daughters shall prophesy.” The Hebrew word for “prophesy” is “naba`” which means to speak or sing under divine inspiration.
In
Acts 2:17 Peter echoed those same words. The Greek word for “prophesy,” is “propheteuo” which means, “to foretell events, to make known one’s thoughts, to speak under divine inspiration, use a prophetic office or inspired preaching!” The old men did not immediately dream dreams on the day of Pentecost but it was speaking of future happenings. So this was the same in the prophesying of sons and daughters. That was yet to come.
The word “prophecy” is a noteworthy noun that means, “inspired declaration of God’s will and purpose.” Prophecy in the verb tense means “to proclaim by inspiration the Word of God.” Both means preaching and declaring God’s Word with inspiration. Tracing this word a little further we learn that part of the word means “luminousness” or like shining a light. The prefix “pro” of the Greek word “propheteuo” means “in front of.”
We can apply this word’s meaning to one that is divinely inspired to speak in front of others as to shine light on the Scriptures. Women of God have the same responsibility as the men to shine light on the Scriptures, as the Lord should lead. While the duty of sharing the light is to all let me reiterate I am not speaking of a women getting out of her place, I think I made this clear at the beginning of the book. The promise is to all believers,
Acts 2:39. And in
Acts 2:15-18, both men and women was given power to prophesy. (
Acts 2:18 “And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy.”)
Many Christian women have a place that God has given them in both the ministry and in gifts of His Spirit. If we do not accept this reality, we can make the Word of God of no effect (
Mark 7:13). “For the Pharisees and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders,”
Mark 7:3.
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