Prophecy : “I will”
I’ve been reading Scripture and other books, meditating on the topic of prophecy, and I sense there is another beautiful layer of meaning to it.
Paul said to pursue love and earnestly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy. Prophecy is spoken to people for their upbuilding, encouragement, and consolation, all founded in love. When a prophecy is true, it delivers a message in faith that will come to pass in the future.
In a way, we are constantly attempting to “prophesy” in our daily lives. Every time we try to do good and begin with “I will,” it becomes a kind of prophetic statement:
“I will follow Jesus.”
“I will serve my Lord in A, B, and C.”
“I will read the Bible and spend time with God every day.”
“I will help others.”
“I will not make the same mistakes again.”
But how many of these “I will” statements actually come to pass in our lives? Even when they are spoken sincerely and earnestly in the moment, how many of these promises do we truly keep?
God created everything through His word. What He speaks always comes to pass. There is perfect integrity between His word and reality. If we truly “prophesy” with our “I will,” then we must speak with the measure of faith given by the Lord.
Faith gives us access to Truth, and Truth is alway true. Therefore, even in our daily speech, we should strive to discern and speak in faith in Him—so that what we say may become true.
In this sense, what is the prophetic aspect of “I will”? It is to begin in love and to be sustained by love, so that God may be glorified in both our words and our deeds. Then those around us will see a reflection of His glory through the integrity of our lives.
Even when we fail at times, people will still witness our transformation and the renewal of our minds over the long run. They will be amazed by the power of the Gospel.
Because this is what Christians do: if we fall, we will rise again, and we continue striving to truly live out that declaration— “I will follow Jesus.”
And this is the most beautiful prophecy a person can utter, founded in His love, to encourage others as a witness of the Gospel with their entire life.