Prophetic Grace: How it Operates in the Body of Christ
- Nicole Hathorn
- Sep 5, 2025
- 5 min read
It's time for a new blog series! Over the next five months, the Worthy Blog will be featuring instruction and personal stories from those walking in and practicing their five-fold gifting.
"To each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it... and he himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up." Ephesians 4:11-12
The five-fold gifts are not to be confused with the manifestation gifts (1 Cor 14:1) or the motivational gifts (Rom 12:6). At Worthy, we are looking at the five-fold ministry gifts because the ministry gifts empower the entire church together to fulfill our collective "ministries" (service) upon the earth as we each reveal part of the manifold wisdom of God through our diverse gifts.
God has given each of us a measure of each of these graces, intending for us to grow and mature together as we advance in them. Each believer will have certain measures that are dominant in their lives, but are called to grow in all measures into ever-increasing levels of glory!
If you don't yet know the measure by which you are currently walking in each of the five-fold graces, you can take this quiz to find out!
We NEED the full and multi-faceted expression of all of the graces to help mature and equip one another for the specific works of ministry God desires for us:
Apostolic Grace matures you in HEALTH.
Prophetic Grace roots you in HOLINESS.
Evangelistic Grace anchors you in HOPE.
Shepherding Grace gives you a HOME.
Teaching Grace stirs you with HUNGER.
Isn't it amazing that we have a measure of all five graces? I want all of that!
In September, we will be focusing on the Prophetic gift! Prophet: A compound word meaning, “To say something from another.” A prophetic voice is a hearer,
seer, and “say-er” of what God is saying in heaven, so that it would be lived out on earth.
There are 3 Defining Marks of Prophetic Grace:
You Make Intimacy with Jesus Everything:
"You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs
for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water. I have seen you in the
sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. Because your love is better than
life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift
up my hands. I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my
mouth will praise you.” Psalm 63:1-5
You Seek to Hear and Obey the Lord in Everything:
“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:27
You Declare How to Remain on God’s Path above Everything:
“I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so
that I might present you as a pure virgin to him. But I am afraid that just as Eve was
deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your
sincere and pure devotion to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 11:2-3
Indicators that you are strong in Prophetic grace:
You have a deep prayer life and/or love being still to listen to God (journaler?)
God naturally speaks to you in a variety of ways (promptings, visions, words, images, dreams).
You regularly receive specific encouragement or direction from God for you and/or others.
Your ‘default’ on any decision is to stop and ask what God has to say; you don’t move without it.
What you say you’ve heard from the Lord regularly comes to pass.
You have a high standard for justice and not offending God’s holiness.
You love to intercede and to listen to God on behalf of the needs of others.
You are willing to walk in courageous compassion to say what you sense, even though it may not be understood or embraced.
Why do we need it in the Church, our churches, and our ministries?
Prophetic grace roots us in holiness through calling us to intimacy and dependency!
Holiness- set apart fully
Intimacy- friendship w/God is our greatest privilege & priority
Dependency- refuse to lean on own wisdom, way, will.
What happens where we lack it in our churches and ministries?
Idolatry of self – we decide what is good/bad, wise/unwise, moral/immoral, leading to:
Self-reliance
Self-dependence
Orphan spirit
We become managers rather than stewards of the work/ministry/influence we’ve been given.
Misuses and Abuses of Prophetic Grace:
1. The “God Card”
We all hear God through a “filter” of our own experiences, personality, current maturity, and even our unhealed wounds. We are fragile earthen vessels who carry tremendous treasure (2 Corinthians 4:7). Because of this, we must be very careful of what we tell others that “God said.”
There is a VAST difference between REVELATION (what I heard/sensed), INTERPRETATION (what it means), and APPLICATION (what am I to do with it). We would do well to stand simply and humbly upon what we sensed, trusting God’s Word and Community to help confirm what it means as the whole Body walks in unity together.
2. Holding judgment and/or lacking humility
There can be a tendency in highly prophetic people to see the world (and especially one’s own convictions) in black and white, and right and wrong: “God said it. That settles it.” But how to apply truth and faithfully follow God is often far more nuanced than mere truth axioms, requiring the whole Body together: “the eye cannot say to the hand, I don’t need you” (1 Corinthians 12:21).
In some cases, prophetic people can also fall into a dangerous line of thinking that they hear God more, that they hear Him better, or that they are more committed than others to be sensitive and obey Him. We must avoid this, clinging to humility, patience, and the reality that every person (whether they know it or not) is STARVING for the love and presence of God.
3. Only wanting to share “good” prophetic words or always sharing words of fear and doom
In 1 Kings 22, King Ahab didn’t want to listen to the prophet Jehoshaphat, because “he only prophesies bad things for me.” There can be a tendency in today’s culture to only desire using prophecy to give a word that feels good in the moment. We would do well to remember that all prophecy is given for our “encouragement, comfort, and building up to the fullness of maturity” (1 Corinthians 14:1). That said, some of the things that will ultimately mature us and bring us comfort and encouragement don’t always feel comforting in the moment. There is a wound from a friend that heals like a refiner’s fire, burning off the dross that doesn’t belong to us anymore. And there is discipline from a loving Father that reaps a harvest of righteousness (Proverbs 27:6, Hebrews 12).
That said, we prophesy from the NEW Covenant and the finished work of Jesus. There are a number of well-intended "prophetic words” that call for fear, shame, or violence that are unworthy of the Cross of Christ. Perfect love casts out fear, and prophecy is given to call us into deeper intimacy with our Father.
4. Isolating from Community
Sometimes, prophetic people so much love being in the stillness with Jesus, they can forget the need for vulnerability and presence in community. Prophetic words are best received when they come from the context of the family you are actively sharing life with. Be still before your Father, but then bring those treasures to your brothers and sisters, remembering to receive what they bring into your life, too!
Are you strong in the five-fold Prophetic Grace?
What from the above makes you think "oh, that's me!"?
How are you currently bringing your gift to your church or ministry? How would you like to?
-Compiled by Niki Hathorn from teachings by Pastor Chuck Ammons
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