Prophecy

Romans 12:6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, [let us prophesy] according to the proportion of faith;

Prophecying is different from being called into the office of the prophet. Prophecying is simply having a word of edification, exhortation and comfort, 1 Corinthians 14:3 But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men [to] edification, and exhortation, and comfort. 

There are people who by the leading of the Spirit get a one-time word to encourage the body of Christ to move on when in a trying situation. We need such every now and then. Such words maybe in form of, "my little children, be comforted, for I am with you." 

Barnabas was called the son of encouragement in the book of Acts. Acts 4:36 And Joses, who was also named Barnabas by the apostles (which is translated Son of Encouragement), a Levite of the country of Cyprus.  His real name was Joses or Joseph. We all need such men and not discouragers or those who throw stones at us or condemn us. He was of great comfort in Paul's ministry at early stages. He was his companion, introducing and defending him before the apostles who thought he would be a threat to them yet he had genuinely converted to Christ, Acts 9:27 But Barnabas took him, and brought [him] to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus.

Edification comes from the word edifice. Edifice means a building. This edification is to build up someone to a point of them standing strong to do the work they are called to do. Some preachers fill their sermons about the political events which don't edify the body for the work of the ministry. Such talks cannot edify a man to go for door to door evangelism, to go plant churches etc. Prophecy in form of edification should build up men to serve God and point them to their eternal purpose. Many go through challenges and trials in life but we shouldn't lose sight of their mission of preaching the gospel. That's why the edification is good from day to day.

Exhortation is cheering or stirring someone in what they do. This is good when people are attempting to do something for God. Celebrating their wins is good to push them to do more. Patting their back with words like, "you did a great job, keep it up brother or sister, we are together with you in this, we are behind you." There are sermons which cannot leave  the church the same again, but to rise up to do God's work. Then there are those to cheer you on to do more of what you're doing. Sometimes believers think they have done all there is to do until the Spirit challenges them to do more and go far. We ought to challenge each other too. Words like, "we haven't started yet, we can do more for God" are good exhorting words. 

Comfort is for those in trying moments. The Spirit may communicate to someone to share words like these, "be comforted, you will overcome, the situation you're in is temporal."

Many times men of God fall into sin and all desert them. It's good to pick up that phone and tell someone in a trying moment, "I understand what you're going through, and am with you in prayer, whether all have deserted you, I will remain your friend and will acknowledge you publicly as my friend." Above all it's the Word of God that comforts us in our tribulations, Romans 15:4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. But the tribulations here were because of them standing strong in their faith and the gospel's not because of sin. But even in sin, someone needs to be encouraged to rise again and not wallow in the dirt. 

If you having nothing comforting, don't mess up an already difficult life with discomforting words. Show support in every situation. What people don't know is condemnation sends people in a worse state than they would have been. It is rendering something useless and not fit for use. 

If someone is putting on white clothes and they are conscious of them, they can't just sit anywhere dirty. But if they are putting on a rugged and black cloth, they may as well sit anywhere after all they have judged it bad, even those around them have judged it so.

Better to judge men by the standard of theirs being new creation than reminding them of their past and failures. 

EK