Foreword

This material is not aimed at being a thorough biblical exposition of the prophetic gift. Rather, it is written to create enough understanding for impartation — for the heart of the prophetic to be restored, and for the various workings of this gift to be identified, nurtured and grown.

Please feel free to use and distribute this material. All we ask is that you send any feedback, enhancements or additions back to us so the content can be amended and kept relevant. This is in keeping with the Copyleft license model. The aim is not only to make it freely available but to encourage ongoing improvement and ensure it remains useful.

We believe the heart of God is to restore the prophetic to function as it should: a prophetic people whose strength is in their humility, whose protection is in their submission, and whose weapon is love. Men and women who can shoot with their right and left hands, who can prophesy and operate comfortably alongside other Spiritual gifts. Men and women with a heart after God — who hear as He hears, see as He sees, feel as He feels, and have the courage to do as He says.

“Let love be your highest goal! But you should also desire the special abilities the Spirit gives — especially the ability to prophesy.” — 1 Corinthians 14:1 (NLT)

This document was originally written in 2013 for an African context where free prophetic training material was scarce. It has since been revised for the UK to support the development of prophetic prayer groups. Our prayer is that it continues to travel — freely given, freely shared, freely improved.

A Note on Cessationism

Some readers will come from church traditions that teach the gifts of the Spirit ceased with the apostles, or with the closing of the canon of Scripture. This view, often called cessationism, is held sincerely by godly people and deserves a gracious response rather than a dismissive one.

The argument typically rests on 1 Corinthians 13:8–12 — “as for prophecies, they will pass away… when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.” The question is what “the perfect” means. Cessationists have historically read it as the completion of the New Testament. But the passage continues: “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face.” That is not a description of having a finished Bible. That is a description of meeting Jesus.

The lived experience of the global Church today — including the explosive growth of the Spirit-filled movement across Africa, Latin America, Asia and the Middle East — points in the same direction: the gifts are still given. The Spirit who fell at Pentecost has not been recalled. The promise of Joel 2 is not in past tense.

Pursue love. Earnestly desire spiritual gifts. Especially that you may prophesy. The invitation is for you too.

Document History

April 2013 — Version 1. Original document written for an African context. Authored by Peter Wilmot.

August 2025 — Version 2. Revised for a UK context, aimed at developing prophetic prayer groups.

2026 — Version 3. Restored, polished and expanded. Updated content can be submitted via the contact form.