“There are people out there today who claim to be prophets or who prophesy what God is about to do. A while back, a prominent church had a fellow who was running for governor come on stage and prophesy that the greatest revival ever is about to break out and that one of the prophetic proofs of that was that he would win the California governor’s race. He didn’t even make the ballot.
A prophet isn’t a prophet because they say so. They’re a prophet if they’re confirmed by the work of God. Now, Samuel did prophesy and he was called to a unique, dramatic work. But that should not discourage us as if we’re unimportant in God’s plan. The truth is, the term used for Samuel here which is translated as “prophet” originally meant “one called to duty by God.” It’s not only about telling the future. It’s about hearing God’s word and proclaiming it. You know, Abraham is called a prophet. And Aaron. And David. People we don’t really categorize with Elijah and Ezekiel.
But all of us are called to live a life with the Lord, as Samuel lived, a life submitted to and saturated with the word of God, like Samuel’s was. And to be used to proclaim God’s word like Samuel did.”
