The missing piece here is that there are three different levels of spiritual gifts. Let’s take the example of prophecy: at the highest level, you have the office of the prophet mentioned in Ephesians 4:11-13; at the intermediate level is the gift of prophecy found in 1 Corinthians 12:10; and at the lowest level is the faith level where Paul says, “you can all prophesy” (1 Cor. 14:31).

The progression works like a triangle: at the bottom, everyone can prophesy; moving towards the middle of the triangle, some people will have the actual gift of prophecy; finally, there will be a few people at the top of the triangle who have the calling of a prophet. Just because you can prophesy does not mean you have the gift of prophecy, and just because you have the gift of prophecy does not mean you have the office and calling of a prophet.

Let’s take the triangle of the three levels and apply it to discernment. At the top of the triangle, we find the office of the seer; in the middle, there is the gift of discerning spirits; and at the bottom, we have the faith level mentioned in Hebrews 5:14:

“those who are mature, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.“

As with prophecy, just because you can discern does not mean you have the gift of discerning spirits, and even if you can see in the spirit and have the gift of discerning spirits, it does not mean you are in the office and calling of a seer.

Many have operated in the two lower levels and declared themselves prophets and seers in the Body of Christ, leading to much unnecessary spiritual warfare against them. It is spiritually dangerous to declare that you are a prophet or a seer unless you truly are one. A foolproof way to know if you are a prophet or a seer is to look at the one passage that describes the work of a true prophet in the New Testament:

“And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ” Ephesians 4:11-12 (NKJV).

The New Testament prophet is supposed to equip others for the work of ministry; if you are not equipping others in prophecy, then you are probably not a prophet.

“HAVING EYES, DO YOU NOT SEE?” (MARK 8:18)

Many verses in the Bible declare that all Christians can and should have their spiritual eyes and ears open and functioning. We often overlook clear references to spiritual sight because we have been told that seeing in the spirit is not our gift. Here is a brief overview of seven sections of Scripture that explain how every believer should have their spiritual eyes.

1. Hebrews 5:12-14: “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (NKJV). This shows that a sign of all mature Christians is that they will be active in using discernment. It is not only available to us, but it is also a sign of maturity. It is time to grow up and start using our discernment.
2. Ephesians 1:15-18: “Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints” (NKJV). If Paul believed that only certain Christians could see in the spirit, then why would he waste his time praying for all the Ephesian believers to have the eyes of their understanding enlightened? Clearly, Paul believed that all could have their spiritual eyes opened.
3. 2 Kings 6:15-17: “And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, ‘Alas, my master! What shall we do?’ So he answered, ‘Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’ And Elisha prayed, and said, ‘Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.’ Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”

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This text is an extract from the book “THE SCHOOL OF SEER” written by Dr. Jonathan Welton.

We invite you to read the following article “Prophets and Seers.“