The Office of Prophetess

The realm and office of the prophetess is the highest prophetic dimension for women in prophetic ministry. The term “prophetess” is simply is female prophet. There has been much debate and controversy over the role of women in prophetic ministry today. The primary question is, can a woman function in the role and office of a prophet? The answer is yes, absolutely! A woman can function in the role of a prophet today just as a man can function in the role of a prophet. The role and function of the prophetess is not a lesser role and function compared to a male prophet.There is still controversy in some denominations, circles, streams, and movements about women in church leadership roles such as elders, pastors, bishops, and even apostles. It is important to follow what the Scriptures teach and reveal regarding this topic when considering the entirety of the Bible. There are a number of Scriptures that support the ministry of women in the history of the Bible and in the New Testament church as well. God placed certain women in key, prominent leadership roles such as a judge (Judges 4:4), shepherdess (Genesis 29:9), and deaconess (Romans 16:1) and for these purposes, the office of the prophetess.The vast majority of scriptural prophesies were delivered by men, but that doesn’t mean women didn’t prophesy. In fact, the Lord’s covenant people have been saved many times by a spiritually in-tune daughter of God. And though many women, including Rebekah, Hannah, Elisabeth, and Mary all prophesied, there are only a few who are actually designated as prophetesses in the Bible.

In the New Testament ministry of the prophetic, we see in the following two Scriptures women being used to prophesy. The spirit prophecy, gift of prophecy, and the office of prophecy is not just for men, but also for women who prophesy:

And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and daughters shall prophesy…. And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out of My Spirit in those days; and they shall prophesy (Acts 2:17-18).On the next day we who were Paul’s companions departed and came to Caesarea, and entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him. Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied (Acts 21:8-9).

Women can prophesy!

Many Bible scholars and theologians have ignorantly or erroneously misinterpreted the role and ministry function of women in the New Testament in order to silence the voice of women. They use these two verses by Paul in 1 Corinthians 14:34-35 to support their erroneous beliefs:

Let your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law also says. And if they want to learn something, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is shameful for women to speak in church.These two verses have created much confusion and indictment against the voice of the prophetess. It is my strong opinion that this way of thinking is of the enemy through cultural issues between gender roles inside and outside the church and through male chauvinism that Paul’s intent has been misinterpreted. Unfortunately, if these verses are read without context and historical background the theory is validated. However, this is not quite the meaning Paul was sending to the Corinthians.Paul was establishing apostolic order in the church of Corinth with respect to the operation and function of the spiritual gifts, the function of the prophecy and tongues, the order of prophets speaking in public settings, and of course the function of women speaking in the local church with respect to prophesying. This was not a universal and strict mandate for all churches in the New Testament, Paul was providing apostolic oversight and governance over the operation of gifts. It was important for him to set order and guidelines in this particular local body of believers.The church at Corinth was a very charismatic and spiritually gifted church—and there was no orderly and decent flow of the Spirit. Certain women were out of order in disruptively asking questions publicly in the already chaotic service with all of the tongue talkers, prophetic utterances, and mixed cultural expression of spiritual activity. There needed some regulations to their free-for-all, anything-goes services. The prophets, tongues-speakers, and women needed to submit to the apostolic commandments given by the apostle Paul. He stated in 1 Corinthians 14:37-40 (NIV):

If anyone thinks they are a prophet or otherwise gifted by the Spirit, let them acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord’s command. But if anyone ignores this, they will themselves be ignored. Therefore, my brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.

There are those today who have taken this commandment for the Corinthian women in that culture of that day and made it an absolute prohibition and even an indictment on any activity of prophesying or ministry of a woman in the church. God used women in the Old Testament, and the New Testament is no different; in fact, women tend to have an enhanced the role. Paul was not saying women cannot speak or be used in the realm of praying and prophesying in the churches of the saints.We can see from the following example that women in the New Testament church did in fact pray and prophesy: “But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, for that is one and the same as if her head were shaved” (1 Corinthians 11:5). A married woman who uncovered her head in public would have brought shame on her husband and it dishonored him. The action may have connoted sexual availability or may have been an indication and sign of being unmarried. Culturally, a woman in that time who did not wear a head covering indicated to men that she was unmarried and available. It is similar in many cultures today if wives do not wear a wedding ring, people assume she is unmarried and available. In other words, in cultures where women’s head coverings are not a sign of being married, wives do not need to cover their heads in worship, but they could obey this command by wearing some other physical symbol of being married, such as the wedding ring.The key point is wives are to honor their husbands even when praying and prophesying in the local church. And if they have a question, they should ask their husbands when they get home instead of disrupting the service or shouting out questions, which is a sign of lack of submission to headship, leadership, and those in authority. It is important to understand culturally in light of Scripture and who Paul was talking to in the context of the Scripture, and not taken out of context and taught with absolute prohibition and restriction of women today. Paul was given as an apostle to that body of believers to guide them apostolically; yet today we preserve the Spirit of the letter to Corinthians for churches in this hour.

Gender Difference – Same Prophetic Office

In the Old Testament, women were also divinely inspired of the Lord to prophesy in their generation. These were called prophetesses. The term “prophet” is unisex and can also describe a woman in the prophetic office. However, a male prophet cannot and must not be referred to a prophetess. This term and title are clearly designated for a woman in the office of prophecy.

Different Gender – Same Prophetic Function

I have heard some women prefer to be called prophet instead of prophetess because culturally they feel that being called a prophetess is a lesser degree, role, and function of their office compared to a male prophet. They think that being called a prophet culturally makes them equal to a male prophet and gives them more spiritual authority. That is sadly not the case; but in fact, I believe if a woman who tries to function outside of who she is as a woman to compete with a man is clearly operating in a lesser authority and grace.

Some say there is no gender in the spiritual, but there is. The Spirit of God functions specifically in male and female respectfully, and there should not be any confusion in that regard. The function of the prophet is the same in both male and female. The woman prophet has the same authority as the male prophet.

The function of the prophet is the same in both male and female. The prophetess has the same authority as the prophet.

The Holy Spirit does not function more or less in one gender than He would in the other gender. He shows no favoritism, therefore women should embrace fully the office of the prophetess because there is a certain grace and anointing that women possess that men will never comprehend; women see with a different set of lenses and vice versa. In fact, in most cases, female prophets are more sensitive and apt to worship openly and expressively in their worship than male prophets. It does not mean the male prophet is not sensitive to the Spirit, men are just genetically wired different—but ultimately the Spirit can use both genders for God’s glory. Gender differences but the same Spirit operating powerfully in both the prophet and the prophetess.