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When we hear the word prophet we generally think of someone (in a robe?) foretelling future events or making predictions.
In the Old Testament the Hebrew word for prophet was nabi, one who "announced" or "declared" something, specifically what God was saying.
Very often it was not about the future, but about what was going on in the present day. This was especially true when confronting evil and injustice. Sometimes the prophets were called watchmen, and even shepherds because of the warning and spiritual direction they gave.
The same is true in the New Testament (Unger, p. 1041), and the word has the sense, too, of one who interprets God's will.
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There is a difference of opinion among Bible students as to whether the predictive aspects of prophecy are active today. However it's clear that the prophets often used the words and truth God had already revealed to warn, instruct, confront and guide.
There is no debate that we can do the same, declaring the truth from God's word, the Bible, and some are uniquely gifted in that ministry of God's word.
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