Can a Prophet really Make a difference?

Can a prophet make a difference in a place where he/she is assigned to?  

"There were no prophets in Israel when Samuel was born. The priesthood was corrupt, and the nation was in apostasy. Samuel brought a new level of blessing to Israel and transitioned Israel to one of its greatest periods of power and glory. 'Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was rare in those days. There was no vision coming forth. —1 SAMUEL 3: 1'"

John Eckhardt