Spiritual Gifts Pt3.

Were not going to talk about the importance of prophesy any longer, we saw that last week and we saw the fullfilment of prophesy today.

Tonight were going to talk about finding and operating in the gift of prophey and its correlation with prayer.

Its like when i was younger, before my mom let me go take my drivers test. I knew what a car was, I had enough friends to see the importance in driving and having my own car, but my mom made me go to drivers school. SIt in a class for 8 hours, and then over the next few weeks put a certain amount of hours in behind the wheel with a teacher who had full control.

Tonight we are going to see the teacher who has full control will be with you, teach you, and adhere to you through prayer....but when operating in your gifts. It takes faith also. There will be times you must speak up and say what God has placed on you even if you dont want to.

Lets start with that note.

1 samuel 3...

1. IN those days the word of the Lord was rare.....

I want us to see this, from the beginning of time to the moment we sit in as a body. There have been to litte the raw rare true moments with God. We want more of the acts 2 pouring out of God, but we end up facing the 400 years between covenant scriptures.

I want us to get this for a moment.

Why was the word of the lord rare?

The pastors, priest, and prophets of this time were wicked men. The spiritual development was based on the direction and testimony of those men bared.

In the old covenant with God Spiritual rejuvenation was depended on fresh words from God, from upstanding, respectable Men of God.

When you are a man of God and God gives you a messge you take it to the people.

When you are a wicked man seeking self gain you are distant and avoid God. avoiding God as if you avoided him punishment wouldnt come your way.

Flee from blasphemous living.

2. if you want to walk in the gift of prophesy you have to have fresh eyes, you need to take your eyes and get some biblical lasik surgery. You need to open up your word and read it until it comes alive to you. Until you see the real life characters walking around before you in your mind.

Story of reading Samuel in my room

How much easier is if for you to describe a movie plot to me than a chapter of the bibles plot?

Read until the Bible comes to life

3. Next thing you need if you want to walk in prophesy is you need to get our of your usual place.

You need to seek a new place with God, a few weeks ago i mentioned a secret place. I had a person come to me after church and say there is no secret place with God. Oh yes there is. A place where i Go to just be with him. I know he is always with me, but i need to make a place for him. And because…listen....because I DONT do that everywhere i go I made a secret place. Maybe its on the altars, maybe its on the couch or outside in the garden! You need to find your place. And when you start remenisitng about old times you need to find a new place.

Create a space for God

4. The third thing i have to stress for you to do. Is not an opposite of eli but the same thing…When you put the two previous points together with this. It makes up the entire make up of God speaking to you prophetically.

you need to lay down before the presence of God. No I mean literally Lay down....

Position yourself before God

The prophet Ezekiel before he was made a prophet…had to lay on his side with the weight that would amount to the termoil and sins of Israel. Twice Ezekiel had to do this. He got up none at all, God told him the instructions of what to prepare and how long to lay. He would prepare food and supplies for him to lay there. And God kept him on that ground.

Ezekiel 2:6–9 NIV

6 And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say or be terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people. 7 You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious. 8 But you, son of man, listen to what I say to you. Do not rebel like that rebellious people; open your mouth and eat what I give you.” 9 Then I looked, and I saw a hand stretched out to me. In it was a scroll,

Ezekiel 4:4 NIV

4 “Then lie on your left side and put the sin of the people of Israel upon yourself. You are to bear their sin for the number of days you lie on your side.

This is my last note on prophesy at this point....

So we have heard about prophesy, we have learned the importance, the fulfillments, and even what it takes to be a prophet…But how do you know you are called with this prophetic gift?

Two things to take into account.

I dont dish out the gifts so i cant tell you exactly.

However I can tell you this. Each prophet in the Bible had a few things in common.

First They carried these characteristics we spoke of today.

Next and The most important. They had a heart of God....which means they had a heart for God’s people

Do you have this? Do you look around and want to make a difference with words and images to a persons life.

A prophesy speaks directly to our spirit it bypasses the flesh of accusation and hurt.

If that sounds like you. Then now and over the course of this elective we are in, I challenge you to develop these characteristic and ask God in that secret place....To use you. You dont have to askk for the prophetic gift. You just simply ask God to use you.

And over the course of the next few months I will (being led by God) open up opportunities where you can operate. Maybe you get it wrong. but maybe you get it right. Maybe you change someones actions. Maybe you save someones life.

End with this prophetic account…lf Peter.

The old Testament is riddled with prophets even books bound with pages after pages of God’s very own proclaimed words to his people for the time and a time to come.

“A true prophecy is one that speaks not only to its time but to times past and future, for God’s word is written upon law. And is used for all teachings, life direction, and as a death deterant”

Peter says more like declared that unlike the more limited times of prophecy during the time of old covenant, God would now pour out his Spirit “ ON all people” acts 2:17.

Bringing the fulfillment of God’s words. “ Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy ( acts 2 17-19)