Activating the Gift of Prophecy

Partnering with Holy Spirit:

Introduction:

Opening Prayer

Define prophecy and its significance in the Bible.Emphasize the relevance of prophecy in today’s Christian life.

I. Understanding the Gift of Prophecy:

Biblical Basis:

Prophecy as one of the spiritual gifts.

1 Corinthians 12:10 NASB95

10 and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues.

Even in the OT God's promise to pour out His Spirit on all people

Joel 2:28–29 NASB95

28 “It will come about after this That I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; And your sons and daughters will prophesy, Your old men will dream dreams, Your young men will see visions. 29 “Even on the male and female servants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.

The purpose and importance of prophecy in edifying the church

1 Corinthians 14:1–5 NASB95

1 Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. 2 For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God; for no one understands, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries. 3 But one who prophesies speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation. 4 One who speaks in a tongue edifies himself; but one who prophesies edifies the church. 5 Now I wish that you all spoke in tongues, but even more that you would prophesy; and greater is one who prophesies than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may receive edifying.

for edification and exhortation and consolation

to build up the church

reminder we’re talking about the people not the building

not self promotion, or one upmanship, not to make you feel like your better than everyone else.

One thing I’m really encouraged about in the modern prophet era is the vunerability of those who prophesy.

It wasn’t so long ago you hear the a person say “thus says the lord” like it was an absolute fact and noone could deny.

You better get into alignment with What God is saying through me,

it was often weaponized as a tool so someone could get what they wanted.

don’t do that…please

That was such a destructive time. the enemy used this gift to hurt so many people.

I’ve met several people who completely distrust prophesy, because of how it was abused a a period of their life.

Either through blatant abuse, or a wrong word, or a poorly received word.

But I’m see ing a change and its for the better

Today we’re going to show you give and receive a prophetic word.

both are key to the Gift of Prophesy doing what its supposed to do

Prophesy is a gift the Holy Spirit gives to build up, encourage and lead the body of Christ.

What is Prophecy?

A important distinction that often is not made is that there are 2 categories of Prophesy

Foretelling vs. Forthtelling.

We often focus on the Foretelling, but forthtelling is actually much more common

Foretelling - is telling of future events. its predictive

Isaiah 7:14 NASB95

14 “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.

Micah 5:2 NASB95

2 “But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah, From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity.”

J. Barton Payne's Encyclopedia of Biblical Prophecy lists

1,239 prophecies in the Old Testament

578 prophecies in the New Testament,

for a total of 1,817

So foretelling is a huge part of the Bible

Unfortunately, this is what most people think of when they think of prophesy

it obviously is very important, and I don’t want to dimish it

But equily important is the aspect of forthtelling

forthtelling – explaining the present from God’s perspective and bringing strength to God’s people to overcome in the situation and move into his purposes.

It really sharing the heart of God in a personal way

The apostle Paul sent his co-worker Timothy to the church he had founded in Thessalonica with this mission

1 Thessalonians 3:2–3 NASB95

2 and we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s fellow worker in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you as to your faith, 3 so that no one would be disturbed by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we have been destined for this.

This is the gift of prophesy in action

strengthen and encourage you in your faith

We see another example, take the early church’s decision to free Gentile believers from having to keep the Jewish law.

Acts 15:30–32 NASB95

30 So when they were sent away, they went down to Antioch; and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter. 31 When they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement. 32 Judas and Silas, also being prophets themselves, encouraged and strengthened the brethren with a lengthy message.

They didn’t predict the future, but explained the present, encouraging and strengthening the church.

While accurate foretelling is a great blessing to the church, perhaps forthtelling is needed even more right now

to bring encouragement, strength, and comfort to a hurting world, which after all is the great heart of prophecy.

The role of a prophet in the Old and New Testaments.

We need to make a distinction between the gift of Prophesy and the office of the Prophet

1 Corinthians 14:5 NASB95

5 Now I wish that you all spoke in tongues, but even more that you would prophesy; and greater is one who prophesies than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may receive edifying.

Any believer can receive the gift of the Holy Spirit to Prophesy.

But not everyone who prophesies is a prophet

1 Corinthians 12:29 NASB95

29 All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of miracles, are they?

The office of the of the prophet is a gift Jesus gives to His bride

Prophesy is a gift the Holy Spirit gives

In the Old Testament

Deuteronomy 18:20–22 NASB95

20 ‘But the prophet who speaks a word presumptuously in My name which I have not commanded him to speak, or which he speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.’ 21 “You may say in your heart, ‘How will we know the word which the Lord has not spoken?’ 22 “When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not come about or come true, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.

So in the OT. The prophet was the voice of God.

If a prophet spoke untrue they were to be stoned

but that’s not the case in the NT

Every beleiver now has the ability to hear God’s voice for themselves

not just the prophets.

The owness is now on the hearer to accept or reject the word, and they pocess the same spirit that is in the one who prophesies

So know we don’t stone those who fail in their prophesy

II. The Purpose of Prophecy

A. Edification, Exhortation, and Comfort:

1 Corinthians 14:3 NASB95

3 But one who prophesies speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation.

Prophecy as a means to build up, encourage, and comfort the church.

Edification/Build up

def: the instruction or improvement of a person morally or intellectually.

Exhortation/Encourage

def: an address or communication emphatically urging someone to do something.

Comfort/Console

def: the easing or alleviation of a person's feelings of grief or distress.

B. Guidance and Direction:

a prophetic word can tell you what to do

Many years ago the woman who would call the church every 3-4 month asking for a prophetic word

Prophetic words leading to mission and ministry

Acts 13:1–3 NASB95

1 Now there were at Antioch, in the church that was there, prophets and teachers: Barnabas, and Simeon who was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 Then, when they had fasted and prayed and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

Agabus’s prophecy to Paul

Acts 21:10–11 NASB95

10 As we were staying there for some days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 And coming to us, he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands, and said, “This is what the Holy Spirit says: ‘In this way the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’ ”

C. Revelation of God’s Will

God revealing His mysteries through prophets

Ephesians 3:5 NASB95

5 which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit;

Amos 3:7 NASB95

7 Surely the Lord God does nothing Unless He reveals His secret counsel To His servants the prophets.

III. How to Activate the Gift of Prophecy

A. Desire the Gift

Earnestly desire spiritual gifts, especially prophecy.

1 Corinthians 14:1 NASB95

1 Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.

B. Seek Intimacy with God

Abiding in Christ to bear fruit.

John 15:4–5 NASB95

4 “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. 5 “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.

Importance of prayer, fasting, and studying the Word.

C. Be Filled with the Holy Spirit

The disciples filled with the Holy Spirit began to prophesy

Acts 2:4 NASB95

4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.

In’st that speaking in tongues? Yes its both tongues and prophesy working together

Acts 2:11 NASB95

11 Cretans and Arabs—we hear them in our own tongues speaking of the mighty deeds of God.”

Be continuously filled with the Spirit

Ephesians 5:18 NASB95

18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,

D. Exercise the Gift in Faith:

Prophesy according to your faith

Romans 12:6 NASB95

6 Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith;

Practical steps: Small groups, church services, and personal prayer times, over coffee with a friend

E. Test the Prophecy:

Do not despise prophecies, but test everything

1 Thessalonians 5:20–21 NASB95

20 do not despise prophetic utterances. 21 But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good;

Test the spirits to see whether they are from God

1 John 4:1 NASB95

1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

So How do we know a Word you have is from God / So how do we examine a prophetic word?

1. Does it glorify Christ?

The prophecy may not mention Christ by name, but does the whole message honor and glorify him?

This is always the Spirit’s primary work

John 16:14 NASB95

14 “He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you.

1 Corinthians 12:1–4 NASB95

1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware. 2 You know that when you were pagans, you were led astray to the mute idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is accursed”; and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. 4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit.

2. Does it edify the body of Christ? S

even times in 1 Corinthians 14 Paul emphasizes this point when discussing spiritual gifts, especially tongues and prophecy.

3. Is it in accordance with the Scriptures?

If we twist the Scriptures, we do so to our own destruction

2 Peter 3:16 NASB95

16 as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.

4. Is the prophecy given in the spirit of love?

This is the hallmark of the Spirit’s presence, even in correction or rebuke.

5. Is Jesus lord of the speaker’s life?

A false prophet will be known by the fruits of his or her life, said Jesus (Matt. 7:15:15-20).

6. Does the speaker submit to the Church Authority?

Strong personalities with independent spirits caused splits and divisions in the New Testament church, and do so today.

Paul warned the Ephesian elders about those “from among your own selves” who would draw away disciples after them, and so divide the church of God

Acts 20:29–30 NASB95

29 “I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; 30 and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.

7. Does the speaker allow others to judge the prophecy?

Such weighing should be the rule, not the exception (1 Cor. 14:29).

8. Is the speaker in control of himself when speaking?

The speaker may be “taken over” by an evil spirit, but that is never the mark of the Spirit of God

1 Corinthians 12:2 NASB95

2 You know that when you were pagans, you were led astray to the mute idols, however you were led.

9. Is the prophecy fulfilled,

if it speaks about some future event?

As already stated most prophecy is forth-telling, not foretelling.

A Christian prophesying will normally “tell forth” God’s word as an encouragement or exhortation.

Only on rare occasions will prophecy predict some future event

When it does, the biblical test is in the prophecy: fulfillment, or lack of it (Deut. 18:22).

10. Does it seem Right,

God told me you supposed to adopt kids

Acts 15:28 NASB95

28 “For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to lay upon you no greater burden than these essentials:

Community Encouragement:

Testimonies:

Share testimonies of prophetic words that have impacted individuals and the church community.

Conclusion: