Prophecy
Notes
Transcript
What is prophecy?
Sam Storms: “the human report of divine revelation”
Last week we talked about how God speaks
Creation
Written Word
Physical Word - Jesus
Church
Individuals - Holy Spirit - Prophecy
Why prophecy?
God’s way of speaking to His people - obviously, not His only way, but one way!
1 In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.
17 “ ‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.
God spoke in the past through the prophets, but in the new covenant, He is speaking to all of His people through the HS that lives in them!
25 Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
So, the implication is that those who believe do so because they have heard God’s voice!
So, God chooses to speak in and through His people
Specifically, Paul writes as to what prophecy is for in:
3 But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort. 4 Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves, but the one who prophesies edifies the church.
So Prophecy, at least in the NT, is for the building up of the body.
Notice that Paul doesn’t include future events in what prophecy was for in the NT.
Now, that doesn’t mean that prophecy doesn’t include knowing of future events, but that isn’t necessarily the focus.
How many of us when we hear about prophecy immediately think of knowing the future?
The reason being because we see a lot of that in scripture, particularly in the OT and the book of Revelation.
But, it seems like to Paul, prophecy is much greater than simply knowing future events.
It includes, strengthening, encouraging and comforting!
So, at least in the NT, prophecy is the human report of divine revelation for building up the body!
Btw, if you want to jump on the debate about NT and OT prophecy being the same or different, you will have to join the class! Unfortunately, I don’t have time to go too far down that trail today.
Even though it is tempting and fun!
So, we have talked about what prophecy is and what it is for, now we must talk about testing prophecy!
If someone says something is from God, it better well be from God!
Testing Prophecy
19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not treat prophecies with contempt 21 but test them all; hold on to what is good, 22 reject every kind of evil.
Ways to test Prophecies
1. Scripture
1. Scripture
Scripture is the foundation on which we test prophecies
If something in contrary to what scripture teaches, then it is not from the HS!
16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
The HS is the one who wrote the scripture through human hands!
So, the HS will not contradict Himself!
17 Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. 18 God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged.
We see that in Paul’s ministry he experienced testing of his words…
11 Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. 12 As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men.
2. Its Character
2. Its Character
The more that you understand the word, and the heart of God, the easier it is to discern what is from God and what is not!
“In the scripture we see that when Jesus speaks to His followers, He does not condemn, nag or whine. His voice is calm, quiet and authoritative. Even His warnings and rebukes bring hope. If it is really the wisdom of the Lord that is coming to us, it should bring peace if we truly listen.
17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.
The voice of the devil does just the opposite: he accuses and condemns us in order to steal our hope and faith.” - Jack Deere
10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.
So, is the character one of hopelessness, despair and condemnation? Then it is likely from the enemy.
Does it point us to the heart of God, bring hope, healing and life? Then it is likely from the Spirit.
3. Its Fruit
3. Its Fruit
15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.
So, if the recognition of a false prophet is in their bad fruit, one could conclude that the recognition of a true prophet is their good fruit
If we are hearing the voice of God, then it should produce good fruit!
*Story of Nick!
It should be life-giving, not life-draining
It should bring freedom, hope, restoration, and encouragement!
A voice not from God brings condemnation, hopelessness, division and seclusion!
What about a warning from the Lord! Yeah! Very much so! I believe God does give warnings, but what are the warning for?
To help people turn to Him and His ways!
Because sin leads to destruction! Repentance leads to life!
As Jack Deere asks, where does the voice of anger lead? Or the voice of greed or selfishness!
When walking in prophecy, watch the fruit! It will show you if it’s from the Lord!
4. Its Difference
4. Its Difference
One of the greatest struggles of the christian walk is in acknowledging the truth from the prophet Isaiah
8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. 9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
The bible says that we are created in the image of God…however, most of the time, we would rather make God in our image!
The voice that we like the most is ours! We think we are right…
But the truth from scripture is that God’s thoughts are much better than our own!
So, when Jesus says things like:
38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ 39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. 40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. 41 If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
He is vastly different than our own thoughts!
Until my mind is transformed into the likeness of the mind of Christ, it will always conform to the patterns of this world!
My natural mind will always default to putting myself first and what is best for me!
The mind of Christ will always default to loving God and loving our neighbors!
So, we can often test prophecy by how different it looks than the world
So, we have 4 tests for prophecy…notice that not one of them would be sufficient on its own…but we use all of them when weighing words…
The final thought that I would throw in there is asking the Lord and asking Him to confirm is a word is from Him or not
Ask for some confirmation - of course, God is not obligated to answer us, but I think He often will
Resources on Prophecy
The Beginner’s Guide to Spiritual Gifts - Sam Storms
The Beginner’s Guide to Prophecy - Jack Deere
Understanding Spiritual Gifts - Sam Storms
Why I am Still Surprised by the Power of the Spirit - Jack Deere
Surprised by the Voice of God - Jack Deere
