8 Ways to Hear from God 5 – CORPORATE Word

God speaks through the CHURCH – Spiritual Gifts

Spiritual Gifts are for TODAY

Spiritual Gifts = The word of God + the mouth of man

· God wants to use all His children in spiritual gifts

· CORPORATE anointing = Church family = consensus, consistency, agreement, unity, order

Corporate Hearing = Relaying God’s Current Message

· What God is saying now – at the moment – a “right now” Word, timely, customized for your current condition, tailor designed.

Types of Spiritual Gifts

1 Corinthians 12:10 NLT

10 He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said.

Spiritual Gifts that SEE

Revelation Gifts

· Word of wisdom – things to come

· Word of knowledge – things NOW

· Discerning of spirits

Spiritual Gifts that SAY

Utterance Gifts

· Different kinds of tongues

· Interpretation of tongues

· Prophecy

Prophecy

Desire Spiritual Gifts

1 Corinthians 14:1 NLT

1 Let love be your highest goal! But you should also desire the special abilities the Spirit gives—especially the ability to prophesy.

Tongues

Mark 16:17 ESV

17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues;

· We can only SPEAK what we have first HEARD

· Tongues are imperative

Praying in Tongues – is for YOU to Hear from God

Praying the perfect will of God

Jude 20 ESV

20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit,

Speaking in Tongues – is for the CHURCH to hear from God

Spiritual Gifts Strengthen the church

1 Corinthians 14:5 NLT

5 I wish you could all speak in tongues, but even more I wish you could all prophesy. For prophecy is greater than speaking in tongues, unless someone interprets what you are saying so that the whole church will be strengthened.

1 Corinthians 14:12–13 NLT

12 And the same is true for you. Since you are so eager to have the special abilities the Spirit gives, seek those that will strengthen the whole church. 13 So anyone who speaks in tongues should pray also for the ability to interpret what has been said.

Spiritual Gifts Convicts the Unbeliever

1 Corinthians 14:22–25 NLT

22 So you see that speaking in tongues is a sign, not for believers, but for unbelievers. Prophecy, however, is for the benefit of believers, not unbelievers. 23 Even so, if unbelievers or people who don’t understand these things come into your church meeting and hear everyone speaking in an unknown language, they will think you are crazy. 24 But if all of you are prophesying, and unbelievers or people who don’t understand these things come into your meeting, they will be convicted of sin and judged by what you say. 25 As they listen, their secret thoughts will be exposed, and they will fall to their knees and worship God, declaring, “God is truly here among you.”

The church visitors certainly heard from God!

God “read their mail”.