This morning, we’re continuing our ministry training series called “Equipped.”
All ministry and all of the gifts of the Spirit should ultimately have the end goal of pouring out God’s love toward people and pointing them to Jesus and His salvation (1 Corinthians 13).
1 Peter 4:10
Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.
All of the gifts of the Spirit are manifestations of God’s grace given by the Holy Spirit as He wills. Although Holy Spirit chooses which gifts to give us, He’ll only give them to us if we want them. Remember, all ministry is a cooperation between us and God.
1 Corinthians 12:31; 1 Corinthians 14:1
Eagerly desire the gifts of the Spirit.
So far, we’ve covered words of knowledge, words of wisdom, and we began learning about prophecy. Today, we continue to dive into the spiritual gift of prophecy.
We receive prophetic words in the same way that we receive words of knowledge and wisdom. We keep on asking, keep on seeking, and keep on knocking, then expect to receive it.
God can give us a prophetic word in countless ways. The most common ways are to speak straight to us in our mind/imagination, give us a dream or a vision, send an angel, or have something out in His creation catch our attention. God’s a creative God and He can speak to us in countless creative ways, though!
One of the interesting things about prophecy is that God will often not only reveal to us a prophetic word, but He will also give us creative ways to communicate that prophetic word as well.
Sometimes He gives us a prophetic word, but it’s just for us and not to share.
2 Corinthians 12:2-4
2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know – God knows. 3 And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows – 4 was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell.
Some prophetic words are overwhelming! After receiving a vision of the end times and having Gabriel explain the meaning of the vision, Daniel wrote:
Daniel 8:27 (NLT)
Then I, Daniel, was overcome and lay sick for several days. Afterward I got up and performed my duties for the king, but I was greatly troubled by the vision and could not understand it.
Sometimes He speaks a word to us and askes that we simply repeat those words to whomever He tells us to.
Exodus 19:3;7
3 Then Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain and said, “This is what you are to say to the descendants of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel:
7 So Moses went back and summoned the elders of the people and set before them all the words the Lord had commanded him to speak.
Sometimes, He shows us in a vision or dream or even by taking us physically to a place and time to reveal a prophetic word. The book of Revelation is mostly this which John experienced.
Acts 9:10-19
10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!”
“Yes, Lord,” he answered.
11 The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”
13 “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. 14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”
15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”
17 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, 19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength.
Here’s another great example of one gift of the spirit leading to another – healing.
Sometimes, He gives us a story to illustrate a prophetic word.
2 Samuel 12:1-7
1 The Lord sent Nathan to David. When he came to him, he said, “There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor. 2 The rich man had a very large number of sheep and cattle, 3 but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him.
4 “Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him.”
5 David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, “As surely as the Lord lives, the man who did this must die! 6 He must pay for that lamb four times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity.”
7 Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man!”
Sometimes, He gives us to do something to communicate the prophecy.
Acts 21:10-14
10 After we had been there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, tied his own hands and feet with it and said, “The Holy Spirit says, ‘In this way the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem will bind the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles.’”
12 When we heard this, we and the people there pleaded with Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. 13 Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.” 14 When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, “The Lord’s will be done.”
These are a few examples, but there are countless ways in which God can both reveal a prophetic word to us and have us communicate that prophecy to others.
Prophecies, like much of God’s word, only comes to pass as we humbly submit ourselves to God and cooperate with Him. Many, if not most, of God’s promises to us are conditional. They begin with that giant, but tiny word “IF.” They are not automatically accomplished in our lives.
God wants us to be a part of the process. There is just as much that God wants to do IN our lives than THROUGH our lives!
Prophecy gives us a little taste of God’s hope-filled future for us intended to give us a hunger and thirst and a desire for Him. It gives us clear direction. He wants us to seek Him and press into Him and press on in life with fullness of faith in His word coming to pass. We are a critical and integral part of that process.
Prophecy speaks God’s potential, God’s will, and God’s heart.
When we know what God’s plans are, when His secret things are revealed to us, something else occurs as well. Ownership of that plan is transferred from His only to being a shared responsibility with us.
Deuteronomy 29:29
The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.
Once God’s secret things are shared with us, they belong to us and the generations that follow us so that we can follow them!
Will we cooperate, though?
Will we have the faith that it takes for the prophetic words revealed to come to pass?
Will we keep on believing and standing on those prophecies even when they become impossible?
That’s faith!
Will we walk by faith and not by sight?
Consider this prophetic word that God spoke to Abram.
Romans 4:18-21
18 Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” 19 Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead – since he was about a hundred years old – and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. 20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21 being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.
Sometimes, we hold back from sharing a prophetic word because it doesn’t make any sense to us. Sometimes it stands in direct opposition to someone’s reality.
Will we choose in those times to lean on and trust in our own understanding? Or, will we walk by faith and share the word anyways?
It is the word of God that demolishes strongholds and releases Gods power to do impossible things in our lives! Don’t doubt it or shy back, release it!
I also personally believe that once prophecies are released, not only do we become aware of God’s plans, but the devil and his kingdom of darkness also become aware of them and the war is on!
1 Timothy 1:18-20
18 Timothy, my son, I am giving you this command in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by recalling them you may fight the battle well, 19 holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith. 20 Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.
Once God’s will is revealed, the battle is on! Oh, but the fight is worth it!
Prophecies are a weapon that we can use to defend and hold onto hope when life gets tough. They are a firm place for us to stand. They re-ignite and fan into flame the fire of the Spirit within us when we recall and declare and believe what God has spoken!
1 Thessalonians 5:19-22
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.
Hold onto those prophetic words!
Prophecy is so incredibly valuable that some people are highly gifted with it and called by God into the office of prophet under both Old and New Covenants. A significant amount of the written word of God is, itself, prophetic words.
2 Peter 1:20-21
20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
Prophecy, like all gifts of the Spirit, point us to Jesus! When John was given prophecy so amazing that he was taken right into Heaven just like Micaiah and Ezekiel and Isaiah, he wrote:
Revelation 19:10
At this I fell at his feet to worship him (an angel). But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers and sisters who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For it is the Spirit of prophecy who bears testimony to Jesus.”
Some translations state the last part as “the testimony about Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”
Both statements are true. The Holy Spirit, who sources all true prophecy, bears testimony and points us to Jesus. Jesus said before His death about Holy Spirit:
John 16:12-15
12 “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”
It is also true that testimony about Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. What Jesus has done before, He will do again. What Jesus has done for me, He will do for you. What Jesus has done for you, He will do for me.
Our personal testimonies are prophetic words!
Prophetic words need to be tested and are open to interpretation as we try to both understand them and also to share them.
Prophecy speaks of the future.
When we are traveling on a long, straight stretch of road and look ahead into the distance, some objects look very close together. However, as we travel and get closer to those objects, we realize that they are fairly far apart separated by a valley.
Another example often used is looking at a mountain range. The mountain peaks look very close together, but are in reality, quite far apart. What we’re referring to here is perspective in prophecy.
A great example of this are some of the prophecies of the Old Testament that have been fulfilled and simultaneously have yet to be fulfilled.
In Acts 2 after the first outpouring of the Holy Spirit on all believers, Peter explained that what was happening was fulfilling what Joel prophesied in Joel 2.
Acts 2:17-21
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.
19 I will show wonders in the heavens above
and signs on the earth below,
blood and fire and billows of smoke.
20 The sun will be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.
21 And everyone who calls
on the name of the Lord will be saved.’
All of this prophecy was fulfilled right then and there, and is still being fulfilled today, and still has yet to be fulfilled simultaneously! Blood and fire and billows of smoke in heaven and earth has not yet happened. Nor has the sun been turned to darkness and the moon to blood nor has the day of the Lord arrived yet. These parts of Joel’s prophetic word have yet to be fulfilled.
Sometimes prophetic words that are given by somebody today are a mix of both what God is speaking and revealing and what they, themselves, add to the word as they try to communicate it.
Think of prophecy like pure water flowing from a pure source.
Holy Spirit, the source of all prophecy, is a pure and perfect spring. We, the conduit through which prophecy flows, are prone to sin and very imperfect. We can muddy up the word unintentionally when sharing the prophecy that we receive from God.
Then, we are sharing the prophecy with a person who is also prone to sin and very imperfect. They may hear and understand things differently than what we are meaning to explain.
Thankfully, as Christians, we both have the source of the prophecy within us. Holy Spirit bears witness with our spirit and helps us to correctly receive and understand.
When these types of things happen, we don’t throw out the whole word as a false prophecy, but hold onto the God part of it! We all have the same Holy Spirit dwelling within us who is the author and revealer of the word, so we can both prophesy as well as test and filter prophecy.
1 Thessalonians 5:19-22
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.
1 Corinthians 14:29-33
29 Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. 30 And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. 31 For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged. 32 The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. 33 For God is not a God of disorder but of peace – as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people.
What you’ll often encounter here at New Hope is a prophetic word that the Holy Spirit is speaking followed by a potential explanation. Something like, “God showed me a vision of a rock with water flowing over it, but the inside remained dry.”
Then, that person or even someone else might say something like, “What I believe God is saying is He is taking us into a season of refreshing, but we will miss it if we remain hardened toward Him.”
What is the primary purpose of prophecy?
1 Corinthians 14:3
…the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort.
Through prophecy, God can provide us with instruction, encouragement, warning, wisdom, strength, comfort, and so much more! Prophecy builds up the whole church and activates the other gifts.
Prophecy is one of the ways in which Jesus, the head of the church, sends a message to the other parts of the body to trigger them to do what they are supposed to do when they are supposed to do it.
1 Corinthians 14:1
Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy.
Prophecy is an amazing gift of the Spirit for the church that we should eagerly desire and encourage to operate.
As we continue in constant prayer seeking God for words of knowledge and wisdom about the here and now, let’s also look ahead to the future and seek after prophecy as well!