The Gift of Prophecy - Part One
Prophecy: The special ability to receive and communicate an immediate message of God to His people through a divinely anointed utterance.
Key Texts: Luke 7:26, Acts 15:32, 21:9-11, Romans 12:6,
1 Corinthians 12:10, 28, Ephesians 4:11-13
How God Gives Gifts
Sovereign Impartation – 1 Corinthians 12:11
Apostolic Impartation – 2 Timothy 1:6, Romans 1:11
Prophetic Impartation – 1 Timothy 4:14
Personal Prayer for Impartation – Matthew 21:22, James 4:2, 1 Corinthians 14:13
If you DESIRE a particular gift, why not ask for it?
Three Revelatory Abilities of the Gift of Prophecy:
1. Accurately predict the future – Acts 11:27-29
2. Accurately reveal the present priorities of the Lord – Joel 1:12
3. Accurately bring light to the mysteries of our lives and/or make sense of our pain – Isaiah 57:1-2, Jeremiah 14:12
In what ways would the expression of this gift help us?
Recognizing the Prophets:
1. A prophet is someone who accurately and consistently bring prophetic words.
2. A prophet doesn’t have to work hard to make it happen (remember: It is a gift – not a learned skill).
3. Faultfinding and anger are not signs of a prophetic calling, but rather of a wounded heart that is in need of God’s healing.
The Purpose of Prophetic Gifts:
The New Testament prophet is called primarily to build up, not to tear down
1 Corinthians 14:4
Am I a Prophet?
Check the desires of your heart – Psalms 37:4
When the Lord is your principle source of joy, then we can trust the desires of our heart to lead us.
Check the counsel of mature spiritual people – Proverbs 15:22
Do you have genuine fellowship with other Christians who will be honest with you?
Check to see if you have prophetic experiences that make a difference.
The best way to experiment with gifts (any gifts) is within the context of a few like-minded friends committed to growing in the gifts.
Revelation defined:
“God making known to us what we did not know
or could not have known through our natural senses.”
The Means of Revelation:
1. Appearances of the Lord
Exodus 33:20 tells us that we cannot see God the Father face to face and live to tell about it. Yet, God shows Himself to man in…
Dreams – Genesis 20:3
Physically – Genesis 18:1ff
Angels of the Lord – Exodus 3:2ff
In Glory – Exodus 16:10
So, Who was it? – John 1:14-18
2. Angels – Hebrews 1:14
Angels…
…Escort us to heaven – Luke 16:22
…Don’t necessarily reveal their identity – Hebrews 13:2
…Are frequently recognized by prophets – 2 Kings 6:15-17
3. Audible voice of God
In scripture this is the one of the rarest forms of revelation.
Numbers 12:6-8
Genesis 22:11-12
4. Audible only to your ears – 1 Samuel 3:1-14
5. Internal, audible voice heard with the mind – Ezekiel 14:1ff
6. Sentence fragments – Isaiah 8:1
Why would revelation come that doesn’t have an easy interpretation?
– Proverbs 25:2 – we are to search it out to discover the glory of God in it!
7. A Knowing – John 4:18, Matthew 22:18 (Mark 2:8, John 6:15)
8. Impressions – Nehemiah 7:5, Acts 14:9-10
A less certain revelation feeling in the heart
9. Dreams, visions and trances
Dreams – in a sleep state – Job 33:14-18
Visions – usually while awake – Job 33:14-18
Trances – in which it seems that we lose awareness of our physical senses – Acts 10:10, Acts 22:17, 2 Corinthians 12:3
Acts 2:17-18
Why does God speak this way?
- We are more than just ‘mind’
- There are realms of truth and experience that transcends human reasoning
10. The Natural World
The design and beauty of Creation reveals the existence of an Intelligent Designer – Romans 1:19-20
The natural world bursts with analogies of the spiritual world – Proverbs 6:6-11
Natural events can sometimes communicate His plans and express His ways
- Locusts – Joel 2:25-27
- Fire, wind and earthquakes – 1 Kings 19:11-13
11. Fleeces – Judges 6:36-40
Caution:
- Make sure your fleece requires supernatural intervention free of manipulation of those with a vested interest in outcomes.
- Use as a last resort after you’ve sought God’s revelation through numerous other means.
- This is the least personal form of revelation that can, if misused turn your perception of God into that of a Genie.
12. Physical manifestations in our bodies – Luke 8:45-46
13. Through the five spiritual senses
Spiritual EYES EARS TASTE TOUCH SMELL
TWO WORDS OF CAUTION:
1. Prophecy is not a panacea to problems.
2. Don’t be enamored with experiences. Love God.
1 Corinthians 13:2
Key Texts: Luke 7:26, Acts 15:32, 21:9-11, Romans 12:6,
1 Corinthians 12:10, 28, Ephesians 4:11-13
How God Gives Gifts
Sovereign Impartation – 1 Corinthians 12:11
Apostolic Impartation – 2 Timothy 1:6, Romans 1:11
Prophetic Impartation – 1 Timothy 4:14
Personal Prayer for Impartation – Matthew 21:22, James 4:2, 1 Corinthians 14:13
If you DESIRE a particular gift, why not ask for it?
Three Revelatory Abilities of the Gift of Prophecy:
1. Accurately predict the future – Acts 11:27-29
2. Accurately reveal the present priorities of the Lord – Joel 1:12
3. Accurately bring light to the mysteries of our lives and/or make sense of our pain – Isaiah 57:1-2, Jeremiah 14:12
In what ways would the expression of this gift help us?
Recognizing the Prophets:
1. A prophet is someone who accurately and consistently bring prophetic words.
2. A prophet doesn’t have to work hard to make it happen (remember: It is a gift – not a learned skill).
3. Faultfinding and anger are not signs of a prophetic calling, but rather of a wounded heart that is in need of God’s healing.
The Purpose of Prophetic Gifts:
The New Testament prophet is called primarily to build up, not to tear down
1 Corinthians 14:4
Am I a Prophet?
Check the desires of your heart – Psalms 37:4
When the Lord is your principle source of joy, then we can trust the desires of our heart to lead us.
Check the counsel of mature spiritual people – Proverbs 15:22
Do you have genuine fellowship with other Christians who will be honest with you?
Check to see if you have prophetic experiences that make a difference.
The best way to experiment with gifts (any gifts) is within the context of a few like-minded friends committed to growing in the gifts.
Revelation defined:
“God making known to us what we did not know
or could not have known through our natural senses.”
The Means of Revelation:
1. Appearances of the Lord
Exodus 33:20 tells us that we cannot see God the Father face to face and live to tell about it. Yet, God shows Himself to man in…
Dreams – Genesis 20:3
Physically – Genesis 18:1ff
Angels of the Lord – Exodus 3:2ff
In Glory – Exodus 16:10
So, Who was it? – John 1:14-18
2. Angels – Hebrews 1:14
Angels…
…Escort us to heaven – Luke 16:22
…Don’t necessarily reveal their identity – Hebrews 13:2
…Are frequently recognized by prophets – 2 Kings 6:15-17
3. Audible voice of God
In scripture this is the one of the rarest forms of revelation.
Numbers 12:6-8
Genesis 22:11-12
4. Audible only to your ears – 1 Samuel 3:1-14
5. Internal, audible voice heard with the mind – Ezekiel 14:1ff
6. Sentence fragments – Isaiah 8:1
Why would revelation come that doesn’t have an easy interpretation?
– Proverbs 25:2 – we are to search it out to discover the glory of God in it!
7. A Knowing – John 4:18, Matthew 22:18 (Mark 2:8, John 6:15)
8. Impressions – Nehemiah 7:5, Acts 14:9-10
A less certain revelation feeling in the heart
9. Dreams, visions and trances
Dreams – in a sleep state – Job 33:14-18
Visions – usually while awake – Job 33:14-18
Trances – in which it seems that we lose awareness of our physical senses – Acts 10:10, Acts 22:17, 2 Corinthians 12:3
Acts 2:17-18
Why does God speak this way?
- We are more than just ‘mind’
- There are realms of truth and experience that transcends human reasoning
10. The Natural World
The design and beauty of Creation reveals the existence of an Intelligent Designer – Romans 1:19-20
The natural world bursts with analogies of the spiritual world – Proverbs 6:6-11
Natural events can sometimes communicate His plans and express His ways
- Locusts – Joel 2:25-27
- Fire, wind and earthquakes – 1 Kings 19:11-13
11. Fleeces – Judges 6:36-40
Caution:
- Make sure your fleece requires supernatural intervention free of manipulation of those with a vested interest in outcomes.
- Use as a last resort after you’ve sought God’s revelation through numerous other means.
- This is the least personal form of revelation that can, if misused turn your perception of God into that of a Genie.
12. Physical manifestations in our bodies – Luke 8:45-46
13. Through the five spiritual senses
Spiritual EYES EARS TASTE TOUCH SMELL
TWO WORDS OF CAUTION:
1. Prophecy is not a panacea to problems.
2. Don’t be enamored with experiences. Love God.
1 Corinthians 13:2
posted by Doug Love at 2:28 PM
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