developing your prophetic gifting. our aims for this course … 1. to help you see how important...
TRANSCRIPT
Developing Your Prophetic
Gifting
Our Aims for this Course …
1. To help you see how important
prophecy and prophetic ministry are for the Church and Christian ministry.
Our Aims for this Course …
2. To build your faith in God willingness and desire to speak to you -
- and through you to others.
Our Aims for this Course …
3. To equip you with a Biblical understanding of the DIFFERENT WAYS GOD SPEAKS
Our Aims for this Course …4. To teach some KEY VALUES
that should govern how we
handle this powerful gift.
Our Aims for this Course …
5. To give you a safe and easy way
to ‘HAVE A GO’ at using the gift
of prophecy - today !
AgendaSession 1 - Knowing why it is
important
Session 2 - Knowing that YOU can do it
Session 3 - Handling Prophecy
Session 4 - Doing it!
Growing in Prophecy Session 1
Why is Prophecy so important?
Some foundations
What is prophecy?- simply God communicating
directly with us
- when, by faith, we “see”, “hear”, “sense” or “discern” things He is revealing to us.
Some foundations
Exercised at three levels -- using the GIFT of prophecy (all!)
- exercising a prophetic MINISTRY (some)
-having a prophetic OFFICE (very few!)
Some foundations
NB - not trying to teach how to “get into” some completely new spiritual experience!
NO – “.. the word is very near you, it is in your mouth and in your heart ..” (Deut 30:14, Rom 10:8)
It is not difficult to learn to prophesy!
Some foundations
How does prophecy relate to the Bible?The Bible is like God’s map
- it’s always true- it tells us all we need to know about God, His Kingdom, ourselves, salvation etc.
Some foundations
How does prophecy relate to the Bible?Prophecy is like a signpost along the way - it tells you where you are. (OS Map vs mobile phone)
Some foundations
What does prophecy do?
Perfect illustration –
The Annunciation (Luke1:26-38)
The perfect model
God’s WORD announced to a person“You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus” (Luke 1:31)
The perfect model
God’s WORD announced to a person“He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; His Kingdom will never end” (Luke 1:32)
The perfect model
God’s WORD (cont)
“He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; His Kingdom with never end” (Luke 1:32)
The perfect model
“How will this be?” (Luke 1: 35)
The perfect model
“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most
High will overshadow you”(Luke 1:36)
- through the WORD spoken by God
The perfect model
“For nothing is impossible with God” (v37)
- a word of hope for us!
The perfect model
BUT -
- God does not force His Word on us, He waits for our response
Mary’s response? (A prayer) –
“I am the Lord’s servant – may it be to me as you have said”
(v38)
Growing in Prophecy Session 1
Why is Prophecy so important?
Why is Prophecy so important?
Because the Bible says it is!
It’s how God works in the world- in creation (Gn1:1-3,6,9
etc)
- through people!- Gn1:26,28 - Amos 3:7- Isa 55:10,11 - Rev
22:5
Laying some foundations
Jesus Himself is our perfect example
“ ..His sheep follow Him because they know His VOICE” John10:4b
“The watchman opens the gate for Him” - another perfect description of the role of prophecy
Prophecy ALWAYS connects us more closely to Jesus!
The purpose of Prophecy
- It connects us to Jesus (Rev19:10c)
- “For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy”
-It’s intrusive!
The value of the Prophetic
MOST prophetic ministry is forindividuals...
...beware of too many
“directional” words for your Church
The value of the Prophetic
1. To strengthen, encourage and comfort
“Everyone who prophesies speaks
to others for their strengthening,
encouragement and comfort”
1 Cor14:3
The value of the Prophetic
1a. Comfort Communicating grace & peace
The value of the Prophetic
1b. Strengthening
(Can’t strengthen something not already there)
The value of the Prophetic
1c. Encouragement
Many are locked up in “cages of
discouragement”
- Philip and Nathaniel (John1:43-end)
The value of the Prophetic
2. Discernment of people’s gifting/calling
“He gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists ….”
Eph 4:11
The value of the Prophetic
3. Guidance for the Church and its leaderse.g. “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work ….” (Acts 13:1-3)
e.g. Peter’s vision (Acts 10:9-16)
The value of the Prophetic
4. Intercession
- private intercession
- Church prayer-meeting
The value of the Prophetic
5. Correction/rebuke - revealing hidden sin- Nathan being sent to
David (2Sam12:1)
NB - get good at strengthening etc. first!
The value of the Prophetic
6. Evangelism !!
(Very few stories of Jesus doing personal evangelism)
- Zacchaeus (Lk19:1-10)
- Woman at the well (Jn4:1-42)