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Basics of the Prophetic Ministry. God wants to COMMUNICATE !!! The VOICE of the Holy Spirit AMOS 3:7 – GOD, does nothing without first telling his prophets the whole story (Message Bible) Gifts of the Holy Spirit – 1 Cor 12 & Eff 4:8-13 The word “PROPHETIC” – where did it originate from ??
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Basics of the Prophetic Ministry God wants to COMMUNICATE !!! The VOICE of the Holy Spirit AMOS 3:7 – GOD, does nothing without first telling his prophets the whole story (Message Bible) Gifts of the Holy Spirit – 1 Cor 12 & Eff 4:8-13 The word “PROPHETIC” – where did it originate from ?? Practical Exercise Is it “RIGHT” to seek for Prophecy ?? Prophetic Teaching – The Word as Basis Spirit of Prophecy (Rev 19:10 & Isa 11:2) Activated by the LOVE of GOD (1 Cor 13)
God wants to Communicate • God created the Heavens and the Earth through WORDS. He is a Speaking God, and wants to communicate His message to us – ever since creation, and He hasn’t stopped !!! (Gen 1, Heb 11:3, Joh 1:1, Isa 55:11) • God is a Personal God – He desires to talk to us and builds relationship with us - since the days of Adam & Eve (Gen2&3) • BUT: SIN Dulled the ears of Man – and they refuse to hear and listen!! • THUS: God selected certain people that He could talk to & who would convey His message to others – like Noah, Abraham, Moses, Joshua, David, Samuel, Elijah, etc… • These People were called Prophets in the Old Testament (Heb 1:1) • TODAY: He communicates to us through His Son – Jesus (Luk 9:35, Heb1:2) , His Spirit and the Bible • Jesus had to die on the cross (rent the veil of Sinful Flesh) in order for us and God to reach each other again !! (Heb 10:20) • Thus the way is now open for God to communicate with each and everyone of us through the Holy Spirit Living/Dwelling IN us – which comes from when we are Born Again and are Spirit Filled. (Joh 3, Joh 14-16, Eff 2:22)
The VOICE of the Holy Spirit • God’s voice, can be heard in various ways – of which one is the Prophetic Voice • Prophetic Ministry IS the Voice of Revelation and Illumination which reveals the mind of Christ to the human race !!! (1 Cor 2:16) • Prophets – were God’s Communication Channels in the past, but today we can all hear God’s voice – through the Holy Spirit dwelling in us. (1 Cor 3:16, Eph 5:17-20) • Humbleness and Quietness of Heart opens the way to HEAR !! (1 Pet 5:6 & Matt 11:28-30) • The Prophetic Ministry is thus mainly today to help new believers to hear God’s Voice, but Prophets are also still used by God to reveal His Word to the world. (Eph 4:11-14) • The Holy Spirit’s gift of prophecy through the saints is to bring edification, exhortation, and comfort to the Church (1 Cor. 14:3) • The Holy Spirit whispering the thoughts of Christ within a Christian’s heart is God’s divine order for communication. But what the individual has sensed in his spirit must be confirmed: God’s counsel is that every word needs to be witnessed to and confirmed in the mouth of two or three witnesses (2 Cor. 13:1, Mat18:16-20)
Amos 3:7 • Amos 3:7 Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealed His secret unto his servants the prophets. • Prophecy is a method that God uses to Reveal His secrets – like in the old Testament it was mostly for Warnings of destruction (Jer 1:14-17) – but there were also messages of promises for God’s blessing (Joel 2:28-29, Isa 54, Isa 61:1-7, Eze 36 & 37, 2 Chron 20:20) • Rom 16:25-26 – God also wants to reveal His secrets and mysteries He kept secret through the dispensation of the old testament that the Angels didn’t even know/understand till it came true !! (1 Pet 1:12) • Jesus said to His disciples that they are allowed to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of God, but not everyone – thus the reason why Jesus spoke in Parables to the masses (Mat13:11&17, Luk 8:10,Rom 11:25, Eph 1:9, Eph 3:9, Col 1:26-27, 1 Tim3:16, 1 Cor 2:7, 1 Cor 14:2, 1 Cor 15:51) • Prophecy is also a method God uses to reveal the secrets of our hearts • 1Cor 14:24-25 - But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all: And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest (revealed); and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.
Gifts of the Holy Spirit • According to 1 Cor 12:4-11 there are 9 Distinct gifts of the Holy Spirit which can be grouped in groups of 3 gifts each: • Revelation Gifts – The Infinite God, Creator of the Universe is revealing His TRUTH to man • Word of Wisdom – to have INSIGHT into a situation (Prov 3) • Word of Knowledge – To KNOW the TRUTH about a situation • Discerning of Spirits – To KNOW/Recogniseatmosphere, character etc. (Acts 5, 1 Joh 4:1) • Power Gifts – God Imparting His own Powers and abilities to man • Faith (Heb 11:1 & 6) – Mustard seed (Luk17:6), Mark 11:22-24 – Faith of God • Healings – Mark2:1-12, Acts 3:6 – What I Have I give unto you… • Working of Miracles – Joh 14:12 – we can do what Jesus did & GREATER !! • Inspiration Gifts – Speaking God’s Word, Will and His Heart • Gift of Prophecy (1 Cor 14:3,4,39) – edifies, builds & encourage others • Gift of Tongues (1 Cor 14:2,4) – speaking mysteries & edifies yourself • Interpretation of Tongues (1 Cor 14:5-11,13) – to proclaim/explain the mysteries to all 1Cor 12:4-6: Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there aredifferences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there arediversities of operations, but it is the same God which works all in all.
Gifts of the Holy Spirit Tongues Interpretation of Tongues Prophecy Inspirational Gifts GOD the SOURCE Discerning of Spirits Word of Knowledge Word of Wisdom Revelation Gifts Faith Gifts of Healings Working of Miracles Power Gifts
Gifts of the Holy Spirit • Tongues are a sign for the Unbeliever !! (1 Cor 14:22) • Prophecy is a sign for the Believer !! Here the believer/prophet speaks under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in his own language for everyone to understand – revealing mysteries & secrets – in order to bring hope & encouragement • God is a God of Harmony – thus, let everything be in Harmony in order to bring glory to God at all times • 1Cor 14:40 Be courteous and considerate in everything • To interpret a strange tongue spoken, normally only the First sentence or a few words will come to you. When you start speaking that in faith, the rest will flow till the full message is revealed… • Remember God wants to Communicate His Heart and Will to us at all times. Thus speak only from His Heart of Love – and you won’t go wrong • 1 Cor 13:1-2 If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal. And if I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing…!!!
Origin of the Prophetic • By definition prophecy is pro – “beforehand” or “time” – and phemi (or phani)- “saying” – that which is said before it happens… • THUS: It is Foretelling, forth-telling, teaching, writings, or verbal utterances under the inspiration of the Spirit of God • What makes it prophecy according to definition is its sphere of formation, which is eternity. Anything God says is prophetic because He spoke it outside of our time to be manifested in our era. This is why prophecy relies much on dreams and visions !! • Everything we see and feel or experience in the physical can be used or seen as a Prophetic explanation of what exists in the Spirit – like a parable (Hos 12:10 – Prophets act out the parables) • THUS: Jesus spoke to the multitudes in Parables also – to bring across a secret TRUTH regarding the Kingdom of God (Mat 13:11-13, 31-34 – mustard seed) • Some of the functions and objectives for prophecy and God’s uses of it: Destiny, Ministry, Correction, Blessing, Change, Creation, Healing, Power, Instruction, Counsel, Impartation, Empowerment • Isa 55:8-11 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, said the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returns not thither, but waters the earth, and makes it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: • So shall my word be that goes forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
Is it “RIGHT” to seek for Prophecy ?? YES and NO !!!! We sayYES because of Paul that emphasized that truth when he told the church at Corinth to “covet to prophesy” (1 Cor. 14:39; Eph. 4:11) If you struggle to hear from God, then you can search a true Prophet to hear on your behalf. But then keep in mind, he will be used of God to reveal the secrets of your heart – meaning he will bring out what you might be hiding as well as your true motives !! (ex Jer 42, Eze 14) BUT: We also say NO because personal prophecy must never become a substitute for the individual’s responsibility and privilege of hearing the voice of God for himself. God is a jealous God, and is not pleased when we allow anything to hinder an intimate relationship and personal communication with Him – even if the hindrance is from a ministry He Himself has ordained. Personal prophecy must not take the place of our duty to fast, pray, and seek God until we hear from God ourselves! At the same time, many people cannot hear, or will not take time to hear, what God wants to say to them. God is more anxious to talk than we are to listen, but He will not always break in on our busy schedules, trying to shout over the noise of the television or social chatter (though occasionally He may catch us while we are asleep.) When this is the case, the Lord often uses the voice of the prophet to speak to individuals, congregations, and nations. But His greatest desire is always for His children to take quality time to wait upon Him until our mind, emotions, and will are cleared sufficiently for Him to communicate His heart and mind to us clearly (Ps 46:10, Isa 40:31)
Prophetic Teaching The Word as basis • The whole Bible can rightly be called prophecy – that is, God communicating His thoughts and intents to mankind. • The entire Scripture is one inspired revelation of God’s mind, will, and Word communicated to man and written on paper: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God…” (2 Tim.3:16). • “For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2 Pet. 1:21) See also Rev. 1 • The Bible is fully sufficient to bring all the revelation of God that we can comprehend and appropriate in our daily lives. • Any truly prophetic word given today must therefore be in full agreement with the spirit and context of the Bible. If this is the case, then, many will ask why we need prophecy at all in the twentieth – century Church. The answer to this question requires that we understand the meaning of two important words from Biblical Greek • LOGOS – the FULL PICTURE – the TRUTH (Joh 8:32, Joh 14:6) • RHEMA – An Extract of that Picture – like Prophecy – a spoken word from the COMPLETE WORD • Joh 1:1&14 vs Mat 4:4 - Jesus is the FULL PICTURE of God, Prophecy is a portion of that Picture • Rom 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word (Rhema) of God
Prophetic Teaching The Word as basis • To use the Bible then as Prophetic teaching, a Prophet will typically read a portion of Scripture from a past era, and bring it in context of today – as a lesson, or a particular message to whomever needs to hear it • But a believer and non-believers especially that are not flowing in the prophetic, will read that same portion of scripture, and won’t be able to learn from it. It won’t make any sense to them, except for getting “locked into the era in which the portion of scripture was written in”. • It works similar with Dreams and Visions. Without the Word and a Prophetic understanding, it is difficult to interpret a Dream or a Vision – because of the symbols used to bring across a specific meaning for a specific moment. • Eg: The Book of Revelation and Daniel – is full of symbols and needs interpretation to get the deeper meaning • Thus: we have to read the Bible with the SPIRIT of God otherwise it will be like Paul wrote in 2 Cor 3:6 “the Letter Kills, but the SPIRIT gives LIFE” • Without the Spirit bringing understanding – it is like a veil that hangs over your eyes. We only receive the Spirit through Faith in Christ Jesus (2 Cor 3:13-18)
Spirit of Prophecy • There is a difference between the GIFT of Prophecy & a SPIRIT of Prophecy • A GIFT is something that are given to us freely, but we have the choice of using it or not • But when you operate in the SPIRIT of Prophecy, you become prophecy – and whatever you then speak or do, will be prophetic one way or the other… • THUS: we have to make a distinction also between the Ministry of a Prophet and a believer operating under the gift of Prophecy • The Ministry of a Prophet is a calling from God as part of the 5 fold ministry Gifts for the uplifting and building of the church in total to come unto maturity (Eff 4:11-13) • The Gift of Prophecy is a Temporary WORKING of the Holy Spirit into someone’s life for a specific purpose and then it is finished and will lay dormant until it is used again.. • Rev 19:10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy. • Isa 11:2 And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;
Activated – by the LOVE of GOD 1 Kor 13 – The Chapter of the Perfect LOVE of God – written in between the 2 chapters on the Gifts of God and the explanation of Tongues & Prophecy 1 Cor 12 finishes with these word: “But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way” – then 1 Cor 13:13 “Right now three things remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love. ” Gal 5:16-18 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. (Sien ook Gal 5:6) Gal 5:22-25 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit 1Jo 4:6-8 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. 1Jo 4:13 Hereby know we that we dwell in Him, and He in us, because He hath given us of his Spirit. Joh 15:4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. In other words – STAY and MOVE in the LOVE of GOD, and His compassion will lead you right into the Gifts of the Holy Spirit to work through you. In order to open up the ways for God’s Love, is through Forgiveness – Mark 11:22-26