Using our Spiritual Toolbox

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Using our Spiritual Toolbox

• Prophecy
• Acts 217-14

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Gifts tools for the job
Wisdom Knowledge Faith Healing
Miracles Prophecy Discernment Tongues
Interpretation
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Prophecy

• What does it conjure up in your mind?
• Predictions of the future

Nostradamus The Prophecies, 1555
Derren Brown The lottery trick, 2009
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Prophecy

• So WHAT is this talk about?
• And should I really be bothered to listen?

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Prophecy

• WHO can do it?
• Everyone.
• 1 Cor 141 Follow the way of love and eagerly
  desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of
  prophecy
• 1 Cor 12 4 There are different kinds of gifts,
  but the same Spirit distributes them 6 There are
  different kinds of working, but in all of them
  and in everyone it is the same God at work. 7 Now
  to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is
  given for the common good. 8 To one there is
  given through the Spirit 10to another prophecy
•  11 All these are the work of one and the same
  Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just
  as he determines

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Prophecy

• WHAT is Prophecy?
• Prophecy is what happens when a person speaks for
  God under the immediate inspiration of the Holy
  Spirit.
• WHAT is its purpose?
• Eph 4 11 he gave some to be prophets12to equip
  his people for works of service, so that the body
  of Christ may be built up
• 1Co 143 those who prophesy speak to people for
  their strengthening, encouragement and comfort.

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Acts 217-14 (TNIV)
(Acts 20 compelled by the Spirit Paul sets off
for Jerusalem) 7We continued our voyage from
Tyre and landed at Ptolemais, where we greeted
the believers and stayed with them for a
day. 8Leaving the next day, we reached Caesarea
and stayed at the house of Philip the evangelist,
one of the Seven. 9He had four unmarried
daughters who prophesied. 10After we had been
there a number of days, a prophet named Agabus
came down from Judea. 
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Acts 217-14 (TNIV)
11Coming 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.' 12When we
heard this, we and the people there pleaded with
Paul not to go up to Jerusalem. 13Then 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." 14When he would not be dissuaded, we gave
up and said, "The Lord's will be done."
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What just happened?

• Acts 20 compelled by the Spirit Paul sets off
  for Jerusalem
• Acts 21 Paul reaches Caesarea and stays (v8)
• Visit from Agabus. Last seen in Acts 1128
  predicting a famine (which happened) so the
  disciples provided help for those in Judea. So a
  trusted prophet.
• Agabus brings a dramatic message (v 11)
• Paul has to decide what to do with it

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What just happened?

• Luke, the writer of Acts, plus the others around,
  have decided exactly what it means (v12)
• Paul brings his prior knowledge, wisdom and
  certainty in his task (v13)
• His certainty reveals the Lords will to the
  others (v14)

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• Paul brought all his prior knowledge and advice
  and was able to apply it to himself in this
  specific situation.
• What can we learn?
• Lets examine some of Pauls other advice to see
  how he applied it and then how we can apply it
  today, here and now.

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• True prophecy from the Holy Spirit
• All who receive are able to prophesy
• Not all of us are Prophets with a ministry of
  regular spontaneous revelations from God
• If youre a follower of Christ then God will
  speak to you a message to share with someone else
• How do we know?
• What is the mark of a prophet

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• What it is not
• A change in voice, volume
• Use of King James English
• Being annoying
• Being oversensitive, in your face
• Being weird

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• Differences between prophecy you read about in
  the Old Testament and New Testament
• We are living after the New Testament
• Its reasonable to look for the tell tale signs
  of New Testament prophecy
• Test it! Why?
• Because now the Spirit is available to all
• God is shouting to us The Kingdom has come!

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• What it is. Things to test against
• Consistency
• Purpose
• Constructive
• Courage
• Comfort
• Confronts
• Confirms

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Consistency

• With the Bible
• what it teaches about God, Christ, sin judgment,
  material wealth, holiness, forgiveness, grace?
• With the spirit of Jesus?
• Does this sound like the Jesus we know from the
  Bible?
• Is the person delivering the prophecy living a
  life consistent with following Jesus?
• You wouldnt take a prophetic word from someone
  who has their back turned to Jesus.

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Purpose - Constructive

• Prophecy is designed to be constructive
• Not nothing negative constructive criticism
• Helping to overcome a problem in the way
  destructive criticism does not
• Hope for change, hope for redemption if they
  repent and choose to follow God
• Builds up hope and faith

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Purpose - Courage

• Encouragement. Putting courage into people
• Dont give up, dont be afraid, dont fear, take
  courage, be bold, be strong, keep on going,
  persevere in your marriage, in your work, through
  this trial, dont throw in the towel, continue to
  trust in the Lord, God can help you
• I am with you, says the Lord.

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Purpose - Comfort

• Brings comfort to hurting people
• God sees you

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Purpose - Confronts

• Prophecy confronts people with Gods reality
• God heals our hearts but also cleanses us from
  our sin brings conviction

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Purpose - Confirms

• Prophecy confirms Gods will
• As opposed to guidance and decision making
• Walk dependently on God, not upon a prophetically
  gifted person
• Relate to God personally
• Prophecy is like Gods highlighter pen

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Paul with Agabus

• Gods will
• Interpreting what was meant
• Consistency with what had been said before
• I am with you, says God

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Some suggestions

• How to best benefit from the good gifts God has
  given.
• See the Prophecy Guidelines

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Some suggestions

• Blessed are the humble
• For they promote Gods name above their own
• Blessed are those who love the church
• For that is Gods instrument to save the world
• Blessed are the submissive
• For they make pastors work a joy
• Blessed are the normal
• For they allow guests not to be weirded out