developing your prophetic gifting. our aims for this course … 1. to help you see how important...

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)