Intro to The Prophetic

Transcription

1 1 Intro to The Prophetic SESSION 1: PROPHECY & THE NEW COVENANT 1 SESSION 2: SEERS & PROPHETS 13 SESSION 3: THE PROPHETIC PURPOSE 18 SESSION 4: STEPPING OUT 22 Session 1: Prophecy & the New Covenant Lesson Goals Explore the way prophecy has played a part in biblical history. Take a look the Spirit of Prophecy Introduction The main purpose of this time is to lay a basic foundation for our future studies involving our understanding the prophetic. Key Insights I. Prophecies Vital Role Prophecy has played a vital role in shaping history. Kings have seen their uprising and even been made low by the initiation of a prophecy. Nations have been formed out of prophecies. Our King, Jesus was brought forth into this world under a prophetic sign. Whether you know it or not our culture has been affected by prophecy and some of the most awesome discoveries were through prophetic phenomena. 1

2 2 A) Definition Prophecy (Noun)-Encarta Dictionary: English North America 1. Divine prediction A prediction of a future event that is believed to reveal the will of a deity 2. Prediction A prediction that something will occur in the future 3. Supposed ability to predict future The supposed ability to predict the future when inspired by a deity B) Foretelling vs. Forthtelling 1. Foretelling is having prophetic insight into an event or situation beforehand and declaring it. This is one of the major objectives of the Holy Spirit, to reveal the future to us. John 16:13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 2. Forthtelling is having prophetic insight about something that has already happened or is occurring in the present. This is exactly what Peter was functioning under on the day of Pentecost. Acts 2:16 But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: Joel foretold it and later when it was fulfilled Peter forth told it, but both were very prophetic. Biblical Examples The Bible is full of prophecy. Most of the Old Testament is filled with prophecies pertaining both to Israel s circumstances as well as future advances. The New Testament is also filled with prophetic practice as well as revelation; in fact the last book of the New Testament is called The Revelation. To name a few instances we will look at the prophecy and the fulfillment. 2

3 3 II. Concerning Messiah, Jesus A. The line of Eve & David Genesis 3:14 So the Lord God said to the serpent: "Because you have done this, You are cursed more than all cattle, And more than every beast of the field; On your belly you shall go, And you shall eat dust All the days of your life. 15 And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel. 2nd Samuel 7:16 And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever." B. That He would be born in Bethlehem Micah 5:2 "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From everlasting." Matthew 2:1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, C. That Messiah would be crucified.*1 In Psalm 22:7, it speaks of a Him being surrounded by others who scorn and despise him. This is what happened to Jesus in Matthew 27:39 and Mark 15:29. 3

4 4 In Psalm 22:7, it speaks of a man being mocked, which is similar in the descriptions of Jesus' crucifixion given in Matthew 27:31, Mark 15:20 and Luke 22:63; 23:36. In Psalm 22:8, it says, "He trusts in the LORD; let the LORD rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him." In Matthew 27:43, Jesus enemies taunted him by saying, "He trusts in God. Let God rescue him now if he wants him." In Psalm 22:16, it speaks of a man who was numbered with the transgressors, meaning an innocent man being regarded as being one of a group of criminals. Jesus too was numbered with the transgressors when he was crucified next to two criminals, as described in Matthew 27:38, Mark 15:27, Luke 23:32 and John 19:18. In Psalm 22:16, it speaks of a man whose hands and feet are either pierced, or mauled, or disfigured, depending on which is truly the best English translation of the original verse. In John 19:23,34,37 - Jesus' hands and feet were pierced with nails during the crucifixion process. In Psalm 22:17, it speaks of a man who would be surrounded by others who stared and gloated at him. This too was the situation for Jesus during the crucifixion, according to Matthew 27:36 and Luke 23:35. In Psalm 22:18, onlookers gamble for pieces of clothing that belonged to the person being persecuted. As explained in Matthew 27:35, Roman soldiers gambled (cast lots) for articles of Jesus' clothing while he was being crucified. There are other descriptions in Psalm 22 that sound like an accurate description of what would happen to a person being crucified, such as the disjointing of bones, the drying up of a person's strength, an intense sense of thirst, a heart melting like wax (Jesus was stabbed in the heart with a sword during his crucifixion), and being "poured out" of one's body. When 4

5 5 Jesus was stabbed in the heart with a sword, blood and water poured out from the wound. D. That He would be pierced Zechariah 12:10 "And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn. John 19:34 But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. E. That He would be resurrected Psalms 16:10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. Mark 16: 5-7 And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. But go, tell His disciples--and Peter--that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you." III. Prophetic Phenomena in the Old Testament Genesis 6-7. God tells Noah to build a boat because of a coming flood upon the whole earth. 5

6 6 Genesis 17 God promises Abraham a son by changing his name from Abram to Abraham. Abram means noble father. Abraham means father of many nations. Genesis 41- Joseph Interprets Pharoahs Dream of the Seven Fat Cows and the Seven Lean. He interpreted them to mean seven good years and then seven lean years of famine. It shortly came to pass afterwards. Daniel 2- King Nebuchadnezzar s dream of the statue with a head of fine gold, a chest and arms of silver, a belly and thighs of bronze, legs of iron, and feet partly of iron and partly of clay. Finally, the stone which came down crushed everything and was foreseen and understood by Daniel to be the Kingdom of God. There is so much more so I encourage you to read the Bible and search out the multitudes of prophecies within the Old Testament including the major prophets and the minor prophets. IV. Prophetic Phenomena in the New Testament Jesus gives a word of knowledge to Nathanial then prophesies to him. John 1:47-51 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!" Nathanael said to Him, "How do You know me?" Jesus answered and said to him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you." Nathanael answered and said to Him, "Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" Jesus answered and said to him, "Because I said to you, 'I saw you under the fig tree,' do you believe? You will see greater things than these." And He said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man." 6

7 7 The church continues to function in prophecy. A. The Prophets Prophesy Agabus prophesies of a famine throughout the land. Acts 11:28 Then one of them, named Agabus, stood up and showed by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius Caesar. In Acts 21:10-11, Agabus prophesies of Paul s further persecution. And as we stayed many days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. When he had come to us, he took Paul's belt, bound his own hands and feet, and said, "Thus says the Holy Spirit, 'So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.' " John The beloved is cast onto the Isle of Patmos and in his spare time receives a prophetic word from Jesus. B. The Believers Prophesy The Corinthian believers prophesied when the Holy Spirit came on them. Acts 19:1-7 And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples he said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" So they said to him, "We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit." And he said to them, "Into what then were you baptized?" So they said, "Into John's baptism." Then Paul said, "John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus." When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. Now the men were about twelve in all. Philip s daughters also prophesied 7

8 8 Acts 21:8-9 On the next day we who were Paul's companions departed and came to Caesarea, and entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him. Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied. C. The Regularity of God s Voice Acts 8:26-29 Philip is lead by the Spirits voice to the Ethiopian Eunich. Acts 9:10 Ananias is given a vision and specific instructions from the Lord concerning the conversion of Saul of Tarsus. He gives him a word of knowledge about his eyes and that he will pray for them to be healed. Acts 10:22. The Gentile Cornelius, a nonbeliever is directed by an angel to give an audience to Peter. So we have Cornelius contacted by God about this meeting and Peter is contacted also. This meeting initiates the breaking open of the gospel to the gentile world. Acts 13 the Holy Spirits speaks and tells them to Separate Paul and Barnabas for the work He has called them to do. Acts 16:6. Paul here is forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the Word in Asia. Acts 16:10. Paul has a night vision of the Philippian jailer beckoning him. So the next day he goes to Macedonia and wins the jailer to Christ. Acts 18:9. The Lord speaks to Paul in another night vision at Corinth, telling him not to be afraid, but to preach the gospel with boldness. Acts 22:16, in which Jesus appears to Paul in a trance while Paul is praying and has a detailed conversation with Paul, instructing him to leave Jerusalem to avoid capture, which Paul doesn't do and then gets captured. Two times Paul disobeyed, it seems. 8

9 9 Acts 23:11. Jesus appears at Paul's side to encourage him and tells him he will witness in Rome just as he has in Jerusalem. V. Prophetic Phenomena & Views in the History of the church A. Quotes Concerning the Activity of Prophecy For the apostle thought it necessary that the prophetic gift should continue in all the Church until the final coming... (Church History of Eusebius. Book 5, Chap. 17) Justin Martyr. Justin Martyr (A.D ) For one receives the spirit of understanding, another of counsel, another of strength, another of healing, another of foreknowledge, another of teaching, and another of the fear of God. (Martyr, Justin. Dialogue with Justin. Chap 39) For the prophetical gifts remain with us, even to the present time. And hence you ought to understand that [the gifts] formerly among your nation have been transferred to us. And just as there were false prophets contemporaneous with your holy prophets, so are there now many false teachers amongst us, of whom our Lord forewarned us to beware; so that in no respect are we deficient, since we know that He foreknew all that would happen to us after His resurrection from the dead and ascension to heaven. (Martyr, Justin. Dialogue with Justin. Chap 82). Irenaeus (A.D ) In like manner we have also heard many brethren in the Church, who possess prophetic gifts, and who through the Spirit speak all kinds of languages, and bring to light for the general benefit the hidden things of men, and declare the mysteries of God, whom also the apostle terms spiritual, they being spiritual because they partake of the Spirit, and not because their flesh has been stripped off and taken away, and because they have become purely spiritual. (Irenaeus. Against Heresies. Book 5, Chap. 6) 9

10 10 IV. Prophetic Phenomena Throughout Biblical History A. What is Prophetic Phenomena? Prophetic phenomena are the ways in which revelations are received, brought forth, and made manifest. They are the tools that a prophetic person B. Examples Scripture Daniel 9:2 - Daniel understood Jeremiah s prophecy. in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years specified by the word of the Lord through Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem. Acts 2:16 Peter understood Joel s prophecy But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: Dreams They seem to be one of heavens most popular ways of communicating with mankind. A prophet is called a dreamer of dreams Deuteronomy 13:1 "If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, Visions This is another way that revelation can come by. Numbers 12:6 Then He said, "Hear now My words: "If there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, make Myself known to him in a vision; I speak to him in a dream. 1. Internal Visions a. There are times when Daniel had visions at night internally or in his mind. (Daniel 4:5 I saw a dream which made me afraid, and 10

11 11 the thoughts on my bed and the visions of my head troubled me. ) 2. External Visions a. Elisha s servant s eyes were opened to see external vision. 2 Kings 6:17 And Elisha prayed, and said, "Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see." Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. Trances Acts 10:10 Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance. 1. What are trances? a. Trances are a moment when you completely lose consciousness of your physical surroundings because you are overcome by the Spirit of God. It seems you lose your logic and are overcome with what God is presenting to you as if it always was. b. Greek word for trance: Ekstasis. It is where we get the word Ecstasy. When you are in a trance you are in a state of ecstasy. Ecstasy: (noun) Encarta Dictionary 1. Intense delight A feeling of intense delight. Visitations Visitations are the supernatural encounter between the heavenly and the earthly or between God and man. Daniel 8:15 Then it happened, when I, Daniel, had seen the vision and was seeking the meaning, that suddenly there stood before me one having the appearance of a man. Visitations are life altering and many times have the sense that the one receiving the visitation may die. Isaiah 6:1-8 1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. 2 Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. 3 And one cried to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; The whole 11

12 12 earth is full of His glory!" 4 And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke. 5 So I said: "Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The Lord of hosts." 6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. 7 And he touched my mouth with it, and said: "Behold, this has touched your lips; Your iniquity is taken away, And your sin purged." 8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: "Whom shall I send, And who will go for Us?" Then I said, "Here am I! Send me." Translations & Transportations Translations are the act of ones spirit being caught away to another location or realm. Transportations are the act of ones entire person being caught away to another location or realm. 2 Corinthians 12:2-4 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago-- whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows--such a one was caught up to the third heaven. And I know such a man--whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows-- how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. --John G. Lake the apostle of healing. This happened to him during a sermon of his. Impressions Acts 15:28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things: Impressions are the inward witness of the Holy Spirit concerning something. for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. 2Peter 1:21 Physical Sensations -Words of Knowledge can happen with physical sensations. -Discernment of Spirits. Verbal Communication This is where someone says something or something is spoken and it jumps out at you. It can come through a song, a word spoken to you in the night and in many other ways. 12

13 13 Session 2: Seers & Prophets Lesson Goals In this lesson we will look at the types of prophetic people we can see in the word. This may give you some insight as to ways you might express the prophetic Spirit. Key Insights The bible is chalked full of types and ways of prophets and the differences that complete the prophetic heart of God. We can see all the way from Adam in Genesis to John the beloved in the book of Revelation the Spirit of God expressing Himself in revelatory ways. I. Seers & Prophets Now the acts of King David, first and last, indeed they are written in the book of Samuel the seer, in the book of Nathan the prophet, and in the book of Gad the seer, 1 Chronicles 29:29 A. Seers A seer tends to have insight into the past present and future. They typically receive revelation by gazing at something. They peer past the veil of time into the realm of angels and demons. They have a strange familiarity with what is called the unseen realm. The word seer comes from Ra ah which means to see, to gaze, to look upon, and Chozeh which means, a beholder in vision, stargazer, or gazer. * 1. Their message. a. They tend to have a clear message of reuniting to God. Intimacy with the Spirit of God and His covenant is what they tend to have mingled throughout their messages. They initiate encounters with the supernatural in the lives of those that are their audience. b. They know that they can see real change if they can lead those they are ministering to into a real encounter with God. Examples would be Samuel with Saul in 1 Sam 10 where he leads him into an encounter where he will be changed into another man and prophesy. Also Elisha when he opens his servants eyes to see the hosts of heaven all around them in 2 Kings Their mode of revelation. 13

14 14 a. The seer type tends to receive dreams and see visions as a means to their revelation. They are a little slow in their delivery because they usually are still making sense of the imagery that they have been shown. Example: Zechariah in Zechariah 3-5. Extremely visual as well as puzzling. B. Prophets A prophet is a spokesperson or messenger who proclaims a message on behalf of God. The Hebrew word for prophet is nabi which translated may mean, to pour forth words, to bubble up, to flow. 1. Their message. A) They tend to give less on the mode of revelation but the work of revelation. The seer tends to give more on the way the message was received while the prophet s heart is the message itself and the reception of the messenger. B) They see change coming about by the people encountering their message as well as the messenger. Example: Jeremiah s commissioning. Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying: "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations." Then said I: "Ah, Lord God! Behold, I cannot speak, for I am a youth." But the Lord said to me: "Do not say, 'I am a youth,' For you shall go to all to whom I send you, And whatever I command you, you shall speak. Do not be afraid of their faces, For I am with you to deliver you," says the Lord. Then the Lord put forth His hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me: "Behold, I have put My words in your mouth. See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, To root out and to pull down, To destroy and to throw down, To build and to plant." (Jeremiah 1:4-10) 2. Their mode of revelation. a. Prophet s dream dreams see visions, and one of their main staples of revelation is inspired prophetic unction. There are times when the nabi flow seems to bubble up out of them and they release the word of the Lord. Example: Moses Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say." Exodus 4:12 Now you shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth. And I will be with your mouth and with his mouth, and I will teach you what you shall do. Exodus 4:15 14

15 15 II. New Testament Prophets and Prophetic Ministries A. Levels of the Prophetic 1. There are four recognizable manifestations of prophetic ministry. The Spirit of Prophecy Revelation 19:10 The gift of prophecy 1 Corinthians 12:10 The prophetic ministry Romans 12 The Prophetic Office Ephesians 4:11 a. The Spirit of Prophecy For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged -1Corinthians 14:31 Then the Lord came down in the cloud, and spoke to him, and took of the Spirit that was upon him, and placed the same upon the seventy elders; and it happened, when the Spirit rested upon them, that they prophesied, although they never did so again. But two men had remained in the camp: the name of one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad. And the Spirit rested upon them. Now they were among those listed, but who had not gone out to the tabernacle; yet they prophesied in the camp. And a young man ran and told Moses, and said, "Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp." So Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' assistant, one of his choice men, answered and said, "Moses my lord, forbid them!" Then Moses said to him, "Are you zealous for my sake? Oh, that all the Lord's people were prophets and that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them!" - Numbers 11: Eldad: favored of God; love of God - Medad: water of love Jambres- Poverty, Bitter, Rebel Jannes- Vex Hitchcock s Bible Names b. The gift of Prophecy for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 1 Corinthians 12:8-10 Gift: Charisma; a favor with which one receives without any merit of his own, a gift of divine grace. Gift of the Spirit c. A prophetic ministry For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, but all the 15

16 16 members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Romans 12:3-9 On the next day we who were Paul's companions departed and came to Caesarea, and entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him. Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied. Acts 21:8-9 Gift from the Father A continuous ministry in a local and/or itinerant context You may have a prophetic ministry and not be a prophet. d. The Prophetic Office And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head--christ-- from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. Ephesians 4:11-16 The greek word used for gift here is doma. Doma:gift The word doma is characteristically different than charisma. Charisma is a gift an individual receives whereas doma is a gift that an individual is. 1. This gift is the function of Jesus within the body. It is a gift of Jesus. B. The Role of Prophets in the New Testament 1. Their Primary Role is to Equip and Edify the body. a. When is the necessity for Prophets no longer? - till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; Ephesians 4 16

17 17 b. Prophets equip and edify the body by 2. Helping believers hear God for themselves 3. Training prophetic voices within local and/or regional works. 4. Releasing revelatory insight and strategy into the direction of a work of God. This directional insight should be confirmed by signs and wonders. 5. Providing a prophetic covering for those within their sphere of influence. 6. Serve as judges to the prophetic. 1 Corinthians 14:29 Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge. Working together with the other five fold offices. having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone, Ephesians 2:20 2. Prophets Minister to Nations. a. At times prophets are given authority in nations to Speak to officials and those in governmental roles Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say. 12 For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say." Luke 12:11-12 Make sense of things about to take place in the land through forthtelling or foretelling. Then one of them, named Agabus, stood up and showed by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius Caesar. Acts 11:28 Speak out against and uproot moral evils and help cultivate righteousness in the land. They protect the standards of holiness that attempt to infiltrate the church from the world. Revelation 2-3. C. Who is what and why? 1. How do I know what level of authority I function in. a. Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth; A stranger, and not your own lips. Proverbs 27:2 b. You will have heard the call from God. Jeremiah 1 It will receive an earthly witness. John the Baptist was Jesus earthly witness. 17

18 18 Session 3: The Prophetic Purpose Lesson Goals In this lesson I would like us to take a look at the benefit of prophecy and how it pertains to us as a New Testament church. The prophetic is a gift to us as if it was Christmas and we are to embrace it and learn its value. I. The Purpose of Prophecy A. But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. 1 Corinthians 14:3 Edification: To strengthen or build up Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. Ephesians 4:29 Exhortation: To encourage somebody strongly to do something. Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the fainthearted, uphold the weak, be patient with all. 1Thessalonians 5:14 Now Judas and Silas, themselves being prophets also, exhorted and strengthened the brethren with many words. Acts 15:32 Comfort: relief from pain or anxiety Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 2. Corinthians 1:3-4 B. Prophecy releases gifts & activates callings. Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership. 1 Timothy 4:14 18

19 19 Samuel anoints David as King over Israel through a prophetic word. 1 Samuel 16 C. Prophetic anointing releases understanding of the word. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge 1 Corinthians 13:2a in the first year of his reign I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years specified by the word of the Lord through Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem. Daniel 9:2 D. Prophecy and Evangelism=Harvest But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, he is convinced by all, he is convicted by all. And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed; and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God and report that God is truly among you. 1 Corinthians 14:24-25 E. Prophecy Can Bring Direction As To What One Should Do 1 Samuel 10-Samuel gives Saul a prophetic word and then tells him this in vs. 7 And let it be, when these signs come to you, that you do as the occasion demands; for God is with you F. Walking in Prophecy Changes Your life Then the Spirit of the Lord will come upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man. 1 Samuel 10:6 So it was, when he had turned his back to go from Samuel, that God gave him another heart; and all those signs came to pass that day 1 Samuel 10:9 G. Prophecy Gives you strategy for spiritual warfare & Prayer This charge I commit to you, son Timothy, according to the prophecies previously made concerning you, that by them you may wage the good warfare, 1 Timothy 1:18 19

20 20 II. Prophecy in the Church A. Prophecy should present itself in some sort of credibility. Credibility of the prophet. Both Samuel and Jesus Grew in Stature and in Favor with God and man. -1 Samuel 2:26, Luke 2:52 So Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. 1 Samuel 3:19 And the Lord said to Moses, "Behold, I come to you in the thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and believe you forever." So Moses told the words of the people to the Lord. Exodus 19:9 Credibility of the word. Samuel would give signs that came to pass in order to believe the word. 1 Samuel 10 Elisha prophesies water that would fill the land and this would be a sign that Israel would conquer the Moabites. 2 King 3:16-25 Prophecy Builds the church up. He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. 1 Corinthians 14:4 Prophecy can help the church by imparting direction as well as culture. It can bring in souls to add to the church daily. But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, he is convinced by all, he is convicted by all. 1 Corinthians 14:24 It can bring courage to a congregation as well as teach. For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged. 1 Corinthians 14:31 20

21 21 Prophecy can bring much needed direction as in Acts 13:1-3 Now in the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, "Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away. Prophetic ministries help to complete team ministry. Now in the church that was at Antioch there were certain prophets and teachers: Acts 13:1a And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. 1 Corinthians 12:28 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, Eph 4:11 21

22 22 Session 4: Stepping Out Lesson Goals: In this lesson we will look at the effects of evangelism with prophetic power. The supernatural revelation gifts make way for the secrets of people s hearts to be revealed. We will study how signs, wonders, and prophetic power are God s model for effective evangelism. I. Signs and Wonders open the door for the gospel. This is what we call a no brainer! The gospel is designed by God to be followed with power. Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus." Acts 4:29-30 A. Tools for the journey. Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the Lord guards the city, The watchman stays awake in vain. Psalm 127:1 1. Paul the apostle caught a divine concept. a. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power. 1 Corinthians 2:4 1. When the revelatory realm opens up the results are astounding. 22

23 23 a. But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, he is convinced by all, he is convicted by all. And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed; and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God and report that God is truly among you. 1 Corinthians 14:24-25 b. Wooster, Ohio. We saw this and over 200 people came to Jesus in three weeks. II. Jesus, our Model. Jesus is the perfect example. He saw the harvest was great and so he took out the tools necessary to accomplish Papa God s work. A. Nathanael s divine moment. In the life of Jesus, whenever He spoke it seemed He knew something the others did not. The word of knowledge flowed in Jesus life. Let s look at it in Nathaniel s encounter. œthe following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, "Follow Me." Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote--jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." And Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!" Nathanael said to Him, "How do You know me?" Jesus answered and said to him, "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you." Nathanael answered and said to Him, "Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" Jesus answered and said to him, "Because I said to you, 'I saw you under the fig tree,' do you believe? You will see greater things than these." And He said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man." John 1: Jesus is flowing in a word of knowledge. Words of knowledge are specific bits of information about a person, place, or thing. 1 Corinthians 12:8 2. Nathanael transforms. 23

24 24 The Spirit of knowledge found in Isaiah 11:2 works together with the Spirit of the thus Nathanael s reaction. fear of the Lord, III. The word of Knowledge The word of knowledge is one of the nine charismata gifts of the Holy Spirit found in 1 Corinthians 12. The word of knowledge reveals information by the Holy Spirit concerning a person, place, or thing. It is extremely effective with a healing gift if the information is a sickness or disease. A. How do I receive a word of knowledge? 1. Feel It Upon your body. 2. Think It- an impression, a Knowing 3. See It-- Visions, Trances 4. Say It It comes out of your mouth and bypasses your mind. 5. Hear It Audibly, Internally 6. Smell It-This is working together with a gift of discerning spirits. 7. Dream It 8. Experience It this is like feeling it, but you actually go through what the person has gone through. 1. Feel It You may have a sharp pain in some part of your body, a throbbing sensation, some other sensation, a strong emotion such as fear or panic 24

25 25 These are ways that the Lord may speak to us in regards to physical healing. You have to discern what is your own condition and what is the Lord s voice on your body. 2. Think It You may have a strong impression or a small fleeting impression. The more this happens or the more you pay attention, the more you will understand what is you and what is supernatural. I may look at someone and get a small impression of a name. Pay attention, because you could be hearing the Lord s thoughts. We have the mind of Christ. (1 Corinthians 2: 16) 3. See it You may get a mental picture, You may see someone or someone s body part as larger than life. Similar to a caricature, You may see an open vision playing out before you, You may see a ticker tape with words on it before you. You may see it in a vision in a trance. When you see things in vision form there are times when you need Lord whether what you are seeing is literal or symbolic. understanding from the Delivery should be done gently so as to not miss the interpretation. 1. Say It While talking or praying or standing with someone, unpremeditated words may tumble out of your mouth relating to someone in a current situation or something that has happened already. 2. Hear It You may hear it from An internal audible voice,-- an angel, the Lord, a Spirit. An external audible voice An audible voice in a dream, vision, trance, et 25

26 26 3. Smell It Smelling it works alongside discernment of spirits. You may smell cancer, spirit of poverty, drug addiction, a person s affiliations etc The key is to know that it takes a seasoning in this type of revelation to walk in accuracy. 7. Dream It While sleeping, you may have a vivid dream in which: You have a new health problem, Something happens to you that is completely unfamiliar-like you are someone else or in someone else s shoes and something happens to you, You hear information about someone, like a health problem. Someone shows you something going on with them, You watch an event happening before your eyes as if it is a movie. 1. Experience It Experiencing a word of knowledge is like growing something and it disappears. It of the feeling realm. is another level B. Ministering a Word of Knowledge 1. The Holy Spirit When the Holy Spirit gives a revelatory word of knowledge for a person it is to point something out that is on His heart. If it is a word of knowledge concerning their healing, He wants to heal them. If it is a word of knowledge concerning their name, He wants to acknowledge that individuals value. The word of knowledge helps to also make credible the word you are about to give. (Look at 1 Samuel 10) 2. The Context for Receiving and Giving a Word of Knowledge 26

27 27 a. You may receive a word of knowledge any time or anywhere. You might get a word during a prayer meeting, a cell group meeting, walking church or in the supermarket, while at work, or while washing dishes at home. past someone in 1. Example: Jamie got peoples food allergies at work. Also, peoples line of work, where people are from. Jamie s childhood was filled with this. a. You may or may not know for whom the revelation has been given. Most often, the word of knowledge is given for someone present. Moreover, it someone present, but for a person whom someone present may not be for knows about. Or it can be for someone you will see in the near future. c. Specificity in Expressing a Word of Knowledge and the Effect of Faith. The more specific the word of knowledge is, the more faith it builds in the people involved. Example: Jamie s story of wifi access. I luv. d. Express a word of knowledge without opinions. It is important to express a word of knowledge to someone without opinions. If you have better insight into something from the Holy Spirit go with it. But, sometimes opinions can get in the way of true interpretation. e. How to Deliver a Word of Knowledge 1. It is generally wise to not phrase your word of knowledge in a know it all tone of voice. Approach it with humility. Example: Pose the word in a form of a question. Do not worry, it will still have the same impact? 27

28 28 The woman at the well had her mail read by Jesus. He was so gentle and never had to say, Thus saith the Lord. 2. If the person is open to receiving prayer, pray for him. If he wants prayer later, pray for him later. If he doesn t want prayer due to embarrassment, lovingly encourage him to receive. But if he refuses, be careful not to pressure him awkwardly to receive prayer. f. Practical Insigths for Growing in the Use of a Word of Knowledge 1. A word of knowledge may come quickly. Words of knowledge may come flitting through your mind more like a bird or dancing butterfly than like a stationary billboard. 2. A word of knowledge may be rather vague, tempting you to screen it out or to ignore it. Practice tuning in to these revelations and speaking them out. If you are tentative and humble, not arrogant or presumptuous, no one will be offended if you seem to have heard amiss. 3. Resist the thought that a word you have received is not important, or that it is just you. Remember, it builds faith in the other person to know that God has revealed that person s mail to you. What seems like a vague impression to you may be a very specific piece o information that may lead to that person s breakthrough. 4. Unpretentious honesty is the best policy 28

29 29 It s perfectly okay: to admit that you re nervous, to say that you have only a vague impression, to say that you have never had a word for someone before, to say that this is new to you. 5. Don t let fear rob you and ultimately the person you are ministering to. Someone has said that faith is spelled r-i-s-k. Be patient, but step out! Be humble, but step out! God is giving you words of knowledge because He wants you to use them! He want you to use them wisely and prudently and humbly, but He does want you to use them and grown in them! 29