The Use of Spiritual Gifts within the Church: Part 6 1 Corinthians 12:10 (NKJV) Prophecy

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1 The Use of Spiritual Gifts within the Church: Part 6 1 Corinthians 12:10 (NKJV) Prophecy We are looking at the gifts of the Spirit on Sundays as we make our way through the letter to the church of Corinth. I have slowed down a bit in chapters so that we can look at the gifts in depth, so that we can get on the same page with one another, but most of all so we can get on the same page with the Spirit in these last days. We want all that He has for us as a church, and the gifts have been given to us so that we can all function at full capacity. We have looked at the word of knowledge, the word of wisdom, the gift of faith, the gift of healing, and the gift of miracles, and today we look at the gift of prophecy Look with me and let s read verse Vs. 10 to another prophecy Let me give you a definition for the gift of prophecy Prophecy: speaking forth the Word of God through the anointing of the Holy Spirit. When the Lord wants to speak something to us, He will often use the gift of prophecy. It s how we got the Word that we are studying today. for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. 2 Peter 1:21 (NKJV) The Spirit of God would breathe into the heart and mind of man to bring His Word into fruition. There are two ways prophecy will be spoken 1. Foretelling Foretelling has to do with future events something that is going to happen in the future. Copyright 2013 Chris Fraley 1

2 In the book of Acts we read about Agabus; he was a prophet and he spoke to Paul about a future event and in it was a warning 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. 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. Now when we heard these things, both we and those from that place pleaded with him not to go up to Jerusalem. Then Paul answered, What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. So when he would not be persuaded, we ceased, saying, The will of the Lord be done. Acts 21:8-14 (NKJV) The Lord spoke to Agabus about a future event that would take place and it did when Paul made his way into Jerusalem to share the gospel, the minute he included Gentiles in his sermon, he was arrested. I like how Paul replied to this prophecy Stop weeping for me; I am ready to be bound and even die for the Lord Jesus. The prophecy was not given to discourage Paul he knew wherever he went there could be a riot or a revival I am sure it reminded Paul to stay near the Lord because there was a riot coming his way. 2. Forth-telling Speaking forth the Word of God; it s what I am doing today, I am prophesying as I am speaking the Word to the church. The gift of prophesy functions and flows here at Wildwood weekly. We may not give insight into a future event in your life or even the life of the body corporately, but we are speaking forth the Word of God and when we do we are tapping into the gift of prophecy. It should be something that each of us desires. It s one of those gifts that the scripture says out of all the gifts this one is one that we should all desire. Copyright 2013 Chris Fraley 2

3 Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. 1 Corinthians 14:1 (NKJV) We should pursue love, which we will get into in chapter 13 that s the greatest gift of all the gift of love. But next to that would be the gift of prophecy and if you re asking for a gift, this is one that you should ask for. First Corinthians 14:3 gives us insight into why But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. 1 Corinthians 14:3 (NKJV) Notice the three aspects of the gift of prophecy the fruit that comes from this gift the first is edification 1. Edification As the Word is taught you should be built up in the faith, as prophecy is given it should build you up. As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. Colossians 2:6-8 (NKJV) Notice that we are to be rooted, built-up, established in the faith, and he reminds us that takes place as we are being taught. Like a tree that is planted, watered, and then takes root, and eventually bears fruit, that s what prophecy does. As the Word of God is spoken, as we grow under the steady teaching of the Word of God, our roots grow deep and we can weather some storms, and eventually we see fruit. Notice the second thing here Copyright 2013 Chris Fraley 3

4 But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation... 1 Corinthians 14:3 (NKJV) 2. Exhortation. The gift of prophecy will often move the church to action. Read the book of James and you see this gift flowing through it. But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. James 1:22-25 (NKJV) The gift of prophecy will, at times, move us and it will motivate us as a church to action. A couple of weeks ago, at the House of Prayer on Sunday night, one of the ladies in our fellowship stood up and exhorted the church. She spoke that the power of the Holy Spirit is like a power tool that we have been given, but we have to pick it up and use it. The power is there, the tool is there, but it won t do us any good if we don t pick it up and put it to use. It was an exhortation to the church, not condemnation but exhortation for us to use the power of the Holy Spirit, that dunamis power, that dynamite power that we have been given to serve the Lord. Let me remind you, the gift of prophecy is not going to condemn you; now that we are on this side of the cross there is no longer condemnation. Remember what Jesus said to us For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. John 3:17 (NKJV) Copyright 2013 Chris Fraley 4

5 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. Romans 8:1 (NKJV) Prophecy is not a vehicle that God uses to condemn but to exhort, to build up, to challenge us to action. I was reading First John this week and it is chock full of exhortations He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. 1 John 2:6 (NKJV) My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. 1 John 3:18 (NKJV) Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 1 John 4:11 (NKJV) In First Timothy, Paul would exhort young Timothy 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 (NKJV) The elders laid hands on him, gifts were imparted to him, and they spoke a word of prophecy over him. We re not sure what the prophecy or the gifting was but it probably had something to do with his ministry as a pastor. That had to be a cool day for Timothy giftings were imparted and prophecy was given over his life. About four times a year I take all the pastors and some of the upcoming pastors (we call them pastors in training ) up to a cabin in the mountains, and we spend three days and nights praying with each other and over each other, and we have had some cool things happen during that time. Prophecies are spoken that bring edification and healing; it s something that we pray will happen in our home fellowships. I can still remember a home fellowship that we had fifteen years ago and one of the ladies in our leadership prophesied that Wildwood would be a safe Copyright 2013 Chris Fraley 5

6 place for the sheep to graze, and she then spoke a word to me that was good for me to hear. She said, And the shepherd will be safe. It brought me to tears that the Lord would speak that to me. It was also a word of accountability that it was part of my job to make sure that Wildwood was a safe place. It s always been my heart that this would be a refuge for God s people. Paul told Timothy, Don t forget that prophecy, don t let the giftings go dormant, let what took place that day move you forward in the faith. And then the third effect it should have on us But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. 1 Corinthians 14:3 (NKJV) 3. Comfort Paul spoke to the church of Corinth a prophetic word of comfort 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 (NKJV) He reminded them that when they were in a trial, when they encountered a tribulation or two, that God would bring them comfort for He is the God of all comfort. Then he exhorted them to comfort others; not to hog the comfort but to share the comfort. When you re comforted in the Lord, be reminded to comfort others. Paul was giving a prophetic word as he was speaking a word that brought comfort. Let me also just give you one last rule when it comes to prophecy. 4. The spoken word should agree with the written Word. Copyright 2013 Chris Fraley 6

7 knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation 2 Peter 1:20 (NKJV) We don t have the option to use prophecy to get our word to man, it must always be His word to man. And that word must always line up with the written Word. The spoken word must always line up with what He has already spoken. Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 1 John 4:1 (NKJV) He also reminds us that false prophets will preach a different gospel But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. Galatians 1:8 (NKJV) They will also be able to deceive with lying signs and wonders For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. Matthew 24:24 (NKJV) That s why we need to be students of His Word, so that the Word is written on our hearts that we can discern what is from the Lord and what is not. There are a lot of false prophets out there today claiming they had a special word, a special revelation that is not consistent with His written Word. If we are not careful we will fall prey to them because they are good at what they do we are told they can even deceive the elect. That s why we must listen to the voice of His Spirit and that voice will always be consistent with the written Word. That s what sheep do we know and discern His voice. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. John 10:4 (NKJV) Copyright 2013 Chris Fraley 7

8 We need to get to the place in our relationship with the Lord that we discern His voice among all the rest. When I was a little boy, if I ever got too far away from dad, I would listen for his whistle or his cough, or he might be singing something. I knew if I tuned in I would hear him, and if I could hear him I would never get lost. Wildwood, listen to the voice of the Spirit and we will never get lost. Copyright 2013 Chris Fraley 8