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Gifts Of The Spirit: Miracles, Prophecy And Discernment-1 Corinthians 12:10
Sunday Service at Calvary Boulder Valley in Louisville Colorado. Pastor Brent Lewis’ teaching on December 11 2022 titled ”Gifts Of The Spirit: Miracles, Prophecy And Discernment-1 Corinthians 12:10”
I. Reference
a. Hebrews 5:13-14
II. A.G.
a. Second Fiddle (illus.) Widely reputed as one of the most important conductors of his time, the late Leonard Bernstein, once gave a wise reply during an interview. After a TV performance, one admirer asked: "Mr. Bernstein, what is the most difficult instrument to play?" Without batting an eyelash he quipped: "Second fiddle. I can get plenty of first violinists, but to find one who plays second violin with as much enthusiasm . . . now that's a problem. And yet if no one plays second, we have no harmony." “If no one plays second, we have no harmony.” There are plenty of people who are willing to be the first violinist, the front man, to get the attention, the glory, the accolades. But in the body of Jesus Christ, there is only one Head, and He is looking for supporting members, whom His Spirit can fill with His gifts and bring glory to Him. This morning, God is asking, God is seeking, God is looking for you and I to respond and use the gifts in order to create beautiful harmony with Him. Listen to the way the Bible puts forth this idea in the OT.
i. 2 Chronicles 16:9 – 9 For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.
ii. If we are willing to play second fiddle with the gifts we have been given, and support what God wants to do in and through us, there will be great harmony in the body of Jesus Christ.
III. Intro. We are looking in-depth at the operations, or visible ways, or gifts of the Holy Spirit and how they work in the church and for the church. Our title is “Gifts of the Spirit: Miracles, Prophecy, and Discernment”
IV. Review - By way of review. Last week we learned 5 Things About Spiritual Gifts:
a. #1 – Our Gifts Help Us Understand God’s Will – By knowing how we’re made, we will seek out and better understand how and why God made us with the personality that fits the gifts we are given.
b. #2 – Our Gifts Rule Out What’s Not God’s Will – This shows us how God has not made us and what He has NOT called us to do.
c. #3 - Discovering Our Gifts Is Fulfilling – Your gift will compliment that activity that brings your satisfaction, joy, and fulfillment. There is nothing more satisfying than using what God has given you, in the right context.
d. #4 – Our Gifts Help Us Discover our Place in the Body – By discovering your gifts, you learn your role in the body of Christ. For the longest time in my walk with God, I wasn’t sure what my gifts were. And when I began to discover how God made me, the gifts I discovered made all the more sense and how God has called me in the role He placed me in.
e. #5 – Our Gifts Demonstrate How God is Actively Working – God’s power is shown when we see Christians exercise their gifts. Because the gifts of the Spirit are a supernatural act, not a natural act. All genuine, lasting ministry MUST be accomplished in and by the Holy Spirit. Only then do people see God working in a supernatural way.
V. Preview
a. Operations of the Gifts continued (12:4-13) – The next operations of the gift of the Holy Spirit are:
i. Working of Miracles (12:10)
ii. Prophecy (12:10)
iii. Discerning of spirits (12:10)
VI. Body
a. Working of Miracles (12:10)
10 to another the working of miracles…
i. Alternate Translations – Another way to translate is: Deeds of power. Or Acts of power. In this context it means miracles.
1. Miracles – Gk. dunamis. This is the same word in Acts 1:8.
a. Acts 1:8 8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
ii. Definition - The working of miracles is the gift of God whereby He suspends the natural laws of nature in order to do something supernatural.
1. Different Than Healing – This is different than the gift of healing. It is more dynamic and greater in power than healing. While it includes healing, it is not limited to that gift.
2. Paired W/Faith and Healing – Often you will discover that miracles are often paired with faith (the belief God wants to do something miraculous) and healing. It takes faith to believe God wants to do something, and healing to suspend the laws of nature.
iii. Creation, The Greatest Miracle - If you believe in Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth, this is the arguably one of the greatest miracles. I would say that salvation is even greater. All other miracles are merely minor compared to this great work of God, which started it all.
iv. God of the Miraculous – One of the most incredible aspects of God is knowing that He is a miracle-working God.
1. OT Examples of Miracles – These are ways in which God demonstrates that He is able to suspend the laws of nature. Those things in life which we thought immutable, in order to demonstrate His care, power, and glory!
a. Moses Parts the Red Sea (Exodus 14:21). Imagine the scene: The Egyptian army is bearing down on Israel. They were trapped. Moses lifts up his staff after God told him to STOP PRAYING and God caused an east wind to push the Red Sea back all night so that Israel was able to escape by walking on dry land.
b. God Healed the Waters of Marah (Exodus 15:23-25)
c. The Widow’s Perpetual Oil and Flour (1Kings 17:14)
d. Naaman, The Syrian Cured of Leprosy (2 Kings 5:10-14)
v. NT Purpose of Miracles – It seems that miracles in the NT God intended to be used in a very specific way. While there are exceptions to every rule, there are two places that stand out when it comes to God’s principle in using miracles since Jesus came. The first is found in Mark 16:15.
1. Mark 16:15-18 - 15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
a. Jesus’ Inauguration of miracles, in the context, implies that miracles will follow those believers who are going into all the world and preaching the Gospel. IOW Miracles are often related to the Great Commission.
2. Miracles Were a Sign – Miracles were a sign. God performed miracles in the lives of those who were preaching the Gospel so that people would see the message was from God. God was confirming His word to the nonbelievers, so that they would get saved!
a. Gospel of John – even though the word for miracles in the NT is the Gk. word dunamis; in John’s Gospel, he never uses the word. Instead, he uses the word “sign” in English. John knew that Jesus’ purpose in performing miracles was to show everyone who He was, so they would have the opportunity to be saved.
b. Listen to what Paul said in Romans 1:16.
c. Romans 1:16-17 - 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power (dunamis) of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” It is while the Gospel is being preached that miracles or the power of God is seen. Paul shows that it is in the message of the Gospel, while Jesus said that it will also happen when His people are in the act or season of sharing the Gospel.
3. Gospel Miracles Application – If you go out on the mission field; if you dedicate your life to sharing the Gospel with people, in general, you will see God performing miracles.
a. Anonymous Quote – “It was the Spirit who gave his followers remarkable spiritual gifts. Prophecy, tongues (and interpretation), healing and exorcism were the most prominent in apostolic and sub-apostolic days alike. People did not merely hear the gospel; they saw it in action, and were moved to respond. The Western church has grown too dependent on words, and not nearly dependent enough on the power of the Holy Spirit. The Enlightenment induced much embarrassment about divine activity in today’s world, and this tendency has outlived the demise of the Enlightenment. Instead of being a community demonstrating the Lord’s power, we have become one which talks incessantly. We need to remember that the “kingdom of God is not talk, but power.”
b. Pastor Jeff Mexico Miracle (illus.) Pastor Jeff went down to Mexico and there was some illness that afflicted one of the children. They prayed for that child, God healed him, and many came to know Jesus that day.
4. Don’t Depend on Miracles, But Expect Them – Our balance with miracles is that we should expect God to still work miracles. He can and will at times work miracles for His people. Especially when we are sharing the Gospel. But if we depend upon miracles, we will notice that our faith will not grow.
a. Israel – 40 years in the wilderness and the Bible says that they did not enter into the Promised Land because of unbelief (Hebrews 3:19).
b. Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:30-31) – While the rich man was in a lost state, he begged Abraham to send Lazarus back from the dead to tell his family. Abraham said they have Moses and the Prophets, and if they didn’t believe in them, if his brothers wouldn’t believe Moses and the prophets they wouldn’t believe…even if someone would rise from the dead.
c. IOW – It is God’s word that will cause your faith to grow, not miracles. Miracles produce the law of diminishing returns. You want greater and greater miracles in order to believe.
i. Romans 10:17 – Faith comes by hearing, and that by the word of God.
vi. Be Open to Miracles - We need to be open to the working of miracles, even today. Because the God who worked in the OT is still the same God who works today. God is still not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. If we are willing to go to the highways and the bi-ways, we may see God do miraculous things as we go.
vii. TRANSITION – NOT ONLY DO WE SEE THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT GIVES THE GIFT OF THE WORKING OF MIRACLES AS A MEANS OF REVEALING HIS OPERATION, BUT HE ALSO GIVES THE GIFT OF PROPHECY.
b. Prophecy (12:10)
to another prophecy
i. The Gift of Prophecy – Some have considered this to be a vitally important gift. Especially due to the fact that 1 Cor. 12:28 says and God has appointed these in the church: First apostles, second prophets, third teachers…
1. Guinness Book of World Records – You might not have heard of the name Annalisa Wray. But if you happened to be in the same room with her in 1994, you would definitely hear Annalisa Wray. The reason is that in 1994 she made the Guinness Book of World Records for being the loudest person in the world. At 121.7 decibels she shouted the word, “Quiet!” 107 decibels is the volume level for a power lawn mower. At 110 decibels you can certainly hear that chainsaw next to you. But at 120 decibels you hear a jackhammer in the street waking you up a little too early in the morning. But at 121.7 decibels, Annalisa was able to silence all those sounds by her booming voice. The gift of prophecy is God’s booming voice to His people. There are times when the noise of distractions, preoccupations, or sin in our lives all around us is too loud. It is God’s voice in prophecy that speaks directly to where we are, and what we need to hear at that moment.
2. Prophecy Word Defined/Instant Messaging – The word prophecy means to be able to speak inspired message. Prophecy is God’s inspiration. Prophecy is the noun , prophesy is the verb. The world has this all mixed up. They have no clue.
a. Prophecy is God’s Instant Messaging, or texting, or Slack communication to us.
b. Root Word – One of the root words for prophecy is phemi. This means “to show or make known one’s thoughts, to speak, say or affirm.”
c. 1 Corinthians 14:3 – He who prophesies speaks edification, exhortation, and comfort to men. These are 3 of the characteristics of prophecy.
3. Gift of Prophecy Defined – The gift of prophecy incudes two aspects:
a. Foretelling - foretelling (speaking about the future in advance), is used many times in the NT.
i. Acts 19:6 - 6 And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.
ii. Acts 21:10-11 - 10 And as we stayed many days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 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.’ ”
b. Forth-Telling – the gift of prophecy also includes forth-telling, communicating the mind of God. Through this gift in the church today, God tells us things that He has already revealed in His word that has immediate application. It shares what God’s heart and mind is in a given situation that needs to be heard. This gift is characterized by being one who readily perceives, prays about, proclaims, and promotes the will of God. This often happens when the Word is going out.
4. How Does It Work? The gift of Prophecy is a message that initiated by the Holy Spirit that comes from my spirit, through my mind, and out of my mouth. God gives me His words to speak to others, by faith. The voice of the prophet becomes the voice of God.
a. Amos 3:8 – A lion has roared! Who will not fear? The Lord God has spoken! Who can but prophesy?
ii. Do You Have the Gift of Prophecy? There may be the question as to whether or not you have the gift of prophecy. The church is in need of hearing God’s voice through sanctified prophets.
1. 1 Corinthians 14:1 – Earnestly desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.
2. Ask God if you have the gift of prophecy. He will show you. Then He will show you how to manage that gift. There are many people who have the gift of prophecy who exercise it poorly. There is a great need to pray and make sure that what God has shown you, you are bathing in prayer first. Many times God will show you something to pray about without ever actually sharing it because He wants to use you in interceding for those situations. But if He has given you that opportunity
3. We will look at prophecy more in-depth in 1 Corinthians 14.
iii. TRANSITION – PROPHECY INVOLVES KNOWING WHAT THE SCRIPTURES TEACH, UNDERSTANDING WHAT GOD IS DOING AND SHARING IT IN SUCH A CLEAR WAY THAT PEOPLE RELATE TO HOW HE IS WORKING IN THEIR LIVES. LET’S NOW CONSIDER THE GIFT OF DISCERNMENT.
c. The Discerning of Spirits (1 Corinthians 12:10)
to another the discerning of spirits…
i. Discernment Defined – It is the ability to discern and expose error. Then, like now, in the church, there is so much of the prevalence of evil and living in the Last Days, there is the necessity of discernment. While we teach our children to read, but in our day, we also need to teach them to read between the lines. Not everyone is what they appear to be. Reading between the lines is the discernment to know the difference.
1. General Discernment (Hebrews 5:13-14) READ
a.
2. 1 John 4:1 - 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.
a. This is the ability to spot someone who is phony, manipulative, inauthentic.
b. There are religious leaders, preachers, speakers, writers who sound so good, say all the right things, are so charismatic, but they are either complete deceivers, have a warped agenda, or have something seriously wrong in their lives. Discernment helps you read between the lines.
c. Question – What happens when we confront, or do not yield to those with whom our discernment has revealed their motives? They leave.
d. 1 John 2:19 - 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.
i. Antichrist are those who have usurped the role of Jesus Christ in their life and spread that same mindset in the church.
e. Why did so and so leave the church?
i. Because through discernment it was revealed that they didn’t have any intention of surrendering to what Jesus says in the Word. They carried this along with them the whole time and it became
3. Discernment with Simon Peter – God had given Peter the gift of discernment.
a. Matthew 16:17 – You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus answered, “Flesh and blood has not revealed this tto you, but My Father in heaven.” Then moments later, Simon discerned the work of Satan…and communicated that…unfortunately. Word to the wise: Only communicate the Holy Spirit’s Discernment.
b. Acts 5:1-11 - He saw Ananias and Sapphira’s lying to God.
c. Acts 8:18-24 - Discernment with Peter and Simon Magus – The Holy Spirit will give you the discernment as to whether or not this person’s attitude or motive is genuinely with you or not.
4. Elisha’s OT Discernment with Gehazi (2 Kings 5:25-26)
ii. Do You Lack Discernment In General?
1.
VII. Conclusion
a. Why Spiritual Gifts? (illus.) Peter Wagner wrote, "Who needs to know about spiritual gifts? (He states) - You need to know about spiritual gifts if:
i. 1. You are a Christian.
ii. 2. You believe that Jesus is your Lord and you want to love Him and follow Him in the best way possible.
iii. 3. You want your church to be healthy, attractive, and a growing group of people showing forth God's love in your community.
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By Pastor Brent LewisSunday Service at Calvary Boulder Valley in Louisville Colorado. Pastor Brent Lewis’ teaching on December 11 2022 titled ”Gifts Of The Spirit: Miracles, Prophecy And Discernment-1 Corinthians 12:10”
I. Reference
a. Hebrews 5:13-14
II. A.G.
a. Second Fiddle (illus.) Widely reputed as one of the most important conductors of his time, the late Leonard Bernstein, once gave a wise reply during an interview. After a TV performance, one admirer asked: "Mr. Bernstein, what is the most difficult instrument to play?" Without batting an eyelash he quipped: "Second fiddle. I can get plenty of first violinists, but to find one who plays second violin with as much enthusiasm . . . now that's a problem. And yet if no one plays second, we have no harmony." “If no one plays second, we have no harmony.” There are plenty of people who are willing to be the first violinist, the front man, to get the attention, the glory, the accolades. But in the body of Jesus Christ, there is only one Head, and He is looking for supporting members, whom His Spirit can fill with His gifts and bring glory to Him. This morning, God is asking, God is seeking, God is looking for you and I to respond and use the gifts in order to create beautiful harmony with Him. Listen to the way the Bible puts forth this idea in the OT.
i. 2 Chronicles 16:9 – 9 For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.
ii. If we are willing to play second fiddle with the gifts we have been given, and support what God wants to do in and through us, there will be great harmony in the body of Jesus Christ.
III. Intro. We are looking in-depth at the operations, or visible ways, or gifts of the Holy Spirit and how they work in the church and for the church. Our title is “Gifts of the Spirit: Miracles, Prophecy, and Discernment”
IV. Review - By way of review. Last week we learned 5 Things About Spiritual Gifts:
a. #1 – Our Gifts Help Us Understand God’s Will – By knowing how we’re made, we will seek out and better understand how and why God made us with the personality that fits the gifts we are given.
b. #2 – Our Gifts Rule Out What’s Not God’s Will – This shows us how God has not made us and what He has NOT called us to do.
c. #3 - Discovering Our Gifts Is Fulfilling – Your gift will compliment that activity that brings your satisfaction, joy, and fulfillment. There is nothing more satisfying than using what God has given you, in the right context.
d. #4 – Our Gifts Help Us Discover our Place in the Body – By discovering your gifts, you learn your role in the body of Christ. For the longest time in my walk with God, I wasn’t sure what my gifts were. And when I began to discover how God made me, the gifts I discovered made all the more sense and how God has called me in the role He placed me in.
e. #5 – Our Gifts Demonstrate How God is Actively Working – God’s power is shown when we see Christians exercise their gifts. Because the gifts of the Spirit are a supernatural act, not a natural act. All genuine, lasting ministry MUST be accomplished in and by the Holy Spirit. Only then do people see God working in a supernatural way.
V. Preview
a. Operations of the Gifts continued (12:4-13) – The next operations of the gift of the Holy Spirit are:
i. Working of Miracles (12:10)
ii. Prophecy (12:10)
iii. Discerning of spirits (12:10)
VI. Body
a. Working of Miracles (12:10)
10 to another the working of miracles…
i. Alternate Translations – Another way to translate is: Deeds of power. Or Acts of power. In this context it means miracles.
1. Miracles – Gk. dunamis. This is the same word in Acts 1:8.
a. Acts 1:8 8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
ii. Definition - The working of miracles is the gift of God whereby He suspends the natural laws of nature in order to do something supernatural.
1. Different Than Healing – This is different than the gift of healing. It is more dynamic and greater in power than healing. While it includes healing, it is not limited to that gift.
2. Paired W/Faith and Healing – Often you will discover that miracles are often paired with faith (the belief God wants to do something miraculous) and healing. It takes faith to believe God wants to do something, and healing to suspend the laws of nature.
iii. Creation, The Greatest Miracle - If you believe in Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth, this is the arguably one of the greatest miracles. I would say that salvation is even greater. All other miracles are merely minor compared to this great work of God, which started it all.
iv. God of the Miraculous – One of the most incredible aspects of God is knowing that He is a miracle-working God.
1. OT Examples of Miracles – These are ways in which God demonstrates that He is able to suspend the laws of nature. Those things in life which we thought immutable, in order to demonstrate His care, power, and glory!
a. Moses Parts the Red Sea (Exodus 14:21). Imagine the scene: The Egyptian army is bearing down on Israel. They were trapped. Moses lifts up his staff after God told him to STOP PRAYING and God caused an east wind to push the Red Sea back all night so that Israel was able to escape by walking on dry land.
b. God Healed the Waters of Marah (Exodus 15:23-25)
c. The Widow’s Perpetual Oil and Flour (1Kings 17:14)
d. Naaman, The Syrian Cured of Leprosy (2 Kings 5:10-14)
v. NT Purpose of Miracles – It seems that miracles in the NT God intended to be used in a very specific way. While there are exceptions to every rule, there are two places that stand out when it comes to God’s principle in using miracles since Jesus came. The first is found in Mark 16:15.
1. Mark 16:15-18 - 15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
a. Jesus’ Inauguration of miracles, in the context, implies that miracles will follow those believers who are going into all the world and preaching the Gospel. IOW Miracles are often related to the Great Commission.
2. Miracles Were a Sign – Miracles were a sign. God performed miracles in the lives of those who were preaching the Gospel so that people would see the message was from God. God was confirming His word to the nonbelievers, so that they would get saved!
a. Gospel of John – even though the word for miracles in the NT is the Gk. word dunamis; in John’s Gospel, he never uses the word. Instead, he uses the word “sign” in English. John knew that Jesus’ purpose in performing miracles was to show everyone who He was, so they would have the opportunity to be saved.
b. Listen to what Paul said in Romans 1:16.
c. Romans 1:16-17 - 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power (dunamis) of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.” It is while the Gospel is being preached that miracles or the power of God is seen. Paul shows that it is in the message of the Gospel, while Jesus said that it will also happen when His people are in the act or season of sharing the Gospel.
3. Gospel Miracles Application – If you go out on the mission field; if you dedicate your life to sharing the Gospel with people, in general, you will see God performing miracles.
a. Anonymous Quote – “It was the Spirit who gave his followers remarkable spiritual gifts. Prophecy, tongues (and interpretation), healing and exorcism were the most prominent in apostolic and sub-apostolic days alike. People did not merely hear the gospel; they saw it in action, and were moved to respond. The Western church has grown too dependent on words, and not nearly dependent enough on the power of the Holy Spirit. The Enlightenment induced much embarrassment about divine activity in today’s world, and this tendency has outlived the demise of the Enlightenment. Instead of being a community demonstrating the Lord’s power, we have become one which talks incessantly. We need to remember that the “kingdom of God is not talk, but power.”
b. Pastor Jeff Mexico Miracle (illus.) Pastor Jeff went down to Mexico and there was some illness that afflicted one of the children. They prayed for that child, God healed him, and many came to know Jesus that day.
4. Don’t Depend on Miracles, But Expect Them – Our balance with miracles is that we should expect God to still work miracles. He can and will at times work miracles for His people. Especially when we are sharing the Gospel. But if we depend upon miracles, we will notice that our faith will not grow.
a. Israel – 40 years in the wilderness and the Bible says that they did not enter into the Promised Land because of unbelief (Hebrews 3:19).
b. Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:30-31) – While the rich man was in a lost state, he begged Abraham to send Lazarus back from the dead to tell his family. Abraham said they have Moses and the Prophets, and if they didn’t believe in them, if his brothers wouldn’t believe Moses and the prophets they wouldn’t believe…even if someone would rise from the dead.
c. IOW – It is God’s word that will cause your faith to grow, not miracles. Miracles produce the law of diminishing returns. You want greater and greater miracles in order to believe.
i. Romans 10:17 – Faith comes by hearing, and that by the word of God.
vi. Be Open to Miracles - We need to be open to the working of miracles, even today. Because the God who worked in the OT is still the same God who works today. God is still not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. If we are willing to go to the highways and the bi-ways, we may see God do miraculous things as we go.
vii. TRANSITION – NOT ONLY DO WE SEE THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT GIVES THE GIFT OF THE WORKING OF MIRACLES AS A MEANS OF REVEALING HIS OPERATION, BUT HE ALSO GIVES THE GIFT OF PROPHECY.
b. Prophecy (12:10)
to another prophecy
i. The Gift of Prophecy – Some have considered this to be a vitally important gift. Especially due to the fact that 1 Cor. 12:28 says and God has appointed these in the church: First apostles, second prophets, third teachers…
1. Guinness Book of World Records – You might not have heard of the name Annalisa Wray. But if you happened to be in the same room with her in 1994, you would definitely hear Annalisa Wray. The reason is that in 1994 she made the Guinness Book of World Records for being the loudest person in the world. At 121.7 decibels she shouted the word, “Quiet!” 107 decibels is the volume level for a power lawn mower. At 110 decibels you can certainly hear that chainsaw next to you. But at 120 decibels you hear a jackhammer in the street waking you up a little too early in the morning. But at 121.7 decibels, Annalisa was able to silence all those sounds by her booming voice. The gift of prophecy is God’s booming voice to His people. There are times when the noise of distractions, preoccupations, or sin in our lives all around us is too loud. It is God’s voice in prophecy that speaks directly to where we are, and what we need to hear at that moment.
2. Prophecy Word Defined/Instant Messaging – The word prophecy means to be able to speak inspired message. Prophecy is God’s inspiration. Prophecy is the noun , prophesy is the verb. The world has this all mixed up. They have no clue.
a. Prophecy is God’s Instant Messaging, or texting, or Slack communication to us.
b. Root Word – One of the root words for prophecy is phemi. This means “to show or make known one’s thoughts, to speak, say or affirm.”
c. 1 Corinthians 14:3 – He who prophesies speaks edification, exhortation, and comfort to men. These are 3 of the characteristics of prophecy.
3. Gift of Prophecy Defined – The gift of prophecy incudes two aspects:
a. Foretelling - foretelling (speaking about the future in advance), is used many times in the NT.
i. Acts 19:6 - 6 And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.
ii. Acts 21:10-11 - 10 And as we stayed many days, a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. 11 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.’ ”
b. Forth-Telling – the gift of prophecy also includes forth-telling, communicating the mind of God. Through this gift in the church today, God tells us things that He has already revealed in His word that has immediate application. It shares what God’s heart and mind is in a given situation that needs to be heard. This gift is characterized by being one who readily perceives, prays about, proclaims, and promotes the will of God. This often happens when the Word is going out.
4. How Does It Work? The gift of Prophecy is a message that initiated by the Holy Spirit that comes from my spirit, through my mind, and out of my mouth. God gives me His words to speak to others, by faith. The voice of the prophet becomes the voice of God.
a. Amos 3:8 – A lion has roared! Who will not fear? The Lord God has spoken! Who can but prophesy?
ii. Do You Have the Gift of Prophecy? There may be the question as to whether or not you have the gift of prophecy. The church is in need of hearing God’s voice through sanctified prophets.
1. 1 Corinthians 14:1 – Earnestly desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.
2. Ask God if you have the gift of prophecy. He will show you. Then He will show you how to manage that gift. There are many people who have the gift of prophecy who exercise it poorly. There is a great need to pray and make sure that what God has shown you, you are bathing in prayer first. Many times God will show you something to pray about without ever actually sharing it because He wants to use you in interceding for those situations. But if He has given you that opportunity
3. We will look at prophecy more in-depth in 1 Corinthians 14.
iii. TRANSITION – PROPHECY INVOLVES KNOWING WHAT THE SCRIPTURES TEACH, UNDERSTANDING WHAT GOD IS DOING AND SHARING IT IN SUCH A CLEAR WAY THAT PEOPLE RELATE TO HOW HE IS WORKING IN THEIR LIVES. LET’S NOW CONSIDER THE GIFT OF DISCERNMENT.
c. The Discerning of Spirits (1 Corinthians 12:10)
to another the discerning of spirits…
i. Discernment Defined – It is the ability to discern and expose error. Then, like now, in the church, there is so much of the prevalence of evil and living in the Last Days, there is the necessity of discernment. While we teach our children to read, but in our day, we also need to teach them to read between the lines. Not everyone is what they appear to be. Reading between the lines is the discernment to know the difference.
1. General Discernment (Hebrews 5:13-14) READ
a.
2. 1 John 4:1 - 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.
a. This is the ability to spot someone who is phony, manipulative, inauthentic.
b. There are religious leaders, preachers, speakers, writers who sound so good, say all the right things, are so charismatic, but they are either complete deceivers, have a warped agenda, or have something seriously wrong in their lives. Discernment helps you read between the lines.
c. Question – What happens when we confront, or do not yield to those with whom our discernment has revealed their motives? They leave.
d. 1 John 2:19 - 19 They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.
i. Antichrist are those who have usurped the role of Jesus Christ in their life and spread that same mindset in the church.
e. Why did so and so leave the church?
i. Because through discernment it was revealed that they didn’t have any intention of surrendering to what Jesus says in the Word. They carried this along with them the whole time and it became
3. Discernment with Simon Peter – God had given Peter the gift of discernment.
a. Matthew 16:17 – You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Jesus answered, “Flesh and blood has not revealed this tto you, but My Father in heaven.” Then moments later, Simon discerned the work of Satan…and communicated that…unfortunately. Word to the wise: Only communicate the Holy Spirit’s Discernment.
b. Acts 5:1-11 - He saw Ananias and Sapphira’s lying to God.
c. Acts 8:18-24 - Discernment with Peter and Simon Magus – The Holy Spirit will give you the discernment as to whether or not this person’s attitude or motive is genuinely with you or not.
4. Elisha’s OT Discernment with Gehazi (2 Kings 5:25-26)
ii. Do You Lack Discernment In General?
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VII. Conclusion
a. Why Spiritual Gifts? (illus.) Peter Wagner wrote, "Who needs to know about spiritual gifts? (He states) - You need to know about spiritual gifts if:
i. 1. You are a Christian.
ii. 2. You believe that Jesus is your Lord and you want to love Him and follow Him in the best way possible.
iii. 3. You want your church to be healthy, attractive, and a growing group of people showing forth God's love in your community.