Our encounter evenings have free worship, Bible teaching,
the prophetic gifts operating and healing ministry opportunities.
the prophetic gifts operating and healing ministry opportunities.
Often we are asked if our church or encounter evenings are "Charismatic" or "Spirit led"?
Before we use those terms, let's look at what we mean when we talk about being Spirit led or Charismatic.
We do operate in the gifts of the Holy Spirit, below is our overview.
AN OVERVIEW OF THE 9 GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Gifts of the Holy Spirit have been given to build the Church and make it whole. The Holy Spirit has been given, complete with nine beautiful gifts, to help us to minister the love, life and power of Jesus Christ.
Let’s look at the Greek terms that are used to describe Spiritual Gifts:
1. In 1 Corinthians 12:1 Paul uses the word “pneumatikoi.”It is usually translated “spiritual gifts,” but a more literal translation would be “spiritual things” or more simply “spirituals.” It is derived from the word “pneuma,” another Greek word used in Scripture to describe the Holy Spirit of God. “Pneumatikoi” tells us the gifts are activated by the Holy Spirit (Who is already in us) rather than by natural ability.
2. In 1 Corinthians 12:4 Paul uses the word “charismata” which is most often translated simply as “gifts”; the term “gifts of grace” would more accurately describe the meaning of the Greek. This is Paul’s most popular word for Spiritual Gifts and it denotes that they are bestowed by the Spirit as an act of divine grace. The gifts are such that they are freely given to anyone who desires them.
3. In 1 Corinthians 12:5 Paul uses the word “diakonia” to describe Spiritual Gifts. The word is translated in the New Testament into the following English words (numbers of times in brackets):
Administration (2) ministering (3) ministration (6) ministry (16) minister (1) office (1) relief (1) Service (2)
serving (1) do service (1)
It is a firm reminder that the gifts are for the well-being of others. The verb “diakoneo” is used in Mark 10:45 by Jesus where, speaking of Himself He says, “the Son of man also came not to be served, but to serve and to give His life a ransom for many.” How we need to have that attitude in our desire to bless others through the Spiritual Gifts.
PURPOSES OF THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT:
To build up the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 14: 4,12).
To encourage (1 Corinthians 14:3, 31).
To comfort (1 Corinthians 14:3).
To praise God (1 Corinthians 14:16, NIV). The KJV uses “bless” and “giving thanks.”
To build yourself up (1 Corinthians 14:4; Jude 20).
To win people for Christ (1 Corinthians 14:23-25).
Some Examples:
The woman at the well (John 4).
The healing of the lame man (Acts 3:1-11).
Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-16).
The appointing of the seven deacons (Acts 6:3-10).
The girl with the spirit of divination (Acts 16:16-34).
To instruct (1 Corinthians 14:31, NIV). The KJV uses the word “learn.”
The purpose of God is to raise up a people that are equipped to do the same works that Jesus did.
Spiritual Gifts in operation are a part of that purpose. Paul makes it very clear that the Gifts of the Holy Spirit are for every believer (1 Corinthians 12:7; 1 Corinthians 14:31). It is not God’s intention that the gifts be confined to a “spiritual elite” or to a limited number of “superstars.” God intends that every believer manifests Spiritual Gifts.
When using Spiritual Gifts our motives and words must be checked against the standard of love.
WHAT ARE THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT:
“But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit – that is, the evidence, the spiritual illumination of the Spirit — for good and profit. To one is given in and through the Spirit a message of wisdom, and to another a word of knowledge and understanding according to the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Holy Spirit, to another the extraordinary powers of healing by the one Spirit; To another the working of miracles, to another prophetic insight — that is, the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose; to another the ability to discern and distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the ability to interpret tongues. All these are inspired and brought to pass by one and the same Holy Spirit, Who apportions to each person individually as He chooses”
(1 Corinthians 12:7-11, AMP).
LEARNING HOW TO PROPHESY
The word “prophesy” here (from Joel 2:28) means “to announce, to show, to deliver an oracle from God, to speak as God’s ambassador; to foretell future events; to sing songs or hymns: each implying divine inspiration”. “Worship (“do obeisance, reverence”) God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” (the exercising of the gift) (Revelation 19:10).
A fuller meaning of the word “worship” as used in the above Verse is: “to crouch, crawl, or fawn, like a dog at his master’s feet; hence, to prostrate one’s self , after the eastern custom, to do reverence or homage to any one, by kneeling or prostrating one’s self before him ... Used therefore of the act of worship” Our worship, therefore, must be to God Himself. Ministry comes out of worship. It is in the attitude and atmosphere of worship that an environment is created to release the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, especially the Gift of Prophecy.
“The word ‘prophecy’ in Hebrew is ‘naba’ which means ‘to flow, boil up or over; bubble or pour forth words, to gush.’ “The Old Testament word for ‘prophet’ means ‘a spokesman or speaker who is a special agent to deliver a message.’ “In the New Testament the words ‘prophecy, prophesy, prophesied and prophets’ are used approximately 186 times and mean ‘to speak, say; declare or make known.’ Thus the subject is given an important place in the New Testament for the Church.” “When man would prophesy, whether in the Old or New Testament, the Spirit of God would inspire their speech and cause His own words to bubble forth. The same is true in the Church today. Men and women can utter words from the Lord as He inspires them to speak, for the edification, exhortation, and comfort of the entire Body”.
WHAT IS THE GIFT OF PROPHECY?
Prophecy is one of the nine gifts (manifestations) of the Holy Spirit that we read about in 1 Corinthians 12:4-11. The other eight are The Word of Wisdom, The Word of Knowledge, Faith, The Gifts of Healing, The Working of Miracles, The Discerning of Spirits, Various Kinds of (unknown) Tongues (AMP.) and The Interpretation of Tongues (those unknown tongues that are spoken). These gifts should always be exercised under the guidance of the Holy Spirit – they are His gifts anyway.
-Prophecy is the bringing forth of an anointed word under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit – or – a prophetic declaration while under divine influence. It is a revelation of the mind of God TO an individual Christian FOR the assembled believers.
-“It is a Spirit-birthed word, supernatural in its origin and inspiration, but presented using the normal language of the individual who is speaking”
-“The Gift of Prophecy is the special ability that God gives to members of the Body of Christ to receive and communicate an immediate message of God to His gathered people, a group among them or any one of His people individually, through a divinely anointed utterance”.
-“It is sharing God's heart, desires and intent”.
-“Prophecy is attacking, stimulating and provoking. It is designed to put a sharp edge onto our relationship with God, in terms of how we live our lives and handle truth” (Graham Cooke in his book, “Developing Your Prophetic Gifting”).
Cultivate
The words used in 1 Corinthians 12:31 show that we – the Spirit-filled believers — must have a strong desire to cultivate the gifts in our lives; to be eager to see them working through us to bless others.
We cannot be passive towards the gifts and expect them to work through us. We must give ourselves to them in earnest . . . with a strong desire to exercise them!
1 Corinthians 14:39 tells us to “be eager to prophesy” (NIV); “eager” meaning “characterised by or feeling expectancy or great desire”.
Desire
To “covet earnestly the best gifts” and to “covet to prophesy” means we must cultivate a desire in our own heart to want to prophesy. Biblically, the words “covet” and “desire” mean “to be zealous for.” The word “zealous” is literally “a zealot” which means “an uncompromising partisan (“devotee to a cause”); an immoderate, fanatical, or extremely zealous adherent to a cause, especially a religious one”
LOVE IS VITAL
In our desiring to prophesy we should always remember that LOVE is the ultimate motivating power of God, and LOVE should always have the pre-eminence, or first place. The Gift of Prophecy must be born, cultivated and expressed out of LOVE and in LOVE. LOVE is the very character of God (1 John 4:7-8).
“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:1-3, NIV).
GUIDELINES FOR PROPHESYING
– 1 Corinthians 14:3:
The main function and purpose of the Gift of Prophecy is for the:
EDIFICATION: (Greek: “oikodome”): “to build up, the promotion of spiritual growth”);
EXHORTATION: (Greek: “paraklesis”) “encouragement, a calling near or for, to stir up”);
COMFORT: (Greek: “paramuthia”) “a consolation, a solace ministered with tenderness”. “Consolation” is “to alleviate grief or disappointment” and “solace” is “comfort in distress or disappointment, to find relief, cheer up” ... of
THE CHURCH: (1 Corinthians 14:4-5, 12).
Our attitude towards the Gifts of the Holy Spirit will determine how much we benefit from the Word of Prophecy given in a meeting. The true Gift of Prophecy is God-ordained and God-inspired! It will always come within the guidelines of edification, exhortation and comfort.
WHO CAN PROPHESY?
-Saul: Samuel told Saul that he would prophesy after the Spirit of God came upon him (1 Samuel 10:5-6).
-“Your Sons and Daughters”: The prophet Joel, approximately 800 years before Christ came to earth, prophesied that “Your sons and daughters shall prophesy” (Joel 2:23, 27-29 and Acts 2:1-18). He was speaking of a New Covenant generation of believers. (We are living in that day!)
-Zacharias: When Zacharias' tongue was loosed from unbelief (and when he obeyed God) he was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied (Luke 1:67-79).
-What about Women Prophesying?
Miriam – Exodus 15:20-21;
Deborah – Judges 4:4;
Huldah – 2 Kings 22:14-20;
Noadiah – Nehemiah 6:14; (She was not a good prophetess!);
Anna – Luke 2:36-38;
Philip’s four daughters — Acts 21:9.
All Spirit-filled Christians may prophesy. (1 Corinthians 14: 1, 5, 31).
HINDRANCES TO THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
-THINGS WE ALREADY KNOW NATURALLY ABOUT A PERSON OR SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES
-PAST BELIEF SYSTEMS
-DOUBTS
-BAD OR HURTFUL PAST EXPERIENCES
-SELF-CONSCIOUSNESS
-SHYNESS
-PRIDE
-INSENSITIVITY
-GENERAL LACK OF SPIRITUALITY
-TOO ANALYTICAL OR LOGICAL IN OUR THINKING
-UNWILLINGNESS TO TRY
-SIN
Before we use those terms, let's look at what we mean when we talk about being Spirit led or Charismatic.
We do operate in the gifts of the Holy Spirit, below is our overview.
AN OVERVIEW OF THE 9 GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Gifts of the Holy Spirit have been given to build the Church and make it whole. The Holy Spirit has been given, complete with nine beautiful gifts, to help us to minister the love, life and power of Jesus Christ.
Let’s look at the Greek terms that are used to describe Spiritual Gifts:
1. In 1 Corinthians 12:1 Paul uses the word “pneumatikoi.”It is usually translated “spiritual gifts,” but a more literal translation would be “spiritual things” or more simply “spirituals.” It is derived from the word “pneuma,” another Greek word used in Scripture to describe the Holy Spirit of God. “Pneumatikoi” tells us the gifts are activated by the Holy Spirit (Who is already in us) rather than by natural ability.
2. In 1 Corinthians 12:4 Paul uses the word “charismata” which is most often translated simply as “gifts”; the term “gifts of grace” would more accurately describe the meaning of the Greek. This is Paul’s most popular word for Spiritual Gifts and it denotes that they are bestowed by the Spirit as an act of divine grace. The gifts are such that they are freely given to anyone who desires them.
3. In 1 Corinthians 12:5 Paul uses the word “diakonia” to describe Spiritual Gifts. The word is translated in the New Testament into the following English words (numbers of times in brackets):
Administration (2) ministering (3) ministration (6) ministry (16) minister (1) office (1) relief (1) Service (2)
serving (1) do service (1)
It is a firm reminder that the gifts are for the well-being of others. The verb “diakoneo” is used in Mark 10:45 by Jesus where, speaking of Himself He says, “the Son of man also came not to be served, but to serve and to give His life a ransom for many.” How we need to have that attitude in our desire to bless others through the Spiritual Gifts.
PURPOSES OF THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT:
To build up the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 14: 4,12).
To encourage (1 Corinthians 14:3, 31).
To comfort (1 Corinthians 14:3).
To praise God (1 Corinthians 14:16, NIV). The KJV uses “bless” and “giving thanks.”
To build yourself up (1 Corinthians 14:4; Jude 20).
To win people for Christ (1 Corinthians 14:23-25).
Some Examples:
The woman at the well (John 4).
The healing of the lame man (Acts 3:1-11).
Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-16).
The appointing of the seven deacons (Acts 6:3-10).
The girl with the spirit of divination (Acts 16:16-34).
To instruct (1 Corinthians 14:31, NIV). The KJV uses the word “learn.”
The purpose of God is to raise up a people that are equipped to do the same works that Jesus did.
Spiritual Gifts in operation are a part of that purpose. Paul makes it very clear that the Gifts of the Holy Spirit are for every believer (1 Corinthians 12:7; 1 Corinthians 14:31). It is not God’s intention that the gifts be confined to a “spiritual elite” or to a limited number of “superstars.” God intends that every believer manifests Spiritual Gifts.
When using Spiritual Gifts our motives and words must be checked against the standard of love.
WHAT ARE THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT:
“But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit – that is, the evidence, the spiritual illumination of the Spirit — for good and profit. To one is given in and through the Spirit a message of wisdom, and to another a word of knowledge and understanding according to the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Holy Spirit, to another the extraordinary powers of healing by the one Spirit; To another the working of miracles, to another prophetic insight — that is, the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose; to another the ability to discern and distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the ability to interpret tongues. All these are inspired and brought to pass by one and the same Holy Spirit, Who apportions to each person individually as He chooses”
(1 Corinthians 12:7-11, AMP).
LEARNING HOW TO PROPHESY
The word “prophesy” here (from Joel 2:28) means “to announce, to show, to deliver an oracle from God, to speak as God’s ambassador; to foretell future events; to sing songs or hymns: each implying divine inspiration”. “Worship (“do obeisance, reverence”) God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” (the exercising of the gift) (Revelation 19:10).
A fuller meaning of the word “worship” as used in the above Verse is: “to crouch, crawl, or fawn, like a dog at his master’s feet; hence, to prostrate one’s self , after the eastern custom, to do reverence or homage to any one, by kneeling or prostrating one’s self before him ... Used therefore of the act of worship” Our worship, therefore, must be to God Himself. Ministry comes out of worship. It is in the attitude and atmosphere of worship that an environment is created to release the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, especially the Gift of Prophecy.
“The word ‘prophecy’ in Hebrew is ‘naba’ which means ‘to flow, boil up or over; bubble or pour forth words, to gush.’ “The Old Testament word for ‘prophet’ means ‘a spokesman or speaker who is a special agent to deliver a message.’ “In the New Testament the words ‘prophecy, prophesy, prophesied and prophets’ are used approximately 186 times and mean ‘to speak, say; declare or make known.’ Thus the subject is given an important place in the New Testament for the Church.” “When man would prophesy, whether in the Old or New Testament, the Spirit of God would inspire their speech and cause His own words to bubble forth. The same is true in the Church today. Men and women can utter words from the Lord as He inspires them to speak, for the edification, exhortation, and comfort of the entire Body”.
WHAT IS THE GIFT OF PROPHECY?
Prophecy is one of the nine gifts (manifestations) of the Holy Spirit that we read about in 1 Corinthians 12:4-11. The other eight are The Word of Wisdom, The Word of Knowledge, Faith, The Gifts of Healing, The Working of Miracles, The Discerning of Spirits, Various Kinds of (unknown) Tongues (AMP.) and The Interpretation of Tongues (those unknown tongues that are spoken). These gifts should always be exercised under the guidance of the Holy Spirit – they are His gifts anyway.
-Prophecy is the bringing forth of an anointed word under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit – or – a prophetic declaration while under divine influence. It is a revelation of the mind of God TO an individual Christian FOR the assembled believers.
-“It is a Spirit-birthed word, supernatural in its origin and inspiration, but presented using the normal language of the individual who is speaking”
-“The Gift of Prophecy is the special ability that God gives to members of the Body of Christ to receive and communicate an immediate message of God to His gathered people, a group among them or any one of His people individually, through a divinely anointed utterance”.
-“It is sharing God's heart, desires and intent”.
-“Prophecy is attacking, stimulating and provoking. It is designed to put a sharp edge onto our relationship with God, in terms of how we live our lives and handle truth” (Graham Cooke in his book, “Developing Your Prophetic Gifting”).
Cultivate
The words used in 1 Corinthians 12:31 show that we – the Spirit-filled believers — must have a strong desire to cultivate the gifts in our lives; to be eager to see them working through us to bless others.
We cannot be passive towards the gifts and expect them to work through us. We must give ourselves to them in earnest . . . with a strong desire to exercise them!
1 Corinthians 14:39 tells us to “be eager to prophesy” (NIV); “eager” meaning “characterised by or feeling expectancy or great desire”.
Desire
To “covet earnestly the best gifts” and to “covet to prophesy” means we must cultivate a desire in our own heart to want to prophesy. Biblically, the words “covet” and “desire” mean “to be zealous for.” The word “zealous” is literally “a zealot” which means “an uncompromising partisan (“devotee to a cause”); an immoderate, fanatical, or extremely zealous adherent to a cause, especially a religious one”
LOVE IS VITAL
In our desiring to prophesy we should always remember that LOVE is the ultimate motivating power of God, and LOVE should always have the pre-eminence, or first place. The Gift of Prophecy must be born, cultivated and expressed out of LOVE and in LOVE. LOVE is the very character of God (1 John 4:7-8).
“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:1-3, NIV).
GUIDELINES FOR PROPHESYING
– 1 Corinthians 14:3:
The main function and purpose of the Gift of Prophecy is for the:
EDIFICATION: (Greek: “oikodome”): “to build up, the promotion of spiritual growth”);
EXHORTATION: (Greek: “paraklesis”) “encouragement, a calling near or for, to stir up”);
COMFORT: (Greek: “paramuthia”) “a consolation, a solace ministered with tenderness”. “Consolation” is “to alleviate grief or disappointment” and “solace” is “comfort in distress or disappointment, to find relief, cheer up” ... of
THE CHURCH: (1 Corinthians 14:4-5, 12).
Our attitude towards the Gifts of the Holy Spirit will determine how much we benefit from the Word of Prophecy given in a meeting. The true Gift of Prophecy is God-ordained and God-inspired! It will always come within the guidelines of edification, exhortation and comfort.
WHO CAN PROPHESY?
-Saul: Samuel told Saul that he would prophesy after the Spirit of God came upon him (1 Samuel 10:5-6).
-“Your Sons and Daughters”: The prophet Joel, approximately 800 years before Christ came to earth, prophesied that “Your sons and daughters shall prophesy” (Joel 2:23, 27-29 and Acts 2:1-18). He was speaking of a New Covenant generation of believers. (We are living in that day!)
-Zacharias: When Zacharias' tongue was loosed from unbelief (and when he obeyed God) he was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied (Luke 1:67-79).
-What about Women Prophesying?
Miriam – Exodus 15:20-21;
Deborah – Judges 4:4;
Huldah – 2 Kings 22:14-20;
Noadiah – Nehemiah 6:14; (She was not a good prophetess!);
Anna – Luke 2:36-38;
Philip’s four daughters — Acts 21:9.
All Spirit-filled Christians may prophesy. (1 Corinthians 14: 1, 5, 31).
HINDRANCES TO THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
-THINGS WE ALREADY KNOW NATURALLY ABOUT A PERSON OR SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES
-PAST BELIEF SYSTEMS
-DOUBTS
-BAD OR HURTFUL PAST EXPERIENCES
-SELF-CONSCIOUSNESS
-SHYNESS
-PRIDE
-INSENSITIVITY
-GENERAL LACK OF SPIRITUALITY
-TOO ANALYTICAL OR LOGICAL IN OUR THINKING
-UNWILLINGNESS TO TRY
-SIN
