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SPIRITUAL GIFTS, PROPHECY AND TONGUES

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  • Connect through care, prayer and loving accountability for previous “I will …” statements

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Spiritual Gifts

1 Corinthians 12:1-31 (NIV)

1 Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. 2 You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. 3 Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.

7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.

15 Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.

21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31 Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.

  • Why does Paul use the image of a body to describe the church?

  • How are spiritual gifts to function within the body?

  • Why doesn’t the Spirit give all the gifts to one individual?

  • This is what MicroChurches can do best! Because we are small everyone get so play and use their gifts in ministering to the body. There’s no better way to discover and develop a spiritual gift than to use it in one another ministry.

  • Whatever you do as a leader, don’t try to function in all the gifts of the Spirit for your MicroChurch. The point is for the Body to use all their gifts for the strengthening of the Body. Your job as the leader is to give permission and facilitate this Body ministry.

  • See Follow The Way - FILLING - Use It for Discovery Bible Study on the spiritual gifts and an online Gifts Test (Definition of Gifts & Gifts Test)

Laying On of Hands

  • Regularly lay hands on each other and pray for the filling of the Holy Spirit and the activation of spiritual gifts.

  • Ask the Holy Spirit to fill you and activate any spiritual gift the Spirit has for you. Pray that the Holy Spirit would come upon you to empower you to live and witness for Jesus boldly.

 Guidelines for Prophecy

  • Foundationally and primarily, God speaks through His Word, the Bible. The Bible, however, tells us that God also speaks through His Spirit, a still small voice, dreams and visions, angels and the gift of prophecy and tongues. Let’s look at the gift of prophecy and how to test it.

Acts 2:17-18 quoting Joel 2:28-29 (NIV)

In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.

1 Corinthians 14:1-5 (NIV)

Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy. For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them; they utter mysteries by the Spirit. But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort. Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves, but the one who prophesies edifies the church. I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy.

1 Thessalonians 5:19-22

Do not quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil.

  • We can make a distinction between a prophetic word that is intended for the whole MicroChurch and one that is given by an individual to another individual during a one another ministry time.

  • In both cases, the prophecy must be tested. When it is spoken to the whole group, it is to be tested by the whole group. When it is spoken to an individual, it is to be tested by that individual and any others involved in the ministry time.

  • Here are 3 tests …

 

ABC Test

Here are 3 tests for a prophetic word or leading from the Spirit.

A. Is it Affirming?

Spiritual gifts are given for the strengthening, encouraging and comforting of the body. Does that mean there can never be a difficult word of correction? No. But those need to be handled with great care and probably should be processed with a community leader for wisdom on how to proceed. The point is, even a difficult word needs to be given in an affirming way.

B. Is it Biblical?

It doesn’t necessarily have to be chapter and verse specific, although, the Spirit can direct you to a specific passage of Scripture. The question is, Does it fit within the overall flow and teaching of the Bible?

C. Is it Christlike?

From what you know of Jesus, would this be something He would say?

Even if it’s not technically a word from the Lord, but it passes these 3 tests, it just may become a word that the Lord uses to speak to the person you share it with.

When sharing what you sense is from the Lord, don’t say, “This is what the Lord says to you.” Say, “I had this thought (passage, picture, pain, prompting, impression). I think it may be from Lord. What do you think?” Or “Why don’t you take that to the Lord and ask Him about it?” Or “Does this make sense to you at all?”

 

 Practice the Prophetic

  • Take turns focusing on each person in your group. You could use a chair to have people sit on while the others gather around. Ask the Lord to give you prophetic leadings for that person. And then say, “Person’s name, I think God would say to you …” and share what comes to mind. Or “Person’s name, I think God is showing me this for you …” and share what comes to mind.

  • Test these leadings using the ABC Test.

  • Remember, faith can be spelled T-R-Y. So try it. Don’t force things. But if something comes to mind, share it. Let’s practice the prophetic.

Guidelines for Tongues

1 Corinthians 12:27-30 (NIV)

27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? 31 Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.

1 Corinthians 14:1-5 (NIV)

1 Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy. 2 For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them; they utter mysteries by the Spirit. 3 But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort. 4 Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves, but the one who prophesies edifies the church. 5 I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be edified.

1 Corinthians 14:12-19 (NIV)

12 So it is with you. Since you are eager for gifts of the Spirit, try to excel in those that build up the church.

13 For this reason the one who speaks in a tongue should pray that they may interpret what they say. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. 15 So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding. 16 Otherwise when you are praising God in the Spirit, how can someone else, who is now put in the position of an inquirer, say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since they do not know what you are saying? 17 You are giving thanks well enough, but no one else is edified.

18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. 19 But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.

1 Corinthians 14:26-33 (NET)

26 What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up. 27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. 28 If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and to God.

29 Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. 30 And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. 31 For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged. 32 The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. 33 For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people.

  • We (along with the Vineyard) don’t consider tongues THE gift that marks the Spirit-filled Christian. Instead, the Spirit-filled Christian is to be characterized by the fruit of the Spirit, especially love, and any gift that the Spirit determines to give them. However, tongues is one of those gifts that the Spirit gives and Paul wished that everyone would speak in tongues.

  • We need to make a distinction between speaking in tongues and praying or singing in tongues. When a tongue is spoken in the context of a MicroChurch that needs an interpretation. Praying and singing in tongues doesn’t necessarily need an interpretation.

  • If you are discussing tongues, feel free to ask someone to give a demonstration. Some people may never have heard a tongue. If you are demonstrating the gift that doesn’t necessarily need an interpretation.

  • You can certainly pray for the gift of tongues and you can pray over those who wish to receive this gift. And it’s okay to explore and experiment with this gift. For example, since the gift of tongues is in control of the person with the gift (it's not out of control ecstatic utterance) when someone is seeking the gift they may need to try it on for size. In other words, they may need to open their mouth and try saying something. If something comes and continues, that’s probably the gift. If something comes but doesn’t continue, well, maybe not. Once again, it’s okay to explore and experiment. And why can’t we ask for this gift more than once? Just don’t manipulate or manufacture it. And never make anyone feel second class for not speaking in tongues, including yourself. The gift of tongues is just one of the many good gifts the Spirit gives as He wills. We need to celebrate any and every gift the Spirit gives.

  • If a tongue in prayer or song is heard by the group, that doesn’t necessarily need an interpretation. However, it might be best for that person moving forward to pray or sing in their tongue silently or under their breath. The point is you don’t want the gift of tongues in prayer and song to call attention to itself.

  • There may be times when you ask everyone to pray and praise out loud altogether. People may want to speak in English or Spanish or in a tongue. The idea is everyone is praying at the same time and if there are tongues, once again, those don’t necessarily need an interpretation.

  • If a tongue is spoken, however with the intention that the whole group listens, that needs an interpretation. Pause the group, pray and ask the Lord to give your group an interpretation. The person who gave the tongue or another may give the interpretation. Often this interpretation is not a word for word sort of thing, but a general sense or drift. In other words, the interpretation may take less or more time to say than the tongue itself. This interpretation is to be tested by the same ABC Test used for the gift of prophecy.

  • If an interpretation doesn’t come, throw a “towel” to the person who gave the tongue! They may feel rather exposed. Say, “Thanks for that tongue. Thanks for taking that chance. There isn’t an interpretation AT THIS TIME. One may come though, but at this time we’ll need to move on. And if later anyone gets a sense of interpretation about that tongue, just let us know.”

LIVE / LEAD

  • What did you discover in this training session?

  • What is your “I will …” statement flowing from this training?