Prophecy is not what it used to be. You can change a person’s direction with the right encouraging word. You’ll not only learn Trevor Lund’s story on how he learned more about prophecy, but also get to practice it in supernatural ways. This message had some issues with sound, so the full manuscript can be found on our site https://kingdomway.ca

Kingdom Way is our Church in Edmonton Alberta Canada. We love God, Love People and Make Disciples. https://kingdomway.ca #kingdomway

Notes:

I was raised around the prophetic. It was normal for me. It was more caught than taught so I had some ideas about it that needed to change over time. 

I thought that  prophecy today was more about forth-telling than foretelling, it only happened in the slow part of the song service, and it helped if it was yelled and was even better in King James english.

You know the difference between foretelling and forth-telling? 

Foretelling  – Invites the future 

Agabus – Acts 11:28, 21:10-11 

Forth-telling  – Invites God’s perfect will. 

Revelation 19:10 For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. 

And I thought testing prophecy that happened to be foretelling was easy.  I can’t remember ever being taught this –  I understood prophecy under the law was the same way I still needed to test it today.

I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites, and I will put my words in his mouth. He will tell them everything I command him.  I myself will call to account anyone who does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name.  But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, is to be put to death.”  You may say to yourselves, “How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the Lord?”  If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that is a message the Lord has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously, so do not be alarmed. 

Deuteronomy 18:18-22 New International Version (NIV)

Under the law, if someone gets it wrong, we kill them.  If I ever heard a prophecy that foretold I’d sit back and wait for it to happen. 

I missed out of so much because of that false belief. 

You see  Paul tells us 

 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. 1 Thessalonians 5:19-22 New International Version (NIV)

That’s a good thing on so many levels. If we need to test it, it’s OK if we get it wrong.  But also if we’re to “hold to the good” we need work to see the prophecy happen in our lives. 

I learned a lot when we moved to New Zealand. I learned a lot because I questioned a lot. Let me share a bit of story with you.

In July 2004 we announced God was asking us to put our family, friends, finances and future on the altar and move to New Zealand. We didn’t have a job offer. We didn’t have church wanting us. We weren’t running from anything. I was being called the “golden child” in some circles. We gave it all up. We were doing it in simple obedience. We’d be leaving at the end of December. 

A couple months later my dad was diagnosed with Bulbar ALS and was given a short time to live. 

Suffice it to say, I didn’t go with the right attitude. I told God, “If I’m giving up EVERYTHING you have to give me an open heaven over New Zealand.”

We arrived in Auckland at 6:00 AM January 1, 2005. It was a city of a million people and EVERYONE WAS AT THE BEACH.  When we were out of the airport, I don’t think we saw more than 8 people. Our friends that were letting us stay at their house came from the beach to let us into their house, then went back to the beach. 

I don’t know what I expected as “open heaven” but driving down deserted freeways and empty side streets and childless parks seemed to be the exact opposite. It felt like a post-apocalyptic situation about to get really, really bad. 

A few days later we got to the beach and made our way down to Palmerston North.  We joined a church and saw something I thought was remarkable. 

They had a guest speaker and the pastor let us know he considered him a prophet and talked about his connection to the church in past. The speaker spoke and laid out a few things he had been praying about for the church. Then the pastor announced a prayer meeting for the next night. 

The church gathered and they separated us into groups to pray through what the speaker shared. There was four or five key points. Each group had a recorder who would write down what was being prayed. Then each group shared with the larger group what we thought God was saying for us specifically to do. For example – the prophet said something about being a place of healing – the groups prayed through being a place of physical healing, emotional healing, relational healing etc. 

The amazing thing was we were all praying about the same or similar things. After that night, it was left to the pastors to implement what they thought – through this process – we should do. 

Now remember, I’m still the guy who thinks we test prophecy by seeing if it comes true and stoning the guy if it doesn’t. 

I realized I was treating prophecy with contempt.  

1 Thessalonians 5: 20 Do not treat prophecies with contempt 

Now another series of things happened that convinced me forth-telling prophecies were also powerful. 

Wynne Lewis was a mentor of mine. Wynne was the head of the Elim churches in England. I met him when he came to speak at conference I was running. We kept in touch over the years and he knew about what was happening to us. 

Wynne had a friend named Rodney Francis who was doing a prophetic conference in Palmerston and he thought we should go. 

Our kids were small and we didn’t know anyone at the time to impose on them for babysitting, so I stayed home with the kids and Karen went for the weekend training. But Rodney invited me and kids to come for session. 

He put us on what he called “the hot seat”. It was four chairs at the front of the room. He told the people gathered there. “This is Trevor and Karen from Canada, that’s all I’m going to tell you about them. Tell them what God is saying to you.”

And for the next couple of hours we laughed and cried and filled a lot of Kleenex with snot. And we knew God didn’t forget us. We knew God loved us. We knew we could trust him even if we didn’t know the next step. 

It was wonderfully encouraging. 

After it was over and we took a break, a lady her husband came up to me and said, “I saw something, but it was silly and I didn’t understand it so I was afraid to say it.”

“What did you see?”

“I saw a lot filled with cars on the corner of Rangatiki and Tremain. Do you know what that means?”

“It means I’ll have to take the job if they ask me.”

You see, she didn’t know what happened to me that week. Two weekends before the pastors in town called a special prayer meeting for the conference centre. I went to it and we prayed against a sex expo that was coming to town that weekend. 

The promoter wanted a show down with “religious types” so he had topless ladies on the back of motorcycles driving around the downtown and did all kinds of lewd things to get people upset – so he’d get headlines. 

We met and prayed against his plans – and the show turned out to be a terrible disappointment for the promoter. 

Anyway, the next week I was in an interview with the local paper. There was a position as an advertising features writer I had applied to. 

The editor asked how my being a pastor would affect my work with them? For example, could I work on the sex expo when it came back next year? 

“I could find a story or two on it” I said, thinking about the prayer meeting. 

“You’d be promoting it.”

When he said that, something snapped in me. I pointed my finger and challenged him. “Who are you to determine the morality of this town? Do you even know who your readers are? (I had the demographic information solid in my mind at the time) Do you even know 85% are in church every Sunday? Do you even know those mother’s don’t want to explain to their young kids what happened on the square last weekend? You’ve been put in a position of influence, but if you use it for your own agenda or get usurped another evil agenda you will give account for it!”

How many of you know that’s not a way to get a job?

I left fuming. I remember telling Karen I’d never work for that editor if that was his level of morality. 

And the next weekend was Rodney’s training and I’m hearing this lady described these cars on the corner of Ragatiki and Tremain. She didn’t know I didn’t know what an advertising feature was, so to prep for the interview with the paper I read the first advertising feature I saw, and it was on the new car dealership on Ragatiki and Tremain.

That next week I was offered a freelance position with the paper. It meant I could turn down any jobs I didn’t want to write about. It also meant they could saddle me with more work.  The second week I was given my own advertising spread – 14 stories and all advertising. After I pulled that one out the hour of the deadline the Editor called me into the office again. 

He was wondering if I could arrange a Pastors page and organize the area pastor to write opinion pieces for the paper. 

It was because someone risked to share something they didn’t understand. 

What is Prophecy?

Prophecy is the disclosing of the will and purposes of God through Spirit-filled human beings. The Hebrew Scriptures emphasizes the importance of prophecy as a means of knowing God. The New Testament sets out the place of prophecy in the life of the church and gives guidance concerning the use of this gift. 

How can Prophecy be delivered? 

Speaking 

1 Corinthians 14:4, 6, 19 Paul’s instructions

Demonstrative Actions 

Acts 21:10-11 Agabus with Paul’s belt

Writing Down 

Revelation 1:11 “write down”

Prophetic Song/music 

2 Kings 3:15 Elisha harpist 

1 Chronicles 25:3 Jeduthun prophesied with harp 

Colossians 3:16 & Ephesians 5:19 Spiritual songs

Reason for Prophecy

Prophecy is important because the Father gave it for us to strengthen, encourage and comfort others.

But one who prophesies strengthens others, encourages them, and comforts them. 1 Corinthians 14:3 (New Living Translation)

Prophecy is also for the conviction of unbelievers.

But if all of you are prophesying, and unbelievers or people who don’t understand these things come into your meeting, they will be convicted of sin and judged by what you say. As they listen, their secret thoughts will be exposed, and they will fall to their knees and worship God, declaring, “God is truly here among you.”

1 Corinthians 14:24-25 (New Living Translation)

You can do more in a moment with a prophetic word than you can in months of counseling. 

How do we operate in the Prophetic?

These gifts are for every spirit-filled believer. We are not all called to be prophets, but Paul was clear, he wished that all would prophecy. (1 Corinthians 14:5) 

1. We eagerly desire.

We are told to eagerly desire spiritual gifts. (1 Corinthians 12:31, 14:1, 14:12, 14:39) 

If we do not have a strong desire to move out into the operation of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, then we will find all kinds of excuses “to hide behind,” so we will not need to step out publicly in the exercising of them. Our desire must become stronger than our excuses!  Rodney Francis “School of the Holy Spirit”

The Father responds to our desires.

“Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart” (Psalm 37:4, AMP).

Jesus said: “Therefore I say unto you, Whatsoever things you desire, when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you shall have them” (Mark 11:24, KJV).

2. We prophesy in faith.

Luke 11:5-13 shows us to be eager in our relationship with God and gives us assurances it is His will to give us what we eagerly desire. This ties directly into faith.

Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this story: “Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him, ‘A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.’ And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can’t help you.’ But I tell you this—though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence. 

“And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. 

“You fathers—if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.” Luke 11:5-13 (New Living Translation)

Faith is required to operate in the gifts of the Holy Spirit. When we fear what others will think, or fear that we may make a mistake we are not walking by faith. When we think it’s not for us to do or not for the church today, we are not walking by faith. When we spend little time in the Word and fail to apply it to our lives, we are not walking by faith. 

Faith is understanding what the Word of God says and applying it to our lives in the spirit in which it was said.

Faith is required to make known the thoughts that have been silently given to us by the Spirit. (Romans 12:6)

3. We follow the flow of the Spirit.

Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. 1 Thessalonians 5:19 (New Living Translation)

In this way, all who prophesy will have a turn to speak, one after the other, so that everyone will learn and be encouraged. Remember that people who prophesy are in control of their spirit and can take turns.  1 Corinthians 14:31-32 (New Living Translation)

Too often people expect the Holy Spirit to basically possess them and then have these wonderful things come from them. God never operates this way. He will prod the willing heart to speak forth His mysteries, but “The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets.” (1 Corinthians 14:32) It’s up to us to refrain and its up to us to proceed.

4. We start with what He gives us. 

God leads us gently along. You will not instantly be expected to operate at a level of someone much further along the way. But faith requires you take what have been given and make use of it.

You’ll never know the blessing you could be to the person you’re ministering to if you keep it to yourself. Even if it doesn’t make sense to you, share it in love – remembering to honour the other person. 

Habakuk 2:1 I will look to see what he will say to me,

5. We are gentle to all.

When you’re ministering to a person, avoid the “Thus sayeth the Lord”. Instead, use phrases like, 

“I don’t know if this means anything to you, but I sense…”

“This may not be for you, but I think God is saying…”

There is value in humility. There is value in honouring the individual. 

Until you learn how to know that you know, it’s perfectly legitimate to say, “I’m new at this” and “I’m learning how to hear the Father.” Doing so puts the one you’re ministering to at ease and gives you the freedom to be more adventurous. 

 And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. 2 Timothy 2:24

6. We look for the gold.

When you start to move in the prophetic, you may be able to see a lot of garbage in a person’s life. Un-confessed sin can jump out at you. 

First of all, understand that prophecy can be from one of three sources.

a. Holy Spirit – Luke 12:12

b. Human spirit – Jeremiah 23:21

c.  Demonic spirit  2 Corinthians 11:14

Demonic-inspired prophecy is subtle, deceptive, manipulative and domineering. We need the gifts of discerning spirits to know when we’re being influenced by those thoughts. You can be influenced by someone near-by, so be aware. Don’t be afraid, but don’t forget to speak in love and to honour the individual. 

Prophecy inspired by the human spirit is often negative and critical. You may be tempted to speak these out when you see the garbage in people’s lives.

Prophecy from the heart of God will always strengthen, encourage and comfort others. 

Secondly, always look for the gold. One tool is to ask the Spirit to “give me the words the bring life” or to “let me see the treasure that you see in him (or her).”

7. We receive impartation

a. From the Father (Numbers 11:16-29)

b. From others (Acts 19:6-7, 1 Timothy 4:14, 2 Timothy 1:6-7)

Now in my experience one of the only things more powerful than prophecy is hearing the voice of God for yourself. 

But the two aren’t mutually exclusive. When I receive a prophetic word, I’m hearing the voice of God. When I give a prophetic word, I’m hearing the voice of God. 

The tool we’re using today will help you to hear God’s voice and speak His words. But I’m not going to make it so super-spiritual for you. We’re going to do what happened to us in New Zealand. It’s called the Hot Seat. 

 The Hot Seat

How do you learn to hear the voice of God? How do you know when He’s speaking to you? How do you learn to use wisdom when applying supernatural knowledge? This comes by experience and this needs to be done in safety. 

Everyone has different levels of experience and giftings and time we spend with the Hot Seat will allow us all to teach and learn how to operate in the gifts.

Basic rules for the Hot Seat:

• Speak words of life – Do everything in love

• It’s OK to risk… more than that it may be necessary to risk. 

• Allow love and compassion to be released through what you see.

• Be available to what God wants you to say.

Depending on how many people are present, we may break into smaller groups. Someone will volunteer or be volunteered to sit in a chair and everyone else will look at that person without unnecessary staring. We’ll pray a prayer along the lines of:

Holy Spirit, I make myself available to you right now. If there is anything You would like me to say to that person on the chair that will help to bless, inspire, encourage, minister and speak to them in such a way that they know it is the Holy Spirit, then Lord, I am willing to share it. Thank you that you want to use me in this way. Amen. 

Pick up on the first impressions. Go up and speak out in love what you have. You’ll be amazed at what God shows you and how He allows you to deliver it in love.

Everything that is said will be recorded so the person on the hot seat can go back and listen to them again at home. 

Everyone is going to be on the hot seat. Everyone is going to share what God has revealed to them. The hot seat is a place of safety, a place of release and a place of supernatural ministry. Gifts will be released and hurts will be healed.

revtrev

View all posts

Add comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Hours & Info

Call or Text us at 825-440-1710
Join us IN PERSON or ONLINE Sundays at 10:00 AM and during the week you're invited to what's on our Calendar Online as well. Learn more about all events at https://MyKWC.ca