Spiritual Gifts
I thought this message by Pastor TJ Hahn, “Spiritual Gifts | how to use them for God’s glory| Prophecy” was very well presented from Scripture, so I am sharing it with you, today. I would be interested in your response. Thanks, Rod Harrier
Scripture: Romans 12:3-8
Review:
Last week we saw that offering up our body involves sacrifice of the negative and the positive.
Verses 3-8 focus on the positive–our gifts.
This week the message is about offering up the gifts God has given us for His glory!!
How to Use Spiritual Gifts for God’s Glory
I. Be Real–Sober about your Gifts
the Greek word in verse 3 is SOPHRANEO-meaning–right mind
Don’t get a big head!! Have you ever complimented one of your children but prefaced it with that statement? Teach them to think with sober judgement–realizing that their abilities are gifts. Be realistic!
A self-worship type focus can cause you to look down on anyone who doesn’t respect your gift.
Remain sober, humble, know your place and know yourself!
Pride is intoxicating–you become consumed with your own world & out of touch with reality.
One of the more nauseating things in life is someone seeking to serve others and God by thinking that they are so much better than those they serve. It is as if nobody serves like they do! Everyone owes them gratitude, praise, and respect.
2. Use your Spiritual Gifts according to the “Measure of Faith”
This means assess yourself spiritually. For instance, some believe that they are not worthy to serve as a deacon or elder- this is sober judgement…. They could be right or they may need more discipleship. This makes me want to bring them into leadership.
Do not allow your humility to keep you from serving; this is not what God wants!
Think of the story of Martha serving. It wasn’t that serving is wrong. Martha needed to be with Jesus more, so that her gift would used in the right way with the right heart behind it.
Identify your gift and use it!
Spiritual Gifts | Prophecy
What is it with prophecy? Of all the gifts, this can be powerfully GOOD OR BAD
[Illustrations]:
- Charles Spurgeon (a Calvinist) during a sermon pointed up at a man and said, “Sir your gloves are not paid for.” The man was instantly convicted, came down, laid his gloves on the altar, and repented publicly. Just a fluke? Maybe, but then again, perhaps God gave him that insight.
- John Piper once told the story
when he and his wife, Noël, were expecting their fourth child, and a woman shared with John a very dire “prophecy”: Noël would die in childbirth, and the baby would be a girl. This prophecy seemed wrong. There was nothing edifying, encouraging, or consoling about it 1 Corinthians 14:3. John wisely said nothing about it to Noël. The child was born a boy, and mother and baby came through just fine.
This is when prophecy can be bad and dangerous. Here are other instances when it can be an encouraging word or a word of warning.
- Pastor TJ: In 8th grade a prophetic word was given to me (TJ) and a girl I liked. At a Rebecca St. James concert, I had recently decided to become a youth pastor but had told no one. A bunch of youth invited me to a meeting with a man that had a so-called prophetic gift. I thought it was weird but decided to go along with it. He prophesied that I would become a youth pastor and would minister to kids from all kinds of cultures, and the girl I liked would be a mother of many children. Both prophecies came true. Coincidence? Maybe, maybe not.
- God impressed heavily on my heart (TJ’s) to warn people always drunk in the park. I was scared to obey, thinking they might get violent with me. That very week, they were both killed by a train.
- Testimony of Nat
As a sophomore in college I was working at Walmart, but I was on a break just walking through the store. I did not have on my nametag or my employee vest.
A lady came up to me and asked,”Nat? Uh, Nathaniel?”
I answered yes.
She responded, “God wanted me to tell you to pull your bootstraps up. He’s got
great plans for you.”Shocked, I told her thanks. The hair on the back of my neck stood up and I was dumbfounded.
she then said, “I pray for you every day.” And then she left.
When I came to my senses, I went to go find her. I have no idea who she was. When I walked by my co-worker (He was my best friend and would later be my best man in my wedding), he wondered what was wrong with me. I was pale like l’d seen a ghost.
I have no idea who that woman was, but I think about it often. At the time, I was dumped from a pretty serious relationship (marriage was in the air, or so Ithought). Later that summer I made a decision to be in some type of full-time ministry. Was my “experience” why I decided that? No, but I wonder.
Has the gift of prophecy Ceased? 2 Views:
1. It has Ceased
Richard Gaffin and Paul Enns (Moody Handbook of Theology) hold this view. They say-“The gift of prophecy is no longer needed because the foundation of the church has been laid and the Canon of scripture is complete.”
Proof Texts:
Ephesians 2:20 “built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets, Christ Jesus Himself
being the cornerstone”.| Corinthians 13:8-13 “Prophecies shall cease”
EXODUS 33:11– Moses spoke to God face to face but with the completion of the Scriptures, that is no longer needed.John Macarthur would disagree with Paul Ens on Romans 12 that prophecy after the completion of scripture is the same as preaching. “Paul Ens states that there is no clear evidence in Scripture that prophecy is a synonym for teaching.” [Maybe not teaching but preaching!] The word prophecy encompasses both foretelling future events and forthtelling of God’s message. Scripture does not separate foretelling and forthtelling.
2. Prophecy has not ceased
Wayne Grudem and John Piper hold this view.
Proof Texts
1Corinthians 14:1-4 .. this does not sound like it is just for the apostles but rather for the church
Acts 2:17
Romans 12 logical argument: it is difficult to rip this one gift out of the list presented in Romans 12, believing all are still valuable today while one isn’t. The text just doesn’t seem to allow for it.
I Thessalonians 5:20 -“Do not despise prophecies, test everything.John Piper’s definition of this current day gift: “Prophecy is a nonauthoritative, fallible, human report of something we sense God has brought to our mind for the edification of Gods people which is to be tested by the renewed mind of Romans 12:2. The church is led by Elders who are to test such prophecies.
Prophecy is a very dangerous and valuable gift to the church.”Pastor TJ: I disagree a bit. Prophecy is certainly to be tested by Scripture and character as it is given by a fallible person. But, a true prophetic word is to be taken authoritatively for the edification, discipline, or strengthening of faith of the believer. So, if you are seeking this gift, recognize that it is not on par with scripture, but rather is in submission to it.
Use Prophecy in the proportion of your faith
What does this mean?
1. Faith is always humble – The person recognizes that they are fallible, they know their weaknesses they realize that prophetic words only come from God. They want to get out of the way.
2. Use it to bring Glory to Christ! All Faith is for pleasing God and lifting up the name of Christ!
Not for your own glory… It’s what God is stirring in your heart, it’s about Him!
I have met people who claim that they have the gift of prophecy and there is something very unsettling -mainly because they are a controlling and prideful person.
Love Jesus more than the gift!
3. Ask God to give you wisdom to edify and build up, and believe that He will give it to you! Could it be that we don’t have many God-centered prophetic words because we are not being transformed and rather being more conformed?
4. Thus Saith the Lord must be backed with Scripture that is tested!
Why Test Scripture?
In proportion to your faith! If your faith has grown for many years, then you will be able to test and know what God’s will is by balancing out the whole of Scripture with one verse and therefore not pervert a verse in scripture.
5. Faith must be combined with Love. Use your gifts with love 1Corinthians 13:13These are notes from Pastor TJ Hahn, used by permission edited and optimized for reading. Here are some other articles you might find interesting: