Story of Misunderstanding
In an ancient story called "The Holy Man," a group of pilgrims are traveling across a vast desert to visit the holy shrines and temples of antiquity. After several days’ journey into the desert, they sight a great rolling cloud of dust in the distance moving toward them.
The pilgrims’ leader cries out, "I fear it is a band of murderous thieves! Quickly, let us take shelter behind that sand dune!" The pilgrims huddle together as, the cloud of dust comes closer and closer until it stops on the other side of the sand dune. The leader of the pilgrims climbs to the top, of the sand dune. There he sees a man with a long white beard who has climbed to the top on the other side. It quickly becomes apparent that neither can speak the other man’s tongue, so they resort to sign language. After communicating for a while in this manner, the white-bearded man moves quickly down his side of the sand dune anti the pilgrim leader goes back clown to his flock. There is a look of beatific rapture on his lace. "What happened’!" the pilgrims ask.
He replies, "My children, I have just met the holiest of the holy. This is what happened: When we met face to face we could not speak each other’s language, so I decided to use sign language. With my finger I drew a circle in the sand, to indicate that we are all one in this world. He looked at the circle and then he drew a line through it. He meant, of course, that there are two worlds: the earthly and the heavenly. To show him I understood, I pointed upward with my finger to indicate that we are all one under God. Then he reached into his tunic and took out an onion which he then gave to me. Of course I understood that it indicated the multiple layers of understanding available to everyone. And to show him I understood his meaning, I ate the onion. Then I reached into my tunic and offered him an egg. But he was too humble to accept my gift. He just turned and walked away. Truly, I have seen the holiest of holy men!"
Meanwhile, on the other side of the sand dune, the warriors have drawn their swords and are ready to attack the pilgrims. But their white-bearded leader says to them, "We are in grave danger. Never have I met a more blood thirsty man in my life. Here is what happened:
"When we came face to face, we immediately knew we could not speak the same tongue. That man then drew a circle in the sand. Of course I understood it to say that we are surrounded. I took my finger and I drew a line through his circle, to indicate that we would cut them in half. Then he raised his finger to the sky as if to say that he could take us on all by himself. Then I gave him an onion to suggest that he would soon taste the bitter tears of death. But he proceeded to eat the onion, in defiance. Then he handed me an egg, to show me how fragile our position is. Let’s get out of here!"
The pilgrims then went on to the holy places without further incident. Anti when they returned home they liked to talk about the beautiful temple and the shrines they had visited. But most of all they liked to talk about the day their leader met that white-bearded "holiest of the holy" on top of the sand dune.
-from "Sunday Sermons," Mar/Apr 1989/Parables, Etc. Nov. 1990
How often in life we’re reacting to the same things in different ways… different interpretation
Often true with the role of PROPHETIC INSIGHT TODAY. We can have the same different perspective as those pilgrims & warriors.
My desire is to help us find ourselves on the same page, to be united… in our love for God’s leading.
Simple definition for prophecy was used is scripture: “The revealing of God’s heart and mind to our heart and mind.”
Scripture doesn’t describe any more narrow or specific meaning
Functionally, though, we generally give
TWO LEVELS OF MEANING TO THIS WORD:
1. Broad sense of the Spirit’s inspiration, illumination, or insight
Examples - When God’s word is taught, a speaker or author brings forth a very insightful and pointed corrective, reading God’s Word and sense it’s truth speaking to us.
There is a prophetic dynamic at hand. We all experience a prophetic revelatory dynamic in life – because God’s spirit is constantly revealing the mind and heart of God. In this way, we’re called to “walk in the spirit” under His constant leading.
2. A more spontaneous Spirit inspired message or insight for the edification and
encouragement of a particular individual or group
Here’s where the church has often closed the door…
The subjectivity of such words scares us
The pretense of speaking God’s heart and mind offends us
The free reign for individuals to pass off their own agendas in the name of the Lord concerns us
Or the lack of such experience personally discourages us
Yet, despite all fear, offence, concern, or discouragement, the early church chose the way of wisdom instead… because God has chosen to trust the wisdom of his people.
Perhaps two texts help capture this best… first are the words of Peter at Pentecost…
No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: “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. Acts 2:16-18 (cf Joel 2:28ff)
Do not put out the Spirit’s fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold onto the good. 1 Thessalonians 5:19-21
I. GOD IS SPEAKING TO OUR MINDS AND HEARTS IN A FRESH WAY
I want to suggest that a radically different experience is at hand among us than what existed for Israel in the Old Testament
A. A New Purpose
Explain: Prior to Christ…God was forging a people… priests to mediate, prophets to warn. Now the descriptions related to a prophetic dynamic change…
“for the common good” 1 Cor. 12:7
“for strengthing, encouragement, and comfort.” 1 Cor. 14:3
“edifies the church” 1 Cor. 14:4
“that everyone may be instructed and encouraged” 1 Cor. 14:31
“for the strengthing of the church” 1 Cor. 14:26
The heart of prophetic ministry becomes especially clear in 1 Cor. 12-14:
Cor 13 – love is the central goal and defining
Cor 14 – gifts that build up others are the greatest
I’ve seen four types of words in Scripture and experience:
1) Encouragement to know God’s with us
2) Counsel or insight into our life situation; often we’re seeking direction,
but God is interested in our development,
3) Direction… foretelling that releases faith to step out:
- may be an individual to share with
- a work of God to heal
- or a ministry to venture into
4) Conviction – but always specific
- Ananais and Saphira in Acts; and in which case should be
brought personally
- God will convict his people, but words of condemnation
are never from God
- The desire of God is to envision and encourage us in
our time and place
B. New Pervasiveness
In Israel’s formation, only a few select individuals were called out… ending with John the Baptist in preparation of the Messiah, but now, the greater plan of God has come forth.
As Peter stated from Joel’s prophesy: GOD HAS POURED OUT HIS SPIRIT ON ALL PEOPLE (word “all” in Hebrew = all; in GK = all)
It’s full of inclusiveness… sons and daughters… men and women… old and young
All who receive Christ receive his Spirit, and all who receive the Spirit receive the work of on-going revelation:
But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you… when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own.; but he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and it known to you. John 14:26; 16:13-14
Thus Paul could say…
Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy… Therefore, my brothers, be eager to prophesy,… 1 Cor. 14:1, 39
Broadly given, to which some are uniquely gifted;
Given to all; especially gifted in some… that’s the truth of spiritual gifting
Illus.: Like ability to sing… all can sing… those most gifted are given a more public role – they sing solos – but all sing in various contexts.
> A radically new pervasiveness
C. A New Presumption
By this I mean there is an entirely different level of presumption about implying we have an inward leading from God for others.
Note what Paul said back in our key text in I Thess: “TEST EVERYTHING, HOLD ON TO WHAT’S GOOD.”
-- What happened to the old injunction in Israel that if a prophet
proved to be wrong they should be stoned?
In the new work of the Spirit, BOTH A PROCESS OF DEVELOPMENT AS WELL AS A POTENTIAL FOR DECEPTION ARE ASSUMED AND CALL FOR DISCERNMENT.
In the Old Testament, God’s enlistment of a people was at stake. The Holy Spirit had not been given, thus it was a time in which only the law stood to set the people apart. Therefore, the consequences were great, including death, to reflect the significance of the law as their tie to God.
Now it is Christ that sets us apart, and the Spirit resides in all people as a guide.
A FREER AND MORE FLUID COMMUNICATION IS AT HAND AND GOD ALLOWS HIS PEOPLE TO DISCERN WITH GRACE.
WHAT ARE SUCH MEANS TO DISCERNMENT?
Consistency with Scripture… with both the letter and spirit of God’s living testimony
-- Matthew 4:1-11 - Devil comes to Christ in the wilderness; uses scripture… quotes Psalms 91… which was originally a word of encouragement to David about angelic protection and now the devil turns it into a test. Jesus knows the
broader spirit of scripture is not one of setting up contrived tests to
serve our ambition.
Confirmation by Others
-- I Cor. 14:29 - Paul instructs that after no more than 2 or 3 prophetic
words are given, others should discern and agree if they bear witness
to their being from God.
-- Even notes that some have been gifted with special discernment to
distinguish such leading.
-- At least twice Paul is found disconfirming prophetic messages that
were being passed around:
• 2 Thess 2:1-2 re some claiming “the day of the Lord
has already come”
• 1 Tim 4:1-5 re some known as Gnostics claiming a need
to abstain from material pleasure
Confirmation by Objective Truth, i.e., fruit
-- Matthew 7:15-16 - Jesus warns “Watch out for false prophets. They
come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.
BY THEIR FRUITS YOU WILL RECOGNIZE THEM.” (Caps added).
-- That’s not to say any of our lives are without sin, but in regards to what we
claim to be of God, it will prove itself in time.
As we look closely to what is at-hand regarding prophetic insight for today, we realized that GOD IS SPEAKING TO OUR MINDS AND HEARTS IN A FRESH WAY… with a new purpose; a new pervasiveness; and a new presumption.
We need to loose ourselves from the moorings of relating prophetic insight to that of Israel in the Old Testament.
God leads his people today, but not as He led Israel.
In the same way we offer our lives as a sacrifice to God, but not with animal sacrifices as was done in Old Testament times.
THE OLD IS A HELPFUL METAPHOR FOR THE NEW, BUT NOT A MODE FOR THE NEW.
In Christ, all the work of God changed…
Jesus became the final priest and called us into a new role as priestly people
So Jesus became final prophet, and ushered us into a new age of being a prophetic people
IN EACH CASE, JESUS BROUGHT AN END TO THE PURPOSES OF THE ROLES AS THEY HAD EXISTED BEFORE HIM, AND RELEASED A NEW WORK.
HOW CAN WE SHARE IN THAT NEW WORK OF HIS PROPHETIC INSIGHT?
II. PRACTICAL PRINCIPLES FOR PROPHETIC INSIGHT
A. Help nurture an atmosphere of process rather than presumption regarding spiritual impressions; an atmosphere of love and open to learning. Only where it’s safe to be wrong, will we learn to be right.
B. Submit all inner revelation to the letter and spirit of Scripture.
C. Maintain a humble and teachable spirit, submitted to the wisdom of counsel:
Prov. 11:14 – “In an abundance of counselors there is victory.”
Heb. 13:17 – “Submit to one another.” (A calling given throughout scripture).
Eph. 5:21 – “Obey your leaders and submit to your authority. They keep watch over you as those who must give an account.”
Paul makes clear that our submission to others is not because all authority will always be trustworthy, but because God is trustworthy and He ordains and uses the authority of others in our life.
There is one authority over this church – Jesus; it’s His church; but He leads us through our submission to others.
-- example of an elder’s discussion… prayed… waited because one…
-- example of marriages… one partner vision… the other timing…
D. Seek God in those areas for which you are responsible. (Revelation is generally given to lead us in the responsibility and subsequent authority God has ordained).
Example – 1 Tim. 4:14 – Elders of church had prophecies for Timothy were those ordaining him.
All examples of the early church’s major leadership decisions appear to have been prompted by those clearly recognized in proven prophetic leadership roles (Acts 21:10 – Agapus; Acts 13:1-7 – Sending Barnabus and Saul)…. rather than some stranger drifting along outside the community.
Next week we will expand the practical process focusing more on how we hear from God… particularly those who feel they’re “hard of hearing,” as many of us can be.
But this morning, having lifted out of scripture the place and principles of God’s prophetic ministry for today, let me close with an appeal to your heart.
I believe there are 2 words that must get a hold of us that are spoken of in conjunction with God’s prophetic insight today:
1. LOVE
-- “follow the way of love”
-- Does love for others lift your mind and heart to God?
2. EAGER
-- “eagerly desire…”
-- You and I have no responsibility to hear from God on behalf of others… but we have a
great responsibility to eagerly desire all that God would give.
Closing illustration:
Rising straight and tall some 350 feet above the sea, the beam from Gibbs Lighthouse in Bermuda can be seen 40 miles out in the Atlantic. Ships rely on the light from Gibbs as a crucial aid in navigating the vast ocean. The beacon also warns vessels of the treacherous reefs which surround the island. Although it can be seen for a great distance, the light uses only a single 1,000 watt lightbulb. The reason the beam is so strong is because of the power system of lenses and reflectors that surround the bulb. Without them, it would only cast a feeble glow. As Christians, we make little difference for God when depending on our own energy. Yet when we admit our weakness and boast only in the Lord, He greatly magnifies out gifts and testimony with a “demonstration of the Spirit’s power” (1 Cor. 2:4). Submitted by David L. But, Southampton, Bermuda
Series: Faith, Prayer and Prophesy
PROPHETIC INSIGHT FOR TODAY
October 29, 1995 – Brad Bailey
No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: “‘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.’” Acts 2:16-18 (cf Joel 2:28ff)
Do not put out the Spirit’s fire; do not treat prophesies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. 1 Thessalonians 5:19-21
I. GOD IS SPEAKING TO OUR MINDS AND HEARTS IN A FRESH WAY
A. A New Purpose
“for the common good” 1 Cor. 12:7
“for strengthing, encouragement, and comfort.” 1 Cor. 14:3
“edifies the church” 1 Cor. 14:4
“that everyone may be instructed and encouraged” 1 Cor. 14:31
“for the strengthing of the church” 1 Cor. 14:26
B. A New Pervasiveness
But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you… when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own.; but he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and it known to you. John 14:26; 16:13-14
Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy… Therefore, my brothers, be eager to prophesy,… 1 Cor. 14:1, 39
C. A New Presumption
Both a process of development as well as a potential for deception are assumed and call for discernment
Discernment includes:
Consistency with Scripture
Confirmation by others (1 Cor. 14:29)
Confirmation by objective truth, i.e., fruit (Mt. 7:15-16)
II. PRACTICAL PRINCIPLES FOR PROPHETIC INSIGHT
1. Help nurture an atmosphere of process rather than presumption regarding spiritual impressions; an atmosphere of love and open to learning.
Only where it’s safe to be wrong, will we learn to be right.
2. Submit all inner revelation to the letter and spirit of Scripture.
3. Maintain a humble and teachable spirit, submitted to the wisdom of counsel (Proverbs 11:14; Eph. 5:21; Hebrews 13:17)
Proverbs 11:14 - “For lack of guidance a nation falls, but many advisers make victory sure.”
Ephes. 5:21 - “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.”
Hebrews 13:17 - “Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account.”
4. Seek God in those areas for which you are responsible. (Revelation is generally given to lead us in the responsibility and subsequent authority God has ordained).
Series: Faith, Prayer & Prophesy
October 29, 1995 - by Brad Bailey
“HELP FOR THE HEARING IMPAIRED”
We began last week looking at hearing from God.
Broadly defined: prophetic insight is simply the mind and heart of God being revealed to our minds and hearts
God is in the process of pouring out His mind and heart in a fresh way… different than he had done with the prophets of Israel
We noted that following Christ, the term prophetic carries a new purpose… pervasiveness… presumption… from that of the Old Testament.
THIS WEEK… TURN TO THE PROCESS, in which we can learn from the prophets… in particular, Habakuk (note: towards end of OT, before Nahum & Zephaniah). Joke :It’s a great name for any soon to be parents.
Before turning to this process… FOREIGN TO SOME
Story of two big city coaches from Univ. of Washington … Pullman
It seems these two big city coaches from the University of Washington were snooping over around in Washington State country in Pullman. It was winter and they heard that one of the specialties of the area was ice fishing, so they decided to try their hand at it. They went to a sporting goods store and bought all the required paraphernalia that was necessary – lines, poles, lures, bait, a small power saw, a tent, a Coleman stove – the whole bit – and then they found some ice, pitched their tent and started to cut a hole in the ice. Just as they got into the spirit of the thing, a loud, awesome voice from above proclaimed: “There’s no fish under the ice.” Well, that stopped them for a minute but they looked quizzically at one another, and then, embarrassed to acknowledge this eerie voice to each other, turned back to their saw and the ice. But just as they got going again they heard the voice again: “There’s no fish under the ice.” They stole embarrassed looks at each other but kept on sawing. Now, a third time, even louder than before, the booming voice thundered at them: “There’s no fish under the ice.” Finally, one of them could stand it no longer, stood up and cried out – “Is that you, Lord?” And the voice boomed out “No, this is the manager of the ice skating rink.”
Many of us may feel confused… others may feel frustrated.
We can all struggle in our hearts at times when friends, spouses, or anyone we see are led in ways we haven’t experienced.
Let me say that any discussions about how we might hear from God is about helping, not honoring any particular experience. WE HONOR PEOPLE, NOT EXPERIENCES.
All that we’re called to do is “seek all God has, discern all we sense, and hold on to what is good.”
Illus.: Learning specialist… student at Duke Univ. … allow oral responses = “accommodation policy” … straight “A’s” -- NOTE BOOK (Warren jokes).
CONTEXT OF HABAKUK
One whom God had called as prophet during period in which the people had fallen to Babylonian rule… saw the devastation around him… called out to God and would indeed receive insight into what was at hand, namely that Babylon would fall… as it did in 539 BC, 66 years after God spoke to Habakuk. Here we catch a glimpse of the process. Having lifted up what he said to God, he then went on:
I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what he will say to me…, Then the LORD replied: “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald my run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay. Habakkuk 2:1-3.
1. Take a watchful position
Using imagery of the ramparts, refer to the walls of Jerusalem. The first thing Habakuk does is take up a watchful position.
He steps in a place of responsibility and expectation.
-- So often we think of God World Us, standing off to the sides. Then we say
“Where is God,” and God says “Where are you?”
-- I believe God is stirring his church today to their position.
It is a step we can observe throughout scripture: a call to take our position comes first, then as that all is responded to, God’s leading comes…
-- Abraham, Moses, Samuel, Disciples, Paul
-- “calling,” taking our position, then leading
-- Illus.: My accepting the pastorate of this church. I was in the position… but God
needed me to take it
We each have various positions to watch over.
-- They may vary according to what’s at hand in our lives… city… family…
individuals… yourself (… just seeking God)
If we desire God’s leading, the first question to as is: FOR WHOM ARE YOU WATCHFUL?
o Who has been entrusted to your life?
o (Think for a moment)
o If you haven’t taken a deliberate position, agree even now in your heart to say: “I will stand at my watch and station myself.”
2. Listen with the “eyes of the heart”
Note what Habakuk says: “I will look to see what he says to me”
A strange mining of sensing verbs is described, BUT IT IS REVEALING OF HOW GOD SPEAKS TO US.
It’s an internal leading; a revelation to our inner senses. Paul says:
I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the EYES OF YOUR HEART may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. Ephesians 1:17-19
“EYES OF THE HEART” implies a contrast with the apprehensions of our mind thru reasoning; not irrational, but other than rational
Today we would relate this to what we all INTUITIVE KNOWLEDGE, in contrast to our RATIONAL MIND
o Webster’s defines intuition as “Knowing or learning something without conscious reasoning.”
o Increasingly, we’re being described as having TWO MINDS; right and left brain, one which processes the logical, sequential, analytical; one which functions in the feelings and intuitive process; including music. (Ex. of PAPA).
Some of us operate more naturally in this intuitive process
o Women… “women’s intuition”
o Joke: Why women see men stuck in their reasoning mode and want to knock us across the side of the head… to get those neurons that are firing to pump across
Need to be glad for differences… clearly both are a part of discerning the things of God… I’m thankful for people more gifted in either mode of mind… esp. intuitive – Example: Ex. Leah… I’ll be laying out every side… she’ll…
Not suggesting all that we sense intuitively is from God, BUT, BELIEVE IT IS THIS ELEMENT WITHIN TO WHICH WE EXPERIENCE SPIRITUAL LEADING – Example: experiment praying in tongues – EKG
Romans 8:26-27 – The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express… and the Spirit intercedes for us in accordance to God’s will.
I Cor 2:9 – “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who live him, but God has revealed it to us by His Spirit.” (Underlines added).
I Cor 2:12 – “We have not received the spirit of the world but the spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.”
Mark Virkler, Dialogue with God, pg. 159
There is a tendency to think of prayer as an activity of the believer. We decide what to pray for, how to pray, and what answer we want. We come to God and present our requests. But such a view represents only part of the true picture of prayer.
In Romans 8:26, the Lord reminds us that we do not know how to pray as we should. Our understanding is limited. We tend to see only from our own perspective. Our minds cannot perceive divine purposes. Yet so often we forget our limitations and think we know enough to tell God what to do and how to do it. And if arrogance doesn’t motivate us, ignorance does. It takes a revelation from the Lord to make us recognize that our weakness in prayer is perpetual, so that we might learn to be perpetually dependent on the Holy Spirit.
Because we do not know how to pray as we should, the Hold Spirit works through us in our weakness. We do not need to hide in our weakness, or strive in our weakness. We must learn to rest in dependence upon the Lord to work through our frailty. Because we do not know how to pray, God himself takes over the whole process of prayer. His strength is perfected in our weakness. If we entrust ourselves to Him, the entire Godhead will become involved in our prayer life.
Therefore, THE FIRST THING WE SHOULD DO IN LISTENING WITH THE “EYES OF OUR HEART” IS TO ALLOW GOD TO HELP LEAD US – Ask the Holy Spirit for guidance.
Illus.: You may feel you may just have a black & white TV in terms of spiritual intuition, but it’s cable-ready; better than a Mitsubishi Giant without cable.
What about our part? How can we align ourselves to hear from God? How do we go about “watching to see what He will say”?
o The very fact that we are seeking what He will say, implies the necessity to quiet our own minds.
THE SECOND PART OF LISTENING WITH “THE EYES OF OUR HEART” IS TO QUIET THE ACTIVITY OF OUR MINDS… TO QUIET OUR THOUGHTS
o Many may remember the basic communication model… describes sender, receiver, message… NOISE – all that externally and internally that interferes with the message.
o There is a lot that can be said about quietness and stillness, but let me try to simplify it through the words of David in the well-known Psalm 139:
Search me, O God, and know my heart. Test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there be any offensive way in may and lead me in the way everlasting. (Underlines added).
o David knows that the challenge that confronted God’s leading are within, namely anything anxious or offensive.
o In my experience of waiting on God’s leading, these are the two most common active workings in my heart that need attending to.
o I might re-label them: concerns and conscience:
Let me suggest:
1. Concerns / “anxious thoughts” > release these:
-- note them down if necessary
-- palms up / palms down
-- exhaling / inhaling
2. Conscience / “offensive ways”
-- not only does it cause separation in our heart from God, but the enemy
uses it as an opportunity to condemn us: shame, fear.
-- confess
o What, then, do we wait for? In what fashion will God’s impressions come to us?
Spontaneous thoughts, ideas, words, feelings, or images
-- the key word is “spontaneous,” meaning not developed in our own
reasoning
-- may be as refined as a word from Scripture, or as strange as a symbolic
dream, or as simple as a single image or word
-- I’m not implying that every spontaneous thought is from God, but only
that this is the an avenue of His leading. (Discernment is essential, as
I’ve outlined on several occasions).
-- I’m also not implying anything inferior about our more reasoned
insights – they may be equally of God. But, God does want to speak
beyond our natural abilities as well.
For example, last week “depression” (too broad… but quick, striking, and persistant), later women… impressed with name of a city… started with “c,” like Culver City, but I knew it was far away…
…Learn to listen with the “eyes of our hearts.”
3. Record the counsel we believe God has given us.
Habakuk – “write down the Revelation and make it plain (on tablets).”
Here I want to suggest the value of our writing down and recording the things we believe to be God’s insights:
Words of personal use or public, we find examples in scripture – Book of Psalms (is ex. of personal use), Revelation (of public use)
In public words, those for body, it’s helpful for discernment and holding on to
In your personal life, it’s often referred to as journaling
Series: Faith, Prayer & Prophesy
HELP FOR THE HEARING IMPAIRED
Date - Brad Bailey
I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what he will say to me…, Then the LORD replied: “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald my run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay. Habakkuk 2:1-3.
________________
1. Take a watchful position.
2. Listen with the “eyes of the heart.”
I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the EYES OF YOUR HEART may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. Ephesians 1:17-19
3. Record that counsel which we believe God has given us.
Series: Faith, Prayer & Prophesy
December 3, 1995 - by Brad Bailey
“PERSEVERING IN PRAYER”
FAITH, PRAYER & PROPHECY
Persevering in Prayer Dec. 3rd, 1995
This morning, I want to address one more aspect related to our spiritual passion and prayer before we …
As we’ve seen over the previous weeks, Jesus has been stirring His church worldwide to renew themselves in the passion and priority of prayer.
• Making clear that there is no element of a Christian’s energy or activity that can substitute for depending on God’s power through prayer.
• When Jesus said that His Father’s house was to be a “house of prayer”, he made clear that neither worship…teaching…follow up…outreach… nor any program can substitute for depending on the power of God in prayer.
• We see this priority and passion in those first disciples of Christ:
Acts 1:14 “They all joined constantly in prayer.”
Col. 4:2 The apostle Paul extorts the new church, “Devote yourselves to prayer being watchful and thankful.”
Phil. 4:5-6 “The Lord is near. (So) do not be anxious about anything, but in everything…present your requests to God.
Eph. 6:18 “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests,…Be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.”
There are two central instructions regarding prayer noted by the two key words: “all” and “continually”.
This coming year, we want to bring more and more to God in prayer and to do so consistently. God has prompted us to lay this work of prayer in a 3-fold fashion:
1.) Daily, each day of the year we will all pray for one individual…
2.) Weekly, power of presence; praying onsite with insight and with the compassion that comes with presence.
3.) Monthly, day of fasting.
Towards that end I want o address the nature of persevering in prayer. So often many of us have begun to turn to God in prayer, only to find ourselves quieting or quitting the process early on in our pursuit.
A teenager had decided to quit high school, saying he was just fed up with it all. His father was trying to convince him to stay with it.
“Son”, he said, “you just can’t quit. All the people who are remembered in history didn’t quit. Abe Lincoln, he didn’t quit; Thomas Edison, he didn’t quit; Douglas MacArthur, he didn’t quit; Elmo McCringle…”
“Who,” the son burst in, “Who’s Elmo McCringle?”
“See,” the father replied, “you don’t remember him. Elmo quit!”
We live in “instant” times… As a result, we often have little ability to appreciate God’s time-frame and there is little appeal for persisting according to spiritual dynamics.
But Jesus teaches us something: Jesus, in coming from heaven, reveals where heaven stands on the issue; by telling us about His Father’s heart for the persevering… That is what we find here in Luke 11:5-10. The disciples had come upon Christ in prayer, and one asked…
After offering what we refer to as the Lord’s Prayer as an example, he continues,
“Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.’ Then the one inside answers, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can’t get up and give you anything.’ I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man’s persistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs. So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you ; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”
The scene that Jesus described was far from foreign in this 1st century context. As William Berclay describes:
“Travellers often journeyed late in the evening to avoid the heat of the midday sun. In Jesus’ story just such a traveler had arrived towards midnight at this friends house. In the east hospitality is a sacred duty; it was not enough to set before a man a bare sufficiency; the guest had to be confronted with an ample abundance. In the villages bread was baked at home. Only enough for the day’s needs was baked because, if it was kept and became stale, no one would wish to eat it.
The late arrival of the traveler confronted the householder with an embarrassing situation, because his larder was empty and he could not fulfill the sacred obligations of hospitality. Late as it was, he went out to borrow from a friend. The friend’s door was shut. In the east no one would knock on a shut door unless the need was imperative. In the morning the door opened and remained open all day, for there was little privacy; but if the door was shut, that was a definite sign that the householder did not wish to be disturbed. But the seeking householder was not deterred. He knocked, and kept on knocking.”
The poorer Palestinian house consisted of one room with only one little window. The floor was simply of beaten earth covered with dried reeds and rushes. The room was divided into two parts, not by a partition but by a low platform. Two-thirds of it were on ground level. The other third was slightly raised. On the raised part the charcoal stove burned all night, and round it the whole family slept, not on raised beds but on sleeping mats. Families were large and they slept close together for warmth. For one to rise was inevitably to disturb the whole family. Further, in the villages, it was the custom to bring the livestock, the hens and the cocks and the goats, into the house at night.
“That story,” said Jesus, “will tell you about prayer.” The lesson of that parable is not that we must batter at God’s door until we finally compel him for very weariness to give us what we want, until we coerce an unwilling God to answer.
A parable literally means something laid alongside. If we lay something beside another thing to teach a lesson, that lesson may be drawn from the fact that the things are like each other or from the fact that the things are a contrast to each other. The point here is based, not on likeness, but on contrast. What Jesus says is, “If a churlish and unwilling householder can in the end be coerced by a friend’s shameless persistence into giving him what he needs, how much more will God who is a loving Father supply all his children’s needs?”
The lesson revolves around the boldness involved in the request. Some translations used the word ‘persistence’, but the meaning is something of a combination of both… the idea was that of a ‘SHAMELESS PERSISTENCE’. That word occurs only twice in the Greek New Testament, once in the positive form and here in the negative form.
In 1 Timothy 2:9, this word ‘aidos’ is used to describe a posture of propriety and reverence, referring to the type of adornment that was appropriate for women.
But in Jesus’ use of the word in this parable is in its negated form, ‘anaideia’. Jesus said the reason the midnight seeker gets what he needs is because of his ‘anaideia’. Not his reverence, not his modest sensitivity to the hour, not his caution, not his respect for propriety, but his UNASHAMEDNESS!
It isn’t the brassiness of a smart aleck making demands, but the forwardness of a person convinced of their need. Such bold, shameless, persistence is the constant element in the parable of contrast. The contrast is bout the willingness of the householder in contrast to our heavenly Father.
If we can imagine this working, how much more would be the response of our father in heaven?
If shameless, persistence is valuable in relating to a reluctant, sleeping householder; how much more to a father who’s already on our side, always awake and waiting, for whom there is no reluctance to overcome.
Therefore, Jesus continues, we are to ASK, SEEK & KNOCK. Again, using works whose Greek tense clearly distinguishes these as ongoing; conveying emphatically the call to persevere in prayer in asking, seeking and knocking.
Most pointedly, Jesus is saying that our barrier to persevering in prayer is not God; it’s our own hesitance to come boldly and ask freely. In so doing, Jesus is teaching us what PERSEVERING IN PRAYER is NOT.
• NOT PRESUMPTUOUS Often, we may feel that it’s presumptuous to ask anything of God, and in particular, if we are persistent, we must be seeking that which is not His will and desire… that may be, and certainly we are wise and proper to maintain a posture submitted to His will… this is often noted… But until it’s clear, persevering in prayer is
• NOT PESSIMISTIC ANXIETY Often in prayer, we can be offering up words without offering up our worries. We’re vomiting anxiety and because God’s name gets thrown in, we call it prayer. Prayer is more than words… it’s turning to God, turning over to God. James 1:2-8 The midnight seeker that Jesus speaks of stayed focused on his source. Persevering prayer is
• NOT PRODUCING FABRICATED ZEAL The midnight seeker is described as only expressing an authentic sense of need… not working up frenzy. Neither should we. Perseverance is by nature a reflection of intensity; The Latin root meaning intense and severe, but it’s nothing fabricated or conjured up. If we don’t feel moved within, ask God.
• NOT PAYMENT There can be a temptation to assume that we need to persevere a certain amount; as if we can establish a deal with God…or fulfill an unspoken obligation. Prayer is not about establishing a deal, it’s about establishing dependency.
All of these false ideas can hinder the true passion, priority and perseverance that Jesus is teaching us…
JESUS IS TEACHING US A BOLD, “SHAMELESS PERSISTENCE” THAT IS FITTING OF OUR HEAVENLY PATERNAL PARTNERSHIP.
