Your Sons & Daughters Shall Prophesy - Prophetic Gifts Today In The New Testament Church

The Use of Prophecy in Church Today

That was the beginning of my seeing visions in my ministry. The nature of these visions was remarkable. Although I had never had much interest in botany, I saw every candidate's situation pictured as some form of plant life, such as a coconut tree, a vine, an oak or a flower. This went on at the White Rock camp meeting for two years. I never knew there were so many plants! After several years of observing from my place in the congregation, I cautiously approached Pastor Reg Layzell, the minister in charge, for some direction about the use of this unique gift. He graciously invited me to participate with them, thereby allowing them to better evaluate and men tor the budding ministry. Until then very few prophetic ministers had seen this type of vision. The Lord began to unfold insights about people that could be likened to various aspects of plant life. Later He graduated me from the botani cal kingdom into all avenues of life. I was surprised when Pastor Myr tle D. Beall, pastor of the well-known Bethesda Missionary Temple in Detroit, told me I was a "seer." Regardless of the title, I have been thrilled time and again by the operation of this prophetic gift all over the world. If you were to ask me how to make it happen, I could not tell you. All I know is that a person must walk in the Spirit, be expectant in faith and open to God's opportunities-and then the gifting functions at appro priate times and places. It is impossible to teach someone how to hear the voice of God. The most someone can do is provide practical suggestions that will enhance the reception and delivery of God's message. The best I can propose in this chapter, therefore, are ways you can cooperate with the Holy Spirit in your life. I can also give suggestions of what you can do with the thoughts the Spirit brings so that the communication is most edifying to the church. True prophecy is the voice of the Lord opening a door of opportunity for His people. Through it God's heart desire-what He longs to do for us-is expressed, and new insight given on how to live and serve Him. If a person responds in faith and walks through that door of opportunity, he or she will see dramatic events take place. What a privilege for any of us to be used by God, through prophecy, in sharing God's intentions for His people! We can work with God to bless His people.

Ways That Prophecy Comes

In chapter 5 I mentioned that prophecy during Old Testament times came in one of four ways: an audible voice, a mental picture (vision), an immediate unction or an ecstatic experience. This prophetic illumination found expression in manifold ways (Hebrews 1:1). It is much the same in • 364

Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker