1 Cor 12:1-6 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed (or misinformed)….4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. ESV
Expressions vary from person to person. We can have distinction without having to have division. If someone came up to one person giving them a million dollars that person might laugh, jump and shout while another might sit down and cry. One expression isn’t right while the other is wrong. We all have different expressions in our lives according to our differing personalities and our different experiences.
It truly is going to take the prophetic to unlock this next generation. They simply will not settle for superficial.
1 Cor 14:1, 24 Follow the way of love and eagerly desirethe gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy…24 But if an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in while everyone is prophesying, they are convicted of sin and are brought under judgment by all, 25 as the secrets of their hearts are laid bare. So they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!” NIV
Dan McCollam leads a ministry that has now been invited by the FBI to assist them with finding abducted children. Prayer teams pray over children asking God for insight and assistance in finding them. These teams have received words from God about the color of a car, the name of abductors, location of children who have been taken and license plates of people who have taken them. It sounds fascinating but they describe this as a very heavy assignment as they are carrying the heaviest of burden in praying for these situations.
God is at work in our generation bringing about so much more than we’ve understood before. The church must rise up in true power and anointing to cooperate with God to bring God’s kingdom into the earth! Tracy and I met a group of people in England last year who have a remarkable benevolence and intercessory ministry. People come to them sharing their need for furniture, appliances, etc. They join with them in praying for those things very specifically and they’ve seen God do fascinating things. This is not only providing for their needs but is introducing these people, many of whom don’t even believe, how we can pray and see God answer prayer.
God has deposited so much within our church family to be able to rise up in this more effectively. A woman called me on the phone once asking me to pray. A friend of hers from another city had just called her to tell her they’d returned home to find a suicide note a person had just written and left the house. I began to pray and the Holy Spirit revealed an unusual name to me so I called back immediately. The name was actually the name of a store in this city and that family went immediately to that store where they found their family member sitting in the parking lot with a gun in her lap about to take her life.
Isa 61:1-11 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners 6 And you will be called priests of the LORD, you will be named ministers of our God. NIV
GP2RL Action Point:
Memorize Jeremiah 33:3 as a family goal or with friends. Read the Book of Acts & 1 & 2 Corinthians.
Skepticism and criticism have kept people from all God has for them since the birth of the empowered church.
Acts 2:12-13 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?” Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.” NIV
May we move past our criticism and doubt allowing God to awaken all He desires to awaken within us even if it is uncomfortable at times.
DISCUSSION GUIDE FOR COMMUNITY GROUP LEADERS
Click here for a downloadable pdf file of this guide
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
1. How would you respond if somebody gave you a million dollars right now?
What emotions would you express and how would you express them?
Expressions vary according to the personality of the person. This is the case with earthly treasures and this is the case for heavenly treasures.
1 Cor 12:1-6 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed….4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. ESV
Pastor Lawrence keeps referencing the importance of understanding how we can have distinction without having to have division.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
2. On a scale of 1-10 how would you rate yourself in terms of being expressive in the way you worship and celebrate Jesus?
3. Describe the various expressions you have seen from people attending sports events.
Different people have different expressions about different things in life. The danger in being critical about those who seem to be more expressive in their relationship with God is how it positions our focus on them rather than what God wants to do in us.
Skepticism & criticism have kept people from all God has for them since the birth of the empowered church.
Acts 2:12-13 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?” Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.” NIV
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
4. What stands out to you in the following verses?
Isa 61:1-11 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners…6 And you will be called priests of the LORD, you will be named ministers of our God…11 For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations. NIV
Conclude by asking each person to share somebody other than themselves who comes to mind when asked, “Who can we pray for today?” This is a great way to practice hearing the voice of God together. Compassion for others is a very common way for God to awaken gifts and release passion in our hearts.
Take some time to pray before you end.