Prophetic Gifts and the Local Church
Following is an excerpt from “Soaring in the Prophetic.”
Prophetic Gifts and the Local Church
Administration of spiritual gifts varies in each church community. Our focus and energy spent on what matters to God, not our own opinions and wants, leads to a healthy flow of spiritual gifts and community. God warns, “Do not put out the Spirit’s fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good.” (1 Thessalonians 5:1921) The whole community of believers has a responsibility to flow with the Holy Spirit, and not to put out our hand to steady Him as Uzzah did at the threshing floor of Kidon. (1 Chronicles 13:9) Many churches have walked away from their call as they have put out their hand to steady the ark, when the ark was supposed to steady them. “Test everything. Hold on to the good” is the remedy for dealing with well-meaning people who miss the mark when they manifest the revelatory gifts and not, “Let us avoid mistakes by never allowing revelatory gifts.”
God sometimes gives extremely precise details on how He wants to build and other times He does not. For example, God gave Moses precise instruction for building the tabernacle and all its furnishings. (Exodus 25:9, 25:40) Consequently, the artistic work for the lampstand (Exodus 25) had meticulous details, and yet, God left some room for the artist’s own inspiration.
Interestingly, Jesus interprets the seven golden lampstands, which John saw in Revelation 1, as the seven churches (Revelation 1:20). Some details in His church are to be meticulously precise and other details flow with the personality of the leaders, and the community of believers represented. However, a lampstand has the purpose of providing a place for fire—and the Fire was never to go out. This Fireis the Holy Spirit. (Revelation 4:5) People of God—do not put out the Spirit’s fire. As we build, one thing is certain, we must build in such a way that our church is a habitation for Fire—His Fire. As His Fire burns, the natural reaction is for His gifts to manifest. Churches that do not allow for the manifestation of spiritual gifts are quenching the Spirit’s fire; this environment quickly becomes problematic for Spirit-filled Christians, and they will eventually find another church. Administration for the Holy Spirit’s gifts in the New Testament is much like the lampstand—some precise details, and some broad principles. We should flow with our leaders and fellow Christians. They will miss the mark from time to time, and so will we. If we have an idea, let us share it with our leaders. If they like it, great, if they do not, leave it alone. How spiritual gifts are to flow in churches is not a formula, rather it necessitates an ability to hear God for His plan for each church. God, otherwise, would have given clear and precise instructions in His word, as He did other things. Nevertheless, if we are disgruntled, murmur, and complain, causing division and pain to our leaders, and fellow believers, God will not take it lightly. Let us follow the way of love instead. Work with the church and not against her. When we cannot flow within our community of believers, then it is time to find a place where we can.
Not all churches are for everyone, but The Church is.
