在先知性事奉上成長

大部分的先知性啟示都是在感動階段，那是神『微小的聲音』，我們可能以為這些不過是自己的想法。要試試看才知道，一個這麼做的好方法，便是向你有感動的人問一個問題。

舉例來說，若一個人靠近你，你開始感到憂傷，你可以問對方是否為某件事憂傷。你常會發現他們最近剛失去某個所愛的人，他們會對你知道這件事感到驚奇。只要告訴他們有時你在聖靈裡可以感受他人的感覺，好讓你可以為他們禱告。大部分時候，他們會問更多問題，並要你為他們禱告。要記得聖靈是安慰師，祂對憂傷的人極度敏銳小心。

若你問的那人說『沒有』，他們沒為任何事憂傷，你只要說『沒問題』，或諸如此類的話。沒錯，這可能會有點尷尬，但要在此強大的恩賜中成長，這不過是你所要付上的小小代價。若他們想要知道你為什麼問這個問題，你可以用誠實的方式說，有時你會有一些感動，或說一些合適的話。常常這些對話會持續下去，你會發現事實上他們正為某人憂傷─甚至有可能是他們已失去多年的親人，心情卻至今尚未平復。

我認為大部分時候當我們以為領受錯了，結果是我們沒錯，有時過了好幾個禮拜都沒有發現自己是對的，有時甚至過了好些年。許多時候當人們說不覺得悲傷，他們並沒有說謊，只不過需要經歷一些過程才能看見，之後當我們再度碰到他們，他們已經預備好分享更多。

要記得溫和是聖靈的果子；我們必須一直謹記在心：我們這樣做的主要原因是為了學習幫助他人，把自己弄得超級屬靈反而一點幫助也沒有。聖靈的所有恩賜都是為了幫助人們，而不是讓擁有恩賜的人建造自己的事工。

我們在小事上忠心，主會託付我們更多。我所認識最善用恩賜的人，通常是非常忠心並持續想在恩賜中成長的人。主在尋找那些祂可以這樣使用的人；我們是祂的身體，祂想要以身體的形式來使用我們，做一切祂行走在地上所做過的事情。然而，我們若單單『敞開』來被主使用，這可能永遠無法發生。我們需要看重祂的恩賜超越單單敞開，這即是何以我們被勸誡要『切慕』這些屬靈恩賜（參考哥林多前書14:1）。

(摘自喬納 word for the week, Week 9, 2012)


Growing in the Prophetic Ministry - The Path of Life, Part 2
Week 9, 2012
Rick Joyner

Most prophetic revelation is on the impression level. It is the “still small voice” of God, and we may be tempted to think these are just thoughts coming from our own souls. Test them. A good way to do this is to ask a question of the person you’re getting something for in the beginning.

For example, if a person comes close to you and you start feeling grief, ask if they are grieving about something. You will find that often they have recently lost someone close to them, and they will be amazed at how you knew this. Just tell them that at times you can pick up in the Spirit what others are feeling so that you can pray for them. Most of the time, they will ask more questions and then ask you to pray for them. Remember that the Holy Spirit is the Comforter, and He is very sensitive to people who are grieving.

If the person you ask says “no,” that they are not grieving about anything, then just say “good,” or something similar. Yes, this can be a little awkward, but that is a small price to pay to grow in such a powerful gift. If they want to know why you asked, tell them that sometimes you pick up things, or whatever seems right, while being honest. Often the conversation will go on, and you will find they are in fact grieving over someone—maybe even someone they lost a long time ago but have never had closure.

I think at least 80 percent of the time when we think we have missed something, it turns out that we did not. Sometimes we will not find out for weeks that we had been right, and a few times it could be a couple of years. Many times the person was honest when they said that they were not grieving, or whatever the point was, but just had to process it to see it, and then when we run into them again, they are ready to talk more.

Remember that gentleness is a fruit of the Spirit. We must always keep in mind that the main reason we’re doing this is to learn to help people. Acting super-spiritual usually does not help at all. All of the gifts of the Spirit are given to help people, not just to build up the ministry of the person who has the gifts.

As we are faithful in the little things, the Lord will give us more. The people I know who have the most effective gifts have simply been faithful and persistent in trying to grow in their gift. The Lord is seeking those He can use in this way. We are His body, and He wants to use us to do all of the things that He did when He walked the earth in bodily form. However, if we are just “open” to being used by the Lord, it will probably never happen. We need to esteem His gifts more than that, which is why we are exhorted to “earnestly desire” them (see I Corinthians 14:1).