"Holy Spirit" Pt.5

Hi, this is John Ozanting, lead pastor of Evolve Church, and this is the Evolved Church Podcast.

Thanks so much for tuning in.

We hope that you find today's message encouraging and full of hope for wherever you're at.

In early May, we started a series at Evolve called Holy Spirit.

And um, if you were in the room, last week's Sunday we had our five for five, which was incredible.

Um, just a shout out to those five.

But today we're gonna continue the series on Holy Spirit, and our our thought throughout this series uh has been to answer these questions: Who is the Holy Spirit?

What does the Holy Spirit do?

And how can we be filled with the Holy Spirit?

On week one, we talked about who the Holy Spirit is.

If you missed that, I want to encourage you.

I want to I want to strongly encourage you to go back and take a listen if you've missed any of the messages in this series.

I truly believe they're foundational and fundamental for us as a community of faith to build on in the seasons that are yet to come.

We've been stuck on number two, what is it the Holy Spirit does for a few weeks?

We're still there today.

I promised you two weeks ago we were going to talk about the spiritual gift of prophecy today.

Some of you are like, how do I slip quietly out?

Uh, but I want to encourage you to lean in.

And in a quick recap of the series so far, here are some of the things that we've talked about.

In the Old Testament, in the first half of the Bible, we see the Holy Spirit.

He's right there from the beginning.

But we see the Spirit of the Lord show up in the Old Testament to a particular person at a particular time for a particular task.

However, in the New Testament, which is what we're a part of in the age of the church attached to the new covenant, we see the Holy Spirit of the Lord show up to all people at all times for every task.

Get excited.

Did you know that in the natural created order in the Genesis account of creation, that the Holy Spirit brought order from disorder, light from darkness, cosmos from chaos, harmony from confusion, and beauty from brokenness.

And I truly believe in a profound, renewing, deeply spiritual way, the Holy Spirit's still doing that same kind of work today in your life and in mine.

And already someone in the room whose life is in disorder, whose life is in darkness, whose life feels like chaos and confusion and brokenness, you can sense the Spirit of the Lord saying, Will you trust me?

Do you believe that I'm still working out miracle after miracle after miracle?

Holy Spirit is a person and has been given to us as the constant, consistent presence of Jesus in our lives to actively support us in the mission and the cause of Christ.

The continuation of the work and the power of heaven's kingdom being made known here on earth.

This matters to the Spirit of Christ, whom you have received.

In fact, we all have access to the Holy Spirit.

We all have power because of the Holy Spirit.

We all have gifts that the Holy Spirit's given us.

The idea of real Christian community is that we all use our gifts.

That we discover them, that we walk boldly in them, that we trust that the Holy Spirit's given them to us to see the work of Jesus continue.

We're all supposed to use our gifts.

It's when we all use our gifts that Jesus' church truly comes alive.

The Holy Spirit gives us these gifts to empower us to live on mission for Christ.

And last thing I want to share as a recap for this series is some lyrics from Charles Wesley's hymn, O Thou Who Camest From Above.

You've heard them already in this series, but it simply says, Jesus, confirm my heart's desire to work and speak and think for thee.

Still let me guard the holy fire and still stir up the gift in me.

And that's my prayer for us as a community of faith as we start this series or this fifth message in this series.

Go with me to 1 Corinthians 12, verses 4 through 7 and verse 10.

1 Corinthians 12:4–7

There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same spirit is the source of them all.

There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord.

God works in different ways, but it's the same God.

You see that this language here is like different but the same.

Different but the same.

Different but the same.

We're called to be unique, we're called to be different, we're called to be set apart as God's holy people, but it's the same Spirit that empowers us.

It's the same God that created us, it's the same spirit that gives us the ability to work and live and act in a way that honors Christ.

A spiritual gift is given to some of us, no, each of us, so we can help each other in verse 10.

And another of these gifts, the ability to prophesy.

Everybody say, prophesy.

But say it like you're prophesying.

Prophesy.

That's very good.

In 1 Corinthians 12, all of you together are Christ's body, and each of you is a part of Christ's body.

And here are some of the parts of that body that God has appointed for the church.

First are apostles, second are prophets.

Get excited.

I don't know why I feel so silly today.

It's the anticipation of the mini donuts.

Chapter 12, verse 31.

So you should earnestly desire the most helpful gifts.

This is all text that we've read throughout this series so far.

And then chapter 14, verse 1, let what be your highest goal?

Let love be your highest goal, but you should also desire the special abilities, the power-ups.

Do you remember we talked about like Super Mario Kart?

How like there's power-ups?

That's like the Holy Spirit at work in our life, that there's special abilities, there's power-ups the Holy Spirit wants to give, especially.

Have you ever read 1 Corinthians 14 and 1 and went, wow, this seems to be an important one?

Especially the ability to prophesy.

This gift, this Holy Spirit-inspired power-up or special ability, a spiritual gift of prophecy from these passages in the Bible, seems to be one of the ways that God works in his body.

One of the ways that God works through his church, through his body.

It seems to be second on a list of most important, interesting.

It seems to be a gift that we're encouraged to earnestly desire with a motive to love others really, really well.

So when I say prophecy, where does your heart and your imagination take you?

What do you think of?

When I say prophecy, where do you quickly go in your imagination?

What do you think of when you imagine the spiritual gift of prophecy?

Let's let's listen.

Just one word.

Encouragement, direction, no stratamus.

Interesting.

Okay.

Future.

Hearing God's voice, that was way too many words, Pastor Nicole.

Comfort.

Comfort.

Proclamation.

Knowledge.

Awareness.

Guidance.

What was that one?

Discernment.

Interesting.

Here's the really good news.

When it comes to the spiritual gift of prophecy, the Bible doesn't even explain what it is.

It doesn't actually.

But it does share us some insight.

We've read from 1 Corinthians 14, I'm going to take you back there for a second, verse 3 and 4.

One who prophesies strengthens others, encourages them, and comforts them.

So this doesn't say what prophecy is, but it says what prophecy does.

Okay?

A person who speaks in tongues is strengthened personally, but one who speaks a word of prophecy strengthens the entire church.

That's good.

Verse 24 and 25, but if all of you are prophesying and unbelievers or people who don't understand these things come into your meeting, they will be convicted of sin and judged by what you say.

As they listen, their secret thoughts will be exposed and they will fall to their knees and worship God, declaring, God's truly here among you.

Here's another passage that talks about prophecy.

Actually, 1 Corinthians 14 is probably the most detailed chapter in the Bible about prophecy.

But here again, it doesn't say what it is, it says what the outcome will be.

It says the result of prophecy.

You know, a lot of times when we read the Bible and we're like, I wonder what they meant by that word in the original Greek or the original Aramaic or the original language or Hebrew.

And sometimes we look up the definition of a word.

Do you want to know what the Greek word for prophecy is?

Prophetea.

It's like, oh, kind of sounds like the same.

It's not like a different word.

But it means this from Laonita's lexicon of New Testament language.

It means an utterance inspired by God, an inspired utterance or a prophecy.

So that's the best that Bible scholars can come up with.

But here's what we know: when the gift of prophecy is at work, we can see what the outcome is meant to be, right?

It can be a it can strengthen the believer or the church.

It can encourage the believer or the church.

It can comfort the believer or the church.

It can convict and judge those who don't believe in Jesus yet.

It can expose secret thoughts of those who don't believe in Jesus yet.

It can lead those who don't know Christ to repentance and to salvation.

But here's the truth: nobody in the New Testament explains precisely what the gift was, but it appears to mean that there were people who had the gift of passing on direct words from God.

They were people who could say, Thus says the Lord, thus saith the Lord.

Does anybody know any people that regularly say, Thus saith the Lord?

You're laughing.

There is an extended treatment of prophecy in 1 Corinthians 14, but still without a definition.

That's from Leon Morris's study on this passage.

So, like, great.

No one truly knows what the gift is, but we can know what it produces in our lives.

I have a photo I want to show you.

This photo is of a gospel codex, a fragment of the book of John, John chapter 8, verses 14 to 22, to be exact.

John 8:14–22

And the date on this codex, on this fragment, uh is the year 250 AD approximately.

This is an old document.

And I took this photo on August 6, 2021, at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C.

If you ever have a chance to go to the Museum of the Bible in the U.S.

Capitol, it's right there in the middle of all the other national museums.

The Museum of the Bible.

If you ever, matter of fact, I'm not saying if you ever have a chance, I'm gonna go so strong, and I'm gonna say this just go.

Just go.

This exhibit is a fragment of a codex of John's gospel.

And the professional handwriting, the large format, the generous size of the letters and spaces suggest it was probably intended for public liturgical reading.

As a church, in our statement of faith, we have this excerpt about the Holy Bible.

The Holy Bible and only the Bible is the authoritative word of God.

It alone is the final authority in determining all doctrinal truths.

In its original writing, it is inspired, infallible, and inerrant.

And we believe that as a community of faith, we believe that Scripture is trustworthy and true, that it's incapable of error, it's incapable of being wrong.

And so, with that in mind, I want to ask you to stand with me and participate in the reading of God's Word.

Are you ready?

Stand up.

Like you mean it, like you're prophesying.

Come on.

2 Timothy 3, read with me.

But you must remain faithful to the things you have been taught.

You know they are true, for you know you can trust those who taught you.

You have been taught the holy scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus.

All scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives.

It corrects us when we're wrong and teaches us to do what is right.

God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.

Pause.

What stands out to you?

What would God say to his church today?

Think it through.

Just take a moment.

In that text that we've just read together, what do you sense matters in this room today?

Transformation.

Tina, thank you.

Yeah.

That our lives would be transformed.

That's beautiful.

All right, Hebrews 4, read with me.

For the word of God is alive and powerful, it is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow.

It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.

Nothing in all creation is hidden from God.

Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes, and he is the one to whom we are accountable.

What stands out?

Take a moment.

Deep breath.

Gord, was that Gord?

I heard your voice.

I just couldn't hear what you said, brother.

Accountability.

Accountability.

Second Peter 1.

Above all, you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet's own understanding or from human initiative.

No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit and they spoke from God.

Deep breath.

What stands out?

Own understanding versus maybe Holy Spirit's understanding.

Revelation?

Conviction?

I got two more.

Three more.

First Thessalonians 5, 19 to 21.

Do not stifle the Holy Spirit.

Do not scoff at prophecies.

But test everything that is said.

Hold on to what is good.

Don't switch yet.

What stands out?

What would God say to his church?

Test.

Test.

Test it.

Check it.

Beautiful.

Proverbs 30.

Every word of God proves true.

He is a shield to all who come to him for protection.

Do not add to his words, or he may rebuke you and expose you as a liar.

Woo.

What stands out?

Complete protection, truth, accountability.

There it is again.

Yep.

And Revelation 22, the last text.

And I solemnly declare to everyone who hears the words of prophecy written in this book, if anyone adds anything to what is written here, God will add to that person the plagues described in this book.

Yikes.

And if anyone removes any of the words from this book of prophecy, God will remove that person's share in the tree of life and in the holy city that are described in this book.

Wow.

A little heavy.

Take a deep breath.

Come on.

What stands out?

Consequences, reverence.

Beautiful.

And as we've read these passages, I would simply say the word of the Lord.

And you can respond, thanks be to God.

Let's try it again, the word of the Lord.

Grab a seat.

I have four thoughts on biblical New Testament prophecy that I want to share.

This is not an exhaustive message on prophecy.

I just, you know, it's amazing when you can go into scripture and say, God, what is it you desire?

What is it you're hoping for?

It's clear that our motive for any spiritual gift is meant to be love.

It's clear that we can earnestly desire spiritual gifts.

Those of us that have surrendered our lives to Christ, that believe in the work of the Spirit, that are asking for more of the Holy Spirit's power in our lives.

And it's clear that the gift of prophecy really matters in importance.

And it's clear what prophecy is meant to produce in the lives of not only believers, but those who are still making up their minds about Jesus.

And so, four ideas that I want to share.

I thought I was going to go into a bit of a history lesson today and talk about Old Testament prophecy and how prophets would, I mean, anytime a prophet showed up in the Old Testament, it would always come with the words of like, Thus says the Lord.

And they heard directly from God.

Here's the gift for the church today is that what God wants to speak to his church, he loves us so much that he saw fit to make sure it was written down in the most historically trustworthy and accurate document that exists on the face of planet earth called Scripture.

And if we want to know what God's saying, read your Bible.

Read your Bible.

Because He's not going to add anything new.

He's not going to give you a word for somebody else that can't be tested in Scripture.

And so the first thought is simply this: In the age of the church, which is us, the New Testament gift of prophecy can always be tested by the Bible.

Whether you earnestly desire the gift of prophecy or have decided to steward and grow in that gift because you see it present in your life, or perhaps you want to receive someone else's prophetic word over you, prophecy can always be tested by Scripture.

And we read together, needs to be tested, right?

Second Peter, above all, you must realize that no prophecy in Scripture ever came from the prophet's own understanding or from human initiative.

No, those prophets were moved by the Holy Spirit and they spoke from God.

Do not stifle the Holy Spirit, do not scoff at prophecies, but test everything that is said and hold on to what is good.

So we test prophecy with scripture, and then whatever's good from the word that's given, we hold on to it.

John Piper, in one of his sermons about prophecy, says this.

Let me begin by affirming the finality and sufficiency of Scripture.

The 66 books of the Bible.

Nothing I say today about today's prophecies means that they have authority over our lives like Scripture does.

Whatever prophecies are given today do not add to Scripture.

They are tested by Scripture.

Scripture is closed and final, it is a foundation, not a building in process.

How's your biblical literacy?

Did you know that your love of scripture can't be farmed out?

You can't assign that, you can't delegate that.

Your love and deepening awareness of how the Bible longs to transform your life, how the Holy Spirit wants to use Scripture to shape you and allow it to change and impact everything within you.

How we move, how we breathe, how we find our being.

But you can't form it out.

When your stomach is empty, like have you ever been so hungry?

Like, I mean, maybe after a fast, or maybe you like skipped a couple meals because you were bad, but have you ever been so So hungry, maybe you lived in a nation that experienced starvation and participated in that with the people that you were called to serve.

But have you ever been so hungry that you're like, if I don't eat, I'm gonna die?

All the teenage boys in the room said, Amen.

Amen.

That was that was just 10 minutes ago.

Have you ever been so hungry that you're like, if I don't eat, I'm gonna die?

Here's the thing.

Listening to some really encouraging songs about food will not satiate your hunger.

Sitting with a friend over a meal where you're not actually eating the meal, but you're just talking about food won't satiate that hunger.

Reading inspired thoughts and opinions of other people or listening to podcasts, reading books, and listening to teaching about food won't satiate the hunger.

The only thing that will make your stomach not feel hungry is if you sit down and eat.

Not listen to somebody else teach about food, not listen to songs that inspire you about food, not listen to podcasts about food.

You gotta sit down and you gotta eat.

I don't know how to say this any other way, church.

Can I prophesy to the room today?

Read your Bible, pray every day, and you'll grow, grow, grow.

Some of you are so desperate for a word from God that you run to rooms where people are prophesying, and you run to conferences where people are prophesying, and you run to events where the Spirit of God is moving, but you don't take ownership over your own hunger.

You've got to eat.

Do you love the hope of someone giving you a prophetic word more than you love scripture?

Do you chase after rooms and environments more than you chase after his presence at your dining room table by yourself?

Can I just let that word encourage you for a moment?

You don't know what encouragement means.

Receive it as encouragement.

Receive it.

Can I pastor the room today?

Do you love God's word?

And does that show up in your daily rhythm?

And if it doesn't, don't leave here guilty or full of shame or condemnation.

Just leave here inspired to chase after his presence and chase after his thoughts and chase after his word more than anything else.

Number two, in the age of the church, the New Testament gift of prophecy will always be firmly rooted in love.

Always.

1 Corinthians 13, 2.

If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understand all of God's secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and I had such faith that I could move mountains but didn't love others, I would be nothing.

Same chapter, verse 13, three things will last forever.

Prophecy is not one of them.

Jesus is coming back one day for his church, and prophecy will end.

We won't need it anymore.

But three things will last forever: faith, hope, and love.

And the greatest of these three, in case you're wondering, is love.

Which leads us right into 1 Corinthians 14.

Let love be your highest goal.

I find it disturbing that too many people that approach a conversation by saying, Thus saith the Lord, want to share an opinion more than walk in love.

They want to be right about something more than walk in love.

They want to control or manipulate another person more than walk in love.

They want to exert power over somebody more than walk in love.

They want to appear more important, like they matter more in the kingdom more than serve and walk in love.

And I've said it multiple times, and I want to bring it up again, I think for most of us here today.

We've turned a healthy desire for spiritual gifts into a passive, corrupt, optional sideshow because we fail to connect the Great Commission to the power of the Holy Spirit, and instead we view the gifts as charismatic entertainment in the church rather than one of the practical ways that the Father's reaching lost people.

As such, we don't have love.

It doesn't.

It says what it produces and it says what it isn't.

Which leads us to number three.

In the age of the church, the New Testament gift of prophecy will always build up and transform the body.

I just trust as we were reading scripture and Tina Kirschner felt prompted to say transformation by the power of the Holy Spirit in that moment.

Yes, of course, transformation.

Why?

Because whatever the gift that's being used, in this case prophecy, the fruit has to remain constant and consistent.

Christ's body being built up and lives being transformed.

That's the fruit of the spiritual gifts in operation in the church and outside of the church.

The body of Christ is being built up and lives are being transformed.

It takes effort to build up.

It is by grace that we are saved.

Why?

So that none of us could boast.

It's not by works that we're saved.

But how we work out our faith with fear and trembling in service of others from a posture of love determines whether or not Jesus' church is going to be built up.

You might not notice.

If I wore a pair of shorts next week's Sunday, you might say, Pastor John, oh, your legs are looking stronger.

Your core is looking a little more engaged.

But I want to tell you, it takes work to build up.

I gotta sweat my butt off on that.

I hate you, Peloton bike.

But you know what?

I'm being built up.

Next summer, you're gonna be like, Pastor John, built up.

Come on, there's a transformation in process.

Even if you can't see it, I'm being transformed.

Let's go.

I'm being built up.

Lives are being transformed.

First Corinthians 14: one who prophesies strengthens others, encourages them, comforts them.

If you missed the message on speaking in tongues, that was two weeks ago, go back and list.

Person who speaks in tongues is strengthened personally, but one who speaks a word of prophecy strengthens the whole church.

I like Acts 13 in the first, like the Holy Spirit, the day of Pentecost, the churches, like thousands are being added.

Acts 13, 15 says, after the usual readings from the books of Moses and the prophets, because that's all they had, those in charge of the service sent them this message.

Brothers, if you have any word of encouragement for the people, come and give it.

If you have any word of encouragement, come and give it.

We've read scripture.

If you have any word of encouragement, come and give it.

And too often, as Christians, we think of encouragement as at a boy.

They're there.

It's gonna be okay.

You can do it.

You look nice today.

You're welcome.

But this word encourage in 1 Corinthians and in Acts and all throughout the New Testament, account of encouragement is the word paraclesis.

And it's this an act of emboldening another in belief or emboldening another in their course of action, encouragement, exhortation.

When we know scripture, when we love God's word and truly love others, we open up our lives to this gift of prophecy so that we might speak boldly in a way that will embolden another in their beliefs or in their course of action.

That might sound like you're doing a great job.

But more often than not, it needs to sound like I love you.

Can I help you level up in your surrender to Jesus?

Because the course of action you're on right now is a path that will lead you to destruction.

And scripture's clear on who we're meant to be.

Can I help you level up?

That's encouragement.

We live in a world that says if you challenge me, if you challenge my behavior, if you challenge my thinking, if you challenge my habits, if you challenge my thoughts, you're a bigot.

And yet, challenging someone to grow is the most loving thing we can do as Christians.

Challenging someone to deeper surrender for scripture, deeper surrender for the presence of God.

Romans 14, so then let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.

Romans 15, we should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord.

So in the age of the New Church or the New Testament, this gift of prophecy can always be tested by the Bible, will always be firmly rooted in love, will always build up and transform the church.

And in closing today, number four, in the age of the church, the New Testament gift of prophecy will strengthen and challenge the family of Jesus Christ.

It will strengthen us and challenge us.

In 1 Corinthians chapter 4, it says this for even if you had 10,000 others to teach you about Christ, you only have one spiritual father.

1 Corinthians 4 · chapter mention

For I became your father in Christ Jesus when I preached the good news to you.

So I urge you to imitate me.

The New Living Translation does a poor job of unpacking what Paul's desperately saying here.

What Paul's saying if we study this passage further is you don't have enough fathers.

You only have one.

And the word father here used doesn't actually mean biological dad.

It's figurative.

The word potter, one who is responsible for having guided another into faith or into a particular pattern or behavior.

A spiritual father, a leader in the faith, could also be a spiritual mom, by the way, and all the ladies said.

As we close this message, I want to urge you and implore you and encourage you in our adoption as sons and daughters with God.

He calls us in not servants, not slaves, because of the redemptive work of Jesus, you've been bought for, bought, bought, and paid for in full and invited in as a daughter, as a son.

And it's important that we approach our relationship with God as His kids.

But here's what I know to be true about dads, because I am one.

My sincere hope for my children isn't that they just stay my children.

I desire for them to rise up and create families of their own one day.

That's my prayer.

Moms make moms, not just daughters.

Dads make dads, not just sons.

And I think we shy away from prophecy, A, because it's been weird in the church, B, because it's hurt us when someone's tried to control us or manipulate us or say something that goes against Scripture.

And so we shy away from using the gift in the authority that we've been given in Christ as sons and daughters.

We shy away from using the gift.

And yet Paul here implores the church, you've got lots of teachers.

You need to know this, you need to know this, you need to know this, you need to know this, but we don't have enough spiritual moms and dads in the room.

And what does the spiritual mom and dad do?

They come alongside and they say, I see you, I know you, I love you.

Rise up.

I see you, I know you, I get it.

Rise up, anyways.

I see you, I know you, I love you.

We can do this not in our own strength, but by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Rise up to the level of expectancy that Scripture lays out.

Rise up to the hope of the Father and the purposes he has on your life.

Rise up with boldness and courage to reach a lost generation for the sake of Jesus.

Rise up.

For though you have countless guides, you do not have many fathers.

Eugene Peterson, there's a lot of wisdom in this paraphrase.

There are a lot of people around who can't wait to tell you what you've done wrong, but there aren't many fathers willing to take the time and effort to help you grow up.

It was as Jesus helped me proclaim God's message to you that I became your father.

I'm not, you know, asking you to do anything I'm not already doing myself.

And in that, we can hear Paul speaking to the church in Corinth.

Rise up in your spiritual authority, rise up in what it means to be a spiritual mom in this house, a spiritual dad in this house.

Stop shrinking back from the lie of the enemy.

Stop shrinking back because something hurt you.

Stop shrinking back because somebody said something that caused you to tailspin.

Stop shrinking back.

Yes, it matters, but the Holy Spirit's presence is to restore and heal.

What fear has gripped your heart, what lie of the enemy is robbing you of your authority to use the gift of prophecy, tested in scripture, rooted in love, to build up, transform others that you are guiding in their faith.

What is robbing you of this?

Study your Bible, yes, spend time with your Father in his presence, yes, use your voice, yes, embolden others in their surrender, yes, challenge others to deeper levels of trust and faith.

Come on, prophesy in Jesus' name, prophesy in Jesus' name.

Choose to step into moments where you lead others in their faith and refuse to allow any hurt, any wound, any lie from forcing you to see the spiritual gifts as some kind of charismatic entertainment in the church rather than one of the most profound and practical ways that the Father is reaching lost people on Wednesday night.

Pastor Nicole and I had the privilege of gathering right here with with our volunteers that that make music at Evolve.

Our team of worship leaders and singers, and we did some coaching and some training and some teaching.

Wouldn't you know in an atmosphere of faith that the Holy Spirit began to help all of us identify lies that we've believed, lies that have held them back from leading or singing or playing in the authority that God's given them.

And one after one we just said, What is it?

Name it, speak it, confess it, repent, get it out in the open.

Who I'm so thankful for, just all volunteers serving in the house, they began to share.

And lie after lie after lie after lie came into the light and came into the light.

And as people were sharing, the other team around them were like, Can I speak to that?

Can I speak to that?

And it was to see an army of musicians begin to prophesy to one another, to lift and speak forward in faith, to lift and speak forward with encouragement and empowerment and hope and overcoming.

On the other side of confession and repentance was this beautiful miracle of God using the gift of prophecy to build up and transform and encourage the church.

So here and now, I want to ask you to stand with me and close your eyes.

And if you can't, if it's in you, I would love for you to just hold open your hands just in this sort of gesture of receiving.

God won't love you less if you don't participate.

But if there's any part of your heart right now that's saying, I need more of you, Lord, I need more of your love, I need more of Scripture's authority to transform me, I need more of your presence to allow me to participate in the building up and transforming of other people's lives.

I want you to just ask the Father in this moment of response.

I can't help but wonder what is it in your heart today that you need to confess and lay bare, to repent of?

What lie of the enemy have you been trapped in for far too long?

What fear, and I mean a spirit of fear, what fear has gripped your heart from being an active participant in Jesus' kingdom.

And as quietly or as loudly as you dare, just say it.

Just speak it to the Father.

Just say it out loud.

Just lay it at his feet today.

Thank you, Jesus.

Thank you so much for listening to today's message.

If you're ever in the Edmonton area, pop by for a visit.

And if you need any more information, visit Evolvechurch.com.

We hope to see you soon.