Understanding the Prophetic

Pastor Ben Diaz
 

Pastor Ben began by reemphasizing that we must be baptized in the Holy Spirit to be effective witnesses of the gospel in these end-time days.

In fact, in Acts 1:4, it's recorded that Jesus commanded his followers, "Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised…" Jesus' disciples did not even begin to tell others about Him until they were baptized with the Holy Spirit. Without the Holy Spirit's fire and power, their message would be weak and ineffective. It could even be an embarrassment to the Father!

With the baptism of the Holy Spirit also comes the endowment of spiritual gifts. It is vital that we discover which gifts we've been given, learn to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit, and have a desire to prophesy. Our lives are to become a demonstration of God's power in the earth—we are meant to be His representatives.

Pastor Ben explained that "the Holy Spirit is in you, for your benefit, but He is on you for the benefit of others." It takes practice to move in the Holy Spirit's power. We must be willing to step out, take risks, and let God's power shine through us. When we shrink back in fear, we suppress God's power, which wants to move through us to show His glory and love to the lost.

The Holy Spirit is ready and able to demonstrate God's power on earth but needs a willing vessel to work through. All He needs is your availability. He will bring the ability!

Pastor encouraged us with Paul's words in 2 Timothy 1:6: " Fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you." Don't let the flame die out; stir yourself up, practice listening to the Holy Spirit, and prophesy God's encouragement to others. 

Watch Sunday's sermon by clicking here.

To learn more about flowing in the prophetic gifts, Pastor Ben recommended following teachings: 
"Understanding the Prophetic" by Ben and Kara Diaz and Joseph Z
"Night of Healing" by Jim Baker