POWER WORDS OF THE SPIRIT Week 7 - The Gift of Prophecy “Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed.” — 1 Corinthians 12:1 Preparation for the Leader As the study facilitator, watch the short video below (to the 2:06 mark). It will guide you on how to create a moment later in the study where people can practice listening to God and sharing a prophetic word gently and safely. While your group may not all have or be given the gift of prophecy, we can trust God in His grace to allow us to experience the prophetic as a learning moment in the safety of our Life Group. You will also need: A piece of paper and a pen for each group member. 🎥 Prophetic Learning Moment Video A variation on Julian’s suggestion is that you choose the word to be for the person on everyone’s left. Focus Across the next seven weeks, we’ll ask: How did Jesus operate in the spiritual gifts and speak powerful words of love? What should we, as His disciples, expect and desire to do ourselves? What often holds us back? Drawing primarily from 1 Corinthians 12–14, we will explore: Theology – a shared biblical understanding of the Spirit Model – how gifts can work in our local church context Practice – safe spaces to grow in these gifts Our prayer is that we would learn to use our words—and all the gifts God gives—in ways that honour Him and bless others. Study by: Scott Button Sermons related to each study can be viewed on the Hope Valley Church YouTube Channel. 1. Look Back Sharing Our Journey | 10–20 minutes Praise, Thanks, and Encouraging Accountability Invite people to share from one or more of the questions below. (This can be done as a whole group or in subgroups. It can also include a worship song.) Where have you seen God at work through the use of your or someone else’s spiritual gift? How has God used you to be a witness to someone else this last week or two? Care: Share any concerns you have for yourself or others. Pray: In prayer, capture the things you have shared above. 2. Look Up Opening God’s Word | 20–30 minutes Read: Acts 2:14–18 Note: The “last days” in verse 17 refer to this current era between the first Easter and Jesus’ return. Discuss: What does this suggest about God’s general plan for Christians collectively? Read: 1 Corinthians 12:7–11 Ask: Has anyone witnessed a prophetic word being given before? How did you feel about it? Definition of the Gift of Prophecy Prophecy is a spiritual gift from God, empowering a person to speak a divine message received through the Holy Spirit. It is a form of direct communication from God to convey truth, encouragement, comfort, or correction to others. It may be a divine commentary about the current moment in a person’s or group’s life, or a foretelling of God’s plans for that person or group. Read: 1 Corinthians 12:1 & 21 1 Corinthians 14:1 1 Thessalonians 5:19–20 Romans 12:3–6 Discuss: What should our attitude be toward the gift of prophecy? Be honest — does your current attitude to the gift of prophecy differ from Paul’s? If yes, why? Read: 1 Corinthians 14:1–5, 24–25, 29–31 1 Peter 4:10–11 Discuss: What do we learn about the purpose of the gift of prophecy in these verses? What do we learn about how to use the gift of prophecy in private or public settings? Read: 1 Corinthians 14:29–33 1 Thessalonians 5:19–20 Discuss: What do we learn about the receiving and discerning of a prophetic word? Have you ever received a prophetic word from someone before? How did it unfold? How did you respond? Given the above, how do you think we should introduce a word of prophecy? 3. Look Forward Living Out God’s Word | 10–20 minutes 🎥 Watch: Encouragement to Have a Go (short video) Practice Hearing and Speaking Your leader will now explain how, as a group, you can practice hearing from God and sharing an encouraging word from Him with another person. Pray in pairs: Pray for each other around the words each of you received. Ask God to help you continue to grow in discernment and courage to use this gift with love and humility. Contacts If you would like more information or further help, please contact: 📧 scott.button@hopevalleychurch.com.au