Lisa Scott's Blog

The Spirit Of Prophecy

When God is present in our midst, we will hear Him speaking to us powerfully in the meetings. That is the meaning of prophecy. In old covenant times, prophecy was meant for foretelling the future and for guiding people as to what they should do. But now, in the new covenant, prophecy is for exhortation (challenging, rebuking and correcting people), consolation (comforting and encouraging people) and edification (building up the church) (1 Cor.14:3). Prophecy is the main gift of the Spirit by which the church is built. The prophetic word is "a lamp shining in a dark place" (2 Pet.1:19). Without this light constantly burning in the church, it will be impossible to escape the wiles of the prince of darkness. The church itself will sink into darkness. The main reason why many Christian groups that started out well degenerated over a period of time was because the gift of prophecy gradually disappeared. Whenever God's presence departed from Israel in Old Testament times, one mark of His forsaking them was that "there was no longer any prophet" among them (Psa.74:1,9).

Israel always degenerated whenever they did not have a prophet, as in the days of Eli (See 1 Sam.3:1). But Israel rose into a place of eminence when they had a prophet, as in the days of Samuel (1 Sam.3:20). It was through Samuel that David was anointed as the king of Israel. And that began a glorious new era in Israel's history. When Samuel prophesied, "the Lord did not allow any of his words to fall to the ground" (1 Sam.3:19 - KJV). We too must pray earnestly for such a powerful ministry of prophecy in the church that every word we speak goes straight home to people's hearts like an arrow to its mark. Through the gift of prophecy, "the secrets of people's hearts are disclosed" (1 Cor.14:25). Thus everyone in the church will get light on the deceitfulness of sin.

We are commanded to "exhort one another daily (in the church), lest we be hardened through the DECEITFULNESS of sin" (Heb.3:13). There are sins that are obvious and there are sins that are subtle and hidden. But the spirit of prophecy will expose both the deceitfulness of sin as well as the schemes of Satan, so that we are protected. We see an illustration of this in the Old Testament. When the king of Aram was warring against Israel, every time he and his generals planned in secret to attack Israel at a certain point, his plans were revealed to the king of Israel by Elisha, through prophecy (2 Kings 6:8-12). Thus the king of Israel knew exactly where to place his army to defend the country, and saved his nation again and again. That is how the Lord, through prophecy in the church-meetings, warns us in advance of the areas where Satan is going to attack us in the coming days. So we can be on our guard in those areas.

Paul exhorted Timothy to fight the good fight (against Satan) by paying attention to the prophecies made concerning him (1 Tim.1:18). Proverbs 24:3,4 says, "By WISDOM a house is built, and by KNOWLEDGE the rooms are filled with pleasant and precious riches". There is a place for knowledge in the church - God's Word taught by anointed teachers. But knowledge is like the furniture, with which a house is furnished after it has been built by WISDOM. So if we only have Bible-knowledge in our churches, we will be like a family living on an empty plot of ground with a lot of expensive furniture around us, but with no house - no walls, no roof and not even a floor!! That's why we are exhorted in the New Testament to pursue after WISDOM first of all. "If anyone lacks wisdom let him ask God who gives liberally to all" (Jas.1:4). It is through wisdom that the church is built. And God's wisdom comes to the church through the gift of prophecy. That is why we must "earnestly seek to prophesy" (1 Cor.14:1,5), in every meeting of the church. Meetings for Bible-study and evangelism are good. But if we are to build the church as a pure testimony for Christ, then the gift of prophecy must be given the FIRST place.

I found this article today while searching for some good articles to read from Mr. Sparks. I thought this was an interesting article.  I've read different teachings on Deborah and really wasn't sure about it.  Many leaders have used Deborah as an example that woman are able to teach and be a Pastor. But, I think this article about Deborah sounds about right.

Deborah

Judges 4-5

It is a fairly far cry from Joshua to the Judges, and there is a terrible lapse from those days of triumph and conquest, as there was at the close of the apostolic days. The book of Judges is perhaps the most tragic book in the Bible.

We are going to look at two of the breaks in the darkness of those times which give us some light on this matter of leadership; that is, in the cases of Deborah and Gideon.

That those were times of spiritual declension needs no arguing. That a primary reason for the declension was the absence of authority is definitely stated four times (17:6; 18:1; 19:1; 21:25). It is as though the narrator focused all the trouble upon this absence of an authoritative leadership.

There seems to be more than the statement of a fact. The suggestion or implication is that it was more than an absence of leadership; it was a disposition. When it says that “every man did that which was right in his own eyes”, it seems to imply that that was how they were disposed to have it. They did not like the restraints of authority. They felt that leadership implied limitation; they made their own judgment the final authority. As they saw was the “right” way — “right in his own eyes”. It was independence run amok.

Possibly the loss of true spirituality and the enthronement of the natural mind had resulted, as it usually does, in an inability to see the difference between spiritual and anointed leadership on the one hand, and of autocracy on the other. The dislike for and resentment anything autocratic or in the nature of dictatorship makes people throw over and utterly repudiate law and authority and become a law unto themselves. The unspiritual Corinthians gave this “autocratic” interpretation to the authority which Paul said had been given him in Christ. To read his letters to that church is to see how he claimed and used that authority, but it is also to see that it was absolutely necessary to their salvation as a church. But it certainly was not autocratic domination.

It is only lack of the spiritual discernment as to “things that differ”, although they may appear alike — about which Paul said much to the Corinthians — that confuses things, and loses the values of what is God-given. On the one side it was disastrous for Israel, and meant four hundred years of confusion, weakness, and impotence. On the other hand the salvation and periods of improvement were because the Lord raised up leaders.

When we come to Deborah, we have a significant and impressive thing. There is first Deborah herself, and then there are those to whom she refers when she says: “For that the leaders took the lead...” (5:2).

Deborah overshadows the whole story, therefore she must be seen for what she is. Being a woman in such a position, she must represent a sovereign activity of God.

Deborah and divine sovereignty

The Bible is quite clear that, in the normal order of God, women are not given authority over men. Normally it would be disorder if they were. We state the Bible fact without staying to expound it. In God’s first order man is given the position of authority. But here in the case of Deborah we have a woman by divine consent and approval in that place. It has often been argued that it was because there were no men available or suitable. Much importance has been given to the argument in the evident coercion which Deborah had to use in order to get Barak on his feet. That may be but a feature of abnormal times and conditions, and it may lend force to the statement that, when things are not normal, God acts sovereignly. That is, He transcends His own rules and acts as the One who has the right to do exactly as He wills. That argument may be allowed to stand in this and in other instances, but it does not dispose of the whole matter.

The context of this record, and the fact that not Deborah but Barak is mentioned in the list in the letter to the Hebrews carries with it another explanation. Why is Deborah left out of the list of heroes of faith in Hebrews 11? The answer surely has to be found in a wider context and one which, after all, upholds rather than violates divine principles. If you look into the Bible, and not merely on it, you will see that

Women represent principles

— good or bad. The first woman, Eve, is definitely pointed to as a representation of the church’s relationship to Christ, its Head, and she is shown to have embodied the principle of subjection in honour and glory. Out of that honourable subjection the first Adam and the last Adam realize their destiny by “being fruitful and multiplying”. The violation of that principle, whether in Eve or the church, has been most disastrous for the race and the world. If Mary, the mother of Jesus, is to receive honour, not homage, it is because she recovered and embodied this primal principle of exalted submission — “Be it unto me according to thy word” (Luke 1:38). There may be humility in that, but there is certainly no humiliation in it. This is a supreme example of the truth to which we are pointing. This truth can more or less easily be traced in a host of women in the Bible: Sarah, Rebekah, Asenath, etc.

In the same way evil principles are represented by another line of women until the great harlot, the scarlet woman of the Apocalypse is reached; and the very term “harlot” betrays the principle. Having established the fact that women represent principles in the Bible, we can return to Deborah.

Deborah, while being a real person, is, in effect, the spirit or principle of leadership. This is borne out in that she is called a prophetess. What is the supreme characteristic of prophetic ministry? It is inspiration. So we see that leadership in Deborah’s case was her power to inspire. Both Barak and the leaders who took the lead fulfilled their leadership by reason of the inspiration received through Deborah. Leadership is a matter of inspiration.

It is an endowment. Not all who take the position can fulfil it. It is a pathetic thing to observe someone in the position without the inspiration or anointing. That is why it is so wrong and dangerous for anyone either to assume the position or be put into it by vote or human influence.

Let our godly women realize that their function is not to rule and govern, but to inspire. Deborah said to Barak: “Hath not the Lord commanded...” She knew the Lord, and out of that knowledge she was the spirit of inspiration.

It is no small thing to see the purpose of God and to inspire to leadership in it. This can be done, as in the case of Deborah, without personally going into the forefront of the battle.

Our lesson, then, from Deborah, is that, whether officially in the office of a leader or not, leadership is essentially a matter of the gift and power of inspiration: a contagious influence, an emanating spiritual energy, and a potent example.

A mother in Israel

How often is leadership regarded as an official thing. The leader must have a title, an office, an appointment. Deborah teaches us that leadership is the expansion of the mother-spirit to embrace the whole of God’s people. “Until that I Deborah arose... a mother in Israel” (5:7). Not “Till I a leader, a prophetess, a divinely-chosen instrument arose”, but “a mother”. Hers was evidently a heart-concern, an affectional-concern for the Lord’s people.

We have earlier referred to the revolt against Paul’s spiritual authority, but his answer to that was his love, even “as of a nursing mother” (1 Thess. 2:7,11), and any seeming severity was born of his very deep paternal or — spiritually — maternal concern for them.

This element must be in all leadership; the element of a jealous yearning over the spiritual interests of those concerned. “I arose a mother”, said Deborah. The incentive of her inspiring leadership was the mother-passion for a spiritual family.

Back of all that appears and sounds otherwise in the Prophets of Israel, there can always be detected this sigh and sob of a heart-relationship with a wayward family, in trouble because of its waywardness.

Now we're back in New Mexico, and "I think" we can settle a bit longer here.  Our family has been moving around a lot for the last 6 months.  The Lord surely gave Sean and I much grace to handle so much traveling with 4 kids!  It's been an adventure.  Following the Lord has not been boring at all!  Lots of testings, trials, learning to wait and walk by faith.

People must wonder how we know when to leave a place and where to go next.  Brethren, when you totally abandon your life for God do you think He is just going to leave you clueless?!  Actually, once Sean and I obeyed God's voice to sell our house and all our stuff, not even knowing where we would go after we sell our house, that's when His voice became clearer.  So clear to our spirit that we were able to walk in confidence(faith) in each step we took!  We have learned to obey God quickly without asking Him why and trying to reason everything out.  If He says go there, we go without wanting to know ahead of time all the details and plan He has for us there.  Just like how a real soldier would obey quickly his commander's instruction.  Or else, if we wanted to know all the details ahead of time before we go, that shows that we are not trusting in God and are lead by sight.  God is not please with that.  Faith is what pleases Him, not our reasoning and trying to understand it all before we take that step.  Sean and I definitely do not pick the places to go or else half of the places we've been too, we would not have gone.  Some places are just not desirable to the flesh, but following the Lord is not about what our flesh like and are comfortable at or else we would never take the call or be able to follow Him all the way.  Brethren, if I really had a choice where to go, I would go back to India!  I love the simplicity there and the people are so relational, not scared to get close to you.  Sean and I have to try hard not to think about going back to India so we would stay more focus in what God has for us here right now.

You may wonder how's it been living in a trailer with 4 kids.  Its really not so bad.  It can get challenging at times.  Imagine being in a travel trailer with 5 other people.  Just say, we spend a lot of time outside :).  And, if you looked at my pictures on my blog you will notice we've gotten darker.  Yea, it would be nice to have a small house or apartment, but I'm content with a trailer, if that's what the Lord wants for us right now.  He knows if we are going to keep traveling, and if we are then there's no point to settle in a small house.  Its interesting though, looking back, it's now making sense. I had the same dream many times starting a few years ago that Sean and I were traveling in a big rig and meeting with different brethren, and seeing myself take babies from some harlot churches, and taking care of a few of them.  Vehicle symbolises ministry and rigs are never at one place, but always traveling to different places.  For the longest time I did not understand the dreams, but now it makes sense to me after much was already accomplished.  The Lord caused me to look back and see how those dreams have been fullfilled and now still going.  Sean and I have been concerned much for the out of church people and there need for true discipleship.  Of course, the harlot churches do not know how to disciple right, so many brethren have lacked in getting true discipleship which is so important for maturity.  Seeing all the out of church people all spread out in the "wilderness" with no true father of the faith like Paul the apostle to help lead, and mature them, especially young ones remind me of the verses in Ezekiel 34.  The passages speaks of how the irresponsible shepards did not take care of the sheep, but instead fed themselves, the weak were not strengthened and healed.  So they were scattered all over the world and they became food for the beast (being easily influenced by different spirits.  Tossed here and there with all sorts of stuff, like sin, false teachings...because their faith are weak, their wounds were not made fully well by false shepherds)  But, thank God, He has promised that He will search for His scattered sheep, He will seek them out and shepherd them, He will bind up the broken and feed the sick!

I keep hearing the word restoration.  I believe that those who are truly sent by God will have a spirit of restoration.

Here's a defination for Restorationres⋅to⋅ra⋅tion  /ˌrɛstəˈreɪʃən/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [res-tuh-rey-shuhn]–noun 1. the act of restoring; renewal, revival, or reestablishment. 2. the state or fact of being restored. 3. a return of something to a former, original, normal, or unimpaired condition. 4. restitution of something taken away or lost. 5. something that is restored, as by renovating. 6. a reconstruction or reproduction of an ancient building, extinct animal, or the like, showing it in its original state. 7. a putting back into a former position, dignity, etc. :

God is faithful.  He will restore HIS PEOPLE back to the simple truth of His word, New Testament living.  He will restore His church (Saints) to biblical relationships for one another.  He will soon be truly glorified in His Church (Saints) worldwide.  And, if it takes persecution, so let it be so that God's people will be ready for His Coming. 

Be encouraged Saints, you are not forsaken by Him.  He promised that those who are truly born of Him shall overcome (1John5:4)!  Receive that and believe it!  That is His promise to those who are truly His!

Do continue to pray for us, Saints.  We are always in need of your prayers!

I would like to make some clarification as I feel some of my readers think Sean and I are telling them that they should find any church to go too so they can have fellowship.  That is far from what I am wanting to say about fellowshipping with other saints and it is my fault for not being clear.  I know it is VERY hard to find a church that preaches the truth.  Especially one that believes in the 5 main gifting's found in Ephesians 4:11 which is ordained by God to help mature the body of Christ.  Instead many churches today are set up like Old Testament structure while others are harlot churches who despise the true word of God.

What I am wanting to encourage the many out of church saints is to at least find one or two saints that they can meet with regularly.  I know many Saints I've met can at least find one or two brethren to fellowship with regularly.  Even though all their doctrine may not be completely agreeable with one another they have this one thing in common, THE CROSS.  Even with our differences with the Cross in common, many Saints can unite together with and be like minded, to help each other by exhorting and encouraging one another to live all for Jesus, to pray with each other, to study the bible together, and learn to serve each other for real.  It is hard to do these things through the internet.  You cannot have real fellowship through the internet.  Believe me when you start to physically meet with Saints daily it is humbling.  You really see how you are really like.  We like to think that we really love the Saints of God,  that we are very holy like, but I have seen many who have been out of church for awhile and when they do get together with Saints there's a lot of disagreements that have very little to do with the cross. Many can't handle their disagreements and want to quit on each other quickly, having little patient for each other.  And when God shows them something about themselves through the body, many Saints just want to run and hide.  I find that many Saints can't handle Body life because they have been alone for awhile without real relationships with other Saints.  Brethren, Jesus died for the Church (Saints) and I find He uses His Saints to help each other be true to Him. Paul encourages us not forsake the assembly of the Saints and to exhort each other daily (Heb.10:25)!  Yes, many can't find a big assembly of saints to fellowship with regularly, but I know many can at least find one or two.

I also want you all to know that I truly love you all, and many I have not met, but my love goes deep for all His people.  God knows how much my heart and mind is daily upon His people.  And I know of myself that I am weak in many ways.  I tell you the truth, when I am around other Saints, the Lord always humbles me and I see where I need to improve.  I try to examine my ways after I meet with Saints and see where I have come short with God and how I can better serve the brethren. The Lord is always faithful to rebuke me in times of not wanting to see my own faults when it comes to having bad attitudes, being impatient.....He has given me many dreams about myself where I have come short and I have learn to take His rebukes through dreams, so He gives me more :) .  My earnest desire is to be an example for the Saints of God, that I not be found hypocritical, and that all I have shared and encourage the Saints to do, I have done so myself.  I do not want to be like the pharisee who commands others to something that they will not do or have done themselves. 

Rom 15:18  For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not accomplished through me, in word and deed, to make the Gentiles obedient—

God Bless You, Saints and Peace and Grace be multiplied to you!

There is something I see very much in Christianity that tells me that many Christians do not understand  the importance of the Body of Christ.  I have seen too many times how many Christians serve their physical family more than they serve their spiritual family which is their real family according to the Bible.  But, many Christians have not come to the revelation that God’s children are indeed their real family and the ones that they should lay their life down for.  However, many are laying their life down for the unconverted family.  

Many members of the Body of Christ play favoritism with their physical family.  They treat them more special than their spiritual family and see their unconverted family different than their lost neighbors or those unconverted out on the streets!   There is a special favoritism (which really is the fear of man)  toward their unconverted family members that causes them to stumble greatly when preaching and being a witness of Christ’s truth.  I find that many do not preach the whole counsel of the word of God to their family (many who are professing believers) and shrink back from being a witness because they fear the sword may come between them.  Brethren, I can tell you many times that sword will come down in your family because what does light and darkness have in common?  I find that many brethren do not share boldly (in grace, of course)  the word of God with their unconverted family as they do with the unconverted on the streets.  Does that not sound like special favoritism toward one group?  Does that not sound like putting your family above Christ?  You do not see Jesus doing that with His mother and brothers, but He put the spiritual family above the unconverted:


Luk 8:19  Then His mother and brothers came to Him, and could not approach Him because of the crowd.
Luk 8:20  And it was told Him by some, who said, “Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You.”

Luk 8:21  But He answered and said to them, “My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.”

I’m not saying just to forsake your physical family, but please don’t put them above your spiritual family which is really your family.

See, when we put family or anyone above God, we cannot be a true bondservant and be entrusted with His word.  We will add to His word because we still please and fear man.  And many have become ineffective in preaching to their unconverted families because they fear man and loosing their relationships with them.

Gal 1:10  For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.


(Actually, that can go both ways.  Many also fear to speak boldly the truth of God in the church also, especially when it comes to the lifestyles of the lukewarm.  I say lifestyle because so many can preach a forthright biblical preaching or talk the holiness talk, but I find many who preach the truth do not live it.  Be careful, that you are not among the hypocrites)


Jesus warned us that the sword would come down between the unconverted family members.

Mat 10:34  “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword.
Mat 10:35  For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’;
Mat 10:36  and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’[e]
Mat 10:37  He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.
Mat 10:38  And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.

It grieves my heart when I see Christians would rather spend more time with their lost family members trying to convert them than desiring to see their spiritual family come to maturity by real discipleship.   How sad that many will drive long distance to visit and serve their unconverted family, but when it comes to true brethren it just seems like too much work.  Then we wonder why there is no revival, no unity……..where is the love for the true brethren?  There is a problem when we are more comfortable with our unconverted family than our spiritual family, when we rather spend time with them more than the Body of Christ.

Paul evangelized more than anybody I know, but you can tell clearly that  he had a fervent love for the body of Christ more than the lost.  It is clear in scriptures that he would die for the brethren and was very fervent in desiring to see them grow to maturity.  I find that many Christians seem scared to know each other intimately, to get into each others lives so that they would be better at ministering to one another, seeing more clearly one another’s lifestyle in order that we would know how to exhort and encourage, and get right down to the root of any problems. This is important, if you care about bringing brethren into true discipleship.  Now, I’m not saying that this is an easy thing to do, because its really not and that’s why many brethren stray from true discipleship, and those who are mature and capable of discipling see the cost and aren’t willing right now to loose their life over this one.  Truthfully, discipling can get ugly because brethren are at different stages, sometimes dealing with false converts, but if we truly love and want to see revival, unity, the glory of God, ect… than we would gladly die, like Paul, in order that others may have life and be ready on that Day.   Remember, how the Corinthians thought Paul was too hard and unloving.  They did not realize how much Paul labored for them, but that did not stop Paul from ministering right to their hearts, and through such labors brought the Corinthians to repentance!

My heart’s desire is to see the brethren have more love for the body no matter the cost.  To put His body above the lost and to see each member come to maturity.  Remember, that pure desires from above, like unity, revival…..have a great cost, it is not just by prayer, but also, by you laying your life down for the brethren.

Peace, and may the Lord give us much grace to love the brethren IN His truth.