Flyover Chapters

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Ever notice how certain parts of the Bible are skipped over?  Kind of like flyover States. It’s easy to say we believe in the totality of the Word of God, but sometimes, even for me, we fast-forward through certain passages or theological topics. Part of spiritual maturity comes as we embrace the Trinity in all aspects of its personhood, including how we experience the Godhead in daily life. 

An academic understanding of God is essential, but head knowledge doesn’t save; Christ does in real life. There are other Mentoring Warrior posts referencing the experiential side of walking with God. Double Yada, which includes understanding the Holy Spirit.

Which leads us to the heart of this post: understanding and experiencing God speaking to and through you.

I grew up in a church that rarely talked about the Holy Spirit, let alone spiritual gifts. Sermons about certain parts of Romans (12:4-8) and 1 Corinthians (chapters 12 and 14) were skipped over. As a kid, it didn’t seem that big of a deal to me. After all, when you’re 9 or 10, doodling on the church bulletin was more interesting.  

I recall, somewhere in my middle school years (shortly after I trusted Jesus), that some of the things I heard the grown-ups talking about in their Sunday School class piqued my interest. Apparently, they were going through the book of Acts and got to the part in chapter 2 where the Holy Spirit came, and the disciples spoke in tongues, “as the Holy Spirit gave utterance.” 

It must have caused quite a stir in their class. Their teacher, Harold, made a jolting but seemingly very reasonable observation: 

“The Holy Spirit wanted the Gospel to spread quickly. He supernaturally gave the disciples the ability to speak in languages known and understood by those in Jerusalem.” 

Made sense to my middle school brain, but I could tell some of the adults were emotionally troubled by that idea.

In my adult years, I’ve heard phrases like cessationist, continuist, and crazies. (I think those phrases were to be a simple but humorous way to explain a theological spectrum in terms of how God (especially the Holy Spirit) works today, or doesn’t.

This post is not a theological treatise on the Holy Spirit. There are some good reads out there (especially the Bible) on the Spirit. What I have come to understand is that apart from Christ, I cannot live the Christian life.

My life verse, Galatians 2:20, speaks to the work of God in and through me. 

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.  

When it comes to spiritual gifts, we don’t choose what God gives us. He chooses what is best suited for us. In some of those flyover chapters, there’s a reference to a list of gifts, including prophecy and tongues.  

1 Corinthians 12 lists the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Chapter 13 speaks about love (which we all agree on). Chapter 14 goes back to that list mentioned in Chapter 12, placing an emphasis on two particular gifts: prophecy and tongues. 

The priority Paul, who wrote 1 Corinthians, places is like this:

• Love, first of all
• Prophesy
• Tongues

Listen to how Paul says it: (1 Corinthians 14: 1-5)

Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. ² For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit. ³ On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. ⁴ The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church. ⁵ Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up. 

I bolded the phrases Paul used to emphasize prophecy over tongues.

Prophecy in this passage is not about foretelling the future. It’s about forth-telling the truth to a person or a body of believers for the purposes of building them up and offering encouragement or comfort.

A friend, Clint, told a story of how God used him to prophesy over a young man he was mentoring. They were at a large youth conference, sitting on opposite sides of the room. At one point, Clint sensed the Lord telling him, “Go tell Sean that I love him.”

Clint got up right away, walked over to Sean, and whispered into his ear. “Sean, the Lord just asked me to come over and tell you He loves you. He wanted you to know that.” Clint then walked back to his seat. 

Later that evening, as their small group gathered to download the events of the conference, Sean made an interesting comment. “Guys, I came to this conference struggling with the idea that God loves me. I just wasn’t seeing it. Tonight, at the session, I asked God, if He loved me, would He send Clint over to tell me. Clint did, and it refreshed me so much. Now, I believe God loves me. ”

When Clint heard Sean’s testimony, he had no clue Sean had asked specifically for him to come over and speak to him. Clint realized that his obedience in listening to God and following through with Sean was the gift of prophecy at work.  

This is what Paul is referring to in 1 Corinthians 12 and 14 when he talks about building up the body. 

Hearing Clint tell that story made me realize how many times I had prophesied without knowing it. Times when I’ve met with a young man I’m mentoring and spoken words of courage over him. Or times the Lord prompted me to text someone “out of the blue,” only to find out how timely it was for them to receive my text of hope and consolation. Or, to even circumvent them giving in to temptation.

Several takeaways:

1. Become more familiar with the Holy Spirit. He is the presence of God in Christ-followers today. Scripture teaches this. He is our advocate and desires to speak to us and through us. Experiencing the Holy Spirit is experiencing the presence of God.

2. Listen to the Holy Spirit. Become familiar with His promptings. They may not sound outlandish. It could be something very simple, like what Clint sensed God prompting him to tell Sean. And yet, it can have a profound impact on the person receiving it. 

3. Desire Love above all. In doing so, any prophecy you may sense God prompting you to speak to a fellow believer or group will be said in love, for their good and God’s glory. If it’s out of self-seeking, everyone will soon find out your ill-gotten motives. Good works without love are clanging cymbals. 

4. Always receive prophecy through the filter of God’s Word. Don’t take what someone says to you “hook, line, and sinker.” Don’t be gullible. Test out the words spoken over you with Scripture. Do the words spoken over you align with the heart and narrative of God as revealed in the Bible?  (Which makes being in the Word a matter of high priority.)

Do you have stories of God speaking over you through someone else, or God using you to speak over someone?  We’d love to hear about it!  Reach us at info@mentoring-warriors.com

Warrior On!