Embracing Boldness: A Call to Prophetic Vision
Summary
In this message, we explore the profound journey of spiritual boldness and prophetic vision, drawing inspiration from the lives of biblical figures like Jeremiah, the apostles, and the three Hebrew boys. We are in a season where God is raising His people to speak His undiluted word with courage and boldness, a courage that stems from a personal encounter with God. This encounter is not merely a physical experience but a deep revelation and submission to God's will. It is through such encounters that we gain the strength to stand firm against compromise and declare the truth of God.
The apostles, despite facing persecution, could not help but speak of what they had seen and experienced with Jesus. Similarly, the story of Daniel and his friends in Babylon exemplifies unwavering faith and boldness, even in the face of death. Their declaration of faith, even if God did not save them, shows a profound understanding and personal testimony of God's reality in their lives.
Jeremiah's calling illustrates the transformative power of God's touch. God equips those He calls, addressing their perceived inadequacies and empowering them to fulfill their divine purpose. Jeremiah's journey from hearing God's voice to having his spiritual eyes opened signifies the importance of vision in prophetic ministry. Vision is crucial for leading others to truth and light, and it requires a deep understanding of where God is directing His people.
Prophetic vision involves seeing beyond the natural realm, discerning the spiritual realities that govern our world. It is a call to lead people to repentance and align them with God's will. As prophetic people, we are called to be watchmen, discerning the spiritual climate and warning others of impending dangers. This requires spiritual sight, which is a gift of the Holy Spirit, enabling us to see beyond the obvious and discern the true nature of things.
God's promise to Jeremiah of making him a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls, symbolizes the divine protection and strength given to those who stand for truth. Despite opposition, God assures His presence and deliverance, empowering His people to fulfill their prophetic calling. This message is a call to embrace our prophetic identity, to be bold and unwavering in our commitment to God's truth, and to lead others back to His righteousness and holiness.
Key Takeaways:
1. Encounter with God: True boldness and courage to speak God's word come from a personal encounter with Him. This encounter is not just physical but a deep revelation and submission to God's will, enabling us to stand firm against compromise. [00:00]
2. Unwavering Faith: The stories of the apostles and Daniel's friends illustrate the power of unwavering faith. Their willingness to face persecution and even death for their beliefs shows a profound understanding of God's reality in their lives. [05:38]
3. Prophetic Vision: Vision is essential in prophetic ministry, allowing us to lead others to truth and light. It requires a deep understanding of God's direction and the ability to see beyond the natural realm to discern spiritual realities. [09:17]
4. Spiritual Sight: Prophetic people are called to be watchmen, discerning the spiritual climate and warning others of impending dangers. This requires spiritual sight, a gift of the Holy Spirit, enabling us to see beyond the obvious and discern the true nature of things. [11:44]
5. Divine Protection: God's promise to Jeremiah of making him a fortified city symbolizes the divine protection and strength given to those who stand for truth. Despite opposition, God assures His presence and deliverance, empowering His people to fulfill their prophetic calling. [23:14]
Youtube Chapters:
- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:00] - The Call to Boldness
- [05:38] - Unwavering Faith in Persecution
- [07:09] - The Story of Daniel and His Friends
- [09:17] - Jeremiah's Vision and Calling
- [11:44] - The Importance of Spiritual Sight
- [15:44] - Prophetic Ministry and Spiritual Insight
- [21:28] - God's Assurance of Protection
- [23:14] - Fortified by God's Strength
- [27:08] - Closing Remarks and Future Plans
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Jeremiah 1:4-19
2. Acts 4:18-20
3. Daniel 3:16-18
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Observation Questions:
1. What was Jeremiah's initial reaction to God's calling, and how did God address his concerns? (Jeremiah 1:6-9)
2. How did the apostles respond when they were commanded not to speak in the name of Jesus? [05:38]
3. What was the declaration of faith made by Daniel's friends before being thrown into the fiery furnace? (Daniel 3:16-18)
4. What vision did God show Jeremiah, and what was its significance? [09:17]
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Interpretation Questions:
1. How does a personal encounter with God empower individuals to speak His word with boldness? [00:00]
2. In what ways does unwavering faith manifest in the lives of believers facing persecution, as seen in the stories of the apostles and Daniel's friends? [07:09]
3. What role does prophetic vision play in leading others to truth and light, and how is it developed according to the sermon? [11:44]
4. How does God's promise of making Jeremiah a "fortified city" relate to the concept of divine protection and strength? [23:14]
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Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you felt called to speak boldly for God. What was the outcome, and how did it affect your faith? [00:00]
2. How can you cultivate a deeper personal encounter with God to strengthen your spiritual boldness?
3. In what areas of your life do you feel challenged to maintain unwavering faith, and how can the examples of the apostles and Daniel's friends inspire you? [07:09]
4. What steps can you take to develop spiritual sight and discernment in your daily life? [11:44]
5. How can you embrace your prophetic identity and lead others back to God's righteousness and holiness in your community? [23:14]
6. Identify a situation where you need to stand firm against compromise. What practical actions can you take to uphold God's truth?
7. How can you rely on God's promise of protection when facing opposition or challenges in your spiritual journey? [23:14]
Devotional
Day 1: Encountering God’s Transformative Presence
In the journey of faith, true boldness and courage to speak God's word arise from a personal encounter with Him. This encounter is not merely a physical experience but a profound revelation and submission to God's will. It is through such encounters that believers gain the strength to stand firm against compromise and declare the truth of God. The apostles, despite facing persecution, could not help but speak of what they had seen and experienced with Jesus. This kind of boldness is rooted in a deep, personal relationship with God, where His presence transforms fear into courage and uncertainty into conviction. [00:00]
Isaiah 6:5-8 (ESV): "And I said: 'Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!' Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said: 'Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.' And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?' Then I said, 'Here I am! Send me.'"
Reflection: Think about a time when you felt God's presence in a profound way. How did that experience change your perspective or actions? How can you seek a deeper encounter with God today?
Day 2: Unwavering Faith in the Face of Trials
The stories of the apostles and Daniel's friends illustrate the power of unwavering faith. Their willingness to face persecution and even death for their beliefs shows a profound understanding of God's reality in their lives. This kind of faith is not dependent on circumstances but is rooted in a deep trust in God's character and promises. Daniel and his friends, when faced with the threat of death, declared their faith in God, even if He did not deliver them. This demonstrates a faith that is steadfast and immovable, grounded in the assurance of God's sovereignty and goodness. [05:38]
Daniel 3:16-18 (ESV): "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, 'O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.'"
Reflection: Consider a challenge you are currently facing. How can you demonstrate unwavering faith in God's plan, even if the outcome is uncertain? What steps can you take today to trust Him more fully?
Day 3: Embracing Prophetic Vision
Vision is essential in prophetic ministry, allowing believers to lead others to truth and light. It requires a deep understanding of God's direction and the ability to see beyond the natural realm to discern spiritual realities. Jeremiah's calling illustrates the transformative power of God's touch, equipping those He calls to fulfill their divine purpose. Prophetic vision involves seeing beyond the obvious, discerning the spiritual realities that govern our world, and leading people to repentance and alignment with God's will. [09:17]
Habakkuk 2:2-3 (ESV): "And the Lord answered me: 'Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay.'"
Reflection: What vision has God placed on your heart for your life or community? How can you begin to pursue this vision with clarity and purpose today?
Day 4: Developing Spiritual Sight
Prophetic people are called to be watchmen, discerning the spiritual climate and warning others of impending dangers. This requires spiritual sight, a gift of the Holy Spirit, enabling believers to see beyond the obvious and discern the true nature of things. Spiritual sight is not just about seeing what is visible but understanding the deeper spiritual realities at play. It involves being attuned to the Holy Spirit's guidance and being willing to speak truth, even when it is uncomfortable or unpopular. [11:44]
2 Kings 6:17 (ESV): "Then Elisha prayed and said, 'O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.' So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha."
Reflection: In what areas of your life do you need greater spiritual insight? How can you cultivate a deeper sensitivity to the Holy Spirit's leading today?
Day 5: Trusting in Divine Protection
God's promise to Jeremiah of making him a fortified city symbolizes the divine protection and strength given to those who stand for truth. Despite opposition, God assures His presence and deliverance, empowering His people to fulfill their prophetic calling. This assurance of divine protection is a reminder that God is with us, even in the midst of trials and challenges. It encourages believers to stand firm in their faith, knowing that God is their refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. [23:14]
Psalm 46:1-3 (ESV): "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling."
Reflection: Reflect on a time when you felt God's protection in your life. How can you trust in His protection and strength in your current circumstances? What steps can you take to stand firm in your faith today?
Quotes
"In the gospel, let our souls take away. That God allow him to go through to become the man he became. Because, you know, like I always say, we are in a season right now where God is rising his people, is rising his children, is rising, you know, men and women to be spoke persons, to be people that are bold enough to speak the word of God, speak the heart of God, speak the purpose of God. And we are in a season where God is rising people to speak against compromise and speak the undiluted word. And for us to do that, it requires courage, it requires boldness, and that only comes from an encounter. An encounter that you need to have with God himself. Because you cannot take people to a place you've never been yourself. You cannot speak of God. You cannot declare the things of God. You cannot instruct from God if you haven't met God himself. And when we're talking about meeting God, it's not about just a physical experience. It's an encounter, like I love saying." [00:03:08] (80 seconds)
"And the apostle says something that, you know, personally is one of the words that touched me a lot in the New Testament. They say that, charge for yourself, that we cannot speak about something we have seen and experienced ourselves. Jesus is not something, you know, based on the word, paraphrasing what the apostles are saying. Jesus is not a man we heard about. Jesus is not a report that we received. Jesus is something, someone we met, we lived with him for three years. He trained us, discipled us. And we have seen with our own eyes the evidence that the son of God." [00:06:21] (32 seconds)
"It means they know what they believe. They know what they have seen. They know what they experienced, that the God of Israel is not a report. It's not somebody's testimony. We have a testimony ourselves. We can testify through our life that this God we serve in Israel. So we cannot stop talking about it. And that's what we call boldness that comes from the Holy Spirit, the experience of the Holy Spirit." [00:07:25] (24 seconds)
"And vision is something that has to do with destination. You cannot go to a place unless you know where you're going. And to live. You know, prophetic, being prophetic is being a leader in the sense where you are leading people to the truth. You are leading people to the light. You are leading people to where God wants them to be. You are leading them, you know, in terms of the morality. You're taking them out of where they are. You know, you know, repentance is a change of direction. When they say repent, when Jesus says repent, he's talking about change direction, change where you're going." [00:09:58] (35 seconds)
"things the way they look to the spiritual vision spiritual sight spiritual eyes are open and prophetic people are spirit people in the sense where the true reality of things are in the spirit let me repeat again the true reality of of people and an event are in the spirit and those that will have advantage in these last days are those that have the ability to be able to see things from a spiritual perspective and the people of the spirit are discerning people it takes you know spiritual sight to be able to discern wrong from right you can see sometimes like people are doing the right thing everything is right with them but they are the most wicked most filthy human being you can ever think of and if you don't have that spiritual sight that gives you discernment we're going to allow you to see what is beyond the thing what is beyond the obvious what is beyond the natural you'll be deceived and that's where deception is is going crazy in the world that we are we are living today a lot of people are being deceived because they don't have understood they don't have knowledge they don't have understanding their spiritual eyes are not open so their sight is only based is only based on the natural and in a natural you can be deceived big time the devil can deceive you 100 people can deceive you and it takes the spiritual side and then and i know i'm saying this now you know something is happening inside of me but so many times i'm saying this now i'm saying this now i'm saying this now i'm saying this now many times how you you call some people into order telling them some of the things that are happening in the spiritual realm or some of the things that happen into their home into their family in their own life that they're not even aware of and they're asking what you mean and until it happened in actual then they're like wow we didn't know that you cannot there's no way you know that if you are not a man of the spirit so prophetic people are people of the spirit where you can see from the spirit and here we see god opening the eyes of jeremiah so a true prophetic man of vision is a man of spiritual sight um is the man of spiritual side led and instructed by the holy spirit by god himself and god still do it" [00:11:55] (124 seconds)
"You know, God has not stopped doing that. God has not stopped speaking to his people. God has not stopped opening the eyes of his children because he's one of the function of the Holy Spirit. He's one of the function of the Spirit of the Most High that when he come upon you, he open your eyes to see. Hallelujah. And I pray for those that are watching me right now, that the Lord will give you grace and favor to see. Not to see to know everything, but just to see so you can be able to discern and make some choice and also be discerning of the will and the purpose of God. So when you're speaking, you're speaking the will, the purpose and the plan of God. Amen. So Jeremiah, God told Jeremiah, you have seen well, for I'm watching over my world to perform." [00:14:00] (41 seconds)
"And the word of the Lord came to me a second time saying, what do you see? And God showed him something again. So it's a process, you know, and that will be his life all the time. And you will see that as you read the book of Jeremiah. He'll tell you, I've seen this. I'm seeing this nation. I'm seeing this. This one is coming down. And vision, that's part of it. That's part of his work. That's part of his calling. That's what defined him. That was part of his identity. That was his function. You know, his real life. He should be able to see what the Lord is revealing and telling the nation what the Lord is about to do, what's about to happen in the future, what is about to happen based on what they're doing, you know, telling them, change your way. Don't go this way. Go the other way. Because he had that spiritual insight by the grace of God to know where people are going to end if they don't change from their ways." [00:14:42] (44 seconds)
"And Bonnie wanted to speak of something boiling, something, there's something, there's a plan, there's a conspiracy, there's something about to come from the north side, and it's an invasion. The enemy is coming to invade Israel, and that's part of his work, you know, too. That's part of the ministry of Jeremiah. He's a watchman, you know, watchman on the wall, checking that no one else is coming. It's the ministry of intercession. Those are people that are into intercession, they have the ability to see a lot, they have the ability to discern, they see the enemy before everyone else, they see the enemy before even the soldiers. So as spiritual people, you are what you call a watchman, or a watchwoman, you know. So here, I think that's what's happening here. God is raising him to that level where he's becoming a watchman over Israel because of what God is showing him to warn the people, this is what's about to happen and they have to repent and have to check." [00:15:44] (48 seconds)
"And I, behold, I make you this day a fortified city. Oh, my goodness. And now God is encouraging. He said, hey, I'm making you a fortified city. You know what's a fortified city? It's a city that's built with walls that nothing can just break in. I don't know if you watched the movie Troy or even you read a Bible, The City of Jericho. The city of Jericho was so tough, so difficult to penetrate because it was a fortified city. Thick, thick walls. Understand? They say, what? Eight horses can ride on the wall of Jericho. So that's a fortified city. I learned. So here God is telling Jeremiah." [00:21:52] (40 seconds)
"that I will make you this day a fortified city. In other words, I will establish you and I will protect you. I will be your covering. So nothing will affect you. Nothing will touch you. You know, be strong. Know that. Be strong. I'm building something around you that those people will try and they will try and they will threaten you. They will scare you. They will do some stuff to make you stop what I'm calling you to do. But don't worry. Don't be scared. And now you see where prophetic people get their boldness from because they know the Lord has made them a fortified city. The Lord himself is their protection." [00:22:40] (37 seconds)
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