For God is not a God of disorder but of PEACE. 1 Cor 14:33
So, we come towards the end of the ‘prophetic sandwich’ of chapters 12, 13 and 14 to the Corinthian Church. Paul has exhorted them to seek the ‘Gifts of the Spirit’ to build up one another and the Body. His final word to them on this subject is that the result of moving in the gifts should not be disorder or confusion but Peace. He’s telling them and us that disorder is against the very nature of God Himself.
In Philippians, Paul also talks about the ‘Peace of God’, in the context of prayer, ‘Don’t be anxious, Pray(turn to God)’.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the Peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard(like an army garrison guarding a fort!) your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Phil 4:6,7
The Peace of God, ‘which transcends all understanding’; we may not always understand things with our minds but we can know in our spirits if something is of God. If we begin to lose our peace, we need to turn to the Holy Spirit inside and ask what is of Him! It’s my belief that we are entering an age when there will be many signs and wonders and discernment will be key. We will need the witness of the indwelling Spirit of God to confirm what’s of Him(God is never divided).
In my old Bible I have written above 1 Cor 14, three simple tests for prophecy, which I believe were from Derek Prince.
1. Does it agree with the written word?
2. Does it uplift Jesus Christ(the Holy Spirit’s job)?
3. Does it edify/build up God’s people?
D.Prince also had a saying, ‘eat the fish/the meat, but spit out the bones’. We need to practice turning to God and asking Him to show us what’s meat, to eat with thanks and what’s bones, to spit out and avoid harm!
Therefore, my brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way. 1 Cor 14:39,40
Paul concludes with the same exhortation as in verse 1, ‘be eager to prophesy, but everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way’. It may get noisy and appear a bit messy, but if people are being blessed, healed for example and Jesus is being honoured and uplifted(rowdy doesn’t mean it’s not of God, religious spirits hate our freedom in the Spirit), the enemy will never do that! We can be sure God’s Spirit is moving in the midst.
God bless and keep you today.