HE SPEAKS THROUGH THE GIFT OF EXHORTATION

The Gift of Exhortation is the ability to inspire someone to move forward from the past.  It can touch a heart to begin again and move into action.  It gives hope and encouragement to see beyond the difficulties and onto  a brighter future. 

Heb 12:4 NKJV

And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons:

"My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him...

I know a special lady who has a vivacious personality, and loves to talk to people.  Throughout the years she’s had a “ministry” to people who are sick. Visiting often, calling and sending cheer, she has been a real uplift to many people. Whether she has ever thought of it as a ministry, I do not know.  My guess is that she just considers it a part of her own personality and natural life.  But it is obvious that her gift of cheer is God-given and is a wonderful uplift.

For some, this gift needs the balance of patience.  An exhorter has the ability to foresee the desired result and is greatly motivated towards helping one obtain it.  His zeal is so fervent he needs patience to slow down to the pace of the downhearted one.  Someone having this wonderful gift to encourage and motivate others may often seem insensitive to the pain of the moment, being misconstrued as a lack of compassion.  Yet, the Holy Spirit has so touched the one who has the gift to exhort, there is great motivation to do something about it.  I have most often witnessed the Gift of Exhortation used in preaching.

The Gift of Exhortation within Jesus’ body is His heart, saying, “I believe in you.”   Next time someone reaches out with a smiling touch of words, listen for the Lord’s great zealous heart to motivate you away from the “mully-grubs.”  Understand that He waits to see your tear sparkled eye look up and say, “OK Lord, I dare to try again.”

HE SPEAKS THROUGH THE GIFT OF MERCY

Jude 21-23 NKJV

...keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And on some have compassion, making a distinction;  but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.

One with the Gift of Mercy has the yearning to give kindness, compassion, love and tenderness to the downtrodden.  This brings needed comfort, understanding, and sensitivity. 

I experienced Anna’s and the Lord’s Gift of Mercy in an unusual way.  One day I awakened particularly discouraged.  It was so strong I called her and asked for her prayers.  I had no idea how strong her mother’s heart had been activated for battle.  All day long she prayed and frequently bound the spiritual harassment of hopelessness and discouragement.  She also asked that her “baby girl” (middle aged!)  be given back her joy.  While she was standing in line at Fred Meyers and still praying under her breath, someone said,  “My baby girl.”  She knew it was the quickened voice of the Lord to her, that He had sent help and answered her prayers.

Meanwhile, I had been so caught up in my work I had completely forgotten I’d asked her for prayer.  As I was working, all of a sudden I felt the Lord’s comforting Presence very close.  I had wonderful goose bumps, quickening, refreshing touches and because of His close Presence I fell into spontaneous worship while I was working at the computer.  I was thrilled and continued working.  Then all of a sudden it happened again.  Then again!  About this time, I said, “Lord I’ve missed Your refreshing Presence so much!  How wonderful, and where have You been?”  His touches came in wave after wave for about 4 hours.  I was truly blessed. 

At 5:00 P.M. Anna called and asked, “Did the angels show up yet?”  She said she had been bombarding heaven, taking authority and really praying for me all day.  I was very grateful, so touched by this love and mercy for my downtrodden feelings!   This was “mercy” in action, and also an amazing confirmation to me of the power of prayer and it really encouraged me to pray more! 

The Gift of Mercy is the tender place within the body of Christ.  Next time someone reaches out to you with a prayer or a kind word of understanding, you can know the Lord’s heart is yearning to touch your downhearted places.  Minister to His yearnings, and reach out to Him by saying, “Thank you Lord.”  He feels your pain and so desires for you to receive His mercy.

HE SPEAKS THROUGH THE INTERCESSORS

Luke 18:1-8 NLT

One day Jesus told his disciples a story to illustrate their need for constant prayer and to show them that they must never give up. 2 "There was a judge in a certain city," he said, "who was a godless man with great contempt for everyone.  3 A widow of that city came to him repeatedly, appealing for justice against someone who had harmed her.  4 The judge ignored her for a while, but eventually she wore him out. 'I fear neither God nor man,' he said to himself,  5'but this woman is driving me crazy. I'm going to see that she gets justice, because she is wearing me out with her constant requests!' "   6 Then the Lord said, "Learn a lesson from this evil judge.  7 Even he rendered a just decision in the end, so don't you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who plead with him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?  8 I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly! But when I, the Son of Man, return, how many will I find who have faith?"

When it comes to deep intercession, there is a place in God that few of the body of Christ know exist.  This is a place beyond the bless-me prayers where an empty vessel becomes filled with God’s life pulsing heart for His people.  There are different kinds of intercessors.  Some sacrificial people spend hours in prayer, not minutes.  They long for God’s Presence, His help, His touch, and are literally praying His kingdom to earth.  The Lord deposits a portion of His burdens upon them and He uses them as vessels to bring to birth that which He wants to bring forth on earth.

“For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God.  For the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.  For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.”  (Romans 8: 19-23 NASB) 

Other intercessors carry the burden of the Lord until it is broken through and answered on earth.  It is like a camel or an elephant being a sturdy burden bearer and carrying heavy loads.  These kind of intercessors may only have one or two prayer burdens their entire life.  They live through every part of the problem, understanding, forgiving, seeing the deep need and go to great lengths of sacrifice and death to see the issue resolved.  After they have gone through death of their own will in regards to the issue, the Lord multiplies the answer to the masses.  It is a great reward for heavy cost. 

Musician intercessors intercede through song.  They sing their prayers, they decree their prayers, they sing and pray scripture and send them forth to the throne room night and day.

The most significant part of those who are intercessors, is that they will not let go, will not quit and will not compromise their burden.  They simply hold onto God and will not let go until they receive His answer. 

Here is a precious testimony of one of the intercessors in my QW Class:

“Several years ago I had just gotten out of bed and not fully awake yet and I heard my self say:  "Uncle Merle is going to die and go to hell.  Lord, please do not let that happen".  It shocked me, and when I became fully awake I said:  "Yeah right.  How many years have we been praying for him?  50?  Something like that.  He is as hard as a rock."
 
About a week later, I was talking to my mother and she said that Uncle Merle had come to the house wanting to know how to be saved.  She thought her time would be wasted, but went ahead and talked with him.  He was holding back tears and said he wanted to go outside to pray because he didn't want her to see him cry.  A few minutes later he came back, eyes damp, but with a smile on his face.  
 
I asked my Mother what she thought and she doubted anything happened.  I guess he had prayed before, but nothing had taken place in his heart.  But, I think this was the first time he had actually COME and asked for prayer.  
 
After I talked to her, the Lord brought back the memory of my "prayer".  I called her back and told her I believed this time he had REALLY been converted and told her about the incident that happened with me and my "prophetic prayer". Mother was still doubtful, and Uncle Merle's daughter didn't think the conversion was real either, mentioning he didn't go to church or read his Bible after he supposedly received Christ. 
  
Sometime later, we were notified he had cancer progressing rapidly.  I was home for my Mother's funeral and I had the opportunity, with my sister and my cousin, to pray with him.  Both my sister and cousin still had lots of doubt concerning his conversion.  I told them I would know positively when I prayed with him.  He was always very hard to be around because of the dark spirits influencing him.
 
I was not disappointed.  It was a complete turn-a-round.  The four of us had the most beautiful prayer time.  My uncle cried quite openly and squeezed my hand (makes me teary eyed to remember that sweet, sweet time).  A beautiful spirit of peace was present.  He didn't make me feel uncomfortable at all.  I KNEW!
 
The Lord was so precious to my cousin when she visited her father one day in the hospital.  She walked into his room and found him asleep.  But a Bible was laying on his chest and she KNEW for sure that was a sign from God saying, "YES, he is My son and will be joining me soon."
 
Uncle Merle died about a month later.  We were all sad, but in the sadness we had the unexpected joy of knowing he was with Jesus and we would get to be with him forever in a far, far better place than this.  A place of our final destiny.  What a joyous moment that will be.  It will last through eternity!”

 

When the Lord speaks through an intercessor, He is saying, “I have placed My heart and My Word as a deposit in this person’s life.  Listen to what My Spirit is crying!”