Shining Light 2 by Apostle Femi Lazarus: MP3 Download & Sermon Notes

Spiritual Intelligence in a Prophetic Atmosphere

When a person finds themselves in a prophetic atmosphere, even while seated, they must know how to draw from what is present. This is called spiritual intelligence — the ability to sit in a meeting that is going in one direction and, on account of genuine hunger, cause it to be rerouted. One person with hunger and spiritual intelligence can redirect an entire meeting.

Darkness and the Disciples

Luke 22 / Matthew 26

Jesus told his disciples the night of his betrayal that many of them would be offended at him. He called it an hour of darkness. Isaiah 60:2 had already described it: gross darkness would cover the earth, and people. When the hour of darkness arrived, Judas led armed men to arrest Jesus.

Peter had made bold declarations: "I am ready to die. I will never be offended." When they came with swords and spears, Peter proved his sincerity — he drew his own sword and cut off a man's ear. Then Jesus picked the ear up and restored it.

That was the moment Peter understood that the kind of darkness Jesus had been speaking about is not the kind that can be won with carnal weapons. 2 Corinthians 10:3-4 — though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh. The weapons of our warfare are not physical but mighty through God for pulling down strongholds. Peter did not have that strength yet. He followed Jesus a far off. A servant girl identified him. He cursed himself and denied three times.

Peter did not lack passion. He did not lack love. He lacked power. And Jesus had already told them: do not go out in this state.

Power Is Generated Through Prayer

James 5:16 — "The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much." In the Amplified: "The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results."

What the amplified adds is precision: earnest, heartfelt prayers — not prayers prayed on the lips while the heart is elsewhere. Heartfelt prayer comes with deep groanings. It comes with burden. It comes with travailing. The way Jesus prayed in Gethsemane was so intense his countenance was altered and he was sweating as though it were blood. That is the model of heartfelt prayer — not a spiritual performance, but a longing aligned with what God wants to do.

As a person prays, power is made available. More prayer, more power. The fervent, effectual prayer of the righteous makes tremendous power available.

The Gift of Prophecy

Joel 2:28 — "It shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and daughters shall prophesy."

Some will receive the gift of prophecy fresh. Some have been prophesying for a while and the fire went down — the sharpness, the accuracy, the depth of presence has not been there again. That is a restoration available now.

Some will be worshippers who are not just singers but ministers — those who can open prophetic portals. Some will carry the presence of God so strongly that stepping into a room will cause the glory of God to invade.

Prophetic writers who receive inspirations of the Spirit. Seers who begin to see. The prophetic ordination was placed before — no more trial and error. Fresh fire. The vocal cords touched with coals of fire, the Lord beginning to speak through them.

The Lesson from Acts 2

Acts 1:8 — "You shall receive power after the Holy Ghost comes upon you, and you will be witnesses from Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth."

In Acts chapter two, they gathered in the upper room in one accord. As they prayed, suddenly sounds from heaven filled the room. Something sat on each of them — clothing tongues like fire. And they all began to speak in the Holy Ghost as the Spirit gave them utterance.

The same Peter who had been running, who had denied Jesus three times in a courtyard, stood up and preached one message and won thousands. Power transformed the denier into the preacher. Power transformed the one who followed a far off into the one who stepped into the center of every difficult room.

A story: after long hours of prayer, on a public bus, a woman nearby began shifting away from the preacher, then screaming — "I didn't come here to touch you, leave me alone" — until the driver stopped and assumed she was mad. The driver did not understand that he was not witnessing madness. He was witnessing light shining in the presence of darkness.

Another story: at a village in Ocean State, preaching began and rain started falling — only on the spot where the preacher stood. As they moved, the circle of rain followed. His companion said afterwards: he would never come for a meeting like that again. The forces operating in places of darkness are real. Power is not metaphorical.

You cannot carry the destiny of a stadium with a touch-light battery. Power is not optional.

Father, we ask for the same fire that fell in Acts chapter two. We receive that fire. Baptize us with your Spirit. The fervent and effectual prayer of the righteous makes power available — let power flow. Touch our vocal cords. Let prophets speak again. Let intercessors find their place again. Let seers see. Let worshippers open prophetic portals. Let sons and daughters prophesy as the word said they would. Pour out your Spirit upon all flesh. Let the earnest prayers of this generation make tremendous power available — power that shakes nations, power that causes darkness to scream and leave, power that makes what was impossible become simple. In Jesus' mighty name.