The teaching is based on 1 Corinthians chapters 12 and 14 and deals with prophecies, the gifts of the Spirit and speaking in tongues, not as theory, but as something to be used in practice within the fellowship of the church and everyday life. It addresses the widespread view that only a few particularly ‘spiritual’ people possess certain gifts of grace, whilst the majority must content themselves with watching from the sidelines. Andreas Slot-Henriksen explains here how God has given a whole range of gifts, which all believers must learn to unwrap and use, so that the body of Christ may be built up. The point is that it is not about spiritual prestige, but about love and obedience to what God has commanded.
A reading from 1 Corinthians 12:4–7 highlights that there are different spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit; different ministries, but the same Lord; and different works of power, but the same God who works all things in all people. When the Holy Spirit gives a revelation, it is so that it may be of benefit to others. It is emphasised that many have used this chapter to limit the gifts of grace: ‘some’ have healing, ‘some’ have prophecy, ‘some’ have speaking in tongues, and the rest must simply accept that it is not for them. But this is challenged by 1 Corinthians 14:1, which states: “Pursue love, and strive for the spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.” and verse 31: “For you can all prophesy one at a time, so that all may learn and be exhorted.” It makes no sense that Paul would both limit and at the same time encourage everyone to strive particularly for the gift of prophecy, if the gifts were only a fixed “few” for each person.
An analogy is used: when one is saved, God gives a large gift package full of spiritual gifts. All the gifts are there, but not all have been unwrapped yet. For some, the gift of healing is quickly unlocked by a strong inner longing to pray for the sick and see them restored to health. For others, God opens up the gift of prophetic speech or words of knowledge, whilst healing may not be such a prominent part of their ministry. But that does not mean that the gifts which are not yet ‘active’ do not exist. They simply need to be sought out, unblocked and used. There is talk of a personal journey, where the love of seeing the sick healed on the street awakens a new longing: to be able to speak God’s word directly into people’s lives through prophecy and words of knowledge, so that they both hear the gospel, experience healing and feel that God sees them personally.
Mark 16:17–18 is highlighted as a clear word that the signs are not only for the specially called, but for “those who believe”: “And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; … they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” This shows that speaking in tongues and healing are fundamental signs that belong to ordinary Christian life, not just to the platform. Together with 1 Corinthians 14:31, this is used to show that all believers can come to prophesy when they strive for it and practise. Thus, the focus shifts from “who has which gifts?” to “how do we receive and use the range of gifts God has already placed before us?”.
There is honest discussion about how daunting it can be to step into the prophetic and into speaking in tongues. Most people are familiar with the counter-arguments and excuses: “What if I’m wrong?”, “What if nothing happens?”, “What if others think I’m daft?”. But there is an important counter-question: Is it enough simply to believe, or does it require an active choice to act on God’s word, even when it costs one’s pride? We hear how the beginning is often marked by silence – one does not feel one hears anything at all from God when trying to listen for a word for others. The frustration is real, but the invitation is to persevere, because God wants to speak, and because one is being trained to distinguish His voice from one’s own thoughts.
To make this concrete, the difference between the three forms of speaking in tongues found in the Bible is explained. The first is personal speaking in tongues for one’s own edification, where the Spirit prays when one has run out of words. This is the kind of speaking in tongues often heard in worship and prayer, and which, as Paul says, one may use “for oneself and for God”. The second is speaking in tongues that requires interpretation within the congregation – a kind of prophetic speaking in tongues, where another person or the speaker themselves receives an interpretation so that the whole congregation can understand the message. The third is what happened on the Day of Pentecost: people speaking in languages they have never learnt, but which others around them understand. All three forms exist, but personal speaking in tongues often takes up the most space, because few have been trained in the other two.
The misunderstanding of 1 Corinthians 14:27–28 is addressed, where it states that if anyone speaks in tongues in the assembly, it should be one at a time, two or three, and with interpretation. Many have used this as a prohibition against several people speaking in tongues simultaneously during worship, but this overlooks the sentence: “But they must speak to themselves and to God.” The teaching explains that Paul is speaking here of speaking in tongues that takes the form of a public message, not personal prayer in tongues. Therefore, one can safely pray in tongues during communal worship, as long as it is not about shouting louder than everyone else or creating chaos, but about seeking God.
A central theme is how God speaks, and what we can expect prophecies and visions to look like in practice. It dispels the notion that God always speaks with a deep, resonant “prophetic voice”: “Thus says the Lord…”. The approach is much more down-to-earth, where one says: “I experience” or “I have a sense that God is saying…”. God often speaks as a quiet thought, an inner sentence, a bit like reciting the 10 times table in one’s head: it is clear, but not necessarily dramatic. The same applies to images: some see clear “film scenes” with many details, others more diffuse glimpses or a sense of something. Small exercises are given: imagine a beach and a sunset, or walk a lap around your childhood home with your eyes closed and visualise the windows. The way you “see” it is often the way God shows you prophetic images.
Great emphasis is placed on responsibility and love in the use of prophecy. Prophetic words must not be used to show off one’s spirituality or to control other people’s lives. They must be delivered in love and within the framework of God’s Word. Therefore, a warning is given against being too hasty with very specific words concerning “dates, partners and babies”, because they can cut deep and cause confusion if one is mistaken. In such cases, it is encouraged to have the word tested by mature believers who know both God and Scripture before passing it on. General words about God’s love, encouragement and guidance can be shared freely, provided they are in line with the Bible.
The teaching then moves on to the practical, because the whole point is that everyone can practise. A specific exercise is explained, in which small groups work on both speaking in tongues and prophetic interpretation. First, you ask God whether you should be the one speaking in tongues or the one interpreting, and in a group of five this will typically result in two speaking in tongues, two interpreting, and one being the recipient. The person speaking in tongues speaks loudly and clearly, not mumbling, whilst the interpreter listens for the inner impulse—the words, images or sensations—given by the Holy Spirit. The interpretation is not a word-for-word translation, but an interpretation where the main message is what matters.
Next comes another round, where there is no speaking in tongues, but where instead one prays silently and listens for words or images for one person at a time. One may receive just a single word or a single small image, and the call is: bring it. God can use even a single word like ‘shirt’ to confirm something profound, as the concrete testimony shows, where a woman asked God for this precise word as a sign. There is also a story told of a woman who felt she should stand on her head against a Coca-Cola vending machine at a petrol station – something that in itself seems completely daft. But for the shop assistant, who had asked God for a very clear sign, it proved life-changing. The point is that what feels silly to one person can be a matter of life or death for another when God is behind it, and therefore pride must be laid aside.
A key theme running through the entire teaching is that prophecy is imperfect because it passes through human beings. We hear in part and prophesy in part. We sometimes mix God’s word with our own thoughts, but if our hearts are rooted in love and we are willing to let others test what we receive, God can still use it powerfully. The crucial thing is that we do not let the fear of making mistakes paralyse us, so that we do not step out at all. Instead, we are encouraged to live courageously, to allow ourselves to be trained, to be willing to be corrected, and to remember that it is about serving others, not about building our own reputation.
The teaching concludes with a clear call: all who believe in Jesus are invited to pursue love and strive for the gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy. This is not something to be left to ‘the particularly spiritual’, but part of ordinary Christian life, where the Holy Spirit will use quite ordinary people to build each other up and comfort one another. This requires daring to take chances, daring to risk looking foolish, and daring to trust that God is greater than our mistakes. God’s desire is to speak to His children and through His children, and whoever says yes will experience that He is faithful and guides us step by step.
Quote from the teaching: “It’s not about looking spiritual; it’s about allowing God to speak through you, even when you feel small and foolish – and that is where the strongest prophecies are often born.”
Relevant keywords: prophecies – speaking in tongues – interpretation of tongues – gifts of the Spirit – the voice of the Holy Spirit – 1 Corinthians 12 – 1 Corinthians 14 – Mark 16 – practical prophecy – hearing from God – visions from God – prayer and spiritual gifts – encouraging prophecy – church building – healing and signs – spiritual training – love and spiritual gifts – the Holy Spirit’s guidance – everyday prophecy – practical discipleship
