The Designer's Eyewear: Vision Through the Lenses of the Spiritual Gifts

By Sonya G Richardson

What spiritual gift(s) do I possess? Does my instinctive behavior mirror this gift? What ministry roles or tasks should I pursue? Why am I passionate about a certain thing and equally irritated by another?

The Designer's Eyewear provides answers to these and other probing questions. This is an easy-to-use guide, perfe

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dior Productions
• Release date: Dec 16, 2022
• ISBN: 9781736006832

Sonya G Richardson

Sonya G. Richardson is an author, ordained minister, and entrepreneur (ministry consultant). She is a spiritual gifts enthusiast who has instructed numerous individuals across Southeastern United States for nearly two decades. Her mission and mandate include steering believers in their quests to identify and cultivate their spiritual gifts for service in the body of Christ. Sonya is an effective communicator who approaches her area of expertise through the lens of simplification. She is recognized for her exceptional skills in simplifying topics perceived as complex and communicating information in a way that one can easily comprehend.Sonya is a transformational leader who holds several ministry offices in the state of Georgia. She completed her undergraduate studies and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering at Southern University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Professionally, Sonya is an engineer and an emerging leader in the aerospace industry.She currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband, a local pastor, four adult children, and four grandchildren.Find out more about Sonya's book, plans, and goals at www.sonyarichardon.com

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Chapter 1: Through the Lenses of Prophecy

If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith.

~ Romans 12:6 (NIV)

Just as prescriptive lenses improve physical vision, the motivational spiritual gifts of Romans 12 enhance our spiritual vision. Each gift functions like a pair of lenses, sharpening our spiritual focus as we serve others in the body of Christ. These gifts are frequently cited as motivational gifts because they are practical in nature and describe the inner motivations of gifted believers. Each believer has inherent motivational tendencies that drive the way he or she responds to various circumstances. The spiritual gifts affect how we see life and respond to the needs around us. As the Ultimate Designer, the Holy Spirit infuses each of us with a customized spiritual gift, which allows us to see people and circumstances through a specific set of lenses that remedy our impaired vision.

The Designer’s Eyewear promotes godly and righteous living as a prerequisite for operating in the seven areas of spiritual giftedness. In the prelude to Romans 12, the apostle Paul urged the church in Rome to present their bodies as living sacrifices (12:1–2). He went on to urge them to offer humble service in the body of Christ (12:3). In addition, regenerated believers will also possess the fruit of the Spirit of Galatians 5:22–23—love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance. Accordingly, as Spirit-filled believers wear the Designer’s prescriptive lenses or spiritual eyewear, their vision will align more closely with how God views the world.

This book is based on the presumption that love conquers all. Immediately following the list of spiritual gifts, the apostle Paul further challenged the church to translate love into action (Rom. 12:9–21). He emphasized the sincerity, devotion, zeal, fervor, joy, compassion, and empathy demonstrated through genuine love. True disciples of Christ will exhibit love when operating in their spiritual giftedness. The supremacy of love always overrules the desire to disrupt the flow of the church’s mission. We should never allow spiritual giftings to supersede Christian character. On the contrary, character should rise to the forefront while the gifting lags slightly. It is futile to attempt to exercise a spiritual gift without blending it with genuine affection and consideration of others. The apostle Paul eloquently expresses this spiritual truth in 1 Corinthians 13:1 (NIV): If I speak in the tongues of men and angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. The Designer’s Eyewear is written with the notion that each spiritual gift is implemented and aligned with God’s Word.

Gift Overview

The Ultimate Designer, God Almighty, is dedicated to presenting various exclusive options in designer eyewear just for you. In this chapter, I present one of the seven options, the first motivational spiritual gift of Romans 12, the gift of prophecy. As with the other spiritual gifts, the Holy Spirit assigns this gift to certain believers. It is a divine impartation where God’s Spirit infuses individuals with a message directed to the body of believers. This gift involves speaking forth a revelation received spontaneously from God. It is a supernatural message, where the Holy Spirit injects gifted believers’ minds with spiritual insight relevant for the hearers at a specific moment. Once this insight is perceived, the gifted person communicates it, as directed by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit gives certain people the gift of prophecy to bring edification, exhortation (encouragement), and comfort to the hearers, according to 1 Corinthians 14:3.

In the first portion of Romans 12:6, NIV, the apostle Paul declares, We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. Just as the natural body has various members that do not perform the same functions, so it is with our spiritual nature. We are individually assigned different gifts by the same Spirit to use for God’s glory and for the good of His church and His people (1 Cor. 12:11, NIV). As Paul presents these seven spiritual endowments, he says these gifts are direct products of the grace or favor that God bestows upon every believer. Spiritual gifts flow from God’s grace, and Paul points out that our natural capacities are enhanced by the igniting Spirit of Christ; therefore, all believers are charged to embrace and operate in their giftedness.

Believers who have received the gift of prophecy are instructed to prophesy in accordance with their faith. Since our faith is the gauge that determines our capacity to prophesy, we will operate in increased favor as we exercise unwavering faith. We will have as much as we desire and as much as we can contain. This is what Paul means when he encourages gifted believers to release prophetic utterances in accordance with their faith. The walls of our hearts are like elastic, and our sincere desire to serve in our gifts expands them. There is no limit to our spiritual effectiveness as we use our faith as a springboard to bring edification, encouragement, and comfort to the body of Christ. The gift of prophecy is a blessing to the church and should not be quenched. This is further declared in 1 Thessalonians 5:20, where the apostle Paul gives a stern warning that prophecy is not to be ignored or despised.

The prophetic utterances spoken by believers gifted in prophecy contrasts significantly with the utterances voiced by the Old Testament prophets, who spoke the authoritative Word of God directly. The words from these prophets were recorded as scripture as they proclaimed, Thus says the Lord, whereas the messages from those with the spiritual gift of prophecy must be tested (1 Cor. 14:29–33, KJV; 1 Thess. 5:20–21, KJV; 1 Jn. 4:1–3, KJV).

There are many misconceptions about the gift of prophecy. Let us examine a few.

The gift of prophecy is identical to the ministry calling of a prophet.

The scope of prophecy is limited to the prediction of the future.

The gift of prophecy is exalted above scripture.

New Testament prophecy is coequal to preaching or teaching.

The gift of prophecy is not to be confused with the ministry calling of a prophet. While the spiritual gift of prophecy involves speaking forth a revelation received from God, the prophetic ministry calling of a prophet is one of the leadership designations named in Ephesians 4:11, where prophesying is the dominant feature of the prophet’s ministry. Such a prophet continually speaks forth revelations received from God. This calling is further validated by the frequency and accuracy by which the prophet communicates such revelations.

This ministry leadership type is designed to equip the saints for the work of the ministry (Eph. 4:11–12). While all believers will prophesy at some time during their service to the Lord, not all are endowed with the spiritual gift of prophecy (1 Cor. 12). Those equipped with this motivational gift will hear from the Lord more frequently, though not all people who received this gift are called to the prophetic ministry. This is true of the calling of a prophet listed in Ephesians, which says: (1) their ministry is dominated by the prophetic, (2) their office is a leadership position in the body of Christ, and (3) they are often involved in a preaching ministry.

A popular misconception is that prophecy is limited to something exclusively predictive of the future. On the contrary, this gift is not always predictive. It does not merely involve foretelling the future. Instead, to a greater degree, it involves forthtelling God’s truth. Believers gifted in prophecy communicate truth and warn people of their accountability to God and of the impending consequences of their actions. This truth may apply to the past, present, or future.

There are those who exalt prophecy above scripture. We must guard against such misconceptions. While the gift of prophecy is valid for today, it does not supersede the authority of scripture. Prophecy is a Spirit-prompted message that must be validated by scripture. We must understand that the Bible, the unadulterated Word of God, the Holy Writ, overrides any prophetic insight or impartation. The spontaneous revelatory words of prophecy are under scripture, informed by scripture, and validated by scripture.

Some have mistakenly equated New Testament prophecy with preaching or teaching. In view of extensive misconceptions associated with this spiritual gift, believers must rely on biblical evidence. Paul declares that all prophecy is based on a revelation (1 Cor. 13:2; 14:30). Here, the use of the noun revelation or the verb to reveal reflects divine disclosure or unveiling in which the Spirit makes known something previously hidden (Matt. 11:27; 16:17; 1 Cor. 2:10; Eph. 1:17; Phil. 3:15). Thus, prophecy is not based on a hunch, supposition, inference, educated guess, or even sanctified wisdom. Prophecy is a human report of a divine revelation, a message directly from the heart of God. This is what distinguishes prophecy from preaching and teaching. Sermons and biblical instruction are always grounded in an inspired text of scripture. Prophecy, on the other hand, is based on a spontaneous revelation. Thus, Paul distinguishes between coming to the corporate meeting of the church with a word of instruction, preaching, or teaching and coming with a revelation or prophecy (1 Cor. 14:26). Both are necessary components that God has ordained for the local body.

As Christians, we are not to embrace messages from all who profess to be gifted in prophecy. Some have been known to misuse this powerful spiritual gift, focusing attention on themselves rather than God. Others make wild claims that tend to mislead or misguide the body of Christ. It is not God’s will to arouse people with fear or confusion triggered by manipulation or the perception of danger. Beware of those who operate under such false presumptions. The gift of prophecy does not function to berate or browbeat individuals. Instead, according to 1 Corinthians 14:3, the ministry of prophecy edifies (builds up), exhorts (encourages), and comforts (consoles) believers to awaken their faith.

Edifies—As hearers receive a prophetic word, they are edified, strengthened, or built up in the Lord. The Spirit-prompted message is never intended to tear people down.

Exhorts—As hearers receive a prophetic word, they are also exhorted or encouraged in the Lord. A word of prophecy motivates and inspires hearers. The Spirit-prompted message is never intended to cast discouragement upon others.

Comforts—As hearers receive a prophetic word, they are also comforted or consoled. Spirit-prompted utterances are meant to bring consolation and strength for the journey ahead.

In addition to the benefits that prophecy offers to believers, it also benefits non-believers. It may bring conviction of sin to non-believers who happen to be visiting the gathering of God’s people as the secrets of their hearts are disclosed (1 Cor. 14: 24–25). Because of this spiritual encounter, outsiders will be moved to worship God and to acknowledge and declare God’s presence in the setting. This can be a transformational encounter.

How was New Testament prophecy regulated during worship settings? In 1 Corinthians 14, the apostle Paul provides guidance for orderly worship. He gives instructions for exercising the gift of prophecy during the gathering of believers. The entire gathering should not be focused primarily on the operation of spiritual gifts. After all, the Creator is the object of worship, so the gifts of the Spirit should never be the primary focus. In verses 29–32, Paul declares that prophecy must be regulated within the meeting. God is not the author of confusion or chaos but of peace.

Paul further advises that only two or three prophets should speak at any given time (v. 27). In the first-century church, all believers were active participants. When the saints of Paul’s day came together in worship, each person, according to 1 Corinthians 14:26, was expected to participate. While some spontaneously sang hymns, others brought forth teachings, spoke in tongues, uttered revelations, and provided interpretations. Paul steers these saints away from chaotic, disorderly services. They were not restricted, as most contemporary churches are, to a printed program; therefore, they thought it necessary to provide guidance for worship participation to achieve maximum spiritual benefit for everyone present. He reminds us in verse 26 of our objective in worship—to edify or to build up and strengthen the body of believers. He wanted to ensure that prophecy was conducted in an orderly manner. To eliminate mass confusion that could possibly erupt from spontaneous or impromptu participation, Paul regulated the number of prophets that could speak at a given time.

Paul states that others should judge the prophecies, as the prophetic messages are declared. If anyone professed to have received a word from the Lord during Paul’s day, the leadership present at the meeting had the biblical authority to judge that impartation. It is clear from this passage that no one should articulate a prophetic message without it first being evaluated by mature spiritual leaders. Since believers receive prophecy through revelation (verse 30), and no one is infallible, every message should be tested and examined for spiritual soundness. After all, humans, by nature, are prone to error. This fact leads us to comply with 1 John 4:1 (NIV), "Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the