Most prophetic revelation is on the impression level. It is the “still small voice” of God, and we may be tempted to think these are just thoughts coming from our own souls. Test them. A good way to do this is to ask a question of the person you’re getting something for in the beginning.

          For example, if a person comes close to you and you start feeling grief, ask if they are grieving about something. You will find that often they have recently lost someone close to them, and they will be amazed at how you knew this. Just tell them that at times you can pick up in the Spirit what others are feeling so that you can pray for them. Most of the time, they will ask more questions and then ask you to pray for them. Remember that the Holy Spirit is the Comforter, and He is very sensitive to people who are grieving.

          If the person you ask says “no,” that they are not grieving about anything, then just say “good,” or something similar. Yes, this can be a little awkward, but that is a small price to pay to grow in such a powerful gift. If they want to know why you asked, tell them that sometimes you pick up things, or whatever seems right, while being honest. Often the conversation will go on, and you will find they are in fact grieving over someone—maybe even someone they lost a long time ago but have never had closure.

          I think at least 80 percent of the time when we think we have missed something, it turns out that we did not. Sometimes we will not find out for weeks that we had been right, and a few times it could be a couple of years. Many times the person was honest when they said that they were not grieving, or whatever the point was, but just had to process it to see it, and then when we run into them again, they are ready to talk more.

          Remember that gentleness is a fruit of the Spirit. We must always keep in mind that the main reason we’re doing this is to learn to help people. Acting super-spiritual usually does not help at all. All of the gifts of the Spirit are given to help people, not just to build up the ministry of the person who has the gifts.

          As we are faithful in the little things, the Lord will give us more. The people I know who have the most effective gifts have simply been faithful and persistent in trying to grow in their gift. The Lord is seeking those He can use in this way. We are His body, and He wants to use us to do all of the things that He did when He walked the earth in bodily form. However, if we are just “open” to being used by the Lord, it will probably never happen. We need to esteem His gifts more than that, which is why we are exhorted to “earnestly desire” them (see I Corinthians 14:1).