FREE ACTIVATION

  info@dougfortune.org

  Doug Fortune

Those may have been the words that caught my attention when I got my first cell phone years ago. It seems that these days everyone has a cell phone. Cell phones are even prevalent in many third world countries. Perhaps we can all learn something from such a common item.

Jesus taught with parables, or word pictures. He would use something familiar in culture, something in the natural that was easily understood. By utilizing something familiar, it helped people to 'wrap their brain' around spiritual concepts. Perhaps the fact that I am now living in the 'South' in the USA is influencing me, but I reckon that if that kind of teaching was good 'nuff for Jesus, it's good 'nuff for me (once again, my attempt at humor).

"My sheep HEAR my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:" (John 10:27) My cell phone was specifically built and programmed to receive the signals intended for it. Once the programming was complete, I didn't really have to do anything else to it. It was ready for its' intended purpose. It was a finished work. All I had to do was to make sure that it had the right power source by plugging it into the electrical outlet to charge up the battery.

Friend, you were specifically built to hear the voice of God! You were programmed when you came to Christ! There was a direct line of communication that was established. You were ready for your intended purpose. Once the programming was complete, you didn't really have to do anything else. It was a finished work. All you have to do is to make sure that you have the right power source by plugging into Father.

The intended use of my cell phone is to receive and to broadcast. Granted there are all kinds of bells and whistles on it also; texting, games, internet, etc. But the primary use is to receive and to broadcast.

The reason for your salvation was not just to get your 'get out of hell free' card (a little Monopoly game humor). The reason for your salvation was that God wanted to live in your body, what the Bible calls the mystery of godliness; "And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh..." (1 Timothy 3:16) God manifested Himself in the 'flesh' of Jesus Christ, and He also wants to manifest Himself in YOUR 'flesh'. Or in other words, He wants to live in you: "...so now also Christ shall be magnified IN MY BODY..." (Philippians 1:20)

The reason for your coming into the things of the Spirit is not just so that you may appear more spiritual, it is because God wants a VOICE in the earth, and YOU are His mouthpiece. Just like the cell phone, you are to receive and to broadcast. "For ye may ALL prophesy one by one..." (1 Corinthians 14:31) Yes, ALL may prophesy! "And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that ALL the LORD'S people were prophets, and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!" (Numbers 11:29) Yes, you read that correctly, ALL may prophesy!

I am often fascinated with our Charismatic tendency to make such a big deal out of DOING things in order to try and receive that which we ALREADY have! Once the programming of my cell phone was complete, I didn't really have to do anything else to it in order to receive and to broadcast. In light of so much teaching today in the Charismatic community, this may come as a shock to you... Your programming is complete, you really don't have to do anything else in order to receive and to broadcast!

It really is as simple as this- "My sheep HEAR my voice..." (John 10:27) and "For ye may ALL prophesy..." (1 Corinthians 14:31). There my friend, you are activated!

The question is really NOT whether or not you have been activated. You see, the true test for me was when I actually made my first call on my cell phone. I could have gone for some time knowing that the programming was complete, yet doubting whether or not this thing would work... after all, there were no cords connecting it to a wall outlet. I could have gone for some time knowing that maybe OTHER peoples' cell phones actually worked, but maybe it was just not intended for me... After all, I'm probably not worthy to even have a cell phone, and besides I might hear something wrong because maybe my reception may not be good, and I'm not really even sure what those little bars mean anyways, and what if I get on roaming maybe I'll get someone else's calls, and what if I'm in the middle of a call and the call gets dropped, yada yada yada..... Do you get the point?

I remember the first time I prophesied almost 30 years ago... I know that may come as a shock because you thought I was so young (sorry, my attempt at humor again). Sure I had received a couple of those "My little children, I love you" prophecies, but this one was different. It involved specific people and specific situations. It required an act of FAITH. Yes, I was scared spitless, but nevertheless it was FAITH; "...let us prophesy according to the proportion of FAITH..." (Romans 12:6) Keep in mind that not everyone is going to receive a word involving specific people and specific situations every time, and that is fine. Perhaps it may be a simple word of encouragement.. that can be just as powerful to the recipient as a detailed 'reading their mail' kind of word.

There are certainly different administrations of prophecy. I personally believe that most prophecy should NOT necessarily be a King James 'Thus saith the Lord' in a Church service, but rather it should happen in everyday life communicated in everyday language. Most New Testament prophecy is meant to edify, exhort, and comfort; "But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort." (1 Corinthians 14:3) You were built for this, my friend!

About now someone is saying, Just a minute Doug, what about 1 Timothy 4:14?... "Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery." Trust me, I am all for the laying on of the hands of the presbytery because it is scriptural. I have participated in presbyteries for years. The scripture cannot be used to LIMIT God, however. What about the vast majority of Christians who are not in a church that does this kind of thing? Many are geographically not even anywhere near a church that does this.

You see, I'M not really the prophet anyway, Christ IN ME is the prophet! I'm just a spiritual cell phone, built to receive and to broadcast! I must simply act in faith and dial the number, thereby putting a demand on the abiding anointing, "But as for you, the anointing (the sacred appointment, the unction) which you received from Him ABIDES [permanently] in you..." (1 John 2:27-28 Amplified Bible)

I liked the old cell phones because the button you pushed to connect was the 'send' button. Friend, God wants to SEND you with a message of encouragement, edification and comfort to those around you! Your programming is complete, you were built specifically for this, you must simply exercise FAITH and begin to receive and to broadcast! And the best part is that you received FREE ACTIVATION as part of the deal!