Christ With Coffee On Ice – Episode Summary
Podcast: Christ With Coffee On Ice
Host: Ally Yost
Episode Title/Theme: Gifts of the Spirit
Date: August 30, 2024
Episode Overview
In this heartfelt episode, Ally Yost guides listeners through a time of communion and deep reflection on the Gifts of the Spirit, sharing personal revelations, biblical insights, and practical encouragement for discerning and stewarding spiritual gifts as followers of Christ. Throughout, Ally’s warmth, vulnerability, and unfiltered honesty provide hope and genuine encouragement for walking closely with Jesus in everyday life.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Communion as a Practice of Gratitude
[00:00-11:16]
- Ally emphasizes the importance of communion, not just as a holiday ritual, but as a daily act of worship and personal bonding with God.
- She shares her own shift from seeing communion as an occasional practice to integrating it as a regular, meaningful part of her time with God.
- Encourages listeners to join in communion, embracing it as a moment of stopping, slowing down, and expressing deep gratitude.
- Notable input: Keeping communion elements at home, inspired by Angela of Girls Gone Bible.
- Memorable quote:
- “I almost kind of treat it as just like a new covenant that I make with the Lord every day... Like, just a new agreement and bond that I make with him that day, where I'm like, Lord, I am yours.” [02:29]
Communion Prayer Highlights
- Gratitude for Jesus’ sacrifice and presence.
- Asking God to purify hearts and draw closer in relationship.
- The power and protection found in Christ’s blood.
2. The Importance of Quality Time With God
[11:16-24:30]
- Ally opens up about waking up feeling “off” due to neglecting one-on-one time with God for a few days, despite being constantly surrounded by Christian community and activities.
- She compares spiritual hunger to physical hunger—the effects build up if left unaddressed.
- Stresses that it’s about intentional, intimate time with God, not just being around faith-based things.
- The Lord speaks to her about resting and simply receiving rather than striving or working for spiritual fulfillment.
- “Resting is truly allowing yourself to be in the presence of God and slowing down, that's rest.” [17:36]
- “You just want to give. You've already given so much. Like, you've already died on the... Like, he just gives. That's all he wants to do.” [20:30]
3. Understanding and Experiencing the Gifts of the Spirit
[24:30-47:00]
- Transition into discussion about qualities believers have as followers of Christ, leading to the spiritual gifts—some consider this controversial, but Ally affirms their ongoing reality.
What are the Gifts? (1 Corinthians 12)
- Reads from 1 Corinthians 12:7-10 (NLT):
- Wise advice
- Special knowledge
- Faith
- Healing
- Miracles
- Prophecy
- Discernment
- Speaking in and interpreting tongues
- “Spiritual gifts are so fun.” [28:48]
Personal Testimony and Practical Experience
- Ally didn’t know these were “gifts of the Spirit” until being in Christian community in Nashville.
- Realized she’d been exercising gifts without labels, such as wise counsel and prophetic insight.
- Emphasizes that gifts are meant to operate in alignment with God—“with the Lord now, because that's what it was always meant to be used for.” [31:21]
Prophecy and Discernment
- Contrasts true prophecy with occult versions (like psychics), emphasizing the enemy's mimicry of God’s true gifts.
- “Everything that he tries to do in his sad little kingdom of evil and destruction is mimic everything that the Lord does and has already curated and made.” [33:53]
- Story of her first prophecy (through a friend named Jay), marking a shift to deeper awareness and hunger for the spiritual dimension.
Stewarding Gifts Well
- Importance of discernment: Not all who claim to prophesy are truly speaking from God (1 John 4).
- Test all words; bring prophetic messages to God for confirmation.
- Watch for evidence of humility, care (“Can I share this with you?”), and alignment with Jesus.
- “I think that one of the most impressive ways that I've received prophetic words is... they ask me permission.” [40:10]
- If a prophetic word leaves you anxious or confused, it’s likely not from God. True prophecy encourages and uplifts.
4. Navigating the Tension of Unfulfilled Prophecies
[47:00-57:20]
- Addresses listener concerns about “prophetic words not coming true and then confusion from it.”
- Offers guidance for discerning dreams and personal revelations:
- True prophetic dreams are unusually detailed, scripturally aligned, feel real, and bring peace—not confusion or anxiety.
- When in doubt, bring everything to Jesus in prayer for clarity and discernment.
- “But confusion is also never from the Lord. So if there's a prophetic word that you receive that feels confusing... bring it to the feet of Jesus and let him reveal what's the truth or not.” [55:34]
- Encourages persistent prayer and faith, noting that God's timing and “puzzle pieces” are usually unseen.
5. The Heart and Purpose of Spiritual Gifts
[57:20-end]
- The gifts are for the strengthening, encouragement, and comforting of the church (1 Corinthians 14).
- Prophecy is especially valued by Paul as it edifies others.
- When receiving a prophetic word, the litmus test is: does it strengthen, encourage, and comfort? If not, it’s likely flesh, not Spirit.
- “If it leaves you feeling cruddy... that's flesh. That's fleshy. No matter how tough the conversation was... it should always leave you feeling encouraged and loved by the Lord.” [01:08:18]
- Ally wraps by inviting listeners to put their faith into action:
- “Can we show somebody how cool Jesus is?... Let's be more like Jesus. Let's walk like him. Let's talk like him. Let's love people like the Lord would.” [01:10:38]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- “Communion just really brings us to a heart posture of gratitude. And I feel like it's a really beautiful way to just kind of zoom out and take a moment to stop.” [01:27]
- “Resting is truly allowing yourself to be in the presence of God and slowing down, that's rest.” [17:36]
- “There’s nothing that we take out of ourselves to give to him—like, he gives and then it's just a flow like this...” [21:29]
- “The only reason that we have any good qualities is because they are the qualities of Jesus.” [24:01]
- “The gifts of the Spirit is alive today. And I am so grateful for the gifts of the Spirit because I probably wouldn't be alive today if it wasn't for the gifts of the Spirit.” [01:09:57]
Key Timestamps
| Timestamp | Segment | Highlights | |------------|----------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:00-11:16| Communion & Gratitude | Communion as a daily spiritual practice; prayer and reflection | | 11:16-24:30| The Need for Quality Time With God | Vulnerability about spiritual “dryness”; redefining spiritual rest | | 24:30-47:00| Gifts of the Spirit: Biblical Teaching | 1 Corinthians 12; personal testimony; advice and prophecy | | 47:00-57:20| Discerning Prophecy & Unfulfilled Words | Navigating doubt; discerning true prophetic dreams/words | | 57:20-end | Encouragement, Application, Final Takeaways | True gifts build up and comfort; call to live out Jesus’s example |
Tone & Style
Ally’s tone blends honesty, warmth, and gentle humor. She’s open about her struggles, excited about spiritual truths, and continually points listeners back to scripture as the final authority. Explanations are lively, relatable, and peppered with phrases like “Can I be honest with y’all?” and “Period. Ah. Period.”
For Listeners
Whether you’re deeply theological or new to exploring spiritual gifts, this episode is an invitation to slow down, check your motives, ground yourself in scripture, and open yourself to the hope, encouragement, and vibrancy that comes from walking intimately with Jesus and His Spirit.