THE SPIRIT Series #7
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Intro
Intro
Today I will bring my final message in THE SPIRIT summer preaching series.
So far we have looked at the...
PERSON
PRESENCE
POWER
PRODUCE (or fruit)
PRIORITY (or being led by the Spirit)
& this morning I will bring the second part of a message that I started two weeks ago on what it means to be a PEOPLE of the Spirit.
Our focus will again be on the GIFTS of the Spirit.
The tendency is to focus on only a “handful” of the gifts. To get the “big picture” of the GIFTS one has two look at several NT passages.
In the last message we looked at the...
MOTIVATIONAL GIFTS from
& the MINISTRY GIFTS from &
I invite you to look with me now at the SPIRITUAL GIFTS.
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.
To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit,
to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit,
to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.
All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.
Time will only permit me to touch on each of these gifts & I will do so primarily in the context of their operation in the church. Before I do, here are a couple of key scriptures...
This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people.”
This verse is an exact quotation of with one exception. In Ephesians Paul completely changes one word, which changes the meaning of the quotation...
In Psalms - “You RECEIVED gifts”
In Ephesians - “(He) GAVE gifts”
One who conquers sits on a throne & people BRING gifts.
When Jesus conquered death & the grave through the cross “he gook many captives”. If you know Christ, you are among that “train of captives” who have been captured by His love.
Paul writes, “He GAVE gifts” & goes on to write about them in Ephesians & elsewhere.
Another key scripture...
We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it;
So it is with you. Since you are eager for gifts of the Spirit, try to excel in those that build up the church.
When the church gathers, a significant shift is to occur.
We move from SELF-edification to CHURCH - edification.
It’s no longer about what builds ME up, but rather, what builds up the CHURCH.
This shift was not occuring at Corinth & sometimes does not occur in churches today.
In the 12th & 14th chapters of I Corinthians Paul writes...
Most of chapter 14 addresses how the gifts are to operate in the church.
12:7 - “Now to each the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the COMMON GOOD.”
Spiritual Gifts Test
I Corinthians 14:
1. Does it honor Christ?
2. Does it build up believers?
3. Is it an influence for the lost?
(George Wood)
SPIRITUAL GIFTS
SPIRITUAL GIFTS
Wisdom
Wisdom
Each one of us needs wisdom & it’s available to us. In he writes that if we lack wisdom, we can ask for it from God. In chapter 3 of his epistle he provides a powerful description of godly wisdom in v. 17.
Yet, beyond wisdom that is available to all of us us, there is a gift or “message of wisdom”.
It’s knowing the mind of the Spirit in a situation & the ability to express it in a clear & understandable way.
According to God anointed Jesus with the Holy Spirit. The ministry He did on this earth was accomplished in the Spirit’s power.
An example of a “message of wisdom” in the life of Jesus was when the woman was caught in the act of adultery in . The religious leaders were ready to stone her when Jesus said in v. 7 - “Let any of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone.”
In the early church in they are debating the inclusion of non-Jews into the church & James the leader of the assembly speaks a word of wisdom.
When we come to a crossroads in our lives & in the life of the church we need to be especially open to a “message of wisdom”.
Two times God used a “word of wisdom” when I was considering a transition in ministry.
Paul Martin & Ray Brewer
Knowledge
Knowledge
“The Spirit’s gift of knowledge is not book learning or scholarly knowledge, but an utterance of divine knowledge. The person exercising this gift often knows God’s Word in a deep way or knows something of immediate circumstances (Wood).”
The “message of knowledge” is divinely revealed information that could not be known by natural processes.
Often this is knowledge about a
Those with the
The prophet Nathan knew about David’s affair with Bathsheba when no one else knew.
Jesus exercised the this gift when He said to Nathanial in b - “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Phillip called you.”
In the Apostle Peter was given this gift when Ananias & Sapphira brought a deceptive offering & said, “You have not lied just to human beings, but to God (v. 4b).”
One needs wisdom to exercise the gift of knowledge.
My first year of ministry when I experienced the gift of the “message of knowledge” the first time, but did not use wisdom in exercising it.
Faith
Faith
One must have faith to be saved. We are then to grow in our faith.
- “…faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.”
The gift of faith is different - “…it allows a person to believe for an extra demonstration of the power of God (Wood).”
“It’s the ability to see God’s will for the future and to trust Him to bring it to pass (Lee).”
Further, the one who has the gift of faith causes faith to rise in another OR in the whole church to accomplish something for God.
Sometimes this gift sees IMMEDIATE results & at other times PERSEVERES when there is no immediate sign.
Adroniram Judson went as a mission to Burma in the early 1800’s. It was seven years before someone came to the Lord. When he died he left behind 7,000 believers and 63 churches. The body of Christ in Burma (now Myanmar) is the direct result of his gift of faith.
Gifts of Healing
Gifts of Healing
Both “gifts” & “healings” are in the plural in the Greek.
There are different ways healing is administered.
And there are a variety of healings that occur...
PHYSICAL healing
EMOTIONAL healings
SPIRITUAL healings
INSTANT healings
GRADUAL healings
There are those who fraudulently claim to have a so-called healing ministry. But there are many others whom the Spirit has used in powerful ways.
A pastor friend of mine & his wife lost a newly married son several years back in a car accident on Christmas Day. Their daughter in law survived. They went through a deep time of grief, but his wife could not break out of her grief. In desperation they went to a church in Toronto, Canada that was experiencing a time of revival & renewal (though somewhat controversial). My friends wife went forward for prayer & before she shared anything a lady looked at her & said, “It was for the best”. The burden & grief was instantly lifted.
Miraculous Powers
Miraculous Powers
Miracles include a demonstration of God’s power in an unusual measure.
“The ability to serve as God’s intermediary to perform a seemingly supernatural act that appears to violate natural law in order to bring glory to God.”
Jesus feeding of the 4,000 & 5,000 is an example in His ministry.
The casting out of evil spirits - many examples in the Gospels & book of Acts.
TS In a previous message we looked at PROPHECY, so I will not address it now except to say that it means is DECLARING the Word of the Lord - NOT just a spontaneous utterance given in as service.
Distinguishing between spirits
Distinguishing between spirits
Distinguishing between spirits
Distinguishing between spirits
In other translations - “discerning”.
Every believer needs to have a measure of discernment . Knowing God’s Word will impart such discernment.
Yet, there are some who are used in this area as a gift of the Spirit.
This gift allows people to distinguish whether or not a person brings a spiritual message from God.
It helps discern between outward appearances & inward realities.
This gift is especially needed among those in places of spiritual leadership.
Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.
I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock.
Tongues & Interpretation
Tongues & Interpretation
In , the gift of tongues differs from PERSONAL tongues (which may include praying, praising & singing).
Paul writes here about tongues that occurs in a public setting. In this case, CONTROL is necessary.
There must be no more than two or three utterances in a service & they must be interpreted, which is also a gift.
I Corinthians
Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy.
For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them; they utter mysteries by the Spirit.
But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort.
Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves, but the one who prophesies edifies the church.
I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be edified.
I Corinthians 14:
So it is with you. Since you are eager for gifts of the Spirit, try to excel in those that build up the church.
I Corinthians
I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.
I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.
But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.
I Corinthians 14:22
Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is not for unbelievers but for believers.
So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and inquirers or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind?
But if an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in while everyone is prophesying, they are convicted of sin and are brought under judgment by all,
as the secrets of their hearts are laid bare. So they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!”
Fitting & Orderly Way
Fitting & Orderly Way
I Corinthians 14:
But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.
What does Paul mean?
Following the GUIDELINES OF WHAT what he wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
It must lead to EDIFICATION of the church.
All that is done must be JUDGED.
It must be carefully EVALUATED.
Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said.
I Corinthians 14:
I Corinthians
The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets.
For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people.
Response
Response
I have spoken about the gifts primarily in the context of their use in the church, but most of the gifts are to be in operation all week long - the Spirit of God wants to work through His body every day of the week. The gifts are not just about EDIFICATION, but also EVANGELISM.
Let’s be a people, lets be a church that “eagerly desire spiritual gifts”!