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The 4th Question – The ‘gifts’ of the Holy Spirit (4 things)
I Timothy 4:14 – “Do not neglect the gift that is in you…”
1st – Do not be ignorant… vs. 1-3
The 4th question the church asked Paul was concerning Spiritual gifts…
Apparently there was quite a bit of confusion about this subject…
There are still a number of various opinions on this subject within the church today…
Paul will spend Chapters 12-14 dealing with this one subject to clarify…
No matter what your opinion – or denomination – the key to understanding the gifts…
Chapter 13 – Love – Paul will define for us the greatest of all the Gifts is the Love of God!
Do not be ignorant concerning the ‘Spirituals’… vs. 1
Times have not changed much – most of us are still ignorant today about this subject…
The word ‘Spirituals’ – pneumatikos – from root word – pneuma – wind or spirit…
Pneumatikos can mean – ‘one who is filled with and controlled by the Spirit’
Notice the word ‘gifts’ is in italics – it’s not in the original text…
Paul is not just saying he does not want us to be ignorant about the ‘gifts of the Spirit’
He does not want us to be ignorant about being filled with the Spirit!
In other words we are the ‘spirituals’ – those who are empowered by the Spirit!
It is about the Spirit controlling our lives – giving us the ability to live for Jesus!
Before we were saved (Gentiles)… vs. 2
Before we knew Jesus we were ‘carried away’ by our dumb (mute) idols…
In other words before we knew Jesus we had no direction – no purpose…
Every new idea – we blindly followed after – not knowing where we were going…
If someone said we should go to Manila – we went / or to a Disco – we went…
No thought of consequence – no plan – just following the world without question
But when the Spirit controls us…
The Holy Spirit gives us the power to live our lives for Jesus!
How do you get the Power of the Spirit – just ask…
Matthew 7:7 – “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find…”
Jesus commands us to keep asking – seeking – knocking (Present/Active/Imperative)
Not just once – but over and over and over again for – asking for the Holy Spirit
Luke 11:13 -“Your heavenly Father [will] give the Holy Spirit to those who ask…”
We need to be daily filling up on the Holy Spirit to live for Jesus!
The result of being filled with the Spirit…
II Corinthians 4:7 – “We have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.”
If we are full of ourselves – we will not be able to effectively serve the Lord…
If we are living a life where we feel constant defeat to sin in our lives…
If we are lost and confused – don’t know what God wants from our lives…
We need to be emptied – and filled up with Jesus – full of the Holy Spirit…
Then we will have the power of God to live our lives for Jesus!
The test to find out if a person is filled with the Spirit of God… vs. 3
No one who is full of the Spirit of God – can curse Jesus – despise the Lord…
No one who is not full of the Spirit of God – can call Jesus Lord!
2nd – Many gifts – one Lord – one purpose… vs. 4-7
When we are full of the Holy Spirit – we are given ‘gifts’ from the Spirit of God…
Paul uses three categories to describe these gifts and how they are to be used…
1st – There are a variety of gifts – but the same Spirit…
These are the supernatural gifts that God gives to believes in the church…
The word gifts is – Charisma – where we get the name Charismatic…
It comes from the root word – Charis – meaning gift or grace…
The idea being the ‘gifts’ are not earned – they cannot be purchased – Acts 8:20…
God freely gives the ‘gifts’ from the Spirit to us – as we are full of the Spirit!
2nd – There are different ministries – but the same Lord Jesus…
Speaking of where the gifts of the Spirit are to be used…
The gifts can be used in a church service – they can be used in your home…
The point is the gifts of the Spirit can be used in many different places…
3rd – There are a varying activities – but the same God the Father…
Speaking of when the gifts of the Spirit are to be used…
In the same way the gifts can be used in a worship service – or a prayer meeting…
They can be used when you share Jesus to a friend – or to trust God in hard times…
The point is the gifts of the Spirit can be used in many different activities
Given for the benefit all… vs. 7
The same God who energizes/powers the universe (works all in all)…
Also gives us the gifts of the Spirit for one purpose – for the benefit of all…
The gifts of the Spirit are not to be used for persona gain of glory…
They are meant to build up the body of Christ – spread the message of the Gospel!
Are the gifts still for in use for today…
There are those who say no – that the gifts of the Spirit were only for the 1st church…
Because the Word of God was not complete – God gave the gifts to validate the church…
I Corinthians 13:9-10 – they argue that which is ‘perfect’ is God’s Word…
And now that we have the perfect Word (NT) – we no longer have need for the gifts…
But according to Acts 2:38-39 – the gift of the Spirit is for every generation!
3rd – List of gifts… vs. 8-10
There are 23 gifts listed in the New Testament – 14 in other passages…
Romans 12:4-8 – Prophesy/Ministry/Teaching/Exhortation/Giving/Leading/Mercy…
I Corinthians 12:28 – Helping /Administration…
Ephesians 4:11 – Apostles / Prophets /Evangelist / Pastors / Teachers…
I Corinthians 7:7 – Singleness / Marriage…
I Peter 4:9-10 – Hospitality….
Nine gifts of the Spirit listed here… vs. 8-10…
1st – Gift of Wisdom – Godly understanding…
Wisdom is not learned – it is a gift of the Spirit – like King Solomon…
Knowing the best choices to make in life – have Godly understanding…
If you don’t think you have wisdom – all you need to do is ask for it!
James 1:5 – “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”
2nd – Knowledge: gnosis – to know, to understand, to comprehend…
We all know things by experience – I would know what you had for dinner by asking
The gift of knowledge is the ability to understand something supernaturally…
A friend came looking for me when – rough day – knew something was wrong
To know without something without anyone telling you – God reveals it to you!
Letting others know – God knows what’s going on – and us there for them!
3rd – Faith – belief, conviction (not speaking of saving faith)
All of us have a measure of faith – Romans 12:3 – faith to believe in Jesus…
But there is also a gift of faith – the confidence God can do the impossible…
Smith Wigglesworth was a preacher about 50 years ago – had amazing faith…
Asked to pray for a dead man – picked him up 3 times – had the faith God could heal!
Matthew 17:20 – “I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.”
The gift of faith – the confidence that with God we can move mountains!
4th – Healing – to cure, to make whole, remedy, both gifts & healings are ‘plural’
From cancer to the common cold – God uses us to heal those who are sick!
But no one person has the gift of healing anytime they desire…
If they did there would be no reason for hospitals – the ‘healer’ could do it all…
But if God let one person – heal the sick at will…
They’d get a lot of attention – people would begin to follow them rather than God…
The gift of healing is used on a case-by-case basis – step out to find out…
Pray for someone – God might give you the gift of healing – and touch them!
5th – Miracles: dunamis – power, might
God gives to some the gift of power – power to do mighty works for God…
Romans 15:19 – “I have won them over by the miracles done through me as signs from God—all by the power of God’s Spirit. In this way, I have fully presented the Good News of Christ…”
Two missionaries in India came into a Hindu village to share the Gospel – dead tree…
The purpose of the power is to confirm the message of the Gospel…
6th -Prophecy: to speak forth…
First and foremost preaching the Word – it can also be predicting a future event…
All of the Prophets of the OT – came to call a rebellious Israel back to the Lord…
The purpose of prophecy is to call God’s people to repentance – return to God…
7th – Discerning of Spirits – wind, breath, spirit
The gift to see beyond the obvious – uncover the true heart / motive behind actions…
I John 4:1 – “Don’t believe every spirit, but test the spirits…”
How important this gift is today – with so many false teachers – cults…
II Corinthians 11:13-15 – Satan can transform himself into an angel of light…
We need the discernment of God – to know what is truly from God!
8th – Tongues: unknown language…
The gift to be able to worship/pray in a language that is unknown to you…
It can be a modern language – French / German – or a dead language – Aztec…
It can even be the language of angels – I Corinthians 13:1
It is the only gift not meant to build up the church – it is for the individual…
It is meant to allow your spirit to pray – when you don’t know what to say!
Praying in the spirit – building up our spirit – without our mind getting in the way
In Acts 2 – At the day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit came upon the church…
In this instance God used tongues as an evangelism tool to reach many nations…
Acts 2:8 – “We hear them speaking the languages of the lands we were born!”
Jews from all over the world were in Jerusalem for the feast of Pentecost…
They each heard the disciples praising God in their own native language!
Proper use of the gift – I Corinthians 14:27-33
Paul gives strict guidelines on the use of the gift within a church service…
If you walked into a church and everyone was speaking in other languages…
You would think they were all crazy – and likely quickly leave!
9th – Interpretation of Tongues…
Paul will give specific instructions for this gift in I Corinthians 14
There must always be an interpretation of tongues in a public setting…
That way there is no confusion – everyone understands what is being said!
4th – Who gets the gifts…
The Holy Spirit gives to each one – as He wills…
I Peter 4:10 – “As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”
All believers who are filled with the Spirit have at least one gift…
We do not decide what gifts we receive – the Holy Spirit gives them to us…
We are not defined by our gift – ‘I am a prophet’ or ‘I am a healer’…
The Holy Spirit can give us any or all of the gifts as the need arise!
How do I know what Gifts God has given…
Your gift will become evident as you as it naturally flows from you…
You will see it by the fruit in your life – others will recognize that gift…
If you think you’re a leader – turn around and see if anyone is following…
If a teacher start teaching – see if anyone comes to listens…
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