Giving Place for the Holy Spirit (Pt 1)
1. We are STIRRED to give MORE space for the H.S.
This morning we’re pressing PAUSE on John 4.
- Leadership training on 4/21
- Last week was Pentecost Sunday.
- Too often H.S. is “Forgotten God” / H.S. is NEGLECTED.
- As Jesus walked with the disciples so the Holy Spirit walks with us. – So exciting! Such an exciting life! > <
- As Jesus ASCENDED into heaven, He promised to send the POWER of Holy Spirit—the Helper—So that we can EFFECTIVELY reach the world for Jesus!
- So much to be DISCOVERED! The Person, Power, Fillings, Communion, Help, Leading, Fruit, Gifts.
- “The Wild Goose”– Safe, predictable, institutionalized. Clipped the wings of the Holy Spirit!
- We’ve lost that…. Unpredictability, Adventure, Joy of discovering what God might want to do today!
- Sensitivity to the H.S. is something we have to Cultivate Walk in the Spirit , In step with the Spirit, He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the church. nudges. “Big DOORS turn on small hinges”
2. The Spirit of God & The Word of God.
It’s as you KNOW the Word of God…. the Spirit can quicken you to know what to do & how to move.
Black preacher told me… if you want to be used by God…
- Ephesians 6:17 The Sword of Spirit, which is the Word of God
- Sail of the Spirit- Tethered to the Word! Kite surfer
- Camp fire🔥- Wood / Oxygen
- Bird- 2 WINGS of the bird that enable him to sore.
- Quote: If you have the Spirit with out the Word you’ll BLOW up! If you have the Word without the Spirit you’ll DRY up. If you have the Spirit & Word you’ll GROW up!
3. The Gifts of the Holy Spirit
- Handout
The Gift of Prophecy & Tongues
1 Corinthians 14:1 Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy.
1 Corinthians 14:2 For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries with his spirit.
1 Corinthians 14:3 But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort.
1 Corinthians 14:4 He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church.
1 Corinthians 14:5 I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may be edified.
My story of tongues…
Evidence….
Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Acts 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.
Romans 8:16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God…
Ephesians 1:13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.
- Prayer
- Laying on of hands
Principles of Spiritual Gifts
- Every believer has one or more spiritual gifts, but no believer has all of the spiritual gifts.
1 Peter 4:10-11: As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Romans 12:6: Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them
- The purpose of spiritual gifts is for (1) the edification of others and (2) the glorification of God.
1 Corinthians 12:7: But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all…
1 Corinthians 14:12: Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel.
1 Peter 4:10-11: As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
- Believers are called to earnestly desire and stir up gifts of the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 14:1: Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.
1 Timothy 4:14: Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership.
2 Timothy 1:6-7: Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
Understanding New Testament Prophecy
- New Testament prophecy is not equal in authority with Scripture.
- New Testament prophecy is a beautiful gift (1 Cor. 14:1, 3, 39-40).
- New Testament prophecy is distinct from Scripture in at least two ways:
- Prophecy can be fallible; the Word of God is without error.
- Prophecy is more situational, specific, and personal; the Word of God is for all people at all times.
1 Thessalonians 5:19-21: Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
(Key resources to learn and grow more in the Holy Spirit)
Boa, Ken. Conformed to His Image: Biblical and Practical Approaches to Spiritual Formation. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2001.
Chan, Francis. Forgotten God: Reversing our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit. Colorado Springs, CO: David C. Cook, 2009.
Fee, Gordon D. Paul, the Spirit, and the People of God. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson
Publishers Inc., 1996.
Smith, Chuck. Living Water: The Power of the Holy Spirit in Your Life. Santa Ana, CA: The Word for Today, 1996.
Torrey, R. A. The Holy Spirit: Who He is and What He does. Alachua, FL: Bridge-Logos, 2008 (Reprint).