SESSION #8
Defining and Using Spiritual Gifts
Presented by: Pastors, Calvin Bergsma & Jim Bugg
Video: vimeo.com/gcf/70-principle-8
Audio:
Notes: PDF Notes Additional Explanation
▪ Defining & Using Spiritual Gifts
▪ The Spiritual Gifts of Utterance:
(Tongues and Interpretation of Tongues, Prophesy)
▪ Their Proper Usage
Embedded Files
The infilling of the Holy Spirit provides the tools we need for ministry.
(John 7:38-39, Acts 1:5)
Summary:
This baptism (immersion) in the Holy Spirit is available to all believers. (Eph. 5:18)
The intended purpose is to be powerful witnesses (Acts 1: 8) “…You shall receive power”
This baptism or infilling of the Holy Spirit does not always automatically take place at the time of conversion.
It is important to make new believers aware that this infilling is available to all and they can receive this experience simply by asking.
The Samaritans waited more than 50 days for their personal Pentecost (Acts 8:4-17)
The church in Ephesus (Acts 19:1-6) waited longer yet for this power from on high.
Just like them, ignorance of this baptism of power can rob believers of this experience.
Have you had your Personal Pentecost or are you still waiting for the promised power?
In the same way, ignorance of what gifts are available can also rob us of being used in them.
1 Cor. 12:7-11 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.
To one there is given through the Spirit the Word of wisdom,
to another the word 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 gives them to each one,
just as He determines.
All the 9 Spiritual gifts mentioned in this list are supernatural manifestations of the Holy Spirit.
They are not the natural gifts or abilities you were born with.
The gifts we receive from the Holy Spirit, we were not born with they are more than natural they are supernatural.
Word of wisdom: a momentary impartation of divine wisdom pertaining to the situation at hand
Word of knowledge: supernaturally been made aware of information that you did not known beforehand
Gift of faith: a sudden elevation of your ability to believe God for something.
Gifts of healing: a supernatural ability to bring healing many times by the laying on of hands
Miraculous powers: the power to do things miracles
Prophecy: to speak the immediate Word of the Lord:
Discerning of spirits: the ability to see into the spiritual world and or be made supernaturally aware of spiritual beings and their intent.
Tongues: speaking a language you have not learned by the power of the holy spirit
Interpretation of tongues: a momentary ability to understand a language you did not learn or to give the interpretation of the message given in tongues.
These are all amazing gifts & God encourages us to earnestly desire them.
1 Cor. 12:27-31 Now you are Christ's body, and individually members of it.
And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues.
All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they?
All are not workers of miracles, are they? All do not have gifts of healings, do they?
All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they?
But earnestly desire the greater gifts.
God wants to point out our need for each other no matter what our gifts & callings may be. Some are Apostles (sent with the Good News) some Pastor or Teach, some Administrate or have a gift of Helping others (using their natural God given talents) empowered by the Holy Spirit to serve.
(Ephesians 4:11, 1 Corinthians 12: 27-28)
Some use Spiritual Gifts (not natural abilities) to edify the church these gifts are not based on aptitude but are momentary manifestations of the Holy Spirit.
THE LOVE SIDEBAR
Chapter 12 of 1st Corinthians ends by emphasizing the motivation for everything “And I show you a still more excellent way.”
1 Co 13:1 If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.
1 Co 14:1-29 (continues the teaching on spiritual gifts)
1 Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.
2 For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God; for no one understands, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries. 3 But one who prophesies speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation. 4 One who speaks in a tongue edifies himself; but one who prophesies edifies the church.
5 Now I wish that you all spoke in tongues, but even more that you would prophesy; and greater is one who prophesies than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may receive edifying.
6 But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking in tongues, what will I profit you unless I speak to you either by way of revelation or of knowledge or of prophecy or of teaching? 7 Yet even lifeless things, either flute or harp, in producing a sound, if they do not produce a distinction in the tones, how will it be known what is played on the flute or on the harp? 8 For if the bugle produces an indistinct sound, who will prepare himself for battle? 9 So also you, unless you utter by the tongue speech that is clear, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air. 10 There are, perhaps, a great many kinds of languages in the world, and no kind is without meaning. 11 If then I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be to the one who speaks a barbarian, and the one who speaks will be a barbarian to me.12 So also you, since you are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek to abound for the edification of the church. 13 Therefore let one who speaks (to the group) in a tongue pray that he may interpret. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. What is the outcome then? 15 I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also; I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also. 16 Otherwise if you bless in the spirit only, how will the one who fills the place of the ungifted say the "Amen" at your giving of thanks, since he does not know what you are saying? 17 For you are giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not edified. 18 I thank God, I speak in tongues more than you all; 19 however, (When I Speak) in the church I desire to speak five words with my mind so that I may instruct others also, rather than ten thousand words in a tongue. 20 Brethren, do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature.
21 In the Law it is written, "BY MEN OF STRANGE TONGUES AND BY THE LIPS OF STRANGERS I WILL SPEAK TO THIS PEOPLE, AND EVEN SO THEY WILL NOT LISTEN TO ME," says the Lord. 22 So then tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophecy is for a sign, not to unbelievers but to those who believe. 23 Therefore if the whole church assembles together and all speak in tongues, and ungifted men or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are mad? 24 But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an ungifted man enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all; 25 the secrets of his heart are disclosed; and so he will fall on his face and worship God, declaring that God is certainly among you. 26 What is the outcome then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. 27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, it should be by two or at the most three, and each in turn, and one must interpret; but if there is no interpreter, he must keep silent in the church; and let him speak to himself & to God.
These 9 listed gifts have been categorize by some as;
Utterance: Speaking in Tongues and the Interpretation of Tongues and Prophesy
Revelation: Word of Knowledge, Word of Wisdom and Discerning of spirits
Power: Gifts of Healing, the Gift of Faith and the Gift of Performing Miracles
Let’s start with: Speaking in Tongues and the Interpretation of Tongues & Prophesy
James 3, tells us something we already know that the tongue is the most unruly (misbehaving) member of the body can anyone tame it.
If you can gain control of it you will be able to control yourself completely.
In order to help us to do this we have been taught our entire life.
“Think before you speak”… (And that’s generally a good thing to do!)
It will keep you from stammering, stuttering and stumbling over your words.
It will also prevent “Foot in Mouth decease” (which can be very embarrassing.)
BUT I ASK YOU…
Is it ever, beneficial to speak without first knowing what you will say?
Is it ever helpful for you not to have your mind control your tongue?
Speaking in tongues is such an instance where the HOLY SPIRIT controls what you say.
The apostle Paul did it a lot saying in 1Cor . 14:18 I thank God I speak in tongues more than you all.
What is this gift and how is it to be used.
Glossolalia or (speaking in tongues) was the most common gift accompanying the HOLY SPIRIT.
This phenomenon was so prevalent in the early church that it was considered by many to be the evidence that someone had receive the Holy Spirit
Acts 10:44-46 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.
Glossolalia (Greek glossa,"tongue"; lalein,"to speak"), is a religious term for the practice of speaking in a language different from ones native tongue. It is speaking a language one has never learned and does not understand.
1.) The first thing about tongues is the one doing it… is speaking a language that they did not learn and do not even under stand.
As Paul said in 1Cor.14 : 2 and 14
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 Cor.14 : 2)
For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. (1 Cor.14 : 14)
2.) The language may be a language currently spoken on earth or… maybe one known only in heaven 1Cor 13:1
The Bible states that there are various kinds of tongues
A careful reading of the passages makes it obvious that there are at least two types
The personal prayer language that quite often accompanies the infilling of the Holy Spirit
It is used to edify or assist you in your spiritual growth.
This type of tongue is not intended to be interpreted
It is a spiritual prayer directed to God.
Its content may run the full gamut from relevant requests to high praises
It builds us up the same way that spending quality time in prayer with God.
An advantage to this type of prayer
Because our minds are not involved we can concentrate on other necessary tasks at hand.
I believe it’s an integral part of obeying the command in (1Thes. 5:16-21) pray continually.
Another advantage to praying in tongues (praying in the Spirit) is:
Many times we do not know how we should pray
Rom 8: 26-27 In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groaning’s too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
In those times, praying in the spirit is a great comfort, for we know that if we pray in tongues we are always pray in 100 % the will of God.
Example: I'm sure there been times in my life and I was not in sync with God’s plan for me and maybe I was even resisting Him. But because I prayed in the spirit I am quite sure I prayed that my stubborn heart would change. What the Spirit prayed through me would sound quite different from what I would've prayed with my understanding.
Prayer is most effective when you're asking what you know is God's will.
If you don't know what to pray… pray in tongues.
The 2nd type is the Gift of Tongues which is spoken to the entire church or gathering.
This form of tongues requires interpretation.
Some people believe the Bible says; it is never correct to speaking tongues without an interpreter present
When studying the Scriptures in context it is obvious that this is not what the Bible teaches.
They are confusing the purpose and usage of two various kinds of tongues
Example: ask the person next to you what they ate for supper last night
(There was a lot of noise and valid communication but it was personal)
In the same way in our meetings as we gather together to worship (as they had on the first Pentecost) and each one was privately praying or worshiping. There might be a murmur in the room as everyone communed with God.
But everyone’s focus would be on God. (There is an audience of one.)
It would be appropriate for those praying or worshiping to speak English or Tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
No interpretation would be necessary because no one is speaking to anyone but God.
But if in the middle of the worship someone raises their voice in order to address the entire group and communicates to the group using the gift of tongues, at that point it would be necessary for the message to be interpreted.
Another one of the Gifts of the Spirit would be needed.
The gift of interpretation of tongues is the supernatural ability to interpret a message given in tongues.
The gift is not a word of word translation but an interpretation of the content of the message in the English.
The public speaking in tongues should always accompany by interpretation. And that interpretation is to be judged the same way as prophecies.
There are some denominations that teach that the Gifts of the Spirit were only for the First century church and use the verse 1 Cor.13:8-12 as proof. It is ironic that if the writing of the NT was the perfect why would the subsequent chapter teach on the use of the Gifts.
Therefore, my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. 1Cor.14:39
At crucial times in my life when important events are happening…
I find myself praying in tongues.
In times of intense ministry or problem solving I also do.
THE GIFT OF PROPHECY
Since the beginning of time our Judeo-Christian faith has been punctuated with prophetic messages.
The timeliness… and accuracy of these prophecies are one of the most compelling evidences of the authenticity of our faith.
One of the strongest objective evidences of Biblical inspiration is the phenomenon of fulfilled prophecy. The Bible is essentially unique among the religious books of mankind in this respect. Some of them contain a few vague forecasts, but nothing comparable to the vast number of specific prophecies found in the Bible.
It’s comforting to think that “though God is spirit”: He still speaks directly into our world through human vessels… to verbalize or write down His thoughts & directions for us.
2 Peter 1: 21 for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.
This same God who declares in (Isa 46:8-10)
"Remember this, and be assured; Recall it to mind, you transgressors. "Remember the former things long past, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me,
Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying,
'My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure';
Continues to speak to us today… and wants to keep us in the loop.
The word prophecy conjures up many different images:
Gypsies and crystal balls and characters like this. (But we’re dealing with the real thing)
Men Like… Elijah, Elisha, Jeremiah & Isaiah… These Old Testament prophets had unique callings … spirit came on them to speak the word of the Lord.
But Now that the Spirit has been poured out… every believer should aspire to speak the word of the Lord (or Prophesy) (1 Cor. 14:1)
Those who prophesied in the New Testament were not special ones …but normal men and women who exercise the spiritual gift of prophecy.
Acts 2:17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
Read 1 Cor. 14:20-33
New Testament Prophecy is: When inspired by the Holy Spirit - one delivers an impromptu word to a gathering of believers.
There are 2 means different Greek words that are translated to the same English word “word” Logos & “Rhema” This immediate “word” means “what God is saying now”
.John 3.34 "For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit."
The purpose of Prophecy is… to encourage, exhort and give spiritual insight or revelation.
It should always be given in such a way that invites judgment… as to its timeliness and doctrinal soundness.
In the New Testament those using the gift of prophecy should not start with saying, “Thus saith the Lord”. As many of the Old Testament prophets did.
In the Old Testament the penalty for an inaccurate prophecy was death.
Deut. 18: 20 But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die.
Just Like the gift of interpretation of tongues… it should not be presented in the first person (as the direct oracles of God) but rather… as what we believe the Holy Spirit saying. (1 Cor.13:1 we prophesied in part)
And then it should be Judged
Never Embellish the word you receive
Eze.13:1-7 Then the word of the LORD came to me saying, “Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who prophesy, and say to those who prophesy from their own inspiration, 'Listen to the word of the LORD! 'Thus says the Lord GOD, "Woe to the foolish prophets who are following their own spirit and have seen nothing. "O Israel, your prophets have been like foxes among ruins. "You have not gone up into the breaches, nor did you build the wall around the house of Israel to stand in the battle on the day of the LORD. "They see falsehood and lying divination who are saying, 'The LORD declares,' when the LORD has not sent them; yet they hope for the fulfillment of their word. "Did you not see a false vision and speak a lying divination when you said, 'The LORD declares,' but it is not I who have spoken?"'"
Just because something said is true… does not validate it is prophecy
Acts 16: 16 – 18 Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved." She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so troubled that he turned around and said to the spirit, "In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!" At that moment the spirit left her.
The body of Christ has been blessed immeasurably throughout history because of this wonderful gift.
(But the failing to judge this gift has also brought much error.)
Although the majority of the time prophecy is to encourage exhort -there are times when it can be used to Warn of things to come.
I knew a man by the name of Demos Shacariun who founded the full gospel businessman's fellowship. He related an experienced an amazing example of this type of prophesies. In the late 1890s in a little of Village and Kara Kala Armenia which is at the base of Mount Ararat, there his Grandfather had a farm. In the village lived a man they called the boy prophet, who since he received the baptism of the Spirit at age 11 spent many hours praying and fasting.
This is an amazing story of how God used a prophetic word to assist his people.
In my own life my father a pastor who started Maranatha Ministries in the early 70’s suddenly died at the age of 49.
After his death the family and church leaders became aware of some prophetic words that predated his passing. These prophecies were of great comfort to those who remain.
Amos 3:7-8 Surely the Lord GOD does nothing Unless He reveals His secret counsel to His servants the prophets. A lion has roared! Who will not fear? The Lord GOD has spoken! Who can but prophesy?
The majority of prophecy is encouragement exhortation (words from God’s Spirit to give immediate correction or council). Not primarily foretelling what is to come.
Think of all the communication with those we live and work with…How much of it is telling each-other about the future?
In most cases it is not healthy to know what lies ahead. Matt 6:34 and 2Cor 12:9 And He said to me, My grace is sufficient
God uses the experience of living by faith to teach us to trust.
Anything that has tremendous power should be handled with great care in respect.
The gifts of the Spirit are not a reward for holy living
They certainly are not a barometer of spiritual maturity.
(Mat 7: 20-23) Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
It is no wonder that some would rather stay as far away from the gift of prophecy and tongues with interpretation as possible.
The Holy Spirit through the apostle Paul warns not to despise prophecy and don’t prohibit speaking in tongues.
Instead he encourage us to earnestly desire spiritual gifts especially prophesy
Do not Quench Holy Spirit's fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything.
Hold on to the good. (1 Thes. 5:19-21)
Therefore, my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues.
1 Co.14:39
Dynamite is powerful (it can hurt) but used correctly it built America
But the HOLY SPIRIT reminds us that we're in a spiritual war and weapons of our warfare our might to the pulling down of strongholds
The gifts are powerful and productive.
This dynamite power is available I encourage you to desire a spiritual gifts
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