Introduction to the Gifts of the Holy Spirit

“It’s not about standing up and being an eloquent speaker. It’s about being so close to the heart of God that you know what He is thinking. Then you are not afraid to go anywhere and say anything. The Lord Himself will do anything for radical people.” – Heidi Baker

1.  Making the Investment

A father and son were in conversation about the son’s future career choices. The son had contemplated becoming a doctor, but felt that the prospect of spending years of study was too great a sacrifice. “I will have to spend the next 8 years in medical schooling. I will be almost 30 years old when I finally become a doctor.” His father replied; “You’re right, it’s a big investment of your time. But if you don't do it, what else will you be doing 8 years from now?’

Regardless of what we do with our lives, we will arrive at a certain location at some time from now. But where we arrive depends on the investment we make during this time. When it comes to the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, there are no shortcuts. We can’t pull out $100.00 out of our spiritual bank account when we have only deposited 50 cents. One of the saddest feelings is finding yourself in a situation where you feel you come up short ‘dollar for dollar’. It is like a boxer stepping into the ring, and facing his opponent he realises he is under-conditioned. It is too late! 

Jesus explained that the disciples’ inability to deal with the demon-possessed boy was that they were spiritually not up to the task. There was unbelief and lack of prayer & fasting (Mark 9). Faith levels are not determined by our memory of scripture, but the quickening of scripture. We say; “Faith comes by hearing, not by having heard.” The freshness of the Word spoken in our hearts results from the abiding times of meditation and intimacy with the Father. Prayer and fasting are the times where we contend for breakthrough in areas that seem closed to us or where we operate at a level that is below what we are faced with on a constant basis. The ‘hit and miss’ experiences are not only frustrating, they breed doubt in our minds and make us hesitant and fearful to step out when opportunities present themselves.

2.  Where did I Leave my Keys? 

I find myself in a frenzy, looking several times in the same places, because I have to go out, but can't find my wallet, keys or mobile phone. Unless the experience leads to better organisation I am likely to relive the experience many times over. I have discovered that if I keep things in their place, I am always able to find them.

The apostle Paul exhorted Timothy; ’I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity”. (2Timothy 1:6-7NLT). 

We will have to confront the temptation to back away from stepping out. Gifts of the Spirit can go in one of 2 directions; they go either forward or backward. John G. Lake contended for a lengthy period of time for the Gifts of the Spirit to come into operation and he found that when it happened, the  miracles were ‘of a more powerful order’. And yet, he said that one day it stopped. His own observation was that he had not attended enough to those things that brought them into operation in the first place. 

The only things that stop us from entering deep into Spiritual Gifts are imaginary. There are no ceilings or restriction set by the Father as to how far we can go.

Reflections:

1.  What spiritual gifts do you desire and why?

2.   What Gifts of the Spirit function presently in your life and at what level?

Living by Faith

IN my hand I was holding a letter from the real estate valuer. I had just read his assessment of the value of our block of land. "Value of property: NIHIL" All of our savings had been spent on site preparation. The foundations had just been completed. We were stuck.

What do believers do when they face the impossible?

Early in my Christian walk it dawned on me that a life of FAITH could not be that complicated if God required everyone to live by it. The principles of faith should work for a child the same as they do for the most brilliant mind. When Faith is ill-defined, it becomes illusive, mystical, something only available to an elite group.

Hebrews 11 is labelled as the 'faith chapter'. It defines WHAT faith is, but doesn't really show you how to get it to work.
The chapter starts like this: "Faith is the SUBSTANCE of the things hoped for..." Substance speaks of the 'raw materials'. All the things we use on a daily basis were made with raw materials. Imagine a car dealer delivering the raw materials on your door step, instead of the car you picked in the showroom!
You see, that is what God did when He gave you a 'measure of Faith' (Romans 12:3). You didn't get the finished product, just the raw materials. You didn't receive healing, forgiveness of sins, baptism in the Ho;y Spirit just like that, but you did receive the faith to get you all those things and the abundant life Jesus promised to all. (John 10:10)

Here is a shortlist of the two 'faith-ingredients':
1. Understanding of the Will of God
What does God WANT for you? There is little value in what God is able to do for me, if He is unwilling to do it. His Word, the Bible, contains the detailed promises of who He wants you to be and what He wants you to have.
2. Speaking His promises to yourself out loud
Speaking God's Word to yourself daily pulls out the weeds of unbelief that are often deeply rooted in your thought life. Believing and speaking God's Word to yourself sets you up for the next step. (Read Romans 10)

So you have the raw materials, but where do you go from here? This is where many Christians become frustrated and disillusioned. There is something that needs to happen with the raw materials, for you to get to the 'finished product'.
Action is required. Just as your body without your spirit is just a lump of meat, so also faith without the right course of action remains an unfulfilled promise. (James 2:26)

Actions can only come as the result of hearing. Faith never acts independently from what the Holy Spirit says. Without hearing God NO action must be taken. Acting without first hearing is called presumption. It looks like faith, but is always rewarded with disappointment.
The hearing part may come as a witness; you know deep inside it is the right thing to do. You just know it. Other times it may come as a clear thought in your mind. This is where what faith IS, becomes what faith CAN DO.

As I stood in front of my unfinished 'dream house', the Holy Spirit showed us an amazing solution to our problem. We took action. It wasn't something we could not do, but certainly not something we had considered. The end of the story? We built a beautiful home, that in time returned a healthy profit!

Once you understand that faith depends on your ability to hear, you are well on your way to living by faith.

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is... God speaking to you!

When the disciples spotted Jesus in the distance walking toward them atop a stormy sea they screamed out in terror. It was like the worst horror movie and they were in it! Before they were able to jump overboard Jesus called out, "Don't be afraid, it's Me!" (Matthew 14:27) Their hearts went from panic to praise. They must have pointed at one another saying, "He got you, didn't He!"

So many Christians have great difficulty hearing from God. "I just don't seem to be able to hear God at all.", "How do you know it is God speaking?" Entire church groups are convinced God no longer has anything else to say than what is already written in the Bible. Yet, the hunger and desire to hear God has given birth to astrology, horoscopes and the occult. The devil will gladly accommodate the vacuum that occurs when God's voice is not being heard.

It is often the person that is under a lot of  pressure who has the greatest difficulty hearing God speak. Too many Christians are trying to hear God with their natural mind. This is not possible. "The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God...because they are spiritually discerned."(1Corinthians 2:14) It's a bit like trying to find an AM radio station on the FM band; You can scan all you like, but it simply isn't there. 

Often, when least effort is made, the Spirit of God will drop something into our mind. This is why it is not uncommon to hear God in our 'waking moments', just before you are fully awake. What's the key? You cannot 'try' to hear God, just as you cannot 'try' to walk on water. 

Everything God has for you is received by faith. Often God wants to say things to me that I have difficulty believing. It is simply much better than I had expected. Consequently, I dismiss it. "...neither has it entered into the heart of a man the things God has prepared for those that love Him" (1Corinthians 2:9)

Here are 3 simple keys to hearing God speak:

First of all, you must believe it is His Will for you to hear His voice. As long as you are in doubt about that, you will continue to scan the FM radio-band! You need to find out what God has to say about your privilege in hearing His voice, not from someone's opinion, but from the Scriptures. There are so many promises He has made about that.

Second, you must rest from trying to hear anything and turn off the noise that is inside your head. Your mind is a wonderful thing, but when it comes to hearing from God it can get in the way. Often I will know the course of action God wants me to take, but my mind is still catching up on the details!

Finally, thank the Lord, in between moments of silence. These last 2 points really work together, even though I am mentioning them in point form. Speaking words of thanksgiving in a whisper, sets the tone for your spirit to hear God speak. 

At some point you will experience receiving thoughts, insights and impressions of the Holy Spirit. The experience will move your expectation to a point where hearing from God will become as real as speaking to Him!

Stay Encouraged!

Discouragement fills the environment you live in. People at times promise much, but do not deliver. Heartache, tragedy, trauma and anxiety easily turn into depression. The world you live in is a far cry from the place where God dwells; in never ending peace and everlasting joy.
So what do you do? Do you cope with life and keep your expectation at a minimum to stop from being let down?

Undoubtedly, the greatest weapon against discouragement is overlooked by most believers. When I say MOST, we're talking about 99 percent of Christians!
Out of all the Gifts that you receive from God, the most important gift that will keep you encouraged is the Gift of Tongues - also called 'Praying in the Spirit'.
Traditional ideas about the gift of Tongues somehow being 'outdated' cannot change the reality that this biblical gift operates in the lives of multiplied millions of believers today.

The gift of tongues is often labeled as being 'the least' of the nine gifts of the Spirit mentioned in 1Corinthians 12. This is only true when we are in a meeting with others. Obviously, tongues without being interpreted will not benefit anyone who hears it. When a gift is used incorrectly, it won't fulfil the purpose for which it is given in the first place.
If you use your car to take it for a swim in the ocean, you won't enjoy the benefits for which it is designed. In the same way, tongues are given for personal benefit; and how great that benefit is!

The late Oral Roberts recounts the time when God spoke to him about what would later become the ORU Campus in Tulsa, OK. He remembers standing on this large vacant property with zero dollars in the bank. It all looked so impossible. The Holy Spirit whispered in his heart. "Pray in tongues." With some reservation, he began to speak in that heavenly language. Then... something happened. Oral began to see building after building as he looked around the vacant property he stood on. Every single building he saw  while praying in the Spirit, is reality today. It came out of his spirit-man, as he prayed in the Spirit.

For personal encouragement, maintaining passion and having a joyful spirit, there is no gift so great as praying in the Spirit. The apostle Paul said he spoke in tongues more than any Corinthian. He knew the value in his personal life of the gift of tongues. Less people would burn out, quit the ministry and settle for a mediocre vision for their lives if they regularly and for extended periods pray in the Spirit.

What about Hell?


You may have heard the saying, "The methods may change, but the message stays the same." Unfortunately, in modern day Christianity, the message - not just the methods - is being altered.

Not all that long ago, the use of the word 'hell' was replaced by expressions such as; 'A Christless Eternity', 'Eternal Separation' or simply 'Missing Heaven'. After all, no one wants to be a 'hellfire and brimstone' fanatic.
More recently, there is a growing trend promoting the possibility that God is simply too loving to allow anyone to go to hell, or at least not forever. Many plead ignorance when asked if someone will end up in hell if they don't believe in Jesus.

The Bible has one great theme: It is the story of Jesus. Take Jesus out of the Bible and humanity is hopelessly lost forever. Eternity is all about absolutes. There is nothing 'temporary' or 'momentary' about eternity.

In 1912, the Titanic set sail to cross the Atlantic. Not only was this ship labeled 'The Unsinkable Ship', the Captain had been commissioned to set a new transatlantic record for its maiden voyage. Almost 100 years later most people have heard something about the tragedy of the 1500 passengers that drowned in icy-cold waters, just hours after the ship hit an iceberg. No one died because they were evil or the worst of sinners. No, they died because they had boarded the Titanic and failed to be rescued. If a rescue boat had been sent in time, ALL could have been saved, providing they had stepped off the Titanic and stepped on to the rescue boat.

What the Bible teaches about Salvation is that every person born into the world, will die a sinner and face judgement and eternal punishment in hell, unless they receive Salvation through Jesus Christ.
We can't vote on it. God doesn't ask us if we like it. And the notion that there is an additional 'escape hatch' would indicate that God isn't really telling the truth in the Bible.
1Corinthians 15:22 says; "For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all shall be made alive." (emphasis is mine)
By birth a person is doomed, yet by the miracle of the re-birth a person is forever saved.

Questioning God as to WHY He allowed sin, and WHY He doesn't make hell go away, are the wrong questions that will not be answered. God has given all the answers as to HOW a person can be rescued from going to hell. He wants every person to be saved from eternal punishment, and has offered all of that and more in His Son Jesus Christ.

This is my Bible

“This is my Bible!” Every Sunday Joel Osteen, the Pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston, TX  begins his message with the familiar introduction as he holds up his bible:  “Repeat after me; This is my bible. I believe I am what it says I am, I believe  I have what it says I have. I believe I can do what it says I can do...” History tell us that the Bible is the single most loved and hated book ever  published. Written by 40 different authors from the most diverse of  backgrounds; from kings and peasants, to commoners and the most highly  educated, from those who lived in palaces and those held in prison cells,  to the very poorest and the richest man to ever walk the planet. Much effort was made in the first few centuries when the Bible was first  published to exterminate it. Satan tried the best he could, but failed. Today  the Bible is the number one bestseller with an estimated 6 billion copies  printed since its first release. Published in nearly 2000 languages, with an  additional 2000 that have portions of the Bible printed in their own language.  Of one thing you can be sure; God wanted you to have a bible in your  language. Never underestimate the price that was paid by many people,  just so you could have your own copy of the Word of God. Although the Bible has become readily available few believers actually  read it regularly. An estimated 90 percent of born-again believers have  never even read through the entire Bible. One time, while ministering to  a group of young people, I asked them to turn to the Book of Hezekiah.  The majority started to page through their Bible trying to find it... Not knowing what’s in the Word of God limits you from experiencing the  very things God has made available to you. The enemy will be able to  deceive you more easily and you are likely to give up when times get tough.  The way you get the best out of your bible starts with realizing it is not to be  read like any other book. Read it as if God Himself is there talking to you.  He sees to it that every one of His promises when believed, will become  your experience. Here are some keys that will help you get the most out of reading God’s Word.  Reading the Bible is visiting with the Father. It is a private meeting where you  and God come together for a one-on-one meeting.  Let’s look at the acronym F-A-T-H-E-R It is a great way to keep in memory how reading the Bible can be a transforming  occasion. Find — Find a place that is quiet, where you won’t get distracted Ask — Ask God to open His Word to you; “ Give me eyes to see & ears to hear.” Thank — Whenever you find a promise, thank Him for that promise  Help — Whenever you read a command ask for God’s help to keep it Expect — Whatever you don’t understand, expect the Holy Spirit to reveal it to you Revisit — Return to that passage sometime later to see how the Word has  changed you As so many before you, start to make your bible-reading a daily appointment with  your heavenly Father. I promise you, it will change your life for good!

"Don't drink that seawater!"

Salary.com has revealed in their most recent 2011 survey that only 15% of employees are satisfied in their job, 65% are looking for another job and those who are least satisfied are under the age of 30. These figures were published in spite of the fact that in times of economic downturn you'd expect people would be grateful to actually have a job! 

Do you live in your ideal home? Is the car you drive the one you'd always wanted? Are you married to the person of your dreams? Do you truly love the work you do? Do you like your body shape? Do you enjoy Mondays? Are you considering delaying your retirement, because you are enjoying the life you live? Do you go on holidays just so you get some rest from doing too much of what you love? If you are able to answer all of these questions with a resounding 'YES!' you are not only an unusually rare individual, but you also should be a person most envied, according to the standards set for true happiness.

The reality is that the satisfaction people crave is not found in our surroundings. Even the manufacturers know this. That is why the new model vehicle that is on display in the showroom today will be superseded by a better model next year. The same people that are sleeping overnight outside an Apple store to secure the latest model iPhone, will soon want to replace the handset they had to have. 

Jesus said: "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled." (Matt. 5:6)

What does that mean? Simply put, if you make your relationship with Jesus your number one priority, all other areas of life will be enjoyed. Instead of looking for the latest, you will enjoy what you have longer. Instead of longing for the weekend, you will find pleasure in the job God has given you.

I heard the story of some men who had survived a shipwreck. They were floating in a life boat in the middle of the ocean. After a few days they ran out of water. They all looked with great longing at the water in the ocean. There was so much of it, if only they could drink it. One of the men kept reminding the others. "Don't drink that seawater!" After only a day, one by one, they gave in to their thirst. Only two days later the survivors were rescued. All of the men who drank water from the ocean had died... from thirst. 

The Bible says: "Deal as sparingly as possible with the things the world thrusts at you. This world as you see it is on its way out". (1Corinthians 7:21 The Message) Of course we can enjoy nice things, even new things. Yet, the things that are here are only temporary and can never satisfy the spirit of a man, who like his Creator, is eternal.