Vision Track 2.1

BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT

“...He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.” John 1:33

In the previous session, we looked at the person of the Holy Spirit and saw some of the ways in which He has worked in the lives of people from creation onwards. In this session, we are going to look at what it means to be baptized in the Holy Spirit in a way that empowers us for life, enables us to be effective in sharing the gospel with others, and equips us with the gifts God gives us to glorify Him.

THE PROMISED GIFT

The Book of Acts begins by telling us of Jesus’ interaction with His disciples over the forty-day period between His resurrection and His ascension. His disciples, having been confused and discouraged at the time of His death, were no doubt more enthusiastic than ever at this point, and eager to spread the good news and see the Kingdom of God established. However, Jesus gives them this instruction:

“...he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, ‘you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now’...you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses...” Acts 1:4-5, 8

They probably had little or no idea what Jesus meant or what to expect, but we can see in Acts 2 how they began to experience the fulfillment of this promise at Pentecost. Peter went on to speak boldly of this as something that was part of the total gift of salvation:

“...Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Acts 2:38

WHAT IS BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT?

Christians refer to this experience in several different ways, for example, “receiving the Spirit,” “being empowered by the Spirit,” “being filled with the Spirit,” and “being baptized in/with the Spirit.” There’s biblical justification for all of these terms, but in this session, we’ll use the term “baptism in the Holy Spirit” to speak of a Christian’s first, tangibly empowering experience of being filled with the Holy Spirit.

As we’ve seen when looking at the subject of baptism in water, to be “baptized” means to be fully immersed, with no part of us left untouched by the experience. What’s more, it is something we do in wholehearted obedience and faith. It’s helpful for us to bear this in mind as we consider what it means to be baptized in the Holy Spirit.

Whatever one calls the experience, it is important to understand how essential a part of the purpose and intention of Jesus it is to pour out His Spirit in this way (John 1:32-33). We should want for ourselves what He wants for us, and it’s to Him that we look as we seek to come into the fullness of this promise.

IS BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT FOR ALL BELIEVERS?

Yes. It isn’t just for a select few. God promised: “I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh” (Acts 2:17). Concerning the gift of the Holy Spirit, Peter clearly proclaimed:

“For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” Acts 2:39

This means that if you’re a Christian, the promise is for you! Besides, if all God’s children are to be His witnesses, and if they cannot be effective witnesses without the baptism in the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8), then all God’s children should expect to receive it. To send a new believer to face a sinful world without the power received in this way is like sending out a new recruit into battle with no weapons. By the baptism in the Holy Spirit, God equips His soldiers.

DON’T ALL CHRISTIANS HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT?

Yes, in one sense they do. As we’ve seen in previous sessions, no one can become a Christian without the work of the Spirit. We know that we are “born of the Spirit” (John 3:5), and Paul tells us that “Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him” (Romans 8:9b).

But Scripture speaks of an impartation of the Holy Spirit that goes beyond even this. The idea that we can and should receive more of the Holy Spirit shouldn’t be surprising to us. Jesus was, of course, conceived by the Holy Spirit. However, as we have seen, before He embarked on His public ministry, He had a distinct experience when the Holy Spirit came upon Him in a special way, empowering Him for the work the Father had for Him to do (see Luke 3:21-22, 4:1,14 and Acts 10:38).

It was the same with Jesus’ disciples. There can be much speculation and theological debate over when they actually became Christians, but it is probably safe to assume that by the time we see them in Acts 1, being addressed by the risen Lord Jesus, they were born again! Nevertheless, they were told to wait in Jerusalem until they received and were empowered by the Holy Spirit. As we have seen, that happened on the day of Pentecost, and from that point forward they were launched into the mission God had for them.

What was true for Jesus and his disciples is true also for us. Born again though we may be, we need to receive the empowering fullness of the Holy Spirit.

Ideally, being born again, being baptized in water, and being baptized in the Holy Spirit belong together, part and parcel of the single business of becoming a Christian. Unfortunately, incomplete teaching has meant that many people enter into their full inheritance in bits and pieces. But better late than never!

HOW DOES A PERSON RECEIVE THE BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT?

Sometimes, people are baptized in the Spirit without the involvement of anyone else, as happened to the disciples on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4) and to the household of Cornelius (Acts 10:44-47). Others are baptized in the Spirit as people lay hands on them and pray with them, as in Samaria (Acts 8:14-17) and Ephesus:

“And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying.” Acts 19:6

The most important thing to bear in mind is that we are baptized in the Holy Spirit in the same way that we receive all the blessings of God—by faith, i.e., we believe that God is willing and able to do what He has promised to do, and we act accordingly. Sometimes our faith can be hindered by our conscience because of sin issues. If that is the case, we should simply repent and receive the forgiveness of God.

There is no formula to being baptized in the Holy Spirit, and people’s experiences vary greatly, but the following steps may be helpful:

1. Ask God for the gift of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said: “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:13). And if we look at the promise in John 7:37-39, we see that our motivation should far exceed a mere willingness to receive and should, in fact, come from a recognition of need and an earnest desire:
   
   “On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, ‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, “Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.”’ Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.”
   

2. In asking, be actively reaching out to receive. Where the Bible speaks of “receiving” the Holy Spirit and His power (e.g., in Acts 1:8, 2:38, 19:2), it’s an active word, not a passive one (it could be translated as “take hold of”). Expect to know a positive touch from God. When people in the Bible were baptized in the Spirit, they knew it—and so did the people around them!

3. Knowing that God has heard and is answering your prayer, begin to praise God and worship Him with thanksgiving.

WHAT ABOUT THE GIFT OF TONGUES?

When the subject of baptism in the Spirit is discussed, “speaking in tongues” is usually part of the discussion. This shouldn’t be a surprise since, as we’ve seen, the gift of tongues is closely connected in Scripture with instances where people were filled with the Holy Spirit (e.g., Acts 2:4, 10:44-46, 19:6). Tongues, as used in these instances in Scripture, means “languages.” The gift of tongues is the God-given ability to speak in languages that you have not learned and do not (naturally) understand.

“...you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses...” Acts 1:8

WHAT IS THE POINT OF SPEAKING IN TONGUES?

One thing that’s worth noting is that we’re told in James 3:7-8 (and most of us know from experience) that the tongue is the hardest part of the body to tame. Perhaps God wants to demonstrate the mighty power of His Spirit in us by tackling the toughest part first. Or perhaps God is deliberately challenging the reluctance we can have to obey Him in things that are unfamiliar or uncomfortable and that seem foolish. The issue of tongues can reveal whether we are really willing to submit to His Lordship by trusting and obeying Him despite our natural inclinations.

What is clear from Scripture, however, is that God intends this gift to be a help and blessing for Christians. As we’ll see in the next session, there is an aspect of the gift of tongues that is for the building up of the whole church. Not all believers will minister to the body in this way, but every Spirit-filled Christian can benefit from the personal use of the gift of tongues. In fact, every Christian should seek this gift as something that is intended to be a great blessing. For example:

• In 1 Corinthians 14:4, we see that “one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself” (see also Jude 20). Who wouldn’t want that—and for which of His children would God not want that?

• Whether we are praying or praising God, we can sometimes feel limited by our lack of knowledge or our inability to find the right words. Thankfully, the gift of tongues releases us from these constraints, enabling us to express what is deep within, beyond what we can articulate—or perhaps even perceive—ourselves (see also 1 Corinthians 2:10b-13).

In 1 Corinthians 14:14-15, the apostle Paul says, “For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful. What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also.” When we pray (or sing) in tongues, it’s not produced by our minds, but is instead the Holy Spirit enabling our spirit to pray. This doesn’t mean, however, that we should “switch off” our minds. Instead, we allow the Holy Spirit to bring to mind the areas on which our spirit is focusing as we pray or praise. It’s both assuring and exciting to be led by the Spirit in this way:

“...the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace.” Romans 8:6 (NIV 1984)

Paul makes it clear in 1 Corinthians 14:18 how important the use of the gift of tongues was to him personally (“I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you”). His exhortation at the beginning of that chapter is to “eagerly desire...spiritual gifts,” (1 Corinthians 14:1 - 1984) and though his main goal is to encourage prophecy, he implicitly affirms the gift of tongues, expecting that believers will be progressing from just using this self-edifying gift to moving in gifts that build up the church.

MUST I SPEAK IN TONGUES?

Some Christians are nervous about the gifts of the Holy Spirit because they are uncomfortable with the supernatural in general. This can especially be the case with the gift of tongues as, even more than other gifts, it is so obviously outside of natural, rational experience. 


Although speaking in tongues is the most common initial evidence (in Scripture and experience) of having been baptized in the Spirit, it is possible to have been filled with the Spirit but not yet have spoken in tongues. This is because, despite the fact that we now have the ability to speak in tongues, we must (as with every God-given gift) step out in faith to do it.

Romans 5:5 tell us that “God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us,” and Jesus tells us that “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34). It is, therefore, not surprising that the tangible experience of God’s Spirit being poured upon us, and the further assurance this brings us of His love, results in a bubbling up in praise and thanksgiving to God that our natural words can’t express.

HOW DO I SPEAK IN TONGUES?

It is at this point that, as mentioned above, we must do our part. Without the enabling of the Holy Spirit, we can’t speak in tongues, but He won’t make us do it or do it through us without our willing participation. Prejudice, fear, or a lack of confidence can be hindrances at this point, but if we are open and expectant, we will find ourselves prompted and enabled to form syllables or words that are not in our natural language. We should step out by giving voice to them.

“And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Acts 2:4

We will not understand the words we are saying, nor should we expect to do so. However, once we begin, we should expect the language to start flowing naturally.

And when you’ve received this wonderful gift, use it! Knowing how it benefits us in our communion with God and builds us up, we should be intentional about praying and singing in tongues every day. What’s more, this shows God that we appreciate and value His gracious gift.

CONTINUALLY BEING FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT

Being baptized in the Holy Spirit is the gateway to a life of being continually filled with the Spirit. In Ephesians 5:18, Paul exhorts:

“And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,”

A fuller way to translate this from the original Greek would be to say, “Be continually being filled with the Holy Spirit.” Receiving the fullness of the Holy Spirit is to be a way of life for us, not just a one-off experience to look back on.

It’s interesting that the lifestyle we are to adopt is contrasted with drunkenness. A drunkard stays drunk by continually turning to alcohol. We, however, are to stay filled with the Spirit by continually asking for and receiving more of Him:

“...how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” Luke 11:13

We’ll look more in the next session at what it means to live a Spirit-filled life. In doing so, we will see the transforming effect the fruit of the Holy Spirit has on our lives individually, and the transforming effect the gifts of the Spirit have on the Church and the world.

THE SPIRIT-FILLED LIFE

“Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” 1 Corinthians 12:7 (NIV 1984)

As we have seen, all those who have been born again by the Holy Spirit can (and should) expect to experience the promised baptism in the Holy Spirit—the gateway to a life of being continually filled with the Holy Spirit.

God’s intention has always been that His people, individually and corporately, should manifest His likeness and outwork His purpose on the earth (see Genesis 1:26-28). This would be impossible were it not for His Holy Spirit, who enables us to be all that we are called to be and to do all that we are called to do.

In this part of our session, we are going to consider further what the Spirit-filled life should look like for us as individuals and for the gathered church—and at the implications of this for the world.

THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE INDIVIDUAL

We should always be seeking more of the Holy Spirit because by Him we can increasingly enjoy the amazing blessings of our relationship with God. For example:

THE ASSURANCE THAT WE ARE GOD’S CHILDREN

The wonderful reality that we “are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:26 - NIV 1984) can be hard to grasp for those who have spent years feeling separated or distant from Him. We need the help of the Spirit:

“For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, ‘Abba! Father!’ The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,” Romans 8:14-16

THE ASSURANCE OF GOD’S LOVE

Not only does the Holy Spirit testify that we are God’s children, but He enables us to experience God’s love:

“...God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Romans 5:5

THE ABILITY TO KNOW AND UNDERSTAND THE MIND AND HEART OF GOD

The Holy Spirit reveals God to us (Ephesians 1:17), and it is by the Spirit that we can have the joy and privilege of knowing God’s thoughts:

“For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.” 1 Corinthians 2:10b-12

SENSITIVITY TO THE VOICE OF GOD

“While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’” Acts 13:2

Not only does the Holy Spirit enable us to hear the voice of God, but it is also by Him that God will speak through us, whatever the situation:

“And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.” Mark 13:11

CONFORMITY TO THE LIKENESS OF CHRIST

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” 2 Corinthians 3:17-18

We have seen that in Old Testament times, the Holy Spirit came upon certain people at particular times, anointing them for a specific task or purpose. Sadly, although these times may have been powerful and dramatic, the characters of those being used by the Spirit often seemed to remain unchanged—and in several cases they behaved in a way that was far from God-glorifying! However, God’s promise was that things would be different under the New Covenant.

“And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.” Ezekiel 36:26-27

Although God created us to be in His likeness, we fell short of that because of sin (Romans 3:23). However, in Jesus, God wonderfully restored His image in the earth (Hebrews 1:3). Now by the pouring out of His Spirit, we can experience transforming power, enabling us to become holy and Christ-like. We can see the work of the Holy Spirit in two aspects of our ongoing conformity to the likeness of Christ:

SANCTIFICATION: CHRIST’S HOLINESS EVIDENT IN US

The Holy Spirit empowers us to live in a godly way:

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other...” Galatians 5:16-17

THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT: CHRIST’S CHARACTER EVIDENT IN US

And by the working of the Holy Spirit we are changed from the inside out, as His fruit is produced in us:

“...the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control;” Galatians 5:22-23a

The gifts of the Spirit (which we will look at in a moment) can manifest instantly, but the fruit of the Spirit takes time to develop. Gifts reveal a lot about the giver, but not necessarily much about the recipient. Fruit, however, reveals a lot about the “tree” that bears it (see Matthew 7:15-20). The gifts of the Spirit operating through us show people how wonderful God is. The evidence of the fruit of the Spirit in our lives shows people how Christ-like we are.

THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE CHURCH

We can often be inclined to think very individualistically when considering the work of the Holy Spirit, but it is important to understand that God’s desire is for a people who collectively become a dwelling place for the Holy Spirit.

“In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.” Ephesians 2:21-22 (NIV 1984)

There are many ways that God’s Spirit should be evident in the Church, including in our unity with one another (“For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body...and all were made to drink of one Spirit.” 1 Corinthians 12:13) and in our worship (“For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh” Philippians 3:3). However, one of the clearest ways in which the Spirit manifests His presence in the Church is through spiritual gifts.

THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT

Gifts of the Spirit are referenced throughout the New Testament, but the main passages in relation to them are Romans 12:3-8 and 1 Corinthians 12-14 (though see also 1 Peter 4:10-11 and Ephesians 4:7-16, which focuses particularly on the gifted ministries that Christ gives to the Church and which we’ll look at in detail in later sessions).

In this section, we’ll concentrate on the gifts listed in 1 Corinthians 12:7-11. Though not exhaustive, this list helps us to see important principles for God’s purpose in giving gifts and His desire in their use.

At the opening of Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, he positively affirms the fact that they “do not lack any spiritual gift” (1 Corinthians 1:7 - NIV 1984). Despite excesses and disorderly behavior, not to mention issues of major sin still present in this young church, Paul wants to encourage and instruct them in the gifts of the Holy Spirit, not shut them down. His concern was that they would not be ignorant about spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:1). Let’s look at his apostolic instruction to them:

“Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the 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 gives them to each one, just as he determines.” 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 (NIV 1984)

SPECIFIC GIFTS

Scripture does not give us definitions or direct explanations of most of these gifts, but from what we do have in Scripture and from what many have experienced under the leading of the Holy Spirit, we can briefly say the following in relation to them:

THE MESSAGE (OR WORD) OF WISDOM — the Spirit revealing to us how to deal with a (perhaps difficult) situation or person, including what to say and/or how to say it.

THE MESSAGE (OR WORD) OF KNOWLEDGE — the Spirit revealing to us information about a person or situation that, naturally speaking, we could not have known. This can often bring conviction of sin or unlock a situation, leading to salvation, healing, or spiritual/emotional release.

FAITH — though all Christians obviously have some level of faith, the reference here is probably to a person having and communicating a particularly high level of faith in something that God has said, thereby building others up in their faith.

GIFTS OF HEALING(S) — in the original Greek, both of the key words are plural, which should remind us that there are more types of healing than just physical, and that healings can outwork differently in different people and situations.

MIRACULOUS POWERS — of course, healings would usually come within this category. However, this is generally understood to be when God enables us to speak or act so as to overrule natural laws—either to protect or help people, to confirm the proclamation of the Gospel, or just to demonstrate His power.

PROPHECY — declaring the mind and heart of God by speaking or acting as prompted by the Spirit. This is the most frequently mentioned (and most encouraged) of the gifts of the Spirit, and we will devote a later session to it.

DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN SPIRITS — the ability to discern whether a spirit that is operating through a person is a human spirit, a demonic spirit, or the Spirit of God, and to weigh words, deeds, or motives accordingly.

SPEAKING IN DIFFERENT KINDS OF TONGUES — speaking to God or people in a language, whether earthly or angelic, that has not been learned by the speaker. It is different from the personal gift of tongues (discussed in the previous session) because the intention is that others hear it and are edified by it, which will require its interpretation.

THE INTERPRETATION OF TONGUES — the supernatural ability to interpret a message in tongues into the language of the hearers.

The interpretation (and, therefore, the message in tongues) may be a prayer, a revelation, knowledge, a prophecy, or a word of instruction (1 Corinthians 14:6). Although tongues and interpretation are separate gifts, Paul does say that the person bringing the tongue should pray for the interpretation (1 Corinthians 14:13). God may have us move in more than one gift, and we should never limit what He can do through us.

One might ask why God would use tongues at all, rather than just having the contribution come directly in a language that everyone can understand. Scripture doesn’t specifically address this question, but perhaps one of the reasons is that the bringing of a message in tongues captures the attention of those present in a way quite unlike any other contribution, and often stirs sensitivity to the voice of God in many present. It can also provide a great example of the body of Christ working together by the leading of the Spirit.

DESIRING SPIRITUAL GIFTS

There is much misunderstanding on the subject of the “availability” of spiritual gifts—what we can rightly aspire to and what initiative we can or should take. What is clear is that we cannot choose or “work up” gifts, nor do we earn or achieve them. It is God who sovereignly gives them:

“All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and He gives them to each one, just as he determines.” 1 Corinthians 12:11 (NIV 1984)

Of course, it is not wrong to ask God for gifts; in fact, we are commanded to do that (1 Corinthians 14:1)! However, we want to be led by the Spirit even in our asking, and we must realize that God will only give what He wants to give, when He wants to give it, and in the measure He wants to give it.

Scripture does seem to allow for the concept of the impartation of gifts through the laying on of hands—for example, in 2 Timothy 1:6, where Paul reminds Timothy to fan into flame the gift of God which was in him through the laying on of Paul’s hands. However, in our opinion, this still does not give the person laying on hands the liberty to “impart” a gift purely of their own initiative or at the request of the person for whom they are praying.

GROWING IN GIFTING

As we also see from that verse, we can and should “fan into flame” the gift of God within us. We can do this by praying, reading what Scripture has to say about the gift, looking to biblical and other examples of those who moved in the gift, spending time with those who currently move in that gift, and, of course, stepping out in it.

The regular use of a gift, taken hold of by faith, may lead to the recognition of a particular “ministry” (area of service/anointing) connected to that gift, and even to an “office.” For example, one prophesying regularly might ultimately be recognized as a prophet in the Ephesians 4:11 sense of the term. More on that in a later session.

THE PURPOSE OF THE GIFTS

In all of this, we must remember the purpose of the gifts and the motivation we should have in reaching for and seeking to exercise the gifts. In 1 Corinthians 12:7 (NIV 1984) Paul says, “to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good” (with the sense that it will bring everyone together), and in 1 Corinthians 14:12 (NIV 1984) he says, “since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church.”

“Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” - 1 Corinthians 12:7 NIV 1984

It is clear in Scripture that everyone must do what God has called and equipped them to do if the Church is to be built up and built together to maturity (see also, by way of further example, Ephesians 4:7-16). With the exception of the personal gift of tongues, we are not to seek gifts for ourselves, but rather in order to build others up, strengthen the church, and glorify God.

“What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church.” 1 Corinthians 14:26 (NIV 1984)

THE MOST EXCELLENT WAY

In connection with the above reminder, we must not make the mistake so many Christians have made over the years, focusing on 1 Corinthians 12 and 14 but ignoring 1 Corinthians 13, or treating it as a separate subject. (Of course, many more have focused on 1 Corinthians 13 and ignored the other two!)

The gifts are to manifest God—not just His power and will, but also His nature. He is love (1 John 4:8, 16), and we misrepresent Him if we exercise the gifts of His Holy Spirit outside of love. The gifts of the Spirit and the fruit of the Spirit (of which love is the foremost part) should be inseparable in our lives.

THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE WORLD

Finally, we must not forget that the Holy Spirit is not just at work in the Church, but also through the Church as it reaches out to the world.

POWER EVANGELISM

We have already looked at the Holy Spirit’s role in bringing conviction to the unbeliever and how essential it is that He empowers us to be witnesses. Beyond this, we see that gifts of healings, miracles, and words of knowledge are not just for the blessing of believers, but can play an important part in people coming to faith in Christ. Jesus Himself said:

“Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” John 14:11-14

Jesus referred to miracles as an authentication of who He was and His ministry, and as a means of bringing glory to God (see also John 10:25 and Luke 7:20-23). It was the same for Paul:

“...my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:4-5

“So they [Paul & Barnabas] remained for a long time, speaking boldly for the Lord, who bore witness to the word of his grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.” Acts 14:3

It should be the same for us. We are called not only to declare the Gospel but also to demonstrate it.

WE HAVE RECEIVED POWER!

“His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,” 2 Peter 1:3

Jesus promised that we would receive power by the Holy Spirit. His power is indeed all we need in order to be who we are called to be and to do what we are called to do. So, let’s live in the fullness of Him—every day!