Hope For the Nations, Mar. 27, 2014

Jesus taught:

  • Luke 24:45-49; Acts 1:4-8 – The Power of the Holy Spirit: ESSENTIAL for ministry.  
  • John 14:12-14 – You will do even greater things than Jesus, by the Spirit.

Power and Gifts of the Holy Spirit Witness to the Message:

  • Acts (see back side); Rom. 15:18-19; 1 Corin. 2:1-5; 1 Thess. 1:5; Hebrews 2:3-4 (conversely, 2 Thes. 2:9 shows false wonders witness to false messages)

The Power and Gifts of the Holy Spirit are Needed for the Church to Properly Function:

  • Acts (see back side)
  • Galatians 3:5 – used by Christians who believe
  • Ephesians 5:18 – Christians commanded to “be filled” with Spirit
  • 1 Corinthians 12-14 – edifies the body
    • Philippians 2:27-28 – healed from sickness
    • 1 Thessalonians 5:19-20 – default is to allow gifts to function, then test
    • 1 Timothy 4:14 – prophecy helped Timothy
    • James 5:14-15 – healing to body
    • 2 Corinthians 12:12 – authenticates God’s apostles
  • 2 Timothy 3:5 – avoid those who “deny the power” of godliness

1 Corinthians 12:7-11 – An introduction to 9 spiritual gifts:

  • 3 understanding gifts: (1) wisdom, (2) knowledge, (3) discerning of spirits 
  • 3 action gifts: (1) faith, (2) healings, (3) miracles 
  • 3 utterance gifts: (1) prophecy, (2) tongues, (3) interpretation of tongues

If you are a Christian lacking gifts of the Spirit:

  1. “Desire spiritual gifts,” (1 Corinthians 14:1) 
  2. “Be filled with the Spirit,” (Ephesians 5:18):
    1. Get your heart right with God, FIRST (e.g. Acts 8:21)
    2. Ask/pray for God to fill you with his Holy Spirit and give you spiritual gifts (e.g. Luke 11:13; 1 Corinthians 14:13)
    3. Have “elders,” or those with spiritual gifts, lay hands on you (e.g. Acts 8:18)

Old Testament Picture: 2 Kings 2:1-18 – Elijah and Elisha

  • 2:1-7 – Elisha was disciple of Elijah (cf. Jesus’ disciples while He was on earth)
    • 2:8 – Elisha observed Elijah’s power and mantle (cf. Acts 10:38)
  • 2:9 – Elisha asked for “double portion” of Elijah’s spirit (cf. Jn. 14:12-14; Acts 1:14)
  • 2:11-18 – Elijah ascended up, and did not return (cf. Acts 1:9-11)
  • 2:10-13 – Elisha had to see Elijah ascended to receive his power (cf. Acts 2:32-33)
  • 2:13-15 – Elisha received Elijah’s mantle, and his “spirit” rested on him (cf. Ac. 1:8)
    • Elisha received a double portion of power (cf. John 14:12)
  • 2:14 – It began with a these words: “Where is the LORD God of Elijah?”
    • Are you willing to cry, pray, and fast for the same?

Examples of the Holy Spirit Overtly Empowering Believers in the Book of Acts (by Chapter):

  • 2 – “all filled with the Holy Spirit” (v.4): “divided tongues, as of fire…upon each of them” (2:3,11) | “filled with the Holy Spirit…Spirit gave them utterance” (2:4) | “prophesy…visions…dreams” (2:11) | “testified and exhorted…three thousands souls…added” (2:40-41)
  • 3 – “rise up and walk” (v.6) – lame man healed
  • 4 – “Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit” (v.8) | prayed for boldness, healing, signs and wonders (vv.29-30) | “shaken…all filled with the Holy Spirit” (v.31) | “spoke the word of God with boldness” (v.31) | ”great power” (v.33)
  • 5 – Peter knows and prophesies by Spirit (v.3,9) | ”many signs and wonders” (v.12) | ”sick people…unclean spirits…all healed” (v.16) | Holy Spirit bears witness with their message (v.32)
  • 6 – Deacons chosen by being “full of the Holy Spirit” (v.3,5) | ”Stephen, full of…power, did great wonders and signs” (v.8)
  • 7 – “[Stephen] full of the Holy Spirit” (v.55)
  • 8 – Philip did miracles (v.6) | ”unclean spirits…came out of many” (v.7) | ”many who were paralyzed and lame were healed” (v.7) | ”miracles and signs” (v.13) | Holy Spirit falls on Samaria after prayer and laying hands (vv.15-18) | ”power…gift of God” (vv.19-20) | ”angel…spoke to Philip” (v.26) | ”Spirit said to Philip…” (v.29) | ”Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away” (v.39)
  • 9 – “The Lord said in a vision [to Ananias]” (v.10) | ”in a vision he [Paul] has seen a man” (v.12) | Paul was healed and filled with Spirit through Ananias (v.17) | Peter healed paralytic and all in town turned to God (vv.34-35) | Peter resurrected Tabitha and many believed (vv.40-42)
  • 10 – “vision…angel of God” (v.3) | ”[Peter had] trance…saw heaven opened..a voice…vision” (vv.10-17) | ”Spirit said…” (vv.19-20) | ”Holy Spirit fell…poured out…tongues and magnify God” (vv.44-47; cf. 11:15-16)
  • 11 – “[Barnabas] full of the Holy Spirit” (v.24) | Agabus (among Jerusalem prophets) prophesied famine (vv.27-28)
  • 12 – Angel broke Peter out of prison (v.7) | ”gate…opened…of its own accord” (v.10) | Angel struck Herod, and he was eaten by worms and died (v.23)
  • 13 – “the Holy Spirit said…” (v.2) | ”sent out by the Holy Spirit” (v.4) | ”[Paul] filled with the Holy Spirit” (v.9) | Paul prophesied and witnessed blindness on Elymas (v.11) | ”the disciples [of the city] were filled…with the Holy Spirit” (v.52)
  • 14 – “the Lord…was bearing witness…granting signs and wonders” (v.3) | Cripple was healed through Paul (vv.8-10)
  • 15 – Holy Spirit confirmed their thoughts (v.28) | ”Judas and Silas…prophets” (v.32)
  • 16 – “forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach” (vv.6-7) | ”vision appeared to Paul” (v.9) | Paul cast out demonic spirit (v.18)
  • 18 – “the Lord spoke…by a vision” (v.9)
  • 19 – “receive the Holy Spirit” (v.2) | ”Holy Spirit came upon them…tongues and prophesied” (v.6) | ”unusual miracles by the hands of Paul” (v.11) | ”diseases left…evil spirits went out” (v.12) | 
  • 20 – Paul used to resurrect a man (vv.9-12) | ”Holy Spirit testifies…chains and tribulations await me” (v.23)
  • 21 – “told Paul through the Spirit” (v.4) | ”four virgin daughters who prophesied” (v.9) | ”[Agabus, a prophet] said, ‘Thus says the Holy Spirit…” (vv.10-11)
  • 22 – “trance…saw Him [Christ] saying…” (vv.17-21)
  • 23 – “the Lord stood by him and said…” (v.11)
  • 27 – “there stood by me…an angel…saying [prophecy]” (vv.23-24)
  • 28 – “laid his hands…healed” (v.8) | ”the rest…who had diseases…were healed” (v.9)