The Gifts Of The Holy Spirit: The Gift Of Prophecy

The Gifts Of The Holy Spirit

The Gift Of Prophecy

Inspiration by The Spirit which Unravels and Interprets the Divine Will and Purpose of God

Prophecy edifies (builds) the Church more than speaking in “new tongues” would—which is ‘unknown language’.  Prophecy is the inspiration by The Spirit which unravels, preaches and interprets the divine Will and Purpose of GOD

“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.”

1 Corinthians. 14:5 NIV

Prophecy is given for edification, exhortation, and comfort which is Peace.

Prophecy is a gift, as well one of the ministries in the Church of Christ

It was He who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of The Son Of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Eph 4:11-13 NIV

The Lord has entrusted Himself to the prophets to the degree that He will do “nothing unless He reveals His secret counsel to His servants the prophets” (see Amos 3:7).

A true prophet is the spokesman of God, not the spokesman of the Church. Prophets are given for the equipping of the Church, not to speak for her. Prophetic insight interprets the divine Will and Purpose of God.

The prophet is like the nervous system, which carries signals from the brain to the rest of the body. Although its primary function is to represent the head and connect it to the rest of the body, the nervous system also carries some signals (such as pain) from the body back to the brain. The prophet, likewise, must stand in the place of both messenger and intercessor.

Not everyone is a prophet, but all may prophesy.

Some prophets in the Bible received revelation primarily through visions, others through dreams, others by The Word of The Lord, others by discerning His Purposes in current events, others through the Scriptures, and yet others in trances. Some were caught up into Heaven so that they were not just seeing a vision—they were actually there. Some received revelations from angels and others directly from The Lord. He may speak to us one way now and the next time speak to us in an entirely different manner. He does not do this to confuse us, but to keep us seeking Him and dependent on Him.

“…For the Testimony of Jesus is The Spirit Of Prophecy” Revelation 19:10

All true prophecy is His Testimony. It comes from Him and draws us to Him. It is what He is saying to His Church. Jesus has manifested Himself in different ways—He is a Lion, and He is also a Lamb. He came as The Prince Of Peace, and yet he said He came to bring a sword (see Matthew 10:34). These aspects of His nature do not contradict; they complement each other and give us a more complete revelation of Him.

False prophets minister in the spirit of “the accuser of our brethren” (see Rev.12:10), while the true prophets minister in The Spirit Of Jesus, Who ever lives to make intercession for us (see Heb.7:25). 

The Gifts Of The Holy Spirit: Interpretation Of Tongues

The Gifts Of The Holy Spirit

Interpretation Of Tongues

The Ability to Give the Meaning in Ordinary Language of What is Spoken by the “Gift Of Tongues”.

...and to still another the interpretation of tongues.

1 Corinthians 12:10c NIV

Just like a person may be able to speak in tongues unknown to him, so another may be able to interpret languages he never learned.

A tongue can be interpreted which might be used by a "prophet" in communication.

If anyone speaks in a tongue, two — or at the most three — should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret.

1 Cor. 14:27NIV

The Gifts Of The Holy Spirit: The Gift Of Tongues

The Gifts Of The Holy Spirit

The Gift Of Tongues

A sign to the Unbeliever

The gift of tongues is a sign to the unbeliever.

“Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers

but for unbelievers...”

I Cor. 14:22a

Concerning The Descent of The Holy Spirit upon the disciples at Pentecost, the Bible records:

“All of them were filled with The Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as The Spirit enabled them.

Acts 2:4 NIV

The Spirit Of God diffused throughout their souls and enabled them as He gave them clear and loud expression—in each tongue appropriate words.

The Holy Spirit took control of everyone in the upper room.

What manner of speech did they utter?

The Bible says they spoke other languages (foreign languages, divers tongues). Each of them uttered the native language of people of other nations (see verse 6-11). By this, they indeed declared the wonders of God (v.11).

As a result of this sign about 3,000 people received The Lord Jesus Christ and were baptized on the same day.

While the event of Acts 2 speaks of the sign of other tongues;  which is a declaration of the wonders of GOD in the languages of men, the event of Acts 10 demonstrates signs of the new tongue (Heavenly language). The Gentiles who received The Holy Spirit spoke in ‘unknown tongues’ (languages)—extolling and magnifying GOD.

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.

Then Peter said, "Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received The Holy Spirit just as we have." (Acts 10:44-47 NIV).

New tongues means new languages. And these new tongues are distinct from speech to speech; expression to expression and from sound to sound.

They are attesting signs—they serve as evidence of our Heavenly citizenship.

New tongues declare the wonders of GOD in Heavenly language. Speaking in new tongues is one of the signs of true believers (see Mark 16:17).

Our Heavenly language—like the stars, show forth knowledge. They tell of God's invisible qualities—His eternal Power and divine nature.

During Paul's third missionary journey, he laid his hands on some new converts and The Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied (Acts 19:6). That was the “new tongues”.

The Gifts Of The Holy Spirit: Discerning of spirits

The Gifts Of The Holy Spirit

 Discerning of spirits

Ability to Detect The Source Of A Manifestation

This is the ability by the help of The Spirit to detect the source of a manifestation.

By the application of this gift Peter detected the spirit of envy in the man called Simon, who offered money to buy the Power and gift of The Spirit (Acts 8:18-23).

And even when a slave girl having a spirit of divination exclaimed that Paul and Silas were truly servants of The Most High God, who preach the Gospel of Salvation, Paul discerned the foul spirit in her and commanded it:

   "In The Name Of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!" At that moment the spirit left her (Acts 16:16-18).

The damsel was possessed with a spirit of python (or of Apollo) by which she brought her masters much gain by soothsaying. She said: “These men are the servants of The Most High God, which shew unto us the way of Salvation” (v.17 KJV).

Though astonishing as it seems, how such a testimony could be given in such a case; every syllable of it true, and at the same time full, clear, and distinct.

But take note the deep manipulative design and artifice of this evil spirit:

It well knew that the Jewish law abhorred all magic, incantations, magical rites, and dealings with familiar spirits; it therefore bore what was in itself a true testimony to the apostles, that by it may destroy their credit, and ruin their usefulness.

In the first manipulative design, the Jews, by this testimony, would be deceived at once to believe that the apostles were in compact with these demons, and that the miracles they performed were done by the agency of these wicked spirits, and that the whole was the effect of magic; and this, of course, would harden their hearts against the preaching of the Gospel.

The second manipulative design. The Gentiles, finding that their own demon bore testimony to the apostles, would naturally consider that the whole was one system; that they had nothing to learn, nothing to correct; and thus the preaching of the apostles must be useless to them. In such a predicament as this, nothing could have saved the credit of the apostles but their dispossessing this woman of her familiar spirit, and that in the most incontestable manner; for what could have saved the credit of Moses and Aaron, when the magicians of Egypt turned their rods into serpents, had not Aaron's rod devoured theirs? And what could have saved the credit of these apostles but the casting out of this spirit of divination, with which, otherwise, both Jews and Gentiles would have believed them all to be in compact. 

The Gifts Of The Holy Spirit: Word Of Knowledge

The Gifts Of The Holy Spirit

Word Of Knowledge

Specific Information Concerning A Need

A Word of Knowledge comes as specific information concerning a need.  This is a sudden burden felt in the heart.

The Bible tells us that we are created in the image of God; after His likeness. Mankind is similitude to God His Maker. Similitude may be described as impression, inner witness, mental quickening.

A “Word of Knowledge” given by The Spirit to a child of God makes an impression, and creates that mental quickening in the believer. It is presented to us as inner witness—which gives us confidence and assurance about what God is saying at the present moment.

What is given to us by The Holy Spirit is His divine manifestation which is the evidence, the spiritual illumination of The Spirit for good and for profit.

Prayer activates this gift. Also, worship and stillness operates the gift of word of knowledge.

Peter declared the fate of Ananias and Sapphira by the gift of word of knowledge (Acts 5:1-11).

The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children (Rom. 8:16 NIV).

That is Word of Knowledge from The Spirit.

The Gifts Of The Holy Spirit: Word Of Wisdom

The Gifts Of The Holy Spirit

Word Of Wisdom

Supernatural Application Of Knowledge

Word of Wisdom is the supernatural application of knowledge.

The gift of word of wisdom is often needed in application of all the gifts of The Spirit. It’s never in operation by a human will, but is a supernatural impartation by The Spirit.

When satan the tempter tempted Jesus, after His 40 days fast, He overcame him with the Word of Wisdom (read Matt.4:1-11).

When the Pharisees questioned Jesus about paying tribute to Caesar, He answered with the Word of Wisdom (Matt. 22:15-22).

When Paul was summoned before the council of the high priest, the Sadducees and the Pharisees in Jerusalem, He countered their confrontation with word of wisdom (Acts 23:6-10).

This gift of word of wisdom comes from The Spirit Of Wisdom And Revelation (Eph. 1:17).

The Gifts Of The Holy Spirit

The Gifts Of The Holy Spirit

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

The gifts of The Spirit are for our maturity—the maturity of the Church.

If we have not matured in our knowledge and use of the true gifts, we will be found tragically unprepared for the great confrontation of these last days. Those who have not matured in the use of true spiritual gifts will become increasingly subject to the false ones.

The gifts of The Spirit demonstrate the Power of God in us, and by this the Church is edified, enabled and helped.

The gifts of The Spirit are divided into 3 different categories: revelation, vocal and power. Each of the 9 gifts is under one category.

REVELATION   

Word Of Wisdom

Word Of Knowledge             

Discerning of spirits

 VOCAL     

Tongues

Interpretaion

Prophecy             

POWER

Faith

Healing

Miracles

Do not forget your Creator!

Don't let the excitement of being young cause you to forget about your Creator. Honor Him in your youth before the evil years come-when you'll no longer enjoy living.

                                                                                    Eccl 12:1-2 TLB

The Fear of The LORD is Wisdom

And He said to man,

'The fear of The Lord — that is wisdom,

and to shun evil is understanding.'"

Job 28:28 NIV

The Fear of The Lord Leads to Good Understanding

The fear of The Lord is the beginning of wisdom;

all who follow His precepts have good understanding.

To Him belongs eternal praise.

Psalm 111:10 NIV

The Fear Of The LORD

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,

and knowledge of The Holy One is understanding.

Proverbs 9:10 NIV

The LORD Is Near

The Lord is near to all who call on Him,

to all who call on Him in truth.

Ps 145:18 NIV

WHO THE HOLY SPIRIT IS PART 3

WHO THE HOLY SPIRIT IS

PART 3

Without The Holy Spirit it is impossible to approach The Father. Paul declares, “For through Him we both have access by One Spirit to The Father” (Eph.2:18).

Through whom?

Through Jesus, both Jew and Gentile can approach God by The Holy Spirit.

He is waiting to begin a relationship with you that will change your life forever. But it’s up to you to extend the invitation.

The moment you confess the death, burial, and the resurrection of Christ you have passed the test of The Spirit. The Scripture says, “By this you know The Spirit Of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not from God” (I John 4:2-3). Verse 6 says, “By this we know The Spirit Of Truth and the spirit of error”.

Those who love Him know His Presence.

The Spirit deserves our worship.

In the Old Testament, Moses could go to The Father. In the New Testament, the disciples could talk to The Son. But when you and I have a need. Where should we turn?

To The Holy Spirit. He is a Person, and He is waiting right now for you to welcome Him into your life. By seeking His Presence you will discover the secret of the great men and women of GOD.

Paul told us to walk in The Spirit, live in The Spirit, and pray in The Spirit. Peter and Philip spoke to Him. And so did Christ.

Ask of The LORD to see His Presence more clearly and to hear His Voice more distinctly.

Read:
PART 1

PART 2

Wounded for our transgressions…bruised for our iniquities…

      Wounded for our transgressions…

                     bruised for our iniquities…

My precious Lord and Master was crucified on the cross of Calvary, atop Golgotha’s hill. The sharp spikes ripped at the flesh of His palms and ankles as He hung there weak and limp. The Roman soldier’s spear opened a gaping wound in His side, and streams of blood and water flowed. Blood coursed down His face from the crown of thorns they had pushed onto His head.

There was a puddle of blood at the foot of the cross, and the people stepped into His blood as they clambered, trying to get His seamless robe.

The sky overhead was lead gray, and lightning flashed in the distance. He cried to The Father:

"Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?"

Matt 27:46 KJV

The people mocked Him, spit at Him and cursed Him. They were having a fiendish party at my Master’s expense.

His mother Mary bowed near the cross, her body trembling and tears forming rivers on her face. She had to watch her naked Son, the One she loved so much, being tortured and killed in front of her and there was nothing she could do to stop it. Jesus could have called 10, 000 angels to come to His assistance, but instead He chose to accept the cruel, shameful death of crucifixion so that we could find the path of Life.

Our Lord was suspended on the cruel cross, between Heaven and hell, so that we would have eternal Life. He never sinned, and yet He willingly took all of our sin upon Him. What a wonderful Savior He is!

The scars on His hands and feet are real. They are the marks of horrendous suffering and anguish He experienced for you and me.

But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed.

Isa 53:5 KJV

GOD’S SPIRIT MESSENGERS Part 2

GOD’S SPIRIT MESSENGERS

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Part 2

The term archangel occurs only in Jude and I Thessalonians (4:15) but Paul has furnished us with two other lists of names of the heavenly archangels. He tells us in Ephesians that Christ is raised up "above all principality, and power, and virtue, and dominion"; and, writing to the (Colossians 1:16), he says: "In Him were all things created in Heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominations, or principalities or powers."

The archangels are acknowledged as “chief princes” (see Dan.10:12-14).

Angels in the Old and New Testaments played very important roles for God’s Kingdom, the saints of God, and for the entire humanity.

The visits and messages of angels in the Old Testament have been by no means rare; but when we come to the New Testament their names appear on every page and the number of references to them equals those in the Old Testament.

From the use of the word host (sabaoth) as a synonym for the heavenly army it is hard to resist the impression that the term "Lord Of Hosts" refers to God’s Supreme Command of the angelic multitude

Jesus describes the life of the angels in Heaven (Matthew 22:30; Luke 20:36).  He expressed how they form a bodyguard round Him and at a word from Him would avenge Him on His enemies (Matthew 26:53);

More than once He speaks of them as auxiliaries and witnesses at the final judgment (Matthew 16:27); and lastly, they are the joyous witnesses of His triumphant resurrection.

It is the privilege of the messenger angels to announce to Zachary and Mary the dawn of Redemption, and to the shepherds its actual accomplishment. 

The seraphim appear only in the vision of Isaiah 6:6-7

Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:

And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.

God’s spirit messengers converse with His prophets; with David and Elijah, with Daniel, Zachariah, et cetera; they slay the hosts camped against Israel, they serve as guides to God’s servants.

The prophet of the last book of the Old Testament, Malachi, bears a name of peculiar significance; "the Angel of Jehovah."

His name recalls the old-time glories of The LORD in Exodus and Sinai. 

GOD’S SPIRIT MESSENGERS Part1

GOD’S SPIRIT MESSENGERS

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Part 1

Angels are spirit-messengers of God.

Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?

Heb 1:14 KJV

Angels are sent to serve us and also they are sent to minister for us. They are spirit-messengers sent out to help and care for us. The angels of Heaven are constantly active in the service of God for the assistance of the saints.

They, equally with man, are created beings;

Praise Him, all His angels,

praise Him, all His heavenly hosts.

Let them praise The Name Of The Lord,

for He commanded and they were created.

Ps 148:2, 5 NIV

For by Him all things were created: things in Heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him.

Col 1:16-17 NIV

The Bible discloses to us: the offices of the angels, the names assigned to angels, the divisions of the angelic choirs, the records of angelic appearances, the distinct differences between good and evil spirits, and many more.

These glimpses of life beyond the veil are occasional. The angels of the Bible generally appear in the role of God’s messengers to mankind. They are His instruments by whom He communicates His will to men, and in Jacob's vision they are depicted as ascending and descending the ladder which stretches from earth to Heaven.

Angels drew Lot out of Sodom; an angel announced to Gideon that he was to save his people; an angel foretells the birth of Samson, and the archangel Gabriel instructs Daniel.

These are just a few of the numerous angelic encounters recorded in the Scriptures.

Though Gabriel was not called an angel in either of these passages,  but "the man Gabriel".

Gabriel came to Daniel in a vision in the likeness of a man, as we read in Daniel 8:16 and later, in chapter 9, came to him in swift flight in the evening to announce to him the significance of “the vision of seventy weeks” and the message of “The Messiah” (The Anointed One) — and to bestow on him insight and understanding.

While I was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel and making my request to The Lord my God for his holy hill— while I was still in prayer, Gabriel, the man I had seen in the earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice. He instructed me and said to me, "Daniel, I have now come to give you insight and understanding. As soon as you began to pray, an answer was given, which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed. Therefore, consider the message and understand the vision: "Seventy 'sevens' are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy.

 "Know and understand this: From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven 'sevens,' and sixty-two 'sevens.' It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble. After the sixty-two 'sevens,' the Anointed One will be cut off and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed. He will confirm a covenant with many for one 'seven.' In the middle of the 'seven' he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing [of the temple] he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him."

Dan 9:20-27 NIV

Such appearances of angels generally last only so long as the delivery of their message requires, but frequently their mission is prolonged and they are represented as the constituted guardians of the nations at some particular crisis, e.g. the case of Paul’s vision in Troas, of “the man of Macedonia” (Acts 16:9). “The man of Macedonia” is the guardian angel of that country.

But in the case of Israel and the armies of Egypt during the Exodus, The LORD Himself—“The Angel Of The LORD”, acted in a form of pillar of cloud and fire in favor and defense of the children of Israel (Exodus 14:19).

Stephen's face is said to have looked "like the face of an angel" as he stood before the Sanhedrin (Acts 6:15).

In “the parable of the lost sheep” Jesus said:

"See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in Heaven always see the face of my Father in Heaven.

Matthew 18:10 NIV

The angels of God in Heaven rejoice when a sinner becomes born again (Luke 15:7).

Prophet Ezekiel in Babylon had a marvelous vision of the cherubs (the four living creatures) where they are described at great length (Ezekiel 1).

Angels of God are instructed to watch over God’s children.