The Holy Who Part IV

A few weeks ago, we started a new series where we are looking at the importance of the “Person, Presence and Power of the Holy Spirit!  Perhaps you may have never been taught about the person of the Holy Spirit.  It is my desire to be able to clarify not only the importance of the Holy Spirit to us, but the purpose for God sending us his Holy Spirit.  The Father gives us the Holy Spirit so we can become more like Jesus.  Apart from the Holy Spirit, we are powerless to be like him.  Someone who sees God’s Spirit as just an influence or supreme power will constantly say, “I want more of the Spirit.”  On the contrary, someone who sees the Holy Spirit as a wonderful gentle loving person will say, “How can I give more of myself to Him?”  How do you see the Holy Spirit?    

We also looked at some of the characteristics of the Holy Spirit and how that the Holy Spirit is never possessive but only empowers and controls that which is submitted to Him.  

Two weeks ago, we began to look at the Gifts of the Holy Spirit taken from 1 Corinthians 12:1 – 11. The purpose of a spiritual gift is to glorify Jesus and to help people!  The Holy Spirit at work through us will always glorify Jesus and help people.  

-Wisdom: The Holy Spirit at work through us to hear and to speak wise counsel.  

- Knowledge: The Holy Spirit at work through us to know what is true.  

- Faith: The Holy Spirit at work through us to be full of faith in any situation.  

- Healings – The Holy Spirit at work through us to see people healed.  

- Miracles – (Power, ability," physical or moral, as residing in a person or thing;). The Holy Spirit working through us to perform a mighty act to divinely intervene into our human affairs.

- Prophecy - a discourse emanating from divine inspiration and declaring the purposes of God, whether by reproving and admonishing the wicked, or comforting the afflicted, or revealing things hidden; esp. by foretelling future events; the purpose of this gift is to edify, to comfort, and to encourage the believers, while its effect upon unbelievers was to show that the secrets of a man's heart are known to God, to convict of sin, and to constrain to worship.  

- Discernment – distinguishing: The Holy Spirit working through us to recognize what is influencing people.  (Ex: navigate through the storms of life – the radar in a plane navigates it through the dark clouds to make a landing at the right stop). 

This morning, I want us to take a look at the last two gifts mentioned in 1 Cor. 12:7 – 11; Tongues and the interpretation of tongues.  This is one of those areas that I believe is often misunderstood in Christianity.  Jesus spoke in Mark 16:17, 18 just before He ascended back to the Heavenly Father these words: “And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”  

• Concerning tongues, there are 2 Private expressions and 2 public expressions of tongues

• There are 4 distinct reasons for tongues

• A) Public – To communicate the gospel to unbelievers (Acts 2:4 – 8)

• B) Private – To strengthen oneself (I Cor. 14:4)

• C) Public – To strengthen fellow believers (I Cor. 14:5)

• D) Private – To personally communicate with God (I Cor. 14:14, 15)

God wants to communicate to you and desires to communicate through you to glorify His Son and to help and encourage people.  

Why do we sing songs like “Come to Holy Spirit” if He is already in us?  “We are simply confessing our need for God to be with us.”