SERVICES GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus; and great grace was upon them all.Acts 4:33

 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.8 to one is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spiritto another gifts of healings by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits,to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and still another interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and He gives to each one, just as He determines. 1 Corinthians12:7,12

 What then shall we say brothers? When you come together everyone has a hymm or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue,or a interpation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church. 1 Corinthians 14: 26

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 Gods people for works of service so that the body of Christ may be built up. Ephesians 4:11

 If a mans gift is prophesying let him use it in proportion to his faith. If is is serving let him serve, if it is teaching let him teach, if it is encouraging let him encourage, if it is contributing to the needs of others let him contribute generously, if it is leadership let him govern diligently, if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. Romans 12:7-9

For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance Romans 11:29

GIFTS FOR THE LAST DAYS

by Thomas J. Grace

We must begin with a look at the first large movement of the Holy Spirit when 120 people were filled with the Holy Spirit and received a new gift speaking in tongues. Acts 2:1-6 tells us of the gathering of the apostles and others including Mary the mother of Jesus and His brothers to fast and pray and wait for what Jesus had told them Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power after that the Holy Spirit come upon you and you shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the earth. Jesus tells us this is for service not merely a blessing to make us feel better about losing Him on earth.Acts 2:4 tells us they were all filled with the Holy Spirit men and women spoke with tongues a demonstration of a new gift showing the power of God to use new methods in a new church and to begin a new evangelistic ministry to the whole world.Some might claim Jesus never spoke in tongues, Moses never spoke in tongues, in Acts 2:13 we quickly see some in the crowd already mocking them as they claim These men are full of new wine. Unbelievers are always quick to attack even today we see those who use Gods gifts in service are mocked and the greater  the gift and gift use mocking becomes harassment and persecution. Even in the church today the gifts and the power of God are denied 2 Timothy 3:5 Having a form of Godliness but denying the power thereof; from such turn away. Others may tell you of the gifts were in use for the development of the first century church and came to a end when John the last apostle to die past away. I do not see any time expired notices in the scripture. I do not hear anyone claim salvation was only for the first century this would put them out of business. During the time of the book of acts we see the Holy Spirit as the leader of the church speaking through many people to tell the direction the church will take. Many church leaders will not submit to any other voice but there own. Lets not be as the church in Laodicea  as Jesus spoke to them and said I know your deeds that you are neither cold or hot. I wish you were either one or the other. Revelation 3:14,15  

     When Jesus spoke to the lawyers He said Luke 11:52 Woe unto you lawyers, for you have taken away the key of knowledge: you entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in you hindered. As many will hear these words spoken to them as they deny the works and gifts of the Holy Spirit, or as Gamaliel said Acts 5:38,39 And now I say unto you, refrain from these men, and leave them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men it will come to naught. But if it be of God, we can not overthrow it; lest haply we be found even to fight against God. I have often found Gamaliels advice wise and helpful I certainly hope he did one day discover Christ as his Savior. A former student named Saul Acts 22:3 Under Gamaliel I was thoroughly trained in the law of our fathers Paul might have visited his former teacher and led him to believe in Christ. To those confused, uncertain, and waiting and praying for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit I will share my first experiences.       

      I did accept Jesus Christ as my personal Savior and was filled with the Holy Spirit at the same time, but did not speak in tongues for several months. I and my wife Cathy attended one prayer meeting at the home of a friend, we were told the message of Christ salvation and we did both pray to have Christ as our Savior that night. Only God could change the heart and mind of a person so quickly in one night at one meeting. In the first two weeks after being saved I read the entire New Testament and learned who Christ was and is today, God had immediatedly given a great need to learn His word and to trust the Holy Spirit as my teacher. This annointing has never failed as I have read the Bible many times and always love and learn from it, it is always fresh and reveals something new to me.

      My prayer life changed it became Spirit led and Spirit filled with praise and worship. Evangelism became a focus of our lives to tell others about our Savior and to lead them to Christ was a strong Spirit filled ministry in our lives. These are all Spirit filled action and changes you have also experienced in your life as you are waiting for the gifts of the Spirit in your life. Do we believe the words of Christ Matthew 28:20 And surely I am with you always to the very end of the age. or do we believe the gifts and the working of the Holy Spirit has ceased. This is the same false teaching that will tell you you dont need a savior and that God does not exist.      In the final days when satans power will be stronger than ever in the world do we believe God would remove His gifts and weaken us to satans power. No at thses times the gifts will be our only support against the enemy. When churches are closed pastors have disappeared and there are no Bibles our prayer life and spiritual gifts will be there to affirm our relationship with God and our Savior Jesus Christ. The gifts of disernment of spirits, word of knowledge, and word of wisdom will be vital in protecting us from the enemy. They will provide us with information from God no longer available by any other means to teach us and warn us of satans activities. They  will also tell us of others who still need to hear the message of salvation before the final end comes. The gift of healing will be necessary because Christians without the mark of the beast 666 will not be allowed to be treated by doctors or hospitals. The gifts of prophecy, tongues, and interpation of tongues will be our system of worship and hearing from God in a language satan can not understand on a spiritual network the enemy does not have access to. Certainly the gift of faith will not be removed or no one would believe not then in the last days or now without the gift of faith I would not be writing this now. 1John 4:4 You dear children are from God, and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. We will not be vacated in the last days and even as satan grows strong in the world he will never be greater than the one who is in you. Surely these are not the words of God that will leave us powerless and alone during these final moments before the return of Christ. He will return to take with Him strong faithful believers not to rescue those who have been destroyed by satan.      

      In the last days we see the words of Christ as He told us of the events to take place before His Return, and the book of Revelation, and many other scriptures in both the new and old testaments. These scriptures will show us the signs of the times and what is to come, but this knowledge will be useless to us as it is known and useless to many non believers, as it was to the Pharisees who met with Jesus, without the work and gifts of the Holy Spirit to interperet Gods message for us. The Spirit will be our guide, teacher ,comforter and counselor in these times of peril I do not believe Christ will leave us without the help we will need to overcome the evil one. You have asked Jesus Christ to be your personal Savior and Lord of your life, He has forgiven all your sins,and called you His brother or sister, now allow the work Christ intended to be in you to begin. Ask for the gift of the Father Acts 1:4 wait for the gift of My Father The Holy Spirit and the gifts God has provided for your life. Just as you believed God would give you His own Son as your Savior now trust Him also to give you the Holy Spirit to be with you forever.    

     Just as we wait for the return of Christ fully certain this will take place in our lifetime and we believe there will be a great revival soon to make the harvest a great moment for all who will believe let us have the same faith for the gifts to be active in our lives. Allow yourself to trust Jesus as the father of the boy with a demon posessed son asked Christ Mark 9: 24 I do believe help me overcome my unbelief. Christians suffer from unbelief we must trust God for all it says in scripture. Jesus as he sent out the twelve or seventy two did not tell them follow the formula do only as you saw me do, speak and pray only as you heard me pray. Jesus said John 14:12 He will do even greater things because I go to the Father. and John 16:7 It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away the comforter will not come to you.  To have someone like Jesus and be able to do greater works than Him would require supernatural power form God which was one of the reasons Christ choose to die for us. Lets not deny one of the causes of Christ sacrifice and His will for us to be filled with the Holy Spirit with His power and gifts. Certainly as Christ lived with man He saw that we would not go on without further help just as the apostles were unable to minister until the day of Pentecost let your life be changed also.

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CHRIST LOVES YOU. AMEN. COME LORD JESUS