Sermons

Proverbs 4:7
Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.
When Paul was praying for the church at Ephesus he said,
Ephesians 3:17-19
That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God.
We see the fullness of God is found in love.
1Corinthians 13:2
Paul said, Even if he had the gift of prophecy, and understood all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though he had all faith, without love he would be nothing.
As we study to learn more about the force of love, we begin to realize it isn’t us operating in love but love operating in us and through us. No addiction, weakness, sin or stronghold can stand or prevail where love has its perfect work.
1 John 4: 16-18
And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
God has provided in us the DNA of love. As we experience God’s love working in us to motivate, teach and empower us, it becomes more clear that the answer to every question and the solution to every problem was delivered through Christ’s death and resurrection over 2,000 years ago. Allowing the dynamic and powerful love of God to have voice in our soul eliminates all forms of darkness as his love is made perfect in us.
2 Timothy 1:7
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 & Ephesians 4:15
Cast down, bring into captivity and be ready. All these are done by speaking the truth in love, so we may grow up into him in all things.

We can know God up close and in person.

by Emily Wooten
Psalms 107:20-21
He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
John 3:16-17, 36
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believes on (Jesus) the Son hath everlasting life:
God offers every human the same opportunity, to believe he is and he is the rewarder of those who diligently seek him.
Hebrews 11:6 tells us that without faith or believing him it is impossible to please Him.
You may have seen or heard a human’s name. That does not mean you know that person. God is more than the God of the Old Testament or a name in a book. The same God who was God to Noah, Moses, Joseph, Daniel, and Adam wants to be God to you. The mighty things God did through these men is not the end of the story.
Psalms 23:4-6 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou prepares a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anoints my head with oil; my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
When the psalmist says God prepares a table or provision, he isn’t speaking for himself alone. These words are true for us as well. This world is the valley of the shadow of death but we don’t have cause to fear. Our love from and for God casts out fear and the story continues in us.
John 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear: because fear has torment. He that fears is not made perfect in love.
Psalms 145: 6-8 And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts: and I will declare thy greatness. They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness. The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.
If you believe Jesus as your savior, these scriptures are talking to you and about you. You can stop fear from finding a place in you because you have known him in love.

by Emily Wooten
Praise is how we eliminate wasteful behavior. Communicating with the creator who is all powerful, all knowing, all present God should be very illuminating. We don’t want to waste our time with him chanting vain repetitious phrases. We want our words with him to be an expression of love and adoration from our heart.
The Psalms are a good example of praise to God. Prayer is essential. How are we to know the heart of God if we fail to seek the heart of God? One way we seek his heart is in prayer.
In prayer we come to God acknowledging his excellence. Our words are not to impress others who may hear us. Our words are formed to exalt Jesus as Lord of Lords in our life. We praise God for his love, mercy and mighty works but it is based on our experience with him. Who is God to us?

Have you known God to be a faithful savior and provider?
Sometimes by faith we celebrate God for who he is in scripture. We see what he did for others and understand that God is our God. He is the same and does not change.
As we enter into prayer communicating with God it is good to talk to him about the things we see in scripture. We can ask for understanding and as we talk with God, and listen for his answers, he reveals his plan for us.
Sometimes our prayer becomes a confession to God as we choose to embrace who he is. When the Hebrew’s faced the Red Sea in front and Pharaoh’s army behind they were forced to make a decision to trust God. They were told to stand still and see the salvation of God. You and I were not there. We didn’t time travel and see the miracle as they walked through on dry land but we choose to believe God did and they did. The same way we choose to accept that scripture as truth we can choose to accept and claim other scriptures as our truth.
Philippians 4:19 we see where Paul proclaimed, “My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 that all scripture is given by inspiration of God and profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness so we can be furnished or prepared to all good works. Trusting the scripture we can believe if God said it to the early church, he also included us with the rest of the body of Christ. That is our instructions too. We can take his words in 2 Timothy 3 and ask him to supply all our needs, thank him for supplying all our needs and expect God will supply all our needs. That is how we begin to know him as our provider.

That is a term that was thrown around in church circles referring to a human who was given to prayer. Every Christian should be a prayer warrior and a praise promoter.

We have to count the cost of what we subject our mind to. Paul described our bodies as the temple of the Holy Spirit. He said it was our reasonable service to submit our bodies as a living sacrifice. The more we yield our members to fellowship with God through the Holy Spirit working in us, the more likely we are to see, experience and function in the gifts, manifestations and dispensations of Holy Spirit. It is God’s desire that we receive insight from Holy Spirit by a word of wisdom, word of knowledge, prophecy, gifts of healing, special faith, diversity of tongues, interpretation, working of miracles, and discerning of spirits. If we give God place, rejecting unfruitful behavior and recreation, we will experience God working in and through us mightily.

This is how we eliminate wasteful behavior. The Psalms are a good example of praise to God. If we look at Jesus’ example and see David’s examples, we understand that prayer is essential. We come to God acknowledging his excellence. Our words are not to impress others with our speaking. The words are formed to exalt Jesus as Lord of Lords. We praise God for his love, mercy and mighty works. The human who is entering in to pray should praise God with words from their experience. Who is God to you? That is the way you honor him and praise him with words that reflect the reality of God in your spirit.

We enter into prayer with praise. We continue as the Spirit of God leads us in asking our heavenly father for help. We start with those things the Holy Spirit brings to our thoughts. With every prayer we need to know what our request is. What we need from God can be discerned. The circumstances may not show us the root of the problem. Holy Spirit will show us how to ask God. If we have read scriptures, he will bring to our memory scriptures that confirm God’s desire to help us with our need. It is okay to ask God to help us see the source of the problem and how to pray effectual prayers. We were instructed to pray for those who are in authority over us. We should pray for our teachers, leaders, workers, and family. The wonderful truth is, Holy Spirit is eagerly waiting for us to enter into prayer so he can help!
John 14:12-14 Jesus told the disciples they would do the works he did. He said, “If you ask anything in my name, I will do it. In verse 16 he said, “I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another comforter, that he may abide with you forever. The Spirit of Truth is Holy Spirit.
In John 16:23-24 it is recorded where Jesus gave instructions how to pray after he left this earth. In that day you shall ask me nothing. Whatsoever you shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Until now you have asked nothing in my name: ask and you shall receive that your joy may be full. Verse 27: At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not to you that I will pray the Father for you: For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.
The dynamic changed when Jesus went to sit at the right hand of God. He showed us to ask our Father God, in Jesus’ name to receive anything from God.
Matthew 6:6 For the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.
Ephesians 5:20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
James 1:5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Ephesians 6:12 YLT We have not the wrestling with blood and flesh, but with the principalities, with the authorities, with the world-rulers of the darkness of this age, with the spiritual things of the evil in the heavenly places;
16-18 tells us to take the shield of faith, with which we will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. Take the helmet of salvation, sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God and pray always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, watching with all perseverance for all the saints.
1 Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
There is a method for fighting every temptation, addiction or battle. Jesus told us. Paul told us and they both showed us.
Humans labor in prayer, often saying the same thing over and over. It is not effective and hurts a person’s confidence. If they pray over and over again and don’t see manifestation of the thing for which they pray, it causes the individual to lose hope.
The human brain stores information to be pulled from as needed in the future. When a situation presents itself, the human brain will search through its memories for similar information to help in the decision-making process. Files, in the form of memories, from past movies the individual digested, books they read and conversations with friends are just a few of the ways a human form their opinions. The truth is, many times the humans’ ideas, opinions and stand is based on faulty information which may or may not be true.

God is not a man that he should lie. We can be certain that the bible will not represent God as a liar. When the human is faced with a trial, temptation or circumstance which requires action, the human will draw from the well of knowledge that human has stored. Every human has a set of data which has been saved like files in their brain. When an individual hears or reads something that challenges who God is, the human brain will check for verification. Their soul will access the information previously uploaded to their memory. Depending on the frequency with which the files are accessed, the human may not consider all the information. In 1962 the human may have heard someone read John 3:16. That scripture indicates that God loved the world so much that he gave his only son so those in the world could be saved. If 1962 is the last time the individual acknowledged that information, that human may access information that has been saved more recently. Perhaps the news broadcast reported that more Christians believe God is not merciful. The newspaper or a book might have described God as vindictive. A movie the human watched may have suggested that God doesn’t hear humans anymore. If these are the most recent unchallenged thoughts a human stored, they would not cause the human to automatically insist: God is righteous, merciful and loving.

This is where the battle of the mind is won or lost. The preparation a human does before they reach the battle is what helps them win or lose. During the human’s waking hours if they do not guard their mind, the enemy will suggest thoughts that work to destroy, steal and damage the human’s well-being.

John 10:10 recorded Jesus saying he came that we might have life and have it more abundantly. He also said that the thief has come to steal, kill and destroy. Peter recorded his words in 1st Peter 5:8. He said, “Our adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion walks about, seeking whom he may devour.

There is no place in this earth where the devil and humans can co-habitat without the devil attempting to destroy the human. The good news is, we are not subject to the tricks of the enemy. God has given us everything we need to overcome and successfully live a victorious life. Humans are required to daily feed their spirit. It is necessary in maintaining a healthy thought life. The more files human has which demonstrates lust, greed, drama, war, sickness and destruction, the more prone that human is to think those thoughts. That is why Paul wrote, in his letter to the church at Philippi, those things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

2 Corinthians 10:4-6 4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

If humans maintained these two references and did them every day, there would be no war in our mind. The enemy has already been defeated. All we have to do is apply what God left us in his word. Cast down thoughts that are against God and his way of doing things. Dwell on or meditate on the good things God has promised us. We can put it in our files that God said to prove him. He said, “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts.” If we file that in our memory, the devil will have no hope of telling us that God does not want us to prosper and be in health. If we choose to watch movies or read books or listen to news broadcast, that portray the humans as hurt, in danger, constantly in drama, then we will have drama. We draw to us what we consume. Jesus said if you lift me up, I will draw all men unto me.
God told us to acknowledge God in all our ways and he would direct our path. He did not tell us to speak about the mountain. He did not tell us to call everyone we know and explain in detail how horrible the situation could possibly get. He said to speak to the mountain.

Jesus said: “Have faith in God. For verily I say unto you, that whosoever shall say unto this mountain, be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith.” (Mark 11:22–23)
Matthew 18:19 -20 Jesus said, “Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

The problem is, well-meaning Christians will join their faith to confess the worse about a situation instead of binding the enemy and loosing the Holy Spirit. If humans would exercise their God-given right to stand firm together in faith instead of complaining, whining or confessing the worse they would see God work consistently for them. Unbelief exalts the problem. Faith exalts the solution and the way maker who is worthy!

Ephesians 4:11-12 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
1 Corinthians 12: And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
Romans 12:5-8 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.
Romans 11:29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.
1 Peter 4: 10-11 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever.
It has been said that whom God calls, he equips. There is a difference in God anointing a human to do the work of an apostle and an organization giving a human a license. Organizations, humans or administrations don’t call humans to ministry. Only Jesus Christ does that.
God created humans with gifts and talents. There is a difference in natural ability and an anointing. A human who is gifted as an apostle is a builder. They have an anointing to get and distribute resources. Today the modern day equivalent of an apostle would be a missionary. Missionaries are called to a variety of services within the scope of mission work. Whether the individual is called to their immediate neighborhood or around the world, there will be abilities and anointings that equip that human to that ministry work. There are different types or levels of apostles in the New Testament and there are different types of prophets as well. If an individual prophesies, that does not make them a prophet. In 2 Kings 2:7–10 the sons of prophets prophesied. It did not say they were prophets but sons of prophets.
Seeing a need and having a heart that wants to help is not a calling of God to that ministry. Every Christian is called to share the good news in every aspect of their life and in everything they do. That does not mean they will start a church or go to the mission field. It is important that we put our hand to that which God has ordained for us to do and not presume if there is a need we should be filling it.
“I’ve learned. God may lay something on our heart that he wants us to do. That doesn’t mean he wants us to do the whole thing by ourself. We can miss God by getting ahead of him. It is important to listen to the Spirit of God and only do that to which we are called. By overstepping we can cause others to miss their blessing. If God calls us to buy an entire bus, buy the bus. If he calls us to donate toward one seat on the bus, do that. More is not always better.”
A human may have the ability to play an instrument and sing. That human may have been trained professionally to perform using their skills. It would be helpful if a human who was gifted to be an evangelist knew how to sing and play an instrument. With or without learned skills, the human who is called to be an evangelist will display the characteristics of his anointing. Evangelists may experience all the gifts of the Spirit in operation from time to time. That does not mean an evangelist has a particular gift or gifts. Gifts of the Spirit are in operation as Holy Spirit chooses. Unlike the Apostle or missionary who settles for a while to establish a work, evangelists travel from location to location, preaching the good news with signs following. There is a hunger to preach. That individual will gravitate toward preaching everywhere they go in daily aspects of their life.
Mark 16:20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following.
While missionaries or apostles go, they also establish and build physical and spiritual works. Evangelists are not building churches as they go. They are igniting a spirit of urgency in the people they reach which effects a change in their community and adds to the church. They invoke a call to action compelling humans to accept God’s will for their lives. Paul was an apostle who started churches, traveled, taught, and set up works. Philip was referred to as an evangelist in Acts 21:8. He should not be confused with the Apostle Philip which was one of Jesus’ twelve apostles.
1 Timothy 3: 2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach. These are just a few of the characteristics of a pastor. Pastors nurture the body of Christ and teach them while overseeing the administration of the ministry of the church.
Teachers aren’t fiery orators. A teacher will submit line upon line, the truth in love. Teachers don’t travel setting up churches but they may visit a location to share a truth. Teachers, unlike evangelist who keep coming back to the central message of Jesus and him crucified will take a subject and research the aspects so they can deliver the who, what, when, where and how. They are gifted at dissecting the word, rightly dividing it as the Spirit reveals truth to them.
There are helps ministers who are vital to the body of Christ. Stephen in Acts 6 was described as full of faith and power, who did great wonders and miracles among the people. He was among those who were set forth to see to it the widows and orphans were fed and cared for. Those who are called to helps ministry should understand that they are as valuable to the body of Christ as any of the pulpit ministries. Ministry of helps includes but is not limited to service roles in the church. From greeters to the media teams the body of Christ is blessed to have good helps ministers. A church only needs one lead pastor. We need many helps ministers. While we have prophets today: humans who walk in the operation of a prophet, they are few and far between.

God’s nature doesn’t automatically appear in humans. While the spirit of a human has been born again and is a new creature, the human soul must be trained, or renewed.

Galatians 5:22-25 discusses the fruit of the Spirit operating in a human. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”

1Corinthians 13:1-2 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

We have to recognize God’s character in order to emulate it. When Paul wrote about the fruit of the Spirit, notice he said fruit, as one fruit not many fruits. The fruit of Holy Spirit operating in the human spirit produces many results. All those results are fruit. Earlier in that chapter, Paul was discussing the fruit of the flesh. They are envy, murder, hatred, and everything evil. The human, untrained flesh would produce fruit of an untrained soul. Paul wasn’t talking about the human skin or muscles. In Romans 12:2 Paul warns humans not to be conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of the mind, that we may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

In 1 Corinthians 13:11-13 Paul goes on to explain when he was a child, he spoke as a child, he understood as a child, and he thought as a child: but when he became a man, he put away childish things.

We don’t see the whole picture now; but then face to face: now we know in part; but then we will know even as we are known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. The word that was translated charity in that scripture is agapē The Greek word agapē in English might mean love, affection or good will. So love is our goal.

The manner in which the born again Christian conducts themself should be governed, managed and fueled by love. Faith, hope and love are forces that produce like fruit. Love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance are the fruit of a born again spirit reflecting God’s nature in a human.

In the Young’s Literal Translation 1 Corinthians 12:1 Paul wrote, “Concerning spiritual things, I do not wish you to be ignorant (untrained). King James version reads spiritual gifts instead of spiritual things but the words gifts nor things are in the original text. Thayer defines the word translated spiritual: relating to the human spirit, or rational soul, as part of the human which is akin to God and serves as his instrument or organ. Reading the YLT version helps to separate the spiritual in three categories: 12:4 And there are diversities of gifts; 5 and there are diversities of ministrations; 6 and there are diversities of workings or operations.
12:8-11 For to one is given by the Spirit word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another (divers)kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: but all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

Word of wisdom, word of knowledge and discerning of spirits deal with revelation. Word of wisdom reveals something from God’s insight that will happen in the future. Scripture doesn’t read words of wisdom or the gift of wisdom. It is word of wisdom.
In Isaiah 38 Hezekiah was warned by a word of wisdom through Isaiah. God showed Isaiah what would happen in the days to come and warned Hezekiah to get his house in order. Hezekiah repented, changing circumstances. Once again, God showed Isaiah what would happen. Hezekiah was healed and he lived because he repented as a result of being warned by a word of wisdom. In Acts 9, Paul was shown a vision of Ananias coming to minister to him. That was a word of wisdom in the form of a vision. Sometimes the thought comes. Other times it is seen in a vision or a dream. Either way, the human knows things by the Holy Spirit giving insight.
Ananias had a word of knowledge in the same opening Holy Spirit told him about a man named Paul who had been praying and saw a vision of him. Word of knowledge reveals things in the present or past. Ananias knew Paul was expecting him because Holy Spirit revealed Paul’s experience to Ananias.
In Acts 5 there was another man named Ananias. He and his wife Sapphira, conspired to hide back part of the sale of their property. All the money was theirs to hold or to give. They tried to lie to the Holy Spirit. Peter saw them through revelation by Holy Spirit and knew what they had done. Peter had a word of knowledge in this situation.

Discerning of spirits refers to a supernatural understanding or having insight to recognize or perceive the difference between angels, cherubim, demons, human spirits and others in the spirit realm as Holy Spirit reveals. Moses saw into the spirit realm when God allowed him to see God’s hinder parts. In 2 Kings 6:17 Elisha prayed and Jehovah opened the eyes of the young man and he saw the hill was full of horses and chariots of fire, round about Elisha. In Acts 16 Paul recognized the oppressive spirit in a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination and he cast it out. Joseph, Mary’s husband had a few visits from an angel. He perceived the angel in a dream when he was told to marry Mary. God gave him a word of knowledge when the angel told him, in a dream that Herod was looking for the child to kill him. God warned Joseph to take Mary and go to Egypt for a while which was a word of wisdom. Sometimes these gifts, manifestations and operations work together with more than one being experienced.

It was a miracle that God caused the donkey to see the angel and speak to the human Balaam in Numbers 22. God gave the donkey discernment and he spoke in a human language that Balaam could understand or less likely Balaam interpreted donkey. Then Balaam discerned the angel too.
Paul said we see as through a glass, darkly. We know in part and prophesy in part. He told us to pray for the understanding. Understanding things that are revealed to us can be easier, if we practice fellowshipping with Holy Spirit, daily. Praying, as the Spirit leads is one way to hone our senses. Learning how God communicated with others by seeing examples in the bible is another. In 1 John 4, we are told to try the spirits: whether they are of God. John was talking about learning to discern if someone was operating by the Holy Spirit or other spirits. Paul told us to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling in Philippians 4:12. It is true that the more we fellowship with God in his word and in prayer, the more acute become our senses.

The power gifts are: a special manifestation of faith; working of miracles (Greek Interlinear reads operations of powerful deeds) (Young’s Literal is in-workings of mighty deeds), and gifts of healings. The gift of faith receives miracles.
Holy Spirit can give us peace. Sometimes as an answer to prayer and sometimes it comes as a knowing or in a dream. It is as though a knowing was dropped in the human spirit.
There is no explanation for why or where. It isn’t regulated by humans. Deuteronomy 29:29 The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law. Philippians 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Isaiah 55 God tells us his ways are far above our ways and his thoughts above our thoughts. Scripture tells us that God reveals what he will to whom he wills. We have to be prepared to hear and see when he does. The gift of faith causes a human to know and believe as if they’ve already have experienced it, while the working of miracles, works miracles.
In the working of miracles, something is done which brings a miracle to pass. All miracles do not happen immediately. Some do. Exodus 14:21-27 is an example in the Old Testament of immediate working of miracles when the waters parted and came together again killing the enemy. In John 2:1-11 Jesus turned the water into wine. That was an immediate miracle. In Mark 8:23-25 Jesus led the blind man out of town. He spat on his hands and laid his hands on his eyes. Jesus asked the man if he saw anything. He saw men walking as trees. His vision was not clear. Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes again. His sight was restored. That miracle took a minute.

Healing, health and life belongs to every child of God. All healing is a gift from God and he has provided many ways to get health and life to his children. Gifts (plural) of healings (also plural in the Young’s Literal Version) sometimes operate through the laying on of hands or sometimes through cloths that have been anointed with oil. Restoration of healthy tissue over time could be gifts of healings in operation, where the immediate restructure, as a leg growing or immediate disappearance of a gorder, could be a miracle. In the Greek Interlinear Bible 1 Corinthians 12:9 reads grace-effects in health. Holy Spirit can operate as he pleases healing or helping maintain health. Miracles and graces or gifts of healings are orchestrated by Holy Spirit. God created the human body to heal itself. When a human gets a cut, the cells in the human body start a process to heal the wound. Even when an individual has gone to a healthcare professional and sought their help, it is appropriate to ask God to aide them. We ask God to give them wisdom, insight and courage. We can ask God to cause the medicine to function in cooperation with our cells to heal or maintain health. If a human has had surgery, it is appropriate to ask God for a speedy recovery with no complications or infection. Before the surgery the individual should ask God to give the surgeon and his team: skills beyond their training, insight, wisdom and witty inventions; pray for their rest the night before and resources that function to the perfection to which they were created.

Christians have an obligation as their reasonable service to eat appropriate food that fuels their body. Asking God to bless our food to the nourishment and strength of our body and our body to his service is not a cute little prayer. It is an act of war. We are submitting our bodies to God’s service, acknowledging him in all our ways and giving him place to cleanse our food for the health of our body.

It is God’s will that the human body be healthy. God will go a long way to help an individual who is trying. John said that we all receive grace over-against grace. As we try, we gain more grace to do.

What the gifts of healings are not, is a human with a gift of healing. No human has a gift that he or she works on demand. All the things in the spirit are subject to the Holy Spirit.

There are three utterance or inspirational gifts, graces or manifestations. These say something. Gift of prophecy is an anointing to speak forth and/or declare a message from the heart of God. There are different kinds of prophecy. Sometimes the message will be spoken forth in that person’s language. Other times prophecy comes through tongues and interpretation. The Holy Spirit uses a human to declare. All of the manifestations of the Spirit will edify the body of Christ and lift up or honor Jesus.

Diverse kinds of tongues include praying in a prayer language, speaking a message in other tongues and singing spiritual songs. A Baptist missionary gave his testimony. God had given him a vision in the 1950s of bibles he had translated into Hispanic versions: printing and distributing them to the Hispanic congregations in his community. At that time of the vision, there were no Hispanic communities in his area, and he did not read or speak any language but English. He and his wife were called to the mission field. His wife was fairly fluent in the Hispanic dialect of the people to which they had been sent. It was common for her husband to use an interpreter when he spoke to a congregation. One night while praying for the night’s service, he asked God for a miracle. He had been frustrated because he was unable to speak in the congregation’s language. God answered his prayer. That night when he stood up to preach, Holy Spirit filled his heart with Hispanic words for his message. The interpreter stood back. Under the anointing, the man did not realize it but he spoke in their language. After the service his interpreter told him he spoke succinct and eloquently. They were successful missionaries and later returned to the United States to build churches for the Hispanic people. At the time of his testimony, in 2010 he and his wife had built five churches in the Hispanic communities in their area and published many copies of Hispanic bibles. This was an example, like the day of Pentecost, where the people spoke the languages of their audience.

Interpretation of tongues is when an individual speaks in an unrecognized tongue, and a human who has not been trained in that language, interprets the words, by the Spirit, in a language the hearers recognize.
Unknown or unrecognized tongue refers to a language. If English is your preferred language, it is possible you would not recognize words spoken in French. If a message from Holy Spirit was given in French and you interpreted the message spoken, that would be interpretation of tongues. In addition to known languages that may be foreign to another human, there are ancient languages not understood by current linguistics.

Paul explains that every member of the body of Christ has a part, portion or function. In 12:28 he describes some of the types of ministries of the Spirit.
• Apostle: a delegate, messenger, one sent forth with orders; missionaries not only take the good news to humans, they build physical and spiritual churches; are anointed to gather resources and people to help.
• Prophets: interpreter of oracles or of other hidden things; one moved by the Spirit of God as his spokesman; Men and women who share from the heart of God; reveal the scriptures and bring greater understanding.
• Teachers: one who teaches concerning the things of God; teachers are given to research and line upon line study of a subject; talented i illustration verbally and written.
• Miracles: power to perform miracles; evangelist often operate under the anointing with signs following.
• Gifts of Healings: to heal; to make whole
• Helps: anointed to help, labor, resources and more; without the helps ministry there would be no churches. From the individual who runs the media ministry to those on the team of greeters, the church needs humans who are gifted to come along side and help wherever they are needed.
• Governments: to steer, pilot, direct, facilitate; pastors are gifted teachers who also manage the day-to-day practices of individual churches in the body of Christ. They are shepherds not cowhands. Shepherds lead the sheep.
• Diversity of Tongues: Kinds of speech; diverse languages or dialects from other nations
1 Corinthians 12;31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet show I unto you a more excellent way. “If I speak with the tongues of men and angels and have not love, I am become as sounding brass or tinkling cymbal. Paul continues to illustrate the importance of operating out of love in 1 Corinthians 13. Love should be the motive and facilitator of everything we do. We need to learn to read the scriptures, the way they were written, as letters. It is a mistake to stop the thought in chapter 12 and not continue his teaching in chapter 13. Paul continues in chapter 14 explaining that we follow after love and desire spiritual gifts. He said if it is between tongues and interpretation or prophecy, we should desire prophecy. If one speaks in an unrecognized tongue they should pray for the interpretation. All tongues or languages are not for the edifying of the church. Sometimes it is a prayer language. By experience we learn which.
What would the best gifts be? The gift needed at the moment could be considered, “The Best Gift.” If a human needed a gift of healing, would a word of wisdom do what was needed? If a human needed insight in the future, would a gift of healing be the answer? Every member of the body of Christ and every spiritual favor is necessary.

Holy Spirit is the third member of the Godhead. He is not an it. His name is Holy Spirit. In Genesis 1:2 In creation when God spoke, it was Holy Spirit that moved on the face of the waters.
Luke 1:35 tells us that the angel explained to Mary, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.”
Matthew 3:13-17 Jesus came to John Baptist to be baptized by him. After John had baptized him, Jesus came out of the water and the heavens opened. He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting upon Jesus. A voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
1 Corinthians 13: 14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen.
Matthew 28:19 Jesus told them to teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.
John 14:16-17 Jesus said, I will ask the Father, and he will give you another comforter to help you and be with you forever–the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.
2 Corinthians 1:21-22 Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.
Jesus told them I will send the promise of my Father upon you: waith in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high. (Luke 24:49)
Acts 1:5 Jesus told them John baptized with water; but they would be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. Verse 8 he continued, you shall receive power, after the Holy Ghost is come on you;
Acts 2 tells the account of Holy Spirit filling all who were in the upper room and giving them power to speak with other tongues so that all who were in Jerusalem heard them speak in their own languages.
God has prophesied through Joel in Joel 2:28-29 he would pour out his Spirit on all flesh. In Acts 2 it is recorded where that prophecy was fulfilled. Verse 33 speaking of Jesus, after his resurrection, was exhalted and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, shared it with them and they saw the results.
We see from these scriptures that Holy Spirit is God working through humans now. When scripture speaks of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, it is for the enduement of power to be witnesses. Jude spoke about praying in the Holy Ghost to build up their most holy faith.
Paul said, “Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret. For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful. What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.”

Holy Spirit works in the hearts of humans in many ways. There are Gifts of the Spirit, Ministry Gifts and Administrative Gifts in addition to the fruit of the Spirit. These are not the same thing.

Faith is as simple as having confidence that you will wake up the next morning. Hebrews 11:1 declares that faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. A human can be persuaded or caused to grow in faith. Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Jude 1:20 says to build up your faith by praying in the Holy Spirit.

The entire 11th chapter of Hebrews is dedicated to humans who chose to live, operate and move by faith, as they were instructed by God. Humans, who were dead, were raised to life. They quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the enemies. These are just a few of the acts that were a result of a human or humans faith.
Simply put: faith is accepting God’s word as truth over every other voice or opinion; even our own. God said, speaking of his word, in Isaiah 55:11, “11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”
We can have confidence or faith and be persuaded that God does not lie. He is not mistaken and he never fails. Paul said in Romans 8:38-39 that he was persuaded, nothing would be able to separate us from God’s love.

It is by reading, hearing and accepting God’s word that we grow to have faith. While a measure of faith is sown in our spirit in the new birth, we have to nurture that faith. God has also deposited his love in our hearts by the Holy Ghost. We have to develop in that love, learning to walk in faith.
There is nothing more important than finding God’s purpose. It takes faith to trust God. It takes faith to hear God. Whether a human sees instruction in the bible that pertains to their situation or Holy Spirit speaks to the human spirit, it takes faith to act on and do the word.