GOD ENCOUNTERS: THE FOURSQUARE GOSPEL #3: JESUS THE BAPTISER IN THE HOLY SPIRIT:
INTRO TO TOPIC: In this series we are looking at the Foursquare Gospel of Jesus:
• Jesus the Saviour, Healer, Baptiser in the Holy Spirit, Soon Coming King.
• KEY VERSE: “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8).
THE BIG IDEA: Jesus is the Saviour who died on the Cross to forgive our sins, He is also the Healer by whose wounds we are healed, and He is also the Baptiser in the Holy Spirit who wants to give us power to be His witnesses.
QUOTE: By Jack Hayford, Spirit-Filled.
“To be Spirit-filled is to come to the King Himself – to bow at Jesus’ feet and receive divine power from His own hand… The Spirit-filled life Christ calls us to is one of divine fullness and powerful ability to spread the love of God. He wants us to receive His power and then touch the world around us as we can do only when we have the might of His Spirit in us… Come and receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit and let Him usher you into a miracle walk at a new dimension of prayer, power and living.” Amen!
I. EXAMPLES OF RECEIVING THE HOLY SPIRIT IN ACTS:
1. THE 120 ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST:
"On the Day of Pentecost, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." (Acts 2:1-4, NKJV).
2. THE DISCIPLES IN SAMARIA:
“14 Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, 15 who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. 16 For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 8:14-17, NKJV).
3. CORNELIUS AND HIS FAMILY:
• In Acts 10, Cornelius had a vision of an angel. God told him to go find Peter.
• Peter went into a trance and had a vision and went to Cornelius’ house to preach Jesus.
“34 Then Peter opened his mouth and said: "In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. 35 But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. 36 The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ--He is Lord of all-- …
38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him…
42 And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. 43 To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins."
44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. 45 And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God...” (Acts 10:34-46, NKJV).
4. THE DISCIPLES IN EPHESUS:
“1 And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples 2 he said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" So they said to him, "We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit." 3 And he said to them, "Into what then were you baptized?" So they said, "Into John's baptism." 4 Then Paul said, "John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus." 5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.” (Acts 19:1-6, NKJV).
II. A LOOK AT THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT:
But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: (1 Cor. 12:7-10).
COMMUNICATION GIFTS:
• Prophecy - a divine utterance of the Holy Spirit to encourage, edify or comfort people.
• Tongues - the gift of speaking supernaturally in a language not known to the individual.
• Interpretation of tongues - an interpretation of a message that is given in tongues.
KNOWLEDGE GIFTS:
• Word of wisdom - wisdom to know what to do or how to do it, for your life or someone else’s.
• Word of knowledge - knowledge of an event or other information in someone’s life (past or present) that you were not aware of in the natural.
• Discerning of spirits - to discern the spirit world, to tell whether something is divine (God or angels), human (natural origin) or demonic (Satan or demons).
POWER GIFTS:
• Faith - a unique form of faith (not the faith that saves you) that supernaturally trusts and does not doubt concerning specific matters – to believe God for the impossible.
• Gifts of healings - the healings God performs supernaturally. i.e. a broken arm.
• The working of miracles - the manifestation of power beyond the ordinary course of natural law. This is where something that could never have been done naturally occurs.
III. UNDERSTANDING SPEAKING IN TONGUES:
To correctly understand the gift of speaking in tongues, we must realize there are two different kinds of speaking in tongues mentioned in the Bible.
A. TONGUES AS A GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT:
“to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.” (1 Cor. 12:10b).
“I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification.” (1 Cor. 14:5).
• The spiritual gift of tongues is God speaking to the church.
• This is initiated by the Holy Spirit, as He wills it.
• Not all believers will operate in this spiritual gift.
“Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel. Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret.” (1 Cor. 14:12-13).
• When you are exercising the spiritual gift of tongues in a public setting, pray for the interpretation so the church can be encouraged.
B. TONGUES AS A PERSONAL PRAYER LANGUAGE:
“For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries… He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church.” (1 Cor. 14:2,4).
• Tongues as a personal prayer language is the believer speaking to God.
• This gift of tongues speaks mysteries, and edifies your spirit.
• All believers can exercise this gift of the Holy Spirit (see Mark 16:17).
“If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God.” (1 Cor. 14:27-28).
• If you don’t have the gift of tongues & interpretation, it is still okay to speak to yourself and God (tongues as a personal prayer language).
C. WHY SPEAK IN TONGUES? (Personal Prayer Language)
Paul said, “I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all.” (1 Cor. 14:18).
• To EDIFY yourself – building up your spirit. (1 Cor. 14:4)
• To BUILD UP your faith. (Jude 20)
• To PRAY the perfect will of God. (Romans 8:26)
• To PRAISE and magnify God. (Acts 2:11; 10:46)
CLOSING: How do we receive?
“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” (Luke 11:13). We ASK!
PRAYER: FOR HOLY SPIRIT BAPTISM & A RELEASE OF THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT
Church Website: www.beausejourchurch.ca
Pastor’s Blog: http://pastorchrisjordan.wordpress.com/
