Select Your Language

November 8, 2012

Only One Thing is Needed

By Tony V. Hammack

Abundant Life Today Media
Abundant Life Today Podcast

Podcast: Play in New Window | Download
These notes are best when used in conjunction with the audio or video.
 

God is looking for relationship with you and me. Sometimes we do many other things but this is where God stays. I believe more than anything else, everything Christ has done is to re-establish a relational connection between God and mankind. It’s personal, intimate, special, and established by the work of Christ on the cross.

Hebrews 4:15-16
15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. 16 Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

I’ve been battling some kind of virus like symptoms and consequently I’ve been sleeping in weird patterns. I’ve come to have a recurring dream of being with God in a room. All he wants from me is my attention. When I walk out of the room I see all the things going on in the world and so many people who are not giving God their attention. I’ve had this dream 20 or so times since Friday.

From this relational connection all things from God flow to mankind.

James 1:17
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

Luke 10:38-42
38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” 41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one.[f] Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Martha being a home owner has to take responsibility for upkeep of the property, inside and out. Jesus pegs Martha by saying, “you are worried and upset about many things”. Jesus then praises Mary’s Choice by saying, “few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

God or distractions? How much time do we devote to the distractions? How much time do we devote to communal time with God? I believe the Spirit of the Lord is saying today that he wants us to come up to a higher level of relationship, a deeper level of intimacy.

Mark 4:19-20
19 but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. 20 Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.”

Jeremiah 33:3
‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’

1 Corinthians 2:10
these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.

Matthew 6:33
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Ecclesiastes 12:13
13 Now all has been heard;     here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind.

Jeremiah 29:13
13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Deuteronomy 4:29 29 But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul.

No one but you and God really knows if you’re giving all your heart. I encourage you to give God all of you. In this way he will sweep you off your feet, give you comfort, save, heal, and deliver you.

God can do more work in the heart of a person by his Spirit in seconds than 1000 sermon’s that only speak to a person’s mind. I want us today to dedicate some extra time to giving God our hearts, our whole hearts. Let’s commune with Him.
 
Visit with us at Jubilee Family Church this Sunday at 10:15 AM (Central Standard Time U.S.A.) and Wednesday evening at 6:30 PM (Central Standard Time U.S.A.) If you can't be with us in person please visit via internet video on Jubilee T.V. If you live in Batesville please tune into KBAP 88.1 FM to listen to contemporary worship music.

Jubilee Family Church45 Thunderbird Dr. Batesville, AR 72501 (870) 793-9124

November 3, 2012

Releasing the Kingdom

By Tony V. Hammack

Abundant Life Today Media
Abundant Life Today Podcast

Podcast: Play in New Window | Download


Mark 5:36-43
36 Overhearing[a] what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” 37 He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. 38 When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. 39 He went in and said to them, “Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep.” 40 But they laughed at him. After he put them all out, he took the child’s father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. 41 He took her by the hand and said to her, “Talitha koum!” (which means “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). 42 Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished. 43 He gave strict orders not to let anyone know about this, and told them to give her something to eat.
  • Revelation
  • Verbalization
  • Manifestation
  • Duplication

Spending Time with God/Communion
Every expression of God’s Kingdom starts with communing with the Father. He is the source of life and only He has the ability to prompt you to move and empower you in the supernatural. Jesus was empowered with the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:38) and we must spend time with the Father in communion if we are to hear and know his heart.
 
Why Mary is commended by Jesus
(Luke 10:38-42) This is why it’s so important to be a Mary over a Martha. Mary was poised for revelatory and thus supernatural works because of her position. Martha on the other hand was poised for only natural works.
 
Acts 4:13
When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.
 
Jesus would get up very early and go to a solitary place to pray. I believe during this time, According to Hebrews 5:7, “[Jesus] offered up definite, special petitions [for that which He not only wanted [a]but needed]
 
From this base of communion with the Heavenly Father all other operations were flowing. While praying and studying God’s word, we train ourselves to recognize God’s voice so when he speaks again we don’t wonder if that’s him but we are trained to the frequency of heaven, having courage to step out into what seems irrational.
 
Revelation - Apokalupto
  1. to uncover, lay open what has been veiled or covered up disclose, make bare
  2. to make known, make manifest, disclose what before was unknown
  3.  
The Rock of Revelation
 
Jesus is the Christ
 
Luke 2:28-32
28Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: 29“Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss[d] your servant in peace. 30For my eyes have seen your salvation, 31which you have prepared in the sight of all people, 32a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.”
 
Jesus, Fully God and Fully Man
 
The revelation God gives you will often seem irrational to others or even yourself. This is a big test  and many fall away here.
  • Are you really hearing the Lord?
  • Am I crazy?
  • What will people think?
  • What if God doesn’t do what I think he’s telling me he’s going to do?
One of the biggest problems with moving out beyond revelation and getting to declaration is having a greater fear or respect for God than you do man. All this can be dealt with through communing with God.
 
Fear of the Lord
It can be taught and thus caught
 
Psalm 34:11
Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD .
 
Psalm 111:10
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.
 
Proverbs 1:7
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools [ The Hebrew words rendered fool in Proverbs, and often elsewhere in the Old Testament, denote one who is morally deficient. ] despise wisdom and discipline.
 
Sin in the life of the believer will “clog” the communication lines between God and you. Sometimes this will make us want to hide in a Martha ministry; working but not wanting to give up sin, maybe even using the good works to justify the wrong position of our hearts.
 
Psalm 66:18
If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened;
 
I believe this is one of the primary reasons God hates sin and Jesus told many to stop sinning. God wants a relationship and a clear line of communication with you so he can move you to do his will, even his supernatural will. Everything to God is natural. We are the one’s who separate the natural from the supernatural.
 
Revelation is a Key to Heaven
 
Peter's Confession of Christ
 
Matthew 16:13-20
13When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”    14They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”    15“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” 16Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ,[b] the Son of the living God.”    17Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven. 18And I tell you that you are Peter,[c] and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades[d] will not overcome it.[e] 19I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be[f] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be[g] loosed in heaven.” 20Then he warned his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.
 
Being able to clearly hear God’s voice is the foundation upon which all other kingdom activity must be built. If we are to be a church of power and relevance in a society of humanistic sin, tolerant, and lost people, we must be able to hear God’s voice.
 
Verbalization
 
Matthew 17: 19–20
19Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn't we drive it out?”    20He replied, “Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
 
So we flow from communion to revelation to verbalization to manifestation.
 
Have you ever heard a referee say, “I call it like I see it?” I have. In life we have two concurrent realities going on. We have the circumstantial realities that most people can see, but then we also have heavenly realities that many don’t seem to see.
 
I believe these last three steps, revelation, verbalization, and manifestation, can happen all together in seconds.
 
God spoke to Jesus and told him by revelation that the Girl was not dead, she was asleep. A very irrational reality from the perspective of all the mourners. So irrational that they laughed at him. He sends them out perhaps because their thoughts, ideas, and feelings about the situation are affecting him.
 
But Jesus verbalized the revelation even though I’m sure his natural mind knew it was irrational. However, he heard the voice of the Father, which trumps rational thought. Jesus is not running his “own program”
 
John 5:19
Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.
 
The girl is raised from the dead when he tells her “Little Girl, I say to you, ‘Get Up!’” At the moment when heaven and earth intersect there is no communal prayer time. That has already happened earlier. There is not one single example of communal prayer in the New Testament that brings about a healing at the intersection of heaven and earth.
 
I’m 100% for prayer. I believe it’s foundational for us to know and recognize the voice and will of God. However, once this is known we should be declaring His plan and will over situations if we want to see the manifestation of Heaven. Not simply lip service but revelatory release. So many in the Body of Christ are not doing this but many are awakening to the supernatural components of the Christian life.
 
Conclusion:
  • Communion
  • Revelation
  • Declaration
  • Manifestation
  • Duplication
Duplication
Jesus invites three men to be with him during this process. These three men will catch what is going on here to such an effective level they begin to do what Jesus did.
 
Acts 3:3-7
3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. 4 Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” 5 So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. 6 Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” 7 Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong.
   
 
Visit with us at Jubilee Family Church this Sunday at 10:15 AM (Central Standard Time U.S.A.) and Wednesday evening at 6:30 PM (Central Standard Time U.S.A.) If you can't be with us in person please visit via internet video on Jubilee T.V.
 
If you live in Batesville please tune into KBAP 88.1 FM to listen to contemporary worship music.

Jubilee Family Church45 Thunderbird Dr. Batesville, AR 72501 (870) 793-9124
View Larger Map

November 1, 2012

The "I Am" God

By Tony V. Hammack

Abundant Life Today Media
Abundant Life Today Podcast

Podcast: Play in New Window | Download
These notes are best when used in conjunction with the audio or video.
 
God’s Nature, Our Needs

Thesis: Traditionally the church has been great at teaching people about the God of the Bible. This includes the great things God’s done in the past as well as the things he’s going to do when he comes again. Where the modern church has come up short is in demonstrating the “I Am” nature of God. He’s the God of the urgent, He’s available to be the God of right now.
 
Names = the character and nature of a person.
Ehyeh-Asher-Ehyeh, I will be what I will be
 
Exodus 3:13, 14
13 Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” 14 God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’”
 
God exists by himself for himself, and is the uncreated Creator who is independent of any concept, force, or entity; therefore "I am who I am"
 
Jesus claiming the “I Am” name for himself.
 
Leviticus 24:16
16 anyone who blasphemes the name of the Lord is to be put to death. The entire assembly must stone them. Whether foreigner or native-born, when they blaspheme the Name they are to be put to death.
 
John 10:30-33
30 I and the Father are one.” 31 Again his Jewish opponents picked up stones to stone him, 32 but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?” 33 “We are not stoning you for any good work,” they replied, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.”
 
John 8:57-59
57 “You are not yet fifty years old,” they said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!” 58 “Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” 59 At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.
 
Now the reader of this passage, without having any understanding of Exodus 3 or Leviticus 24:16, may not understand that Jesus is making himself out to be equal with God and specifically have the name and nature of God found in Exodus 3, the “I Am”, but in light of these two verses we see very clearly that the first century Jewish listeners clearly interpreted what he was saying as blasphemy which is why they took up stones to stone him, Jesus “a mere man, claiming to be God.” (John 10:33)
 
Psalm 46:1
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
 
Malachi 3:6a
6 “I the Lord do not change.
 
Hebrews 13:8
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
 
James 1:17
17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
 
Don’t let anyone ever tell you that God can’t use you or someone else to do something that’s clearly laid out in scripture. Men build doctrines to accommodate their lack of faith and destroy the faith of those that would listen in agreement to their erroneous ideas. God can meet your need and begin moving in your situation right now.
 
Strong's Greek #: 4982. σώζω (sózó)
 
No matter what your need?
  • Spiritual Salvation
  • Physical Healing
  • Deliverance from Sinful Habits
  • Deliverance from Unclean Spirits
  • Widsom/Knowledge
  • Financial Increase
  • Spiritual Growth and Maturity
  • Spiritual Salvation

Acts 16:31
They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”

I believe each person has to have a personal encounter with the Lord Jesus to be saved but I also believe that me coming to saving faith in Christ creates an impact on my entire family. I believe I can quote this scripture and believe in faith that my family will come to know Christ if they currently are not saved.

John 6:44
 “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day.

Luke 10:2
2 He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.

Physical Healing

Matthew 12:15
Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. A large crowd followed him, and he healed all who were ill.

Mark 6:5
5 He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. Deliverance from sinful habits

Galatians 5:16-18
16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

The same faith that saves you is the same faith that sanctifies you. Keep looking at Christ and his atoning sacrifice on the cross for grace to give power to overcome sin.

Deliverance from unclean spirits

Acts 10:38
how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.

Wisdom/Knowledge

Maybe you need to know what to do in a certain situation.

1 Corinthians 2:10
10 these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.

Financial Increase

Deuteronomy 8:18
18 But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.

Spiritual Growth and Maturity

Philippians 1:6
6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

James 1:4
4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Galatians 4:19
19 My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you,

Ephesians 4:13
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.

Jesus is the, I Am God and can meet your need! No matter what your need!
  • Spiritual Salvation
  • Physical Healing
  • Deliverance from Sinful Habits
  • Deliverance from Unclean Spirits
  • Widsom/Knowledge
  • Financial Increase
  • Spiritual Growth and Maturity
   
Visit with us at Jubilee Family Church this Sunday at 10:15 AM (Central Standard Time U.S.A.) and Wednesday evening at 6:30 PM (Central Standard Time U.S.A.) If you can't be with us in person please visit via internet video on Jubilee T.V. If you live in Batesville please tune into KBAP 88.1 FM to listen to contemporary worship music.

Jubilee Family Church45 Thunderbird Dr. Batesville, AR 72501 (870) 793-9124
View Larger Map

October 30, 2012

What is the Prayer of Faith?

By Tony V. Hammack

Abundant Life Today Media
Abundant Life Today Podcast

Podcast: Play in New Window | Download
These notes are best when used in conjunction with the audio or video.
 
Thesis: We’ve always been taught that prayer is “Talking with God” and it is.  However, the prayer of faith takes on a different component. We will see that a prayer of faith is rightly recognizing God’s word and declaring it over a situation. This prophetic utterance of faith, based on God’s spoken word, causes supernatural manifestations.
 
James 5:13-16
13 Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.
 
v. 13 and 14 Let your prayer life be authentic with your situation. Happy? Praise. Trouble? Pray. Sick? Call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well.  The Lord will raise them up.  If they have sinned, they will be forgiven.
  • The sick person initiates the prayer request to the elders of the church.
  • The elders are to anoint with oil and pray in the name of Jesus.
  • The prayer of faith will make the sick person well
Praying in the name of Jesus is not simply saying, “In the name of Jesus”.   Praying in the name of Jesus also includes the one ministering healing, being like Jesus.  In the name can be synonymously tied to the idea of the nature of Jesus. Jesus is in me and I’m in him so when I pray it’s not me it’s Jesus in me releasing the virtue of the Kingdom of God into this situation. Saying “in the name of Jesus” is not a magic spell or magic sentence. It’s got to be backed by the substance of Jesus in the one ministering. A person where sin dominates their life cannot pray in the name of Jesus with any substantive results. Jesus I know, and Paul I’m getting to know, but who are you? Acts 19:15
 
It’s more important that you are in Jesus than you say the words, “In the name of Jesus”.  The demons, sickness, or whatever, knows if you’re in Jesus or not. The proof will be in the results of your prayers/declarations of God’s will.
 
It’s also interesting that physical healing and forgiveness of sins go hand in hand in this passage. I strongly encourage people of all denominations to study the concept of the Greek word Sōzō and then fearlessly share it with people you have influence with. The modern concept of salvation has been fragmented into component parts however many are being awakened to the idea that salvation includes healing and deliverance from unclean spirits.
 
If you want to keep someone sick and you’re the devil and you know that Jesus has already paid the price for their healing, the only strategy you have that will work will be to keep the people ignorant to the promise of God and then convince them healing is not for them or it’s not God’s will. This is the only way to keep God’s people sick from the Devil’s perspective. Don’t buy the lie!
 
The example from James 5 for the person who prays the prayer of faith is Elijah.  James 5:17,18 references his prayers of faith to start and stop the rain.
 
Some may Think Elijah has special privileges but…
 
Hebrews 8:6
But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises.
 
Prayer to Stop the Rain
 
Elijah’s prayer of faith was a declaration that it wouldn’t rain.
 
1 Kings 17:17 
Now Elijah the Tishbite, from Tishbe in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, whom I serve, there will be neither dew nor rain in the next few years except at my word.”
 
Prayer to Start the Rain
 
1 Kings 18:1-2
After a long time, in the third year, the word of the Lord came to Elijah: “Go and present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the land.” 2 So Elijah went to present himself to Ahab.
 
1 Kings 18:41-43
41 And Elijah said to Ahab, “Go, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain.” 42 So Ahab went off to eat and drink, but Elijah climbed to the top of Carmel, bent down to the ground and put his face between his knees. 43 “Go and look toward the sea,” he told his servant. And he went up and looked. “There is nothing there,” he said. Seven times Elijah said, “Go back.”
 
Mark 11:22-25
22 “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. 23 “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. 24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”
 
In Mark 11:22-25 we see Jesus teaching on the prayer of faith. Have faith in God and If you speak to the Mountain and believe and don’t doubt it will be done for you.
 
1 John 5:14,15
14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.
 
Therefore… whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it and it will be yours.
 
When you stand praying, forgive anyone who has sinned against you. What you bind on earth will be bound in heaven. If you don’t want your prayers hindered, release people from your heart judgments.
 
Visit with us at Jubilee Family Church this Sunday at 10:15 AM (Central Standard Time U.S.A.) and Wednesday evening at 6:30 PM (Central Standard Time U.S.A.) If you can't be with us in person please visit via internet video on Jubilee T.V. If you live in Batesville please tune into KBAP 88.1 FM to listen to contemporary worship music.

Jubilee Family Church45 Thunderbird Dr. Batesville, AR 72501 (870) 793-9124
View Larger Map

October 29, 2012

Concerning Spiritual Gifts

By Tony V. Hammack

Abundant Life Today Media
Abundant Life Today Podcast

Podcast: Play in New Window | Download
These notes are best when used in conjunction with the audio.

A look at the 9 manifestations of God’s Holy Spirit in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10

The Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 12v.1 tells us that he wants the church to be informed. He’s noticed that when the Corinthians were lost or pagans they were led astray by mute idols. Now he’s wanting to give the church some guidelines regarding manifestations of God’s Spirit. It’s implied that they may be prone to error due to their gullibility from the past.

The rule is, the manifestations of the Spirit have to give glory to Jesus, v. 3 says, I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. Father, Son, Holy Spirit

John 16:13-15
13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”

Imagine, if you will, a flow chart with the Holy Spirit at the top flowing down into an individual person. What flows out of that person are works. These works consist of service and spiritual gifts. Imagine the flow chart now consisting of many people. There’s only one Holy Spirit but many expressions of the Holy Spirit through people.

God Gives Good Gifts to those Who Ask

Matthew 7:7-11
7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. 9 “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

1 Corinthians 12:7
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. Meaning these gifts are not only for you but to help others.

If the gifts become self serving then things are out of order. (Tongues, without public interpretation, are for self edification 1 Cor. 14:4)
  1. Message of Wisdom
  2. Message of Knowledge
  3. Faith
  4. Gifts of Healing
  5. Miraculous Powers
  6. Prophecy
  7. Distinguishing Between Spirits
  8. Speaking in Tongues
  9. Interpretation of Tongues
Wisdom
Wisdom is the synthesis of knowledge (facts). It causes one to draw conclusions that people without wisdom cannot draw. Facts and knowledge are the building blocks upon which wisdom is built. Supernatural wisdom would have a God component to it that would make it elusive to anyone without the Holy Spirit. Sometimes lost people are very wise in their synthesis of facts.

James 1:5,6
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

Knowledge

Holy Spirit Knowledge-
John 1:47-51
47 When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.” 48 “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.” 49 Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.” 50 Jesus said, “You believe[h] because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” 51 He then added, “Very truly I tell you,[i] you[j] will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’[k] the Son of Man.”

Faith

Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

The Faith of the Centurion

The Centurion’s faith was rooted in his natural understanding of authority and his supernatural understanding of who Jesus was. Combining these two components leads Jesus to proclaim, “I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.”

If we want to be people of great faith like the Centurion we also will have to know who Jesus is. Compare the Centurion to Martha.

John 11:21-24
21 “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”

Gifts of Healing
As an extraordinary charism, gifts of healing are supernatural enablements given to a believer to minister various kinds of healing and restoration to individuals through the power of the Holy Spirit. In the Greek of the New Testament, both the words gift and healing are plural.

I have noticed that some people who have gifts of healing may have greater success with healing some people with certain diseases over other diseases. I have a ministry friend that says, “Send me people with fibromyalgia”. They’ve seen a lot of success with the Holy Spirit flowing through them in healing this particular disease. I’ve also known a man who could touch a wart and it would disappear within a few days. It seems strange, but gifts and healing are both plural in the Greek.

Miraculous Powers
Every time something happened for the first time in the Bible it had never happened before. Today, in our time, if God did something that was not recorded in Scripture that was miraculous and brought glory to Jesus, there are some in the Body of Christ who would say, “That’s the Devil”. Be open to God doing miracles that don’t necessarily fit into our box, but the manifestation must point people to Jesus.

Signs and Wonders by their very nature will make a person wonder.

John 21:25
25 Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.

Prophecy

Foretelling – Knowing the future, knowing hidden knowledge.
Forth telling – Expressing the heart, mind, and will of God about a situation supernaturally.

1 Corinthians 14:3
3 But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort.

A word of Wisdom regarding directional words. Be careful. You should be able to hear God for yourself any way but if God uses a prophet to speak a directional word please be cautious. You don’t have to do what the person prophesying says. Unfortunately some can “prophelie” their own feelings or use the prophetic platform to manipulate.

A Truly Seeker Sensitive Environment

The gift of prophecy when in operation
1 Corinthians 14:24,25 24 But if an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in while everyone is prophesying, they are convicted of sin and are brought under judgment by all, 25 as the secrets of their hearts are laid bare. So they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!”

Distinguishing Between Spirits
Demons have various agendas usually tied to a sinful habit or behavior. A spirit of lying for example that influences a person’s thinking and words to lie. When a demon is manifesting they seem to try and mask their true nature because, for a reason I don’t fully understand, they lose part of their hold on the person when their true nature is revealed. In the Bible a name=nature.

In Mark 5:9 we see Jesus asking the Gaderene demoniac’s demon what its name is. The demon answers it’s name (nature or character) is legion for we are many.

When the nature of a demon is uncovered it’s exposed and less likely to retain it’s hold on the person.

Tongues
A sign that consistently accompanies the Baptism in the Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:4, Acts 8:12-17, Acts 10:44-46, Acts 11:14-16, Acts 15:7-9

A sign in a one on one setting for unbelievers.

1 Corinthians 14:22
22 Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; A Language to God 1 Corinthians 14:2 2 For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them; they utter mysteries by the Spirit.

Personal Edification

1 Corinthians 14:4a
4 Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves,

Jude 1:20
20 But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, Interpretation of Tongues

Conclusion

1 Corinthians 12:31 (Amplified)
31 But earnestly desire and zealously cultivate the greatest and best gifts and graces (the higher gifts and the choicest graces).

1 Cor. 14:1
Eagerly pursue and seek to acquire [this] love [make it your aim, your great quest]; and earnestly desire and cultivate the spiritual endowments (gifts), especially that you may prophesy ([a]interpret the divine will and purpose in inspired preaching and teaching).
   
Visit with us at Jubilee Family Church this Sunday at 10:15 AM (Central Standard Time U.S.A.) and Wednesday evening at 6:30 PM (Central Standard Time U.S.A.) If you can't be with us in person please visit via internet video on Jubilee T.V.

If you live in Batesville please tune into KBAP 88.1 FM to listen to contemporary worship music.

Jubilee Family Church45 Thunderbird Dr. Batesville, AR 72501 (870) 793-9124
View Larger Map