Are the Spiritual Gifts No More? The BIBLICAL Answer
Have the spiritual gifts ceased to be? Are they no longer in operation in the church today? This is a fiercely debated issue, and I’m not going to be able to address every point of contention in just one article. My goal, rather, is to just get you thinking in the right direction, the Biblical direction.
The 3 Expressions of the Gift of Tongues
There are three expressions to the gift of speaking in tongues. Here’s how I’ve termed them:
1: The Personal Tongue
2: The Proof Tongue
3: The Prophetic Tongue
The Holy Spirit Prays for You
If you could see into the realm of the Spirit, if you could watch the Holy Spirit pray for you, you would see Him with tears streaming down His face. You would hear Him praying with such force that His booming voice, the very same which spoke the world into existence, would shake the room. I dare even say that you would see Him pounding His fist on the floor as He prayed.
Holy Spirit: Again and Again
The Holy Spirit does not abandon the true believer. But even after you receive the Holy Spirit, you can receive fresh infillings of His power, again and again. The baptism with the Holy Spirit is both a well and a river - a constant state of being and a continual flow.
The Holy Spirit is Jealous Over You
Ungodly jealousy is born of fear; godly jealousy is born of love. The Lord saw how captivated I was by my baby girl. It was as if He was saying, “Don’t forget about me.” No, the Lord wasn’t angry. No, the Lord wasn’t being petty. The Lord’s jealousy is loving and righteous.
Low Signal
As a person will try to make up with volume what lacks in connection during a spotty phone call, so some believers try to make up in emotion and hype what is lacking in connection during prayer. The connection is there, but they allow matters of the flesh to disrupt what would otherwise be a moment of powerful prayer.
No Longer Desperate
Our pleading is too loud. Servants beg. Strangers beg. Sons come boldly with faith. Desperation is a great initiator but a terrible sustainer. Desperation initiates, but only faith sustains. Desperation is what brings me to the Lord, but once I have Him, why would I ever be desperate again? You don’t enter the glory through noisy desperation; you enter through faith-filled confidence. Confident faith, not desperation, is the way to know the presence of the Holy Spirit.
When is the Holy Spirit Received?
When is the Holy Spirit received? And if the Holy Spirit lives in all believers, why does the Bible teach that we also need to receive the baptism with the Holy Spirit? Do we need to receive the Holy Spirit more than once?
Oneness with the Holy Spirit
Jesus said, “If you’ve seen me, you’ve seen the Father.” I want to live in such a way that I can say, “If you’ve seen me you’ve seen the Son.” Just as you cannot outpace your reflection in the mirror, so you should desire to reflect the nature of God.
The Holy Spirit is God
No believer doubts the deity of the Father. No true believer doubts the deity of the Son - otherwise, they would not be a genuine believer. If there is any doubt raised concerning divinity, that doubt seems to most often be aimed at the Holy Spirit. So I want to show you, as simply and concisely as possible, that the Bible most certainly reveals the Holy Spirit as God.
Demonic Division
The truly Spirit-filled can rise above the political chaos, rise above the emotionally-charged bickering, rise above the pettiness of worldly concerns. Don’t pollute your anointing or dilute God’s power on your life by preaching your opinions instead of God’s Word.
Special Update: New Ministry Training E-Course
I’m happy to announce that we have added another e-course to the Holy Spirit School.
How to Grow Spiritually: 3 Keys
How do you hear the voice of the Holy Spirit? How do you strengthen your spiritual gifts? How do you start or grow in ministry? What does one have to do in order to have a more effective prayer life, become a bolder witness, or overcome sin? The answer to all of these questions really comes down to one thing: spiritual growth. When you grow spiritually, everything about you changes and improves.
Master the Media: 3 Keys
Today’s social media mobs will cry aloud anytime you declare the truth. If you want to see demons manifest, just post something that’s Biblically undeniable yet unpopular in today’s culture. They’ll use guilt to try to make you feel bad for speaking truth. They’ll use intimidation to try to make you feel afraid to speak the truth. They’ll use confusion to make you second guess the truth. This is why boldness is needed now more than ever.
The Expert Spirit
We accept the fact that there is nothing too difficult for Him to perform but often lack the boldness to believe that there is nothing too small for Him to ignore.
Establishing the Kingdom of God
When a soul is saved, the heart and mind are transformed. When the heart and mind are transformed, character is transformed. When character is transformed, behavior is transformed. Change the individual, and you change the family. Change the family, and you change society. Change society, and you change the world.
4 Benefits of Focusing on Jesus
Believer, please hear me - and preachers especially. If in this hour we take the focus off of Jesus, we will sink. Our futures will sink. Our ministries will sink. We will sink. Don’t allow the winds and waves of chaos to steal your focus. Jesus must remain your focus. When Jesus remains your focus, several things happen.
The Healing Touch of Jesus
I love the way the Scripture words that: “…as many as touched him were made whole.” And the wonderful reality is that Jesus still heals. Nowhere in all of Scripture does it teach that Jesus has stopped working miracles. Everything Jesus was anointed to do while here on the earth, the Holy Spirit continues to do for and through us.
We Won't Be Silent
Let them mock you, threaten you, accuse you, and cancel you. The world needs to hear the message of salvation. Stay on message. Focus on the mission. Jesus is still the answer. The gospel is still the mission. How we go down is history is of no importance compared to how we go down in eternity.
The Unity of the Holy Spirit
His fiery essence burns away the dry brush of barriers between brethren. He offers His assistance to all Christ-centered stripes, creeds, cultures and methodologies. The Holy Spirit cares more about the Christ in your heart than the name of your church. He’s for all who call Jesus Lord.