Archive for the ‘Holy Spirit’ Category
Holy Spirit
Initially the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus’ followers at Pentecost in the form of tongues of fire (Acts chapter 2 verses 1-4). This is seen by many as the start of the church.
Jesus had told the disciples some time earlier that the Holy Spirit would be made available to them:-
John chapter 14 verse15: Jesus said to his disciples: If you love Me, you will do as I command.
verse 16: Then I will ask the Father to send you the Holy Spirit who will help you and always be with you.
verse 17: The Spirit will show you what is true. The people of this world cannot accept the Spirit, because they don’t see or know Him. But you know the Spirit, who is with you and will keep on living in you.
He also said in:-
John chapter 16 verse 13: The Spirit shows what is true and will come and guide you into the full truth. The Spirit doesn’t speak on His own. He will tell you only what He has heard from Me, and He will let you know what is going to happen.
verse 14: The Spirit will bring glory to Me by taking My message and telling it to you.
The apostle Paul expounded further on this as he told the church in Corinth:-
1Corinthians chapter 6 verse 19: You surely know that your body is a temple where the Holy Spirit lives. The Spirit is in you and is a gift from God. You are no longer your own.
He goes on to say in 1 Corinthians chapter 12 verses 1-11,that the Holy Spirit gives gifts to the followers of Christ Jesus. There are a number of gifts referred to in these verses: Gifts of wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miraculous power, prophecy, discernment, tongues (languages) and interpretation of tongues (languages). These gifts are given for the common good not for an individual’s gratification or self exhortation (verse 7) and this point is referred to again in:-
1Corinthians chapter 14 verse 12: If you really want spiritual gifts, choose the ones that will be most helpful to the church.
The Bible informs us that there are other gifts apart from those afore mentioned and the followers of Christ Jesus should desire these gifts.
The first gift mentioned in 1 Corinthians chapter 12 verse 8 is wisdom. There are various definitions of wisdom some are as follows:-
a) The ability to make sensible decisions and judgements based on personal knowledge and experience.
b) The ability to discern or judge what is true, right or lasting.
c) Intelligence, judgement, reason, discernment, insight and perception.
Don’t worry if you think you do not have any gifts you definitely have one: If you have asked Christ Jesus to be the Lord of your life and saviour of your soul, repented of your wrong doings (sin) you already have the gift of salvation. The best gift you could ever wish for.
All bible quotes taken from the Contemporary English Version.