Ever since Adam and Eve ate of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil there has been a battle between good and evil in claiming the hearts and souls of man. Satan, in absolute rebellion against God for throwing him out of Heaven because of his evil, now wants to hurt God by taking as many human beings, whom he knows God loves, down to Hell with him. This has resulted in two types of people on earth:

i. Those who know they need God and want to go God's way. These are people like Abraham, Noah, the Apostles and Paul. Jesus was the most perfect example who kept God's commandments. John 14:31, "The world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me."

ii. The second group feel they have no need of God. They set their own standards and laws. They are in rebellion against God because they believe they can make it on their own. People like Cain, Nimrod, and Esau. The Devil is the most perfect example of this. In Isaiah 14:4 he said. "I will make myself like the most High "

These two types of people have continued to this day. World Thought has therefore taken one of these two routes

i. Judaism and Christianity berieve in one God. This leads to evangelism, fundamental purification and the rapture.

ii. Hellenistic - basically from the East. This leads to Humanism which means man is god, this leads to:

iii. Rationalism - man trying to be god through his reason. This leads to iv. Existentialism - man gives up and reaches for the eternal spirit leading to: v. Occultism - Satan worship which leads to the Anti-Christ.

Right now in the West we already well into the phase of Existentialism, and some are, already practising occultism.

This is not new. This is the same Humanism that existed just before Jesus came to earth. Protogoras (5ⁿ Century BC) was the founder of Humanism. He said, "man is the measure of all things", that man is-flie fullness and ultimate of everything.

To this heathen thinker, man was in fact God. Aristotle. Socrates and Plato shared his dilemma. Soon this man is God philosophy spread over the known world, being well received by the rebellious proud hearts of sinful man. for now he was the only God.

Do you see this happening again today'?

What did God do about it?

Something happened to give early Humanism a powerful setback; Galatians 4:4 "In the fullness of time God sent forth His Son". JESUS APPERARED IN HUMAN HISTORY. His life death and resurrection from the grip of death shook the known world and the course of history was greatly changed.

A living relationship with Christ changed thousands of lives as the Early Church left such a powerful impact the human race. Humanism was then forced underground because men found that they were not God and on the contrary they needed Him and His love to give true meaning to life. The saving power of Christ reached masses and with this experience the awful darkness was lifted from man's mind. Now he could see and think aright and know God.

The cursed chains of Humanism fell off and went underground to get into an organisation called the Freemasons, to become the master builders of the pyramids, leading to Satan worship. The three letters, J B H, stand for Jehovah, Baal and Hoseras. See the unfinished pyramid on a dollar note. It stands for the unfinished tower of Babel. The eye on top is the evil eye. David Rockafella said in 1970 "We stand for one world religion, Satanism." With the New Age movement the pyramid on the dollar will be complete. It is interesting to note that the god of Hinduism is the same.

What is God doing about it?

Matthew 24:14, "and this gospel of the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. "

Markl6:15-20, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation.
He who believes and is baptised will be saved, but he who does not believe will be
condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe in my name they will
cast out demons, they will speak in new tongues...... "

i. The Holy Spirit has been promised to comfort us, to help us, and we will succeed for the Lord Himself will confirm our message of the gospel with signs and wonders following. (Mark 16:20)

ii. As we preach the Gospel, Jesus is right there with us, confirming His Word to
the lost by signs wonders and healing miracles that follow each one of us in
Jesus Christ. Over and over and ert'er again the Lord does it. Every single time                       ,

Jesus is there to heal the sick and confirm His message. He is alive, he is moving, every single meeting no matter how large or small it is, I have watched the Lord heal the sick, set people free and bring them to salvation. That is why I can never stop preaching the Word of God, while I am still on earth. When you step out in faith and do the same, you will not want to stop either.

The Holy Spirit Gifts

iii. This is my personal belief, that the state that the world is in right now has to come back to that state where the world was on the first coming of Christ, then this will usher Christ's second return. John the Baptist was the forerunner of the first coining of Christ preaching "Repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand.

I believe that as we preach the Gospel message we will see the Kingdom of God in grater and greater measure as the Holy Spirit moves more and more powerfully in healings and miracles, in preparation of the greatest event of all history. We. you and I. are His forerunners. Let us run with the Gospel.

iv. In Ghana, Africa, at a Pastor's conference the Holy Spirit came down upon us in power and revealed his heart for the lost. "Why, why are you still sitting in your houses when people are dying under the evil One. Take up your cross and go out and you shall succeed because I am with you." These African pastors received this prophecy literally. They did not waste a day. It was the 1^st December 2005 when they received the prophecy. By 22^nd December 2005 these 20 pastors had reached 200 villages for Jesus, many of them by bicycle. That is 10 villages reached per pastor, in 20 days. Let's follow their example.

John 14:12 IS FOR US NOW IN THIS AGE because Jesus has gone to the Father.

Matthew 9:36-38 IS FOR US NOW. Jesus has compassion. "When he saw the crowds He had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd, Then he said to His disciples 'The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few, pray therefore the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into His harvest.'"

The Lord has commissioned you and me to go out as labourers into His harvest. He has given us all we ever need through His Holy Spirit to accomplish His work. We shall succeed for Jesus will go with us. We are on the winning side. It is impossible to lose, if the battle is already won and Jesus won the battle on the cross.

Let us go forth and proclaim the victory we have in Jesus and Jesus will do the rest, people will be miraculously saved, healed and delivered in front of our eyes, as Jesus

does it.

DISCUSSION

1. Look up the Commission of the Twelve. (Matthew 10:1-8)
2. Look up the Commission of the Seventy. (Luke 10:1-9)
3. Look up the Commission to every believer (Acts 8:6-8, 10:10-12)
4. Study Mark 16:15-20 and make a list of commands and promises
5. Are you obeying these commands and claiming these promises⁹

The Holy Spirit is a spiritual person who makes us come alive spiritually. The moment we receive the Holy Spirit we become reborn in Christ, into the Kingdom of heaven and eternal life. In Genesis 2:15-17'we were spiritually cut off from God when Adam and

Eve ate from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Also read Genesis 3:13-19. We became spiritually dead to become born of the flesh only (verse 19).

When we receive the Holy Spirit, we have to turn our backs on sin and the desires of the flesh and yield to the Holy Spirit instead. As we yield daily to the Holt Spirit, He begins to transform our lives from one degree of glory to another until we become more like Christ.

The promise of the Holy Spirit is found in Acts 1.5.

The reason the Holy Spirit is given is found in Acts 1.8.

The promise of the Holy Spirit was fulfilled in Acts 2.1-4.

The gifts of the Holy Spirit are found in Corinthians 12.4-11

1.   When we receive the Holy Spirit we become a citizen of Heaven; so therefore can call God our father, who art in Heaven.

2. Unbelievers cannot call God their Father; for they are born physically on earth, but not Heaven. You have to be born again of the Holy Spirit to become spiritually alive in the heavenly realm. Then you can ascend into the heavenly realm in prayer where our father dwells. For our Father does not dwell on earth, but in heaven. See John 3:1-6 & 3:31-36 and compare them with Genesis 2:15-17 & 3:13-19

3.   The Holy Spirit is not just given to us to give us eternal life, but also equips us to
spread the good news of the gospel of Christ.

The Holy Spirit enables us to live in the supernatural realm. Able to prove by signs, word of knowledge wonders and healings that our Lord Jesus is truly alive.

Lately I visited a chemist. I looked at hundreds of medicines on the shelves for sale. Then I saw a poster with many known ailments and sicknesses and the medicines needed to combat them. I then realised that I had actively seen the Lord cure every one of these ailments without any of these medicines. A simple prayer had healed them.

Imagine all the medicines one would have to carry to Africa if prayer did not work? However the good news is that through the Holy Spirit every prayer works. All we need to take with us is the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Even with this Bible course. Imagine carrying a generator, video player, TV etc. into the remote villages on a bicycle. Praise God we can cycle anywhere with a Bible, a few notes and the glorious Holy Spirit.

4.    The Holv Spirit equips us with the gifts to help us spread the gospel

a)    The Holy Spirit brings the Word of God alive

b)    The Holy Spirit teaches us and leads us into all truth

c)    The Holy Spirit gives us the gifts from God we need

d)    The Holy Spirit enables people to receive their healing , deliverance and salvation

e)    The Holy Spirit can even raise the dead

If we are filled with the Holy Spirit He is all we need. We can leave the rest as unnecessary luggage. When I saw the Holy Spirit come down on a group of the poorest of people in a mud hut it was such a glory, that nothing in,the world could ever produce, nor could ever compare with what Jesus did that night in that room. Everyone was also healed including the lady who was dying on a stretcher. It was as if Jesus Himself was standing amongst us. Can anything bring the Bible more alive to us, than Jesus in our midst?

5.   The Holy Spirit empowers us to do God's work

ICorinthians 2:4 "My speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the spirit and of power." The demonstration of God's healing power demonstrated that Jesus is truly alive.

The word power comes from the Greek word dunamis meaning dynamic, or dynamite or explosive power. When the Holy Spirit came upon Jesus He was filled with the 'dunamis power of God' = a walking stick of dynamic power (John 1:32, Acts 19.11-12)

5.   The Holy Spirit is available to each one of us

a)           Actsl:8 "butyou shall receive power When the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and
you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the
end of the earth.". When we receive the Holy Spirit we become full of the dynamic
power to do God's work.

b)     However many have received the Holy Spirit and are not moving in the power of the
Holy Spirit. In order to move in the power of the Holy Spirit we must :-

i.  Believe that the Lord has called us to move in this power

ii. Move out in faith and live it. As soon as we walk in faith the power of the Holy Spirit will be released through us in power. Faith and works go together. (James 2:20, Hebrews 11:1, Mark 5:34}

QUESTIONS FROM THE READINGS

• What is the earthly realm?
• What is the Heavenly realm?
• How can we get from the earthly realm into the Heavenly realm?
• Name three reasons why the Holy Spirit is given
• Name some things the Holy Spirit can do through our lives

Introduction

The Holy Spirit is given to live in the hearts of believers: He fills us in a very special way when we get baptised in the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the same Holy Spirit that dwelt in Jesus and who raised Jesus from the dead.

 When we receive the Holy Spirit, we have to turn our backs on sin and the desires of the flesh and yield to the Holy Spirit instead. As we yield daily to the Holy Spirit in prayer, He begins to transform our lives from one degree of glory to another until we take on the character of Christ.

Once we are rid of all the fruits of evil in our lives and are practising righteousness, the fruits of the Holy Spirit will show through our lives.

It is when we are showing the fruits of the Holy Spirit that we no longer limit God, but become a clear channel for the gifts of the Holy Spirit to operate through our life in power and authority. When this happens, our ministries bear much fruit.

We will start the course then with the fruits of the Holy Spirit which is a preparation for the gifts of the Holy Spirit to flow easily through our lives.

Suzanne Pillans
Standlake Ranch
England
January 2006

The fruits of the Holy Spirit are given in 3 sections:

1. Love, joy and peace - These are received from God as we wait in Him
2. Patience, kindness and goodness - These come as a result of waiting on Him
3. Faithfulness, gentleness and self-control - These are carried out into the world

1. Love, Joy, and Peace
   
   Galatians5:16-24

When one receives the Holy Spirit they become full of the Lord’s love, joy and peace. These treasures replace the negative things of the flesh like anger, hurt, guilt etc. Read Galatians 5:16-18, “But I say walk in the Spirit and do not gratify the desires of the flesh, for the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, both are opposed to each other, to prevent you from doing what you would. But if you are led by the Spirit you are not under the law.”

How do we walk in the Spirit?

We need to spend time in the Lord’s presence daily to be refilled daily with his love, joy and peace. How do we do this?

a)   Ask the Holy Spirit to search your heart for any negative things in your life. Do we get angry? Have we hurt someone with negative words? Have we been selfish, become jealous or thought wrong things? Confess these things, turn from them, receive the Lord’s forgiveness and seek to become more filled with the Holy Spirit that we may overcome every negative thing.

b)   Wait in His presence to receive His love, His joy, His peace that changes us and enables us to live and walk in the Holy Spirit, as we ought to.

     The Holy Spirit will change us from the inside so that we can love as we ought to outwardly. If we spend time in seeking the things of the flesh we will be filled with the fruits of the flesh. If we spend time seeking the things of the Holy Spirit we will become full of the fruits of the Holy Spirit.

c)    Begin to practice living and walking in the Spirit 24 hours a day. You will be amazed how this will change your life.1Thessalonians 2:23-24 says “May the God of peace Himself sanctify you wholly, and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful. And he will do it.”

Jesus came to save man, not just souls. He came to save:

1. i.                    The spirit from death
2. ii.                  The soul from sin
3. iii.                The body from sickness, giving:
   
   

• The spirit eternal life
• The soul peace
• The body healing

3 John 2, “Beloved, I wish above all these things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as the soul prospereth”

• Pneumatology –     is the knowledge if the spirit and its activities and
                                 forces (spirit)
• Psychology –          is the knowledge of the mind and its powers (soul)
• Physiology –           is the knowledge of the human body and its
                                  functions (body)

• Ontology –              is the highest manifestations of man, body, soul
                                  and spirit. God does not demonstrate mind over
                                  matter as the mental scientists do but a higher fact
                                 demonstrates power of the spirit over mind and
                                  matter.
  
  

               i.       The spirit is renewed by our relationship with God through prayer and receiving His life, His love, His joy, His peace, daily into our being

           ii.        The soul puts away sin which is essential so that the heart of man can become
 one with the heart of Christ

         iii.        Healing to the body is as natural as peace is to the mind, or rest to the spirit
 declaring that Christ has become our ‘all in all’

God said in Genesis 2:17, “but the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day you eat of it you shall die”. Immediately Adam and Eve ate of this fruit they became spiritually dead to eternal life. But when Jesus came, those who receive Him become spiritually alive to eternal life. Now the soul has to therefore take on the fruits of the Holy Spirit and no longer yield to the desires of the flesh. Spending time in god’s presence will enable the wonderful transformation of dying to the fruits of the flesh which are evil and to receive the fruits of the Holy Spirit which will enable man to live and walk in the Holy Spirit. Once man achieves this the gifts of the Holy Spirit are able to manifest through His life in great power and effect. James 4:16 says, “Therefore confess your sins to one another and pray for one another that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effects.”

1. 2.      Patience Kindness Goodness   

If we are filled with God’s love, joy and peace on a daily basis this will have a powerful effect on our lives:

             i.       If we are filled with the peace of Christ, we will be calm, quiet in spirit, unpressured, this will enable us to be patient as there will no longer be stress within that causes us to be impatient. God’s peace causes patience.

           ii.       If we are filled with the love of Christ we will begin to love others also. This will make us want to be kind to them and less selfish or hardened. We will begin to feel more for others and treat them as we ourselves would like to be treated.

         iii.       If we are filled with the joy of Christ this joy will free us and enable us to find joy in giving to others. Good deeds will then follow us and people will come to know us by our fruit.

QUESTIONS

1.         What did the Fall do to Man?

2.         What does the Lord gives us through the Holy Spirit?

3.         How do we receive from God in order to produce the fruit of the Holy Spirit?

4.         How is God’s way better than Man’s way in science?

Philippians 4:8, “Finally brethren whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, is there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

Faithfulness, Gentleness, self-control

The first six fruits of the spirit of the Holy Spirit show in our personal lives and in our attitudes towards others.
 

Faithfulness, gentleness and self-control will show in our fruit towards others. Our life styles will show who we really are in Christ.

Matthew 7:16, “You will know them by their fruits”

Philippians 1:10-11, “So that you may approve what is excellent and may be pure and blameless for the day of |Christ, filled with the fruits of righteousness which come through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.”

The fruits of the Spirit are gifts received from God through spending time in His presence cultivating them.

The gift of righteousness is received by faith. Philippians 3:9, “to be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own based on the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith.”

All the fruits of the Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit are received through faith from God. We therefore need to spend time in regular prayer to receive these gifts from God. For these are the fruits from Heaven, not from Earth.

Proverbs 21:21, “he who pursues righteousness will find life and honour.”

Romans 6:19, “I am speaking in human terms because of your natural limitations, for just as you once yielded your members to iniquity and to greater and greater iniquity, so now yield your members to righteousness for sanctification.”

Let us yield ourselves to the Holy Spirit, let us seek the Lord in prayer AND ALLOW Him to change us inwardly, then the fruits of the Holy Spirit will show through our lives outwardly and good works will become a natural result.

1.         Faithfulness     – We will become faithful to God and one another

2.         Gentleness       – God is gentle with us. This causes us to be gentle with others.

3.         Self-control     – If we turn our backs on sin and pursue righteousness this will
                                       make us become more and more self-controlled for the Holy
                                       Spirit will be in more and more control of our life as we yield
                                       to him.

 Colossians 1:10, “to lead a life worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.”

When we yield ourselves to the Holy Spirit to work in our lives something wonderful happens.

2 Corinthians 3:19, “and we all with unveiled face, behold the glory of the Lord are being changed into His likeness from one degree of glory to another, for this comes from the Lord who is Spirit.”

When this happens in our lives, we are inviting God’s blessing on everything we do for Him. We shall succeed for in God is victory every time. We cannot fail God if we are living and walking in the Holy Spirit submitted to His ways, walking in obedience and righteousness, bearing the fruit of the Spirit in all we do.

2 Peter 1:5, “For this reason make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness,  and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these things are yours and abound, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these things is blind and short-sighted and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. Therefore brethren, be the more zealous to confirm your call and election, for if you do this you will never fail, so there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Saviour.”

The more we live and walk in the Holy Spirit, the more the fruits of the Holy Spirit will show in our lives. The more the fruits of the Holy Spirit are cultivated in our lives, the greater the degree that the gifts of the Holy Spirit will be able to operate through our lives.

The devil knows who are God’s people and who are not. Acts 19:15, “But the evil spirit answered them, ‘Jesus I know and Paul I know, but who are you?’ and the man in whom the evil spirit was leapt on them, and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.”

The devil may tempt men to sin and has no respect for them, but true men of God, the devil does not only respect them, but will flee from them for they have the Holy Spirit of God in their lives.

When we truly seek to cultivate and grow in the fruits of the Holy Spirit in our lives, then Jesus himself gives us the authority of His Name to drive out demons and heal the sick.

Luke 10:19, “I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and overcome all the power of the enemy, nothing will harm you.”

 The closer we live to God and live out the fruits of the Holy Spirit, the less we will limit God from working through our lives.

The less we limit God from working through our lives, the more powerfully the gifts of the Holy Spirit are able to operate through our lives; and Jesus was the most perfect example of this.

Let’s draw closer and closer to Jesus, let us yield totally to His glorious Holy Spirit, let us walk in total and joyful obedience, let us allow every fruit of the Holy Spirit to show fully in our lives. Then we shall see the bigger miracle healings. It is then that we shall see creative healings, even arms growing out from a stump and the dead raised. Do you want to move in God in this dimension?

I do, let’s follow Christ fully. Hebrew 12:1-2, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfector of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

QUESTIONS

1.         How do the fruits of the Holy Spirit in my life enable the gifts of the Holy Spirit
            to operate through my life more powerfully?

2.         Does the devil know who you are? If not why not?

3.         Why does the devil respect a person full of the Holy Spirit?

4.         Why should you never try to cast out demons without the Holy Spirit?

5.         How best can I cultivate the fruit of the Holy Spirit in my life?

6.         Are you prepared to make a change in Christ from this moment on?

            If so let’s pray: -

Lord Jesus, I want to commit my life to you fully. I want to spend time in your presence for you to fill me with your love, joy and peace. I want to pursue your righteousness and fruit of the Holy Spirit in my life. I commit myself to you to do so, Thank-you Jesus. Amen

Spend time today in God’s presence and every day.

We receive the Holy Spirit when we first receive Jesus Christ into our hearts as Lord and Saviour John 20:19-20 ‘Then the same day at evening; being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you; as the Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, HE BREATHED ON THEM, AND SAITH UNTO THEM, RECEIVE THE HOLY GHOST.

THE RESURRECTED CHRIST INBREATHS THE HOLY SPIRIT ON US.

THEN ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST THE GLORIFIED CHRIST OUTPOURS HIS HOLY SPIRIT. Acts 1:8 “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth”.

In Luke 24:49, Jesus commanded them to wait: “And behold I send you the promise of my Father upon you, but stay in the city, until you are clothed with power from on high.”

 We now get baptised with the power of the Holy Spirit. Let’s read what happened.

                    i.   Acts 2:1-4                   will show how the Holy Spirit came upon them

                  ii.   Acts 2:5-16                will show the results of the Holy Spirit coming upon them
                                    personally

                iii.   Acts 2:17-19              will show how the Old Testament prophecy was fulfilled

                iv.   Acts 2:37-42              will show the response of the people to Holy Spirit  
                                     empowered preaching

1. 1.        Who is the Holy Spirit for?
   
   

a)    Mark 1:10, “And immediately, coming out of the water, he saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove.”  JESUS  received the Holy Spirit at His baptism and then He began in His miraculous ministry.
Also read Luke 4:18.

b)   (Acts 4:33) With great power THE APOSTLES gave testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and great grace was upon them all – the disciples and the apostles.

c)    (Acts 6:8) And Stephen full of grace and power did great wonders and signs among the people. To others that the Lord raised up to serve Him. Also read Acts 8:6-8, Acts 8:14-17, Acts 10:44-46a and Acts 19:2.-6

d)   Romans 15:13, “May the God of hope FILL YOU with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit YOU may abound in hope”  = you and me and every reader that ever reads the Bible. Romans 8:11, “If the spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through His Spirit which dwells in you.”

2.   How do we receive the Holy Spirit?

a)   Receive Jesus as your Lord and Saviour

      John 1:12, “But to all who received Him, who believed in His name, He gave power to become children of God who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God.”

b)   Be baptised 

       Mark 16:16, “He who believes and is baptised will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.”  This can be done before or after you receive the Holy Spirit.

c)    Ask

Luke 11:13, “If you then who are 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.”

d)    WAIT and Receive

This may be immediate or this may take a bit of time for the Holy Spirit is a person, but know this – The Heavenly Father is ready to give you this gift.

When you receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, it is normal to receive the gift of tongues at the same time. The gift of tongues is speaking another language given to you by the Holy Spirit. As you open your mouth to praise God, little sounds will come from your mouth and as you yield to this and speak out, this language will start to pour forth even as rivers of living water as the Holy spirit gives you vocal inspiration. If this does not happen straight away, do not worry about it, for the Lord will give you this to you in His timing.

To receive this gift you can say this prayer:
Lord I come to you now.

            I thank you for dying on the cross to forgive my sins and to give me the gift of salvation. Please forgive me, forgive me for where I have sinned against you in thought word or deed, or in things left undone. Thank-you for your forgiveness. Please come into my heart as Lord and Savour and baptise me in your Holy Spirit.
Thank-you Jesus.
Amen.

Now simply receive and begin to praise Him in your new tongue.

GROUP ACTIVITY

1. Spend time in prayer and assist those still being baptised in the Holy Spirit to receive and speak in tongues.
   
   
2. Look up the Scriptures and discuss them to find what sign should follow   

Speaking in tongues is the gateway into the supernatural heavenly realm.

There are 9 gifts of the Holy Spirit: 3 vocal gifts, 3 revelation gifts and 3 power gifts.

In this lesson we will discuss the 3 vocal gifts. Firstly, read 1 Corinthians 12:4-10.

All 9 gifts are available to every believer and Paul encourages us to seek the higher gifts. (1 Corinthians 12:31)

Introduction: Reasons for receiving the gifts

1. 1.      For building up the church. (1 Corinthians 14:12)
   
   As we study, practise and use the gifts, we will grow from level to level in the effective work of each gift. 1 Corinthians 12:11-12 speaks of the whole body of the church being involved.

1. 2.      To be a witness for Jesus by proving that He is alive (Hebrews 2:4) 

1. 3.      To meet the needs of individual people (1 Peter 4.10)

The 3 vocal gifts

1. 1.      Tongues – 2 types

a)      The manifestation of tongues

b)     A message of tongues

2.   Interpretation of tongues

3.   Prophecy

1.  Tongues

a)  The manifestation of tongues

      The manifestation of tongues is received with the Holy Spirit to be used to praise the Lord in speaking or singing. Here one enters an exciting, dynamic and unlimited realm of prayer, no longer limited to human language or lack of understanding. Instead one comes into the perfect oneness with God.

                    i.   Tongues are used to speak to God and not man (1 Corinthians 14:2)

                  ii.   Tongues are used to edify and build up the believer (1 Corinthians 14:4) 

                iii.   The Holy Spirit makes intercession for us with groaning that cannot be uttered,
  when we pray for others (Romans 8: 26-27)

                iv.   Sometimes as we pray in the Spirit, the gift of interpretation also operates and we
 suddenly begin to pray in our own language with supernatural revelation

                  v.   Tongues helps us to take the sword of the Spirit, the word of God
 (Ephesians 6:17-18)

b)   A message of tongues
 

       This is given for the church as a message of tongues of angels or human language.

                    i.   To bring God’s word with interpretation to the church (1 Corinthians 13:1)

                  ii.   As a sign to unbelievers (Acts 2. 6-8 ,11). Also, read Mark 16:17

                iii.   The Holy Spirit in tongues helps us to pray the right prayer for a person, when
  we do not know how to pray for them (Romans 8:26-27)

                iv.   To help us pray for the right things (James 4:3) 

                  v.   In tongues one edifies and encourages the church (1 Corinthians 14: 3)

1. 2.      Interpretation of tongues

a)   A message of tongues needs to be interpreted by oneself or another
(1 Corinthians 14:13)

As we step out in faith and begin to speak, God will fill our mouths with the interpretation (1 Corinthians 14:27). There may be more than one interpreter but not more than three

b)   After two or three speak, let others judge whether it is a true and accurate
       message from God (1 Corinthians 14:29).

       This is done through a revelation gift.

 3.    The Gift of Prophecy  

The Old Testament speaks of the gift of prophecy in 1 Samuel 10:6 and Joel 2:28.

The gift of prophecy is a clear inspired word from the Lord in the known tongue of the people to encourage and strengthen the people. This spontaneous message from god will edify the individual or the whole church.

a)   Make love your aim and eagerly desire the supernatural gifts especially that you
       may prophesy (1 Corinthians 14:1)

      See also v5 and v39 of the same chapter.

c)      Let the prophecy be judged. (1 Corinthians 14:29-32)

                    i.   Does it agree with scripture? (Galatians 8)

                  ii.   What are the fruits of the spirit in the believer’s life? (Matthew 7:15-16)

                iii.   Does it glorify God? (John 16:13-14 and  Revelation 19:10)

                iv.   Do the prophecies get fulfilled? (Deuteronomy 18:21-22)

                  v.   Does it lead to God or away from God? (Deuteronomy 13:1-3)

                vi.   Does it bring freedom or bondage? (Romans 8:15)

              vii.   What is the inner witness of the Holy Spirit? (1 John 2:20)

If the Lord wants to prophecy through you, He will quicken your spirit, to do so He will show you the right timing and speak through you natural voice in your own language.
 
The message will always build up, or edify. (1 Corinthians 14:3)

There are 3 revelation gifts

1. 1.      Discerning of spirits
2. 2.      The word of knowledge
3. 3.      The word of wisdom

1. 1.      Discerning of spirits
   
   Read Matthew 24:24 to distinguish between the spirits, what is from God and what is not from God. This is the supernatural insight into the realm of the spirit world. Here you will know the type of spirit, behind the person or message, also the source, nature and activity.

a)   If from God you will sense                                  If not from God you will sense 

          i. The presence of God                                        i. The nature of a human spirit

         ii. The presence of the Holy Spirit                      ii. The presence of evil spirits

        iii. Sometimes the presence of angels                 iii. The presence of Satan

b)  The purpose of the gift

i.   To detect false revelation
ii. To keep sin away
iii. To discern the plans of Satan
iv.To deliver a person from evil spirits by casting them out (Mark 16:17 and
       Luke 10:19-20)

v.To recognise the spirits of deception (1 Timothy 4:1-2 and 2 Timothy 3:13)

vi.To test the spirit of truth and the spirit of error (Acts 16:16-18)

2.  Word of Knowledge

This is a supernatural revelation of facts; past, present or future, about a person or situation not known to the natural mind. The Holy Spirit will interrupt our thoughts with another thought, a word, a feeling, an impression, a vision or simply an inner knowing.

For instance I often know which people the Lord will heal before He does it. I will then say to them the Lord is going to heal you, so that within two minutes you will be walking. This increases their faith and within two minutes they are actually walking. Other times a word of knowledge may only be part of the total situation.

 a)        The purpose of the word of knowledge

This supernatural knowing will aid in perfecting the purpose of God

i.   In building faith to step out in faith and receive the promises of God

ii.   To bring glory to God, by the accuracy and effectiveness of God at work in
 our midst

iii.   To warn against danger, disclose sin, to direct us, to encourage us

 b)       How to operate in the word of knowledge

c)          i.   John 5:19 “ Truly, truly I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord but only what he sees the Father doing, for whatever He does that the Son does likewise.”  Know the father in prayer, walk in the presence of god and you will see what He is doing, hear what He is saying, feel what he is feeling for that person or situation. As you walk in that knowledge, the gift will operate.

                  ii.     (Acts 14:9-10) Paul saw in the spirit that the crippled man at Lystra had faith to
  be healed and said loudly “Stand up straight on your feet” and he leapt and
  walked.

3.   The Word of Wisdom

Here the Holy Spirit will give you God’s wisdom as to how to move forward in a course of action based on the supernatural and/or natural knowledge.

a)        He may reveal God’s purpose and plans for our life and ministry

b)       He may reveal how to lead a meeting, in order to release the anointing.

This may come as a vision or impression of how we see ourselves doing something in a certain way before we do it. For example I was teaching to come up to another level in prayer, suddenly I saw myself gather them into a circle. I called them forward and formed a circle. In the increased intimacy of the circle, the Holy Spirit suddenly came down and through a powerful tongue and interpretation gave us specific guidance, as to how to reach the remote villages. We all responded to the Lord wholeheartedly.

4.   Sometimes the Word of knowledge and wisdom work together   

In John 4:19-29 Jesus knew by the word of knowledge that the woman had had five husbands. Jesus received the word of wisdom, how to minister to her, that others
may be saved.

In John 11:14 Jesus knew through the word of knowledge that Lazarus was dead.

In John 11:11 Jesus received the word of wisdom to say “this sickness is not unto death”.

In John 11:23 Jesus then said to Martha “ Your brother will rise again”.

 In Acts 10 19-20 other examples are shown.

The revelation gifts prepare us for effective ministry, for things to come and to save our lives

THINK

1. How do we deal with wrong speech?

2. How does the word of wisdom operate with the word of knowledge?

The three power gifts are

1.  The gift of faith

2.  The working of miracles

3.  The gifts of healing (see Study 8)

1. 1.    The Gift of Faith

For a specific time and purpose, to accomplish a certain task. We see it happen in advance and this gives boldness to move out in faith. Do you see what the Father is doing? For example; a man was near death from AIDS lying on the children’s mat in front of the church. Suddenly I saw in the Holy Spirit, the man standing up and walking. Then I saw how I was to do it and immediately obeyed by walking up to the man, taking hold of his hand and saying; “In the name of Jesus rise up and walk”. Pulling him to his feet, he suddenly became healed and walked. A few weeks later the man had put on weight and got himself a job and through this miracle of Jesus, many became Christians in his village. 

a)      The gift of faith comes once the gift of wisdom reveals a demonstration of God’s power that God is about to demonstrate.

This enables us to move out boldly in obedience on the revelation we have received.  (Matthew 2:19, Daniel 3:16-18, 1 Samuel 17:32 & 45-46, Acts 13:10-11 & 5:9-11)

b)     The gift of faith works along with the working of miracles or healing.

Jesus spoke to Lazarus “Lazarus come forth”; or to the storm, “Peace be still”.

c)      The gift of faith may also be revealed in a more long-term task.

For instance when we had only £8.50 to our name. We knew that the Lord wanted us to build a 40 bed Christian Holiday ranch. Because we knew He wanted this, we had no problem believing it. He gave us the determination and endurance to see this happen and it did happen.

1. 2.    The Working of Miracles

A miracle is a supernatural demonstration that alters or controls the normal laws of nature e.g. food being multiplied, rain suddenly coming to end drought, are two that I have seen. In Uganda a mango tree suddenly began to bear fruit continuously for three years in a severe war situation to feed the refugees. These are miracles that are happening today.

Jesus turned water into wine, calmed the storm, walked on water, and fed 5000 people with only 5 loaves and 2 fishes. The working of miracles require action, working from supernatural knowledge of what is about to happen. We then receive the word of wisdom as to what to do and as we do it the miracle happens.

God says to Moses in Exodus 14:15 “why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward ’’; and in Exodus 14.16, “lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, that the people of Israel may go on dry land through the sea”. Here the Lord told Moses exactly what to do and what He the Lord would do. As Moses obeyed so the miracle happened and the sea parted. We first hear the Lord, then in faith obey what He has told us to do and the miracle will happen. John.25, Matthew 14:27-29,  and Luke 5:4-7 are some of the miracles Jesus did.

a)   Jesus raises the dead

       In John 12:32 Jesus hears Lazarus is dead.

       In v34              Jesus asks, “where have you laid him?”. Jesus wept, he was moved.       

       In v39              He says “take away the stone”. Here Jesus already knows that
                               Lazarus will be raised and has wisdom to do it.

       In vs40-42       He prays a prayer of faith on account of the people standing by.

                               Then He cried “Lazarus come forth” and Lazarus came out

b)   Jesus still raises the dead today

On the 7^th August 2005 after the Sunday service, one of our team visited a hospital near Blantyre in Malawi. This Sunday he could not go in at the front entrance, so he went in by the mortuary at the back entrance and saw a dead man on his right. The Lord prompted him to go and pray for him, so in obedience he went over to pray for him and Jesus raised him from the dead. The whole hospital praised God for this miracle. They kept the man in for two days of observation, before letting him go home. Not only was the man raised from dead, but was also completely healed of the malaria, which had killed him.

Note - Never try to raise the dead unless you have specifically heard from God to do so, and also how to go about it.

3)        How to move in the working of Miracles

a)        We need to take time to hear Him speak and to receive His word of knowledge

b)       We also need to hear what we must do through the word of wisdom

c)        We must obey and step out in faith and do it

d)       The miracle will happen because Jesus has gone to the Father (John 14:12)

THINK

1. How does the gift of faith come about through the other gifts?
   
   
2. Study three Old Testament examples and three New Testament examples to show this

The person who needs the gift of healing is the one who is sick. The Lord works in many different ways in healing the sick and often uses more than one gift to do so. The Lord can use any or all of the nine gifts to work his healing through, to the person in need.

1)      Discernment

Why is the person sick? What is behind the cause? Is it a spirit of infirmity? Is the demon of infirmity causing the spirit of cancer or arthritis? If so we will cast it out in Jesus’ name and the person will be healed as the spirit of that sickness leaves.eg. in deaf people it can be the ‘deaf spirit’ behind the deafness; as you cast it out with the word, suddenly the person will be able to hear. You need the gift of discernment to know if it is the ‘deaf spirit’ causing the deafness or an injury or something else.

Another time I prayed for for the blockage to be removed in the eardrums and suddenly fluid started to come out of the ears and within a few minutes the man could hear as the fluid that had blocked his hearing had been removed.

Study Matthew 9:3 and Luke 13:11-16

How can I receive the discernment I need?

In the book of John on eleven occasions Jesus points to the Father. Jesus did nothing on His own strength or authority. He only did what he saw the father doing. He obeyed the father on all occasions. He never guessed or took a chance; He only did as He heard from the Father.
 

Read John 5:19-21, 30-31, 7:16-18, 8:12&16, 28-29, 7:38, 10:27, 12:49-50, 14:10,  16:12-15 & 17:16-19.

These scriptures transformed the way I did everything for the Lord: for I was determined that from that moment on that I would do only what Jesus did and He only did what the Father did.

In prayer you can come to know the Father as Jesus knew the Father. When you know the Father and the Father knows you, He will show you what He is doing, He will reveal to you the discernment you need and as you then move forward in faith you will KNOW that the Father will do it and the healing or miracle will be accomplished.

2.  The word of knowledge or wisdom

It is not always a spirit of infirmity that causes an illness so the discernment of spirits will not always be in operation. Here you need the gift of knowledge or the gift of wisdom. Did the sickness come to the person naturally or supernaturally? Is it passed through the family? Or through unforgiveness or through a trauma? Or through guilt? Or through a weakness in the body?

How to receive the word of knowledge or wisdom

a)       Again we have to stop and pray, then listen for the gift of knowledge or wisdom to show us
 the cause and how to pray for the person.  Read Acts 28:8

b)     Sometimes the Lord will reveal to you the word of knowledge or wisdom through an impression or a vision where we see ourselves ministering to that person in a certain way –when we do it the way we have seen us doing it the healing will happen.

c)        Another time we will be given the root problem and as we tell the person what we have heard, the person will be set free and healed at the same time. eg. In Latvia I prayed for a girl who wanted to be set free from a serious stutter. I prayed and asked the Lord how to pray for her, and saw in the spirit a tractor approaching a very young girl. I told her what I saw and she burst into tears and told me of the tractor that had run over her when she was 4 years old. Although she was unhurt as the wheels had gone either side of her, she had had such a fright that she had been stuttering ever since. I told her that Jesus knew about this and had been there for her all the time wanting to comfort her, she cried out to Jesus; the fear left and her stutter was completely healed from that moment.

1. 3.        Healing through the gift of faith
   
   

The gift of faith is a supernatural gift for that specific time and purpose.

a)      The lord wants to heal someone, that you do not yet have the faith for. eg. In Latvia I had to pray for an 18 year old girl born with a deformed jaw that caused the point of her chin to come on the left of her face and very crooked teeth to form. I did not have the faith to pray for her, yet still I saw myself praying for her, so I prayed for her. I saw nothing happen but that night she ran up to us shouting “look at my jaw, look at my teeth”. She was completely healed. We all burst into tears at the glorious miracle that had taken place. She looked so beautiful with a normal jaw.

b)     The gift of faith can also be given through a vision, which will give you the faith to know that the person will be healed, regardless of how impossible it may look. eg. in South Africa I saw a 17 year old girl in a wheelchair from birth. She had been born with a twisted spine. My heart went out to her. What was such a pretty young girl doing in this old people’s home?
I saw her walking, in my spirit, and could hardly wait to pray for her. My chance came, I prayed for her and asked her to stand. She told me that she had never stood on her legs before, so I got 2 nurses to take one arm and help lift her to her feet and she stood for the first time in her life, but now did not know how to walk. I told her to take off her shiny red shoes and once they were removed, she managed to walk with the nurses to aid her balance. Within the next half-hour we showed her how to walk with the aid of a walker with a nurse holding the walker. After I left the Lord continued to heal her and within three months she could walk without even a walking stick.

      Read Acts 3:6 

QUESTIONS

1.  How can God release these gifts through you? – discuss

2.  What is the most important thing to do, for you to receive these gifts?

3.  What are your personal experiences?

WE NEED TO KNOW THE VICTORY Jesus won on the cross for us and we are in him, in order to move in the power of the Holy Spirit. Ephesians, chapter 1 & 2 tells us who we are in Christ and the victory Jesus has over every rule and authority, power and dominion and above every name. That means He has victory over every evil force, sin, sickness, curses and every demonic thing. Every knee must bow, every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord and this victory He won on the cross. Since that moment, every force on earth has to bow the knee and obey. Every sickness has a name, every demon has a name, and everyone has to obey the name of Jesus. The name above every name. Jesus has given us the authority of His name. In the name of Jesus we can drive sickness and pain out of bodies. In the name of Jesus we can drive every demon out of everyone’s life that wants it gone.

How can this be?

Read Ephesians 2:4-6 to see what Jesus has done for us. Yes He has forgiven our sin and raised us up with Him into the Heavenly places in Christ Jesus, above sin, above sickness and above every demonic force upon this earth. If only we will believe this. If only we will live this truth!!

Also read Philippians 2:8-11.

In prayer we can come to know this reality. In prayer we allow the Lord to raise us up to the Heavenly places in Christ Jesus. It’s there that the lord equips us to move out in Him, in His power and authority: to loose man from the bonds of wickedness, to bring man to salvation and to deliver the oppressed and to heal the sick.

What does the Lord do for us in the Heavenly places?

                    i.   He blesses us in Christ  with every spiritual blessing (Ephesians1:3)

                  ii.   He shows us who we are in Him (Ephesians1:4-6)
  

                iii.   He shows us what He did for us on the cross (Ephesians1:7-8)

                iv.   He makes the mystery of His Will known to us (Ephesians 1:8-10)

                  v.   He shows us His Will for us, our destiny and purpose (Ephesians 1:10-12)

                vi.   He shows us what our inheritance is in Him (Ephesians1:12-14)

              vii.   He promises us wisdom an knowledge in Him (Ephesians 1:17)

            viii.   He calls us to know His hope and inheritance (Ephesians 1:18)

                ix.   He shows us the greatness of His power to those who believe (Ephesians 1:19)

                  x.   He calls us up with Him to live spiritually where he is, so that we can be equipped and sent out into the world to show man His immeasurable riches of His grace and kindness, in salvations, in healings and deliverances which God prepared beforehand that we should walkin them (Ephesians 2:4-6)

THE AUTHORITY OF JESUS’ NAME

1. Genesis 1:3 ‘And God SAID “Let there be light          What God said came         (God)
                        and then there was light”’                         into being at His word

    Genesis 1:6 ‘God SAID…..’

2. John 1:1-5  “The Word became flesh”                                        (Word becomes flesh)

3. Mark 9:25-35                                                                 Jesus commanded the     (Jesus)
                                                                                           dumb spirit to leave
                                                                                           and it left
  

4. Acts3:16     “And His name, by faith in His name                                         (disciples)
                        has made the man strong”

5. Mark16:17 “And these signs will accompany those                                                (Us)
                       who believe. In my name they will cast
                       out demons, they will speak in new tongues” 
                    

    Also: Matthew 10:1, Matthew 10:8

The authority of words are powerful

1. Matthew 16:19 Jesus has given us the keys of authority to bind or loose.
   You receive them
   
   
2.  Mark16:17  “And these signs will follow those who believe. In my name they will cast out demons …”and in John 14:12 “he who believes in me, the works that I do he will also do”
    Believe
     
3. Use the gifts of the spirit to discern spirits of infirmity that cause cancer, arthritis and other incurable diseases and cast them out in Jesus’ name
   
   
4. Speak in faith (Mark 11:22-23 & Psalms 107:20)
   
   
5. Expect the miracle or healing to happen (Matthew 8:5-8). Also, Isaiah 55:11 “so shall the word that goes forth from my mouth, it shall not return to me empty”

The Power of the Holy Spirit through laying on of hands

Mark 16:18, “They will lay hands on the sick and they will recover.”
John Lake missionary to Africa writes:

            “Gentlemen, I want you to see one more thing. You go down to your hospital
            and bring the man that has inflammation of the shinbone. Take your
            instrument and attach it to your leg. You can have it attached on both sides.” So
            when the instrument was all ready I put my hand on that man’s shin and
            prayed…. Then I said, “gentlemen what is taking place?” They replied, “every
            cell is responding.”

Beloved, all there is to healing, is that the life of God comes back into the part that is afflicted and right away the blood flows, the congested cells respond and the work is done.

John Lake goes on to say:

           “One of these days there is going to be a new chair in our universities. It will
           be the chair of pneumatology, the science of the Spirit, by which men will
           undertake to discover the laws of the spirit of man and the action of God
           through man. And by the grace of God, men shall know that God is alive, and
           the living Spirit of God is no dream and it’s wondrous power in man and
           through man will be revealed.”

The Lord , in a similar way as the workings of a mobile phone, is able to current His healing power through our mortal bodies; through our hands to bring healing to the person we are laying hands on. In Romania I was invited to give a lecture at “The  University of Medical Science and Pharmacy” on “divine healing”.

After my talk, not knowing their regulations, I invited the sick to come forward, laid hands on them and they were instantly healed. This caused quite a stir and two of the lecturers present became Christians that very day.

Jesus healed by laying on of hands

Mark 7:33-35, Mark 5:41-42, Mark 1:40-41

Laying on of hands also imparts the gifts of the Spirit

Acts 19:6, 2 Timothy 1:6,  Deuteronomy 34:9

How To lay On hands

1. Find out “What are you believing God to do for you”. Always be positive, never ask
    “what is wrong with you?”

2. Touch the part that is to be healed yourself or over the person’s hand if you prefer not
    to touch the area for some reason. As you touch the area god’s power will flow through
    you into that area like electricity. Sometimes you can even feel this flow through you.
    Sometimes I feel the power being sucked from me and I know the person is being
    healed. Other times I feel it ‘sponging up’ so that I know the person is struggling to
    receive.

3. Speak encouraging words to build up the person’s faith to receive.

4. Speak faith, release your faith for them.

5. Expect the healing, watch, feel, listen and encourage.

6. Stand in faith (Hebrews 3:14). Let them know the difference between a miracle
    healing and healing. In Kenya I prayed for the eyes of an Archbishop to be able to see
    again and saw no evidence of healing, yet three weeks later he e-mailed me to tell me
    that during the three weeks the Lord gradually healed his eyes to perfect sight.

The power of the Holy Spirit in large crowds

1. 1.      The Lord knows about the large crowd and often moves in a stronger measure so we need to be alert and listen to the Holy Spirit. Sometimes he will lead you to call up the sickest person first. If He does, you can know the Lord will heal this person and will enable you to be bold in faith, as this healing will raise the faith of others.
   
   
2. 2.      The Lord may lead you to pray a mass prayer by asking them to lay their own hands on their sickness of pain and a few hundred may be healed within a minute or two as the wave of the Holy Spirit moves over the crowd.
   
   
3. 3.      You may be led to pray for those with a certain sickness and after those healings, go onto the next sickness etc.
   
   
4. 4.      You may be given a word of knowledge for a certain person’s healing and even where they are seated in the crowd. This also raises faith.
   
   
5. 5.      Other times you may be led to use one or two of the methods and end up praying for the lame, blind and deaf individually.
   

QUESTIONS

Do we have the same power as the Apostles had?

How can we release this power today?

Who are given the authority of The Name of Jesus?

Jesus tells us to take authority. How do we do this?