Anointing

Acts 10:37-38 (NIV) “You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached— 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.”

Luke 4:18-19 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.”

1 John 2:27 (NIV) “As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.”

Anointing: What is it? Who is anointed? Why?

I. Jesus was anointed.  The first thing we need to understand is that God anoints his people for a reason.  God anointed Jesus and he anoints people today.

II. Why did God anoint Jesus? In Acts 10 we read that Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit and power to do good and heal those who were under the power of the devil. 

     A.      Foundational information about Christ.

1.       He was fully human as he walked on the earth.  Acts 10:37-38 says “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth (the man) with the Holy Spirit and power.”  Even though Jesus was the only begotten Son of God - He left all of His power and glory in Heaven and came to earth in the same form as every other man.

Philippians 2:8 (NIV) “And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!” 

Hebrews 2:17 (NIV) “For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.”

2.       He was born a man. Luke 2:6-7 “ While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.”  Mary had to deliver Jesus just like all women who have ever lived has to.  Like all mothers, Mary endured pain and also experienced the joy of seeing her long awaited child for the first time.  Joseph, like many dads, assisted her in the delivery process and witnessed first-hand the miracle of new life.

3.       He lived on earth as a man.  Matthew 4:4 (NIV) Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”  If Jesus was walking as God, rather than as man, he could have vanquished the enemy with a look, word, flick of his finger, etc.  But as a man, he used the same tool we use when faced with temptations, THE WORD!! 

4.       As a man He had no more power than you or I. John 12:49 “I don’t speak on my own authority. The Father who sent me has commanded me what to say and how to say it.” Like us, Jesus was dependent upon his father to direct his words and actions.  He did not try to minister on his own but sought his father’s will for every word and action. 

5.       He hungered and thirsted as a man. Mark 11:12 “The next morning as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry.”  John 4:7 “When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, ‘Will you give me a drink?’ (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)”  We read in the Word about numerous occasions when Jesus was at a dinner or special meal.  I love that he liked eating like I do!

6.       He suffered as a man. John 19:1-3 “Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe and went up to him again and again, saying, ‘Hail, king of the Jews!’ And they slapped him in the face.”   While some would like to downplay the price Christ paid for our redemption, the reality is that Jesus felt every blow of the scourge and every strike of the hammer as it pounded the nails into his wrists and feet.  He felt the weight of his body hanging from those nail pierced arms and felt his weight pressing on his nail pierced feet.  He struggled to take each breath.  On top of all of this, he also bore all of our sins upon himself as he hung suspended between heaven and earth.  If the physical pain wasn't enough, imagine, feeling all the guilt, shame, anguish, etc. of everyone who has ever lived and who will live.   What a wonderful Savior!!!

7.       He died as a man. Philippians 2:8 (NIV) “And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!”  As Jesus hung on the cross there were no angels ministering to his needs.  He hung there naked and alone like the thieves who were crucified with him.  Most of his followers had run away as well.  Only a handful of women and John were there to witness his shame and abuse. 

8.       He never did one miracle until he was anointed by the Holy Spirit. Matthew 3:16 “After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened  and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him.” (In the Greek this literally means the Spirit absorbed into Jesus.)

     B.      Why does God anoint people today?

1.       The anointing brings power.  Acts 1:8, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (“Comes upon you”  in Greek means to overtake you )  WOW!!!! The Holy Spirit overtakes us in the same manner he absorbed into Jesus at his baptism. 

a.       To witness (Acts. 1:4-5, “On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: ‘Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.  For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’”) The disciples were commanded to wait in Jerusalem until they had received the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts. 1:8). They were not to begin ministering until they had received the Power.  If the men who walked with     the Savior needed the anointing before they could minister, how much more do we need it to witness?

b.      To overcome the world (1 John 4:4 (NIV) “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”)

The level of power we have to overcome is directly proportionate to the level at which we rely on the Spirit.  Total reliance and dependence = a full spiritual tank, partial reliance and dependence = an almost empty spiritual tank.

Ephesians 5:18 “Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit.”  In the Greek the literal translation of this is: "And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be being continually filled with the Spirit;"

We must be continually filled.  It seems to me that if we are commanded to be continually filled then our tanks can drain as we move and flow in the anointing (John 7:38 “Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’”)  Being filled once is not enough.  There is no spiritual energizer battery we can possess.  We need to be continually in the Word, in prayer, and in the presence of the Lord to maintain our full anointing (coming to Jesus to drink). 

Spiritual Gifts

Romans 12:6-8,In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well.  If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.

1 Corinthians 12:8-10, To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge. The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing. He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said.

1 Corinthians 12:28-30, Here are some of the parts God has appointed for the church:

first are apostles,

second are prophets,

third are teachers,

then those who do miracles,

those who have the gift of healing,

those who can help others,

those who have the gift of leadership,

those who speak in unknown languages.

Are we all apostles? Are we all prophets? Are we all teachers? Do we all have the power to do miracles? Do we all have the gift of healing? Do we all have the ability to speak in unknown languages? Do we all have the ability to interpret unknown languages? Of course not!

Ephesians 4:11, Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.

1 Peter 4:9-11, Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay. God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.

Biblical Summary about Spiritual Gifts

1.            Every Christian has at least one Spiritual Gift (1 Peter 4:10 )

2.            No Christian has all the gifts (1 Corinthians 12:28-30 )

3.            We cannot choose our gifts; God does that job (1 Corinthians 12:7-11 )

4.            There is no gift that every Christian possesses (1 Corinthians 12:29-30 )

5.            Believers will account to the Lord for how they use their gifts (1 Peter 4:10 )

6.            Spiritual Gifts indicate God’s call and purpose for a Christian’s life (Romans 12:2-8 )

7.            Gifts used without love do not accomplish God’s intended purposes (1 Corinthians 13:1-3 )

8.            Spiritual Gifts are for the common good to build up the Body (1 Corinthians 12:27 )

Biblical Guidelines for using Spiritual Gifts

1.            Usage of the gift(s) conforms to Biblical teaching (2 Timothy 3:16 ; Romans 12 ; 1 Corinthians 

               12-14 ; Ephesians 4 ; 1 Peter 4 )

2.            There is affirmation and positive feedback within the Body of Christ for the expression of the gift         

              (1 Corinthians 12:7 ; Ephesians 4:16 )

3.            There is agreement within the Body of Christ that the Holy Spirit is at work (1 John 4:1 ; 1

               Thessalonians 5:21 )

4.            The Holy Spirit provides peace in our spirits as we offer our gift(s) to the Body of Christ (John

               15:26 ; Romans 8:16 )

5.            There is evidence of godly fruit in the life of the Body (John 15:8 ; Matthew 7:16-20 )

6.            Believers offer their gifts for the common good as others have need (Acts 2:44-45 ; 1

              Corinthians 12:7 )

7.            Unless gifts are offered in love, they have no worth (1 Corinthians 13:1-3 )

8.            We should strive to live a life worthy of our calling (Ephesians 4:1 )

Spiritual Gifts Definitions:

     1.       ADMINISTRATION: The ability to understand clearly the immediate and long-range goals of a particular unit of the body of Christ and to devise and execute effective plans for the accomplishment of those goals (Luke 14:28-30; Acts 6:1-7; 1 Corinthians 12:28). 

     2.       APOSTLESHIP: The ability to assume and exercise general leadership over a number of churches, with an extraordinary authority in spiritual matters, which is spontaneously recognized and appreciated by those churches--such as, a bishop. This is not the same as the original twelve Apostles, or Paul (Acts 15:1-2;   1 Corinthians 12:28; 2 Corinthians 12:12; Galatians 2:7-10; Ephesians 3:1-9; 4:11-14).

     3.       DISCERNMENT: The ability to know with assurance whether certain behavior purported to be of God is in reality divine, human, or satanic. The purpose of this gift is to prevent confusion and false teaching from infiltrating the church (Matthew 16:21-23; Acts 5:1-11; Acts 16:16-18; 1 Corinthians 12:10; 1 John 4:1-6).

     4.       EVANGELISM: The ability to share and explain the Gospel message with unbelievers in such a way that men and women become Jesus' disciples and responsible members of the body of Christ (Acts 8:5-6; 8:26-40; 14:21; 21:8; Ephesians 4:11-14; 2 Timothy 4:5). 

     5.       EXHORTATION: The ability to minister words of encouragement, consolation, comfort, and motivation from God's Word to help others complete their tasks and be all that God wants them to be (Acts 4:32-37; 14:22; Romans 12:8; 1 Timothy 4:13; Hebrews 10:24.25). 

     6.       FAITH: The ability to discern with extraordinary confidence the Will and purpose of God, and to propel the body of Believers into actively claiming the promises of God (Acts 11:22-24; Romans 4: 18-21; 1 Corinthians 12:9; Hebrews 11). 

     7.       GIVING: The ability to contribute material and resources to the work of the Lord with liberality and cheerfulness (Mark 12:41-44; Romans 12:8; 2 Corinthians 8:1-7; 2 Corinthians 9:2-8).

     8.        HEALING: The ability to serve as a human intermediary through whom God's healing power is applied to another person's physical or emotional need (Acts 3:1-10; 5:12-16; 9:32-35; 28:7-10; 1 Corinthians 12:9, 28). 

     9.       HELPS/SERVING: The ability to invest the talents one has in the life and ministry of other members of the body, enabling them to increase the effectiveness of their own Spiritual Gifts (Mark 15:40-41; Acts 9:36; Romans 16:1-2; 1 Corinthians 12:28).

    10.   KNOWLEDGE: The ability to discover, accumulate, analyze, and clarify information which is pertinent to the growth and well-being of the body (Acts 5:1-11; 1 Corinthians 12:8; 2 Corinthians 11:6; Colossians 2:2-3). 

    11.   LEADERSHIP: The ability to set goals in accordance with God's purpose for the future, and to communicate those goals to others in such a way that they voluntarily and harmoniously work together to accomplish those goals for the glory of God (Acts 15:7-11; Romans 12:8; 1 Timothy 5:17 Hebrews; 13:17). 

    12.   MIRACLES: The ability to serve as a human intermediary through whom it pleases God to perform powerful acts that are perceived by observers to have altered the ordinary course of nature (Acts 9:36-42; 19:11-20; 20:7-12; Romans 15:18-19; 1 Corinthians 12:10, 28). 

    13.   PASTOR/SHEPHERD: The ability to assume a long-term personal responsibility for the spiritual welfare of a group of Believers with love, care, discipleship, and counseling, moving them to a deeper spiritual connection and maturity with Christ (John 10:1-18; Ephesians 4:11-14; 1 Timothy 3:1-7; 1 Peter 5:1-3).

    14.   PROPHECY: The ability to proclaim the Word of God with divine anointing, which brings conviction to the hearers so they recognize that it is truly the Word of God and they must do something about it. A prophet is also someone who keeps the church on God's path and truth and makes sure we do not slip into false teaching. This is not the same as an OT prophet, which existed before the Word was completed; there is no new teaching or revelation. There are new ways to apply God's truth but not new truth (Acts 2:37-40; Matthew 7:54; Acts 26:24-29; 1 Corinthians 14:1-3; 1 Thessalonians 1:5)!

    15.   TEACHING: The ability to employ a logical, systematic approach to Biblical study with power and conviction, then to communicate that information in a clear, concise way that is relevant to the health and ministry of the Body and its members in such a way that others will learn (Acts 18:24-28;  20:20-21; 1 Corinthians 12:28; Ephesians 4:11-14). 

    16.   TONGUES Interpretation/Speaking: The special ability God gives to some translate the message of one who speaks in tongues. The special ability God gives to some to speak prayer or praise in a language they have never learned or to communicate a message from God to His people. The special ability God gives to some to speak in a language not previously learned so unbelievers can hear God's message in their own language.   If a tongue is spoken without an interpretation, the speaker is edified. If the tongue is interpreted, it is for the edification of the body.

    17.   WISDOM: The ability to apply spiritual truth to a specific issue in a specifically relevant fashion, and to make proper choices in difficult situations, based on listening and sufficient information (Acts 6:3,10; 1 Corinthians 2:1-13; 12:8; James 1:5; 2 Peter 3:15). 

Finding Our Place of Ministry

I. Believers Responsibility: (1 Corinthians 12)

A.      While the gifts are unique to each individual, it is the Holy Spirit who gives them. (vs. 4-5)

B.      There are special gifts for everyone.  (vs. 6-7)

C.      God empowers anyone he chooses to manifest gifts through. (vs. 4-7)

D.      We in the church are one body with many members.  Just as in our human body we have many varied and unique parts, God enjoys the uniqueness of individuals within the body of Christ.  (vs. 12-14)

E.       No ministry is more important than any other.  (vs. 14-17)

F.       God arranges the many parts into one collective whole as he sees fit.  (vs. 18-19)

G.     All the parts of the body are dependent for all the others for survival. (vs. 21-26)

H.      We should desire to use our gifts to minister to the body.   (vs. 27-31)

II. Paul’s view of ministry: Romans 12:4-13 (Our Spiritual Heritage as Believers)

A.      We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.

B.      God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well.

C.      We must use our gifts well.

D.      Love each other and take delight in honoring each other.

E.       Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically

F.       When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. (2 Corinthians 1:3-5)

III. Servants in Ministry: As we find our place in ministry we need to remember that Jesus was first a servant.  He came to serve not to be served.  Matthew 20:28 “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

We use our talents, training, and spiritual gifts combined to serve our Savior.  1 Peter 4:10-11 “God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.”

A.      Talents: Things we possess from birth (i.e. singing ability).

B.      Training: Education, learned skills, on the job training, etc.  (i.e book keeping skills).

C.      Spiritual Gifts: Given by the Holy Spirit as he chooses.

Four characteristics of servant ministers:

A.      Sacrifice: Sacrifice always puts others first not matter what personal comforts the believer must release.

B.      Humility: Being humble means surrendering our own rights to minister to others.  Like Jesus, we look at sincere humility as a serious issue in kingdom ministry.

C.      Encouragement: Jesus constantly taught and encouraged His disciples through His careful training and thoughtful words.  Scripture teaches us to encourage one another (Romans 12:8: Hebrews 10:25).

D.      Giving: A giving servant sees the needs of a person whom others overlook.  Giving to others is a ministry of great joy that seeks no repayment (Bright, 2004, 104-107).

FAITH -Don’t Judge by the Wrapper

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 “That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.”

We live in two realms; the physical and the spiritual.  Because of this dichotomy, we often struggle with our faith.  Our battle is overcoming fear, anxiety, worry, and doubt.  In the physical realm we are bombarded by our five senses.  We see, hear, taste, touch, and smell things every day and in every situation.  We experience emotions and feelings in these situations as well. 

We must remember that we cannot focus on the wrapper (what we can see) but on the eternal (what is underneath/hidden).  2 Corinthians 4:18 (NIV) “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”  The Word points out that the physical realm is temporary but the spiritual realm is eternal. 

What does this mean for us?  We will use the challenge of physical illness to illustrate how we are to walk in both realms. 

     1.We cannot ignore the things we are facing in the physical.

We all have faced struggles in the physical.  Financial, emotional, or physical struggles often feel overwhelming and insurmountable. When physical illness, for example, attacks our body, it is very real and must be dealt with. These things exist and cannot be ignored, but we don’t have to give them first place in our thinking. 

               

I must state here that living by faith doesn't mean we don’t go to the doctor.  God often chooses to use doctors to bring about healing for his children.  What we do need to remember is that our           faith is not in the doctor, but in the One who gave the doctor the ability to minister healing!!!

      2. We focus on the things unseen.

    Hebrews 11:1 tells us that “Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually                         happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.”

So faith is the substance of things you hope for, the assurance, the very proof of what you cannot see that’s in the realm of heaven.

With your faith you replace the things that are seen, sickness and debt, with divine heal and divine wealth, which are not seen.  The way you can do that is you must make sure that you are not looking at the things that are seen, giving them first place.  Keep God’s Word flooding your heart and your thoughts, and keep it before your eyes constantly.  Most people don’t do this because they haven’t put their flesh under and they want to talk about how bad the problem is.  The flesh likes to have pity parties.  So you will have to make the decision that you are going to put the Word first place and believe that the Word of God is changing everything.  ~ Janie Baer (http://godswordalive.com/faith-requires-you-dont-focus-on-your-circumstances)

      3. We keep God’s promises in front of us at all times.

           

2 Peter 1:4 “And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious                     promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the                   world’s corruption caused by human desires.”

We need to stand on the Word in every situation we face.  God has given us 66 books packed full of promises, examples, and illustrations of his mighty power.  In the case of illness, we must dig into the Word and find the promises about divine healing (Psalm 107:20;  Psalm 30:2; Isaiah 53:4-5; Psalm 103:2-4; Psalm 41:2-3; Matthew 8:5-17; Mark 5:34; Luke 8:43-48, 49-56; 1 Peter 2:24). We must claim each promise as our own.  Romans 8:11 (NIV) “And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.”  We see in Romans 8:11 that the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is active to heal our bodies. 

     4.We remind our spirit that God doesn't change and that he always keeps his promises.

Numbers 23:19 “God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change             his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it                       through?”

          

Malachi 3:6a “I am the Lord, and I do not change.”

And if God doesn't change, then that means His promises don’t change, either. He promised to be with you in the past — and He still is. He promised to guide you in the past — and He still will. Know His promises... study His promises... believe His promises... and trust His promises. In the Bible “he has given us his very great and precious promises” (2 Peter 1:4). ~ Billy Graham (Don’t let your faith be overcome by your circumstances, Gaston Gazette, Published: Friday, October 12, 2012)

     5. We thank God that we don’t have to have it all together.  

God’s grace is sufficient and his power is made perfect in our weakness.  2 Corinthians 12:9-10 “Each time he said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

All Scripture is NLT unless otherwise stated.

Hearing the Voice of the Holy Spirit

In our world there are many different voices clamoring for attention.  Every one of them claims to know what is best for our lives.  These voices come in all shapes and sizes.  Some promote godly ideas and views and some promote ungodly/sinful ideas and views.  Each one is loudly fighting to be heard.  The enemy uses many different voices to capture our attention and to deceive us into falling into sin.

We must learn to hear the Holy Spirit.  How can we hear his voice above the noise of the other voices?

I.                    Turn off the competing voices.  We must tune out the other voices to hear the Holy Spirit.  He often speaks in a quiet voice not a loud yell. 1 Kings 19:9-13, There he came to a cave, where he spent the night. The Lord Speaks to Elijah. But the Lord said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” Elijah replied, “I have zealously served the Lord God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.” “Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave. And a voice said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

We see here that God did not come in any of the bold demonstrations of his power, he came to Elijah in the still small voice.  Elijah could have been so distracted by the other demonstrations that he missed the voice, but he had learned long before how to turn off the other voices.  He heard the Word of the Lord. 

A.      Turn off the voice of this world.  1 John 4:3-6 “But if someone claims to be a prophet and does not acknowledge the truth about Jesus, that person is not from God. Such a person has the spirit of the Antichrist, which you heard is coming into the world and indeed is already here. But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world. Those people belong to this world, so they speak from the world’s viewpoint, and the world listens to them. But we belong to God, and those who know God listen to us. If they do not belong to God, they do not listen to us. That is how we know if someone has the Spirit of truth or the spirit of deception.”

There are many voices in our world that would try to bring confusion and deception.  We must have discernment in order to distinguish which voices belong to the Spirit and which belong to the world.

How do we know which are which?

1.       1 John 4:1 “Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world.”  Test here literally means to put them on trial. 

a.       We must try them to see if they line up with the Word of God. 

b.      We must try them to see if they promote Jesus. 

c.       The Holy Spirit will never say anything contrary to God’s Word, nor will he promote anyone or anything other than Christ! John 15:26 “But I will send you the Advocate —the Spirit of truth. He will come to you from the Father and will testify all about me.”  John 16:13-14 “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me.”

d.      The voices of this world promote false philosophy.  They might include:

i.                     Pride

ii.                   Perversion

iii.                  Greed

iv.                 Envy

v.                   Pleasure

vi.                 Power

                                    Try every one against God’s Word, when you find them TURN THEM OFF!

B.      Turn off the voice of your will. This voice doesn't speak from outside but inside of you.  It is the voice of the old man, your sin nature.  At salvation you are dead to sin, however, that old man still lives in you.  He will rear his ugly head and speak to your new man, trying to get you to revert to your old ways. 

1.       Paul struggled with his old man.  Romans 7:21-24 “I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?”

2.       Our old man will be with us until we reach heaven, however, we can learn to identify his voice and turn it off.  Romans 8:11-13 “The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you. Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live.”

II.                  Tune into the Voice of the Spirit

A.      Be Attentive.  Often people don’t hear the Spirit because they are not listening carefully.  Just as children often miss what their parents are saying to them because they are not listening carefully, we often miss what the Spirit is saying to us.

Revelation 2-3 contains letters to seven churches.  These letters are very different in many ways, but one way they are all alike.  They are all warned to pay careful attention to the Spirit.  Revelation 2:7,11 17, 29; 3:6,13,22 all say, “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.”  Here we see God repeat himself word for word seven times.  Do you think he wants us to get the message?  List carefully to the Spirit!!!  We need to expect the Spirit to talk to us every day!!!

B.      Be Still.   We can hear the Spirit best when we are still. Of course he speaks when we are busy and active, but it is much easier to hear him when we purpose to be still and listen.  The Word admonishes us to be still.  Psalm 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.”  Psalm 4:4 (NIV) “Tremble and do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent.”

C.      Be Patient. Remember that God is not working on human time.  He speaks in his time.  Far too often we lose patience waiting and give up before we hear from the Spirit. Often we get ourselves in trouble because we ask for direction, then before the answer comes we take matters into our own hands and do what we think is best.  I can tell you from personal experience, my ways are no way as amazing as God’s!

1.       King David understood waiting on the Lord.  He was anointed King of Israel at about 15,         and was not crowned King until he was about 30.  Psalm 13 (NIV) “How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?

2.       Isaiah teaches us about waiting.  Isaiah 40:29-31 (KJV) “He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”

D.      Be in the Word.  The Holy Spirit speaks to us as we ready the Word.  As we read he may say: “This is for you,” “Pay attention to this,” “Look more closely,” etc.  Every time we are in the Word we are positioning ourselves to hear from the Holy Spirit. We can’t complain about not hearing from the Spirit when we are not in the Word! 

                        Ephesians 6:17b “and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”                                      Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the                                   sharpest two- edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow.                         It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.”  We see here that wielded by the Holy                         Spirit, the Word is like a scalpel in the hand of a surgeon. We need to be in the Word                           daily to receive what the Spirit has to say.

                   E.       Be in church.  Titus 1:3 (KJV) “But hath in due times manifested his word through                              preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our                              Saviour.”  The Holy Spirit speaks to us through anointed preaching.