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THE
VOCAL GIFTS
RECEPTION
AND DELIVERY FOR CERTAIN GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
I. Follow
the Way of Love (This should be the primary motivator in being
used in the gifts.)
I Cor
14:1
What is
the Great Commandment? "That you love the Lord your God
with all of your heart, all of your soul and all of mind. And the
second is like it "Love your neighbor as yourself."
A.
Love others to the point where you are willing to extend yourself for
their benefit and be zealous for spiritual gifts to bless,
strengthen, and encourage others.67
In
other words, don't rip the church body off by not being faithful to
speak that which the Holy Spirit is prompting you to do.
B. These
gifts are abilities that the Holy Spirit graces a believer with. They
are not earned, nor purchased, nor bargained for. To function in
them takes faith. As your faith grows the expression of your gift
develops. However, since the nature of the ability is a gift, the
believer does not have to be a 'spiritual giant', or mature', or even
a person of integrity.
Some
people are "gifted" in music. They can learn to play an
instrument or a multitude of instruments in no time. They have been
given a "gift". There is nothing they have done to cause
that to come about, it is a "gift" from God. The same is
true for those who have been given a "gift" of the Holy
Spirit.
1.
Worldly Christians are used in gifts.
I
Cor 3:1-3 (Major instructions in the gifts coming in chapters
12 & 14.)
2. Young
Christians are used in gifts.
Acts
19:6
3.
Christians lacking integrity are used in gifts.
Rom
11:29;
I
Cor 13:1-3;
An
old testament example: Saul
I
Sam 19:21-24
For the
last time the Spirit of God came upon Saul. He was a very
backslidden man by this time. At this point he had tried to kill
David 12 times and had had the kingdom taken away from him by God and
the Spirit of God had departed from him.
C. Here
is the Bible concept of a gift.
1. The
giver is God, through the Holy Spirit.
2.
The gift is the deposit in the life of the believer from the Holy
Spirit. I Cor 2:4-7;
3. The
gifted one is the individual believer.
4. The
recipients are those who receive the ministry.
D.
The scripture exhorts us to seek excellence for maximum usability by
God, consistently.
I Cor
14:12
II.
Spiritual sensitivity is a prerequisite
II Tim
2:21
There
are seven things listed in this chapter for us to purge ourselves
from to have that sensitivity.
1.
vs. 4; The affairs of this life.
2.
vs. 12; Backslidings.
3.
vs. 13; Unbelief.
4.
vs. 14,18; False doctrines that destroy faith.
5.
vs. 16-17; Profane and vain babblings that lead
to ungodliness.
6.
vs. 17-18; False teachers who overthrow faith.
7.
vs. 19-20; All iniquity and dishonor.
This
results in: vs.21
1.
Becoming a vessel of honor.
2.
Sanctification;(Holiness)
3.
Useful or profitable for the masters use.
4.
Prepared for every good work.
A.
Usefulness to God, excellence in delivery and effectiveness in the
recipients are increased or diminished by the spiritual sensitivity
of the believer being used in the gifts.
B.
Spiritual sensitivity is not a gift. (It is acquired through the
purging of our lives.)
C.
Spiritual sensitivity is a quality of relationship with
God
through
the Holy Spirit that is established and kept up by
'regular
spiritual maintenance'.
D.
Spiritual sensitivity demands consistency in:
1.
Prayer: in tongues and in English (or whatever your native
language
may be) and with meditation, watching, and waiting
on the
Lord.
2.
The Word of God: devotional reading and personal study.(To be
exhorted in the time, place or deliverance of a gift of the Holy
Spirit)
3.
Fasting: regularly. (Why?)
Isa
58:6;
4.
Fellowship: gathering with strong Christians. If you want to have
a strong body, you hang out at a gym. If you want to be smart you
hang out with smart people. If you want to be spiritually strong,
you hang out with spiritually strong people.
III. The
gift of tongues and the gift of the interpretation of tongues
I Cor
12:10
Note:
It is imperative that the student of the scripture keep in
Biblical
distinction the gift of the 'message in tongues' to
the
assembly and the sign of receiving the baptism of the Holy
Spirit,
commonly called the 'prayer language' of the believer.
A. Here
is what the Bible says about the prayer language.
1. It is
the initial evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Acts
2:4 (The initial pouring out of the Holy Spirit as prophesied
by Joel.)
Acts
10:44,46
Acts
19:6
Acts
9:17-18 (This does not say that Paul began to speak with other
tongues but in I Cor 14:18; Paul said "I thank my God that I
speak in tongues more than you all.")
Acts
8:17-18 (There had to be some evidence here for Simon to be
able to see it immediately. To flow with the rest of the Scriptures
on this subject, we must conclude that it was the "speaking in
other tongues".
Acts
2:33
There
are two major doctrines here:
1.
That Christ is at the right hand of the Father.
2.
That He is the giver of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. (With
that baptism comes the evidence of "speaking with other
tongues".)
2. It is
for all believers to use. (If they choose to accept the baptism
of the Holy Ghost.)
I
Cor 14:5a (Paul was desirous that all of the believers at
Corinth be able to speak in tongues.)
I
Cor 14:14-15,18 (Paul here saying that he spoke in tongues.)
I
Cor 14:23 (Stating a fact that the whole church could possibly
speak in tongues.)
3. It is
the believer speaking to God.
I
Cor 14:2
I
Cor 14:14 (Unfruitful understanding with the natural mind.)
I
Cor 14:15 (Singing with the spirit means singing in tongues.)
I
Cor 14:16 (It is important to know where and when to speak in
tongues. If you pray in the spirit and bless the food of your host he
may think you're nuts or cursing him.)
I
Cor 14:17 (The most important thing to remember about speaking
in tongues is that someone, whether it be you in your own privacy or
any other person around you, be edified.)
4. The
language is unintelligible to the speaker and to human listener.
I
Cor 14:2
I
Cor 14:6
I
Cor 14:9
I
Cor 14:14
I
Cor 14:23 (We must be careful that we don't cause a mockery of
the gift of God in a Christians life.)
5. The
operation is spiritually edifying to the speaker of the language.
I
Cor 14:4
I
Cor 14:17
I
Cor 14:18 (Paul was glad that he was able to speak in tongues
for his edification.)
Jude
20 (The whole idea of speaking in tongues is to build yourself
up in the Holy Ghost.)
6. It is
the spirits language. (Whose spirit? Gods' or yours?)
I
Cor 14:2
I
Cor 14:14 (MY spirit)
I
Cor 14:15
I
Cor 14:16 (It is not the Spirit of God speaking but it is our
spirit.)
7. It is
a spiritual language.
I
Cor 14:2
I
Cor 14:14,16-17 (The natural man cannot understand these
things of the spiritual realm.)
8. The
scripture encourages regular use.
I
Cor 14:4,12
I
Cor 14:15
I
Cor 14:18 (Paul states that he uses his prayer language much
more than the Corinthians.)
I
Cor 14:39b
It
is important for us to consistently use our prayer language for our
own edification.
9. There
is a time and place for speaking in tongues.
a.
Speak when alone.
I
Cor 14:2,4,5
b. When
in the assembled meeting, we are to be considerate of all others:
other learned believers, other unlearned believers, and the
unbelievers.
I
Cor 14:6,9,16-17 (This would be like me trying to teach this
lesson in tongues.),19,23
c. I
Cor 14:40
At
this point we are going to begin to enter into the "gifts of the
Holy Spirit"
B. The
gift of tongues simply means languages. In this context of the gift
it is the supernatural ability to speak in another language without
learning it.
1. It is
for some to use.
I
Cor 12:10
I
Cor 12:30 (The answer is no to these questions in vss. 29 &
30.)
2. It is
God speaking to the believers.
I
Cor 14:21 (A quote from Isa 28:11)
a.
Prophecy is God speaking to the church to edify the people.
I
Cor 14:3
b. The
gift of tongues and interpretation edifies the church, like prophecy.
I
Cor 14:5
c. In
the 'prayer language' (men to God) the other man who hears is not
edified.
I
Cor 14:17
d. We
are to excel in gifts that build up the church.
I
Cor 14:12-13 (In excelling, we glorify God and we are able to
speak that which He is prompting us in more clearly. We don't want
muddy waters but clear and refreshing words of the Spirit of God.)
e. A
tongue and interpretation is done for the strengthening of the
church.
I
Cor 14:26 (The same as a prophecy.)
3.
Tongues and interpretations are equivalent to prophecy in edifying
the church.
(Therefore
they are valid in an all-believers' meeting.)
I
Cor 14:5
4.
Tongues and interpretations also serve as a sign to unbelievers.
I
Cor 14:22 (Sinners see a miraculous manifestation of the
Spirit of God and it helps to bring them closer to God.)
5. No
more than three operations of tongues and interpretations per service
are scriptural.
I
Cor 14:27 (The order here is that if a first of three tongues
is given then the interpretation of that tongue. Then the second
tongue and its' interpretation and then the third and its'
interpretation.)
6. If
there is no interpreter present, hold the tongue without grief to the
Spirit.
I
Cor 14:28 (If we know that there is no interpreter of a
message in tongues in a service and we go ahead and speak that
tongue, we grieve the Spirit of God and make a mockery of the gift.)
7. All
gifts are to be done in the biblical order.
I
Cor 14:37-40 (Let the operations of the gifts of the Spirit be
done exactly like the apostle Paul communicated to you.)
C. The
gift of the interpretation of tongues means to interpret what
otherwise would be unintelligible words to the hearers.
1. It is
a spiritual gift given to certain individuals.
I
Cor 12:10b
I
Cor 12:30
2. Also,
the one gifted with the 'message in tongues' should
pray
for the gift of interpretation.
I
Cor 14:13 (Why? Remember that the gift of tongues,
whether it be used as the personal prayer language or the message of
tongues', is always for the edification of the individual or the
group.)
IV. The
gift of prophecy is the foretelling or forth telling of the mind and
counsel of God, whether past, present or future.
I Cor
12:10 To another, prophecy.
Prophecy
is God speaking to people for their spiritual strengthening.
I
Cor 14:3
I
Cor 14:22
I
Cor 14:24
A. The
biblical effect of prophecy is edification. (To profit)
I
Cor 14:3
I
Cor 14:4
I
Cor 14:6
I
Cor 14:24-25
I
Cor 14:31
B.
Compare contrast Old and New Testament prophecy.
C. In
personal reception of a message from God, three basic areas for
spiritual judgment should be used.
I
Cor 2:15 (You must have "spiritual sensitivity")
I
Thess 5:21 (KJV- Prove all things)
Jn
10:4-5 (This is a characteristic of sheep.)
1.
Biblically examine the contents of the message.
a.
The Holy Spirit and the Holy Word agree.(ALWAYS)
The Holy Spirit will never prompt you to speak something in
disagreement with the Bible. (The Bible is HOLY SPIRIT inspired.)
Jn
16:13-15 (All truth)
Jer
23:25-32
1.
Make sure the message is from God and not your own mind or heart.
(Treat dreams as dreams - they are not to be related as
prophesies.)
2.
Speak what the Spirit gives you faithfully; do not add nor take
away. (Let the Spirit of God speak His mind and do His work.
Everything you say other than that which He speaks will make any
difference in a persons life.)
3. Do
not steal anothers' words.
4.
Don't 'wag your own tongue' and then tack on, "thus saith the
Lord".
5.
Be sent, that is, prompted, by the Spirit of the Lord. (God is
against all else.)
b.
Distill the message the Spirit is speaking.
1.
Distillation applies to 'wheat, hammer, and fire'.
A.
Fire- the purification process.
B.
Hammer- The Word of God that destroys all that is not of God.
C.
Wheat is not good when the chaff remains. The distillation of wheat
was done on a threshing floor.
2. Do
not give 'preach-a-monies'. (If your words are not of God
than they are fruitless.)
3.
Desire and pray for precision and concision.
(The
object of being used in the gifts is to edify the other(s). This is
accomplished by clear washings of the water of the Word, not by
muddy, polluted streams.)
4.
Determine length of time in regard to the hearer's attention span.
(In clarity, don't try to cover every major point that the Bible
says concerning a subject that would relate to the word that has been
given you.)
c. Ask
yourself where are you drawing your influence from.
1.
The last week's sermon? (If you have been meditating on last weeks
sermon consistently, and it is burning on your heart, that doesn't
necessarily constitute the prophetic utterance.)
2.
Are you rehashing someone else's prophecy? (Just because you
feel that an important point was missed doesn't mean that you
can prophesy about it.)
3.
Are you influenced by the nightly news? (Don't prophesy that Iraq
is going to invade Saudi Arabia just because you heard Tom Brokaw say
it was inevitable. At least say "thus saith Tom Brokaw.)
4.
Are personal experiences you are going through influencing you? (Are
the trials and tribulations that are in your life influencing you?
If you are lacking something in your life and it is a real battle for
you, don't let that come out as the "word from the Lord.")
5.
Are you saying what you think the people need to hear? (Just
because you know that someone in the audience is really being
torn up about something, doesn't mean that you can prophesy.)
6.
Determine whether it is prophecy or a word of knowledge or wisdom.
Or is it from your emotions? Or is it indigestion? (Don't
prophesy that "there is a burning in my soul, thus saith the
Lord." When you just had Heuvos Rancheros for breakfast.)
d.
Speak according to the level of faith you've developed.
Rom
12:6
e.
Watch out for the tendency to use filler words.
1.
Pointless words or phrases are fillers.
a.
saith God
b.
God would speak and say
c.
and the Lord says
2.
Rambling on and on, going nowhere, is fruitless. (I would
speak and say, yea, therefore I say, I say to you my people,
yea, I am speaking now.)
3.
Just 'quoting Scripture' is not prophecy.
2.
Examine the prompting of the Holy Spirit.
Jn
16:13 (Is it truth? Is it the voice of God?)
Rom
8:16 (The key words here are, "our spirit". Our
minds are not initially involved in the leadings of the Spirit of
God.)
a.
Maintain a spiritual sensitivity.
1.
When you are consistent in your spiritual maintenance, your
sensitivity level is up.
2.
When you are inconsistent in your maintenance, your sensitivity
level is down.
b. To
discern the Spirit's prompting takes soul control.
Ps
131:1,2
There
are 6 things here concerning soul control.
1.
Heart is not haughty or proud.
2.
Eyes are not lofty.
3.
Mind does not dwell on things to high.
4.
Behaved like a child. (Understanding authority.)
5.
Being content as a child.
6.
Waiting and hoping in God as a weaned child has hope in it's parental
support.
II
Cor 10:5 (The demolition of all vain philosophies, religious
thoughts and every thing that would exalt it's self against the
things of God.)
1.
Having poor 'soul control' causes difficulty separating the 'wheat
from the chaff'. (Gideon had this problem while he was trying to
work his wheat in a wine press.)
2.
For example, those needing 'love and acceptance' prophesy about
everyone loving and accepting others.
c.
Determine whether or not it's really a 'proceeding word' from the
Holy Spirit.
Matt
4:4 (If Jesus Christ used this scripture's idea as a means of
victory over the enemy we must be sure that we are delivering the
'message of God' for the edification and victory of His people.)
Jer
23:30
d.
Riding off the 'coat tails' of someone else's prompting is not the
Spirit.
Ezek
13:6-10 (The prophets were prophesying off of one
another’s lies.)
1.
Make sure the message has the solid 'ring' of the Holy Spirits'
voice.
2. It
is a very serious thing to be a spokesperson for God.
3. If
it is God's word it will have the witness of the Spirit.
4.
If your prophesying is lacking in 'anointing', then examine your
spiritual maintenance. Check the oil level in your vessel.
3. Use
judgment in the timing of the delivery of the message.
Jer
23:18,21-22
Jn
10:3-4
a.
Develop a sensitivity and a familiarity to the voice of the Lord,
that you not only know he is speaking, but you also know when he
wants you to speak.
b.
Timing can be ever so critical. Giving the word prematurely or too
late can dull the effect. (Give personal experience.)
c.
Your desire should be to speak a word that fits and is effective.
d.
The general rule of thumb is: Fit in with the flow of what's
happening.
D.
One who is gifted from the Lord, is like one who has received a
'talent' given by the master that demands faithful and wise
stewardship.
Matt
8:9
1. We
are to speak what, where, and when the Lord tells us.
2.
Being a servant is being under authority, being under command.
3.
Peter gives us examples of when to speak and when not to.
a.
Motivated by God.
Matt
16:16-17
b. Not
motivated by God.
Matt
16:22-23
E.
Scriptural levels of authority apply to prophecy.
1. As
you place yourself under God's authority, you step into a level of
authority.
2.
Levels of authority.
a.
Prophets (and apostles).
Eph
4:11;
Eph
2:20;
Acts
11:27
Acts
21:10-11
Acts
13:1-4
Acts
15:22
b.
Presbytery (elders, including five-fold).
I
Tim 1:18
I
Tim 4:14
II
Tim 1:6
c.
Gifts of prophecy.
I
Cor 14:3
Acts
2:17
Acts
19:6
Acts
21:9
I
Cor 11:4-5
3. The
gift of prophecy is for the saints to use.
I
Cor 14:3
a. Its
purpose is three fold.
1.
Encouragement. The definition of the Greek word is to call near.
The word is used in all kinds of calling to a person, in which is
meant to produce a certain effect, to urge one to pursue some course
of conduct. It is more in the sense encourage and less in the sense
of admonish.
2.
PARAKLESIS is used 29 times in the New Testament.
20 =
consolation
1 =
entreaty
8 =
exhortation
Therefore
75 percent of the word's use is in the sense of consoling.
3.
PARAKLEO is use 106 times in the New testament.
84 =
comfort, desire, beseech, pray, entreat
22 =
exhort, -ed,-ing
Therefore
80 percent of this word's use is in the sense of comforting.
b.
Gift of prophecy is for the brethern in the assembled meetings.
c. It
is not for 'personal prophecy'
Acts
21:4,9-11
4. The
gift of prophecy functions in the presbytery.
a. For
instruction.
b. For
prediction.
c. For
admonition.
d. To
shepherd by rod and staff.
5. The
gift of prophecy functions through prophets and apostles.
a. In
foundational words (covenant content).
b.
With structuring words.
c.
With directive words.
d. By
prediction and foretelling.
e. In
exhortation and admonition.
f. In
reproof and rebuke.
g. In
insight as well as foresight.
6. Wise
stewardship determines results.
a.
The amount of discipleship determines the degree of servitude. The
amount of brokenness determines the degree of freedom and usefulness
in the Holy Spirit. The amount of death to self determines the degree
of fruitfulness in one's life.
b.
The degree to which a Christian achieves this comes through in his
ministering of the gifts.
If he
has little discipleship it shows by a rough flow and delivery.
If he
has little brokenness it comes out by a harsh and hard word.
If he
has little death to self it comes out by the word being out of
balance
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