DEEPER LIFE BIBLE CHURCH WORLDWIDE.
MONDAY BIBLE STUDY.
DATE: 24/05/2021.
MESSAGE ANCHORED BY THE GENERAL SUPERINTENDENT.
TOPIC: UNDERSTANDING THE DYNAMIC GIFTS OF POWER.
TEXTS: 1 CORINTHIANS 12:7,9-10.
In the mind of God, and in the provision of God, He has given us the dynamic gifts of power. We are born again, we are sanctified, we are filled with the Holy Ghost and we have different manifestation and different portion of the Holy Ghost.
But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: (1 Corinthians 12:7-10).
That portion, that measure and that manifestation of the Holy Ghost we have is to make us profit in the Spiritual life, and every area the Spirit of God will guide and lead us.
The word of God says we should not be ignorant, for the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: (1 Corinthians 12:7-10). These are the power of the gifts of Faith and the gift of healing and the working of miracles.
We need to understand the dynamic gifts of power so that we'll be able to appropriate the understanding of the gifts God has given us.
POINT ONE: THE GIFTS OF FAITH BY THE SAME SPIRIT.
1 CORINTHIANS 12:1,7,9.
The word of God says, now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues. (1 Corinthians 12:1,7,9).
To every one, to every child of God, the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; (1 Corinthians 12:9). We need to understand there are levels, there are categories and there are different measures of faith, and they belong to different people of different categories of the gifts.
The sinners and every human being have natural Faith we manifests, in the sense that we believe if we jump down from the high tower we can break our legs, that is natural Faith. But there's the Faith we have before Salvation because without Faith before Salvation, you couldn't get saved. Because of that Faith you have before Salvation, you believe in that Faith that saves, it's very important you need Faith before Salvation.
You need that faith before you can be save, and after you're born again, you still have Faith, you need Faith so you can be sanctified, Jesus purifies the heart by Faith and after that, there's a promise of God and it's the Baptism of the Holy Ghost, and after we are baptize with the Holy Ghost by Faith, it's by Faith we inherit the promises of God and after that, there's a gift of Faith and that is mountain moving Faith.
Whatever position we have in the level of leadership in the church, we must have Faith.
I. The groundlessness of faith without Salvation.
1 Corinthians 13:2; 15:14,17,19; James 2:14,17,19-26; 2 Timothy 2:19,21-22.
If there's no Salvation, no ground for us to seek the Lord. Without Salvation and without the fruits of the Spirit: LOVE, JOY, PEACE, LONGSUFFERING, GENTLENESS, GOODNESS, FAITH, MEEKNESS, TEMPERANCE. Without these, you'll be in the flesh and you cannot get to Heaven on the basis you have Faith that cannot move the mountains.
If you do not understand and believe that JESUS Christ died and rose for your justification, all the other manifestations of the gifts is vain.
If there's no initial Salvation, you can be fasting, you can be solving problems, you can be moving mountains, you can be performing miracles but without the faith at the background, all other manifestation of faith will be in vain.
If only in this world we move mountains, we have progress and miracles, and we do not have the ticket that leads to Heaven, and we do not have salvation that we can make it at last, we are of all men most miserable.
We must have Salvation and that's the ground of faith. In any other progress we are going to make in life, Salvation must be fundamental.
The faith that produces good behavior, perform miracles, etc.. that kind of empty faith that doesn't bring real Salvation, that doesn't bring a new transforming life, and it doesn't bring any change, that faith is vain.
The faith some people say they have and they do not have the corresponding action, they do not have a change of life, that faith doesn't have any place in the Kingdom of God.
You need to ask yourself this question, does your faith have a transforming life? Does your faith have a recreation event? Does your faith have a new life that is following after Christ and believe in Christ?
II. The gift of faith by the Spirit.
1 Corinthians 12:9; Hebrews 11:33-34; Matthew 17:20-21; Acts 6:5,8.
This is not ordinary faith, it's a special kind of Faith, it's a spectacular and supernatural faith that is given to believers after Salvation, after sanctification and after the baptism of the Holy Ghost, it's a kind of faith Elijah and Elisha, and Daniel manifested. They obtain the promises of God by that faith, and they have righteousness by that faith. That's the kind of Faith He's talking about.
Daniel maintained a lifestyle of prayer, and when the king made a decree that nobody should prayed in the Name of God in Heaven, Daniel boldly and courageously opened his wisdoms and faced Jerusalem and prayed to God because he had Faith in God. And when he was threw into the lions den, he had the gift of faith, he didn't touched the lion, the faith worked quietly and none of those lions touched him.
Samson had the gift of working miracles, that he will take lions and rend them into pieces. But in the case of Daniel, he didn't do that, he didn't tear the lions and that faith worked.
We need to understand that, there's still the promise of God that when you're passing through fire, it'll not burn you, and when you're passing through water, it'll not drown you.
Shadrach, Messach and Abednego were cast into fire and they were walking in the midst of fire, and Jesus Christ appeared to them and they escaped. They were weak in themselves and the gift of Faith came to them and they were strong.
We also see the believers in the New Testament dispensation, they had faith for Salvation and they were saved.
And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying, Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water. And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him. Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me. And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour. Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting. (Matthew 17).
Actually, the disciples prayed and they commanded, they did all they could do but the child was not delivered, Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.
This is lively and dynamic Faith, it's mountain moving Faith, it's demon casting out faith. That's the gift of faith that whatever the challenge, there's assurance in the heart of that person that have the gift of faith and he'll commands and move mountains, but that gift is not for everybody. It is only for those who are Saved, sanctified and believe.
III. The Growth of Faith through the Scriptures.
Romans 10:17; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Thessalonians 1:3; Ephesians 6:16-17.
Here is where we need the wisdom of God. When you think about the gift of faith through the Scriptures, we don't live in the lion's den everyday of our lives. There's a place we live and we have the gift of faith. Even in lifetime, you might not go through fire, we don't live in that situation everyday but the life we live demands regular faith to overcome temptations and tempers and to live a Holy life, that's the faith that comes through the Scriptures and we need to understand that we must be growing in the faith through the Scriptures. We need to grow. If you have the faith through the scriptures, you're growing and you're developing. It's growing your faith through the Scriptures that makes you to live an overcoming life.
That faith comes through the Scriptures, by hearing the word of God, by praying, by reading the Bible, by studying the Bible and meditating on the Bible. If you're not doing and keeping to these, you will not have the faith to be Holy, you will not have conquering faith. The growth of faith through the Scriptures makes you live a Holy life and that faith comes by hearing and reading the word of God. As you hear the promises of God, you accept it, you believe it, and when temptations come, it'll eventually work in you and make sure you're hearing the word of God everytime, attend the church activities, that's what make your faith grows because of hearing and reading the word of God, you're growing in Knowledge, and knowledge is growing in you and makes your faith grow exceedingly.
The word of God is the shield of faith, your understanding dependent on the word of God is the shield of Faith. You hear the word of God and you take it in, you accept it, you believe it, this is a Faith you have that grows as you're reading the word of God and believing in the word that God cannot lie, then you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked and you're protected.
It's that word of God that reproduces and makes you grow and in doing that, you will be an overcomer.
POINT TWO: THE GIFTS OF HEALING BY THE SUPERNATURAL SPIRIT.
1 CORINTHIANS 12:1,7,9.
Many people don't understand the gifts of healing. That's why the Apostle said: Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; (1 Corinthians 12:1,7,9).
The Apostle manifested the gift of knowledge, the gift of prophecy, the gift of speaking in tongues, the gift of healing and Faith, and then he said: But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. (1 Corinthians 12:7).
I. The Power of the gift of healing.
Acts 3:6-8; 5:15-16; 19:11-12; 1 Corinthians 12:9.
It makes you to manifest Power and be able to have Authority over sicknesses.
Peter had the gift of healing. Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour. And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms. And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them. Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. (Acts 3:1-8).
All the time Jesus was on earth in Jerusalem, maybe this man didn't heard about JESUS or probably he didn't came to Jesus Christ and eventually Jesus Christ went to Heaven and Peter and John were growing in prayer and faith of healing, and and when Peter and John went to Jerusalem, this man was asking an alms from them, and the gift of dynamic Power came upon Peter, he was sure and there's no doubt at all in his heart. When you have the gift of healing, you will be so sure in your heart, you will not be doubting because you have the gift of healing.
They recognized Peter that he had the gift of healing because they have seen the manifestation. His shadow overshadowed all of them that were sick and they were healed instantaneously. It was the manifestation of the gift of healing in the Apostle Peter that made him to do that.
II. The Promise and the good of Holiness.
Exodus 15:26; 23:22-25; 2 Kings 20:1-6; Isaiah 58:8.
People who are righteous and Holy they have a special place in the heart of God because the Spirit is Holy, their body will enjoy the good of Holiness. There's a condition of healing, the condition is obeying the word of God. You hear the word of God, and then you do it.
The Lord said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee. (Exodus 15:26 ). You're not picking and choosing, but you keep all His statues and He says if there's Holiness in your life, you hear the word and you pay attention to the word, you will have the good of Holiness.
👉 H: Hear the word.
👉 O: Obey the word.
👉 L: Live by the word.
👉 I: Ingest. Internalize the word that has been ingested to you. But if you don't personalize the word of God and it's not written in your heart, it doesn't reflect in your life, that is not Holiness.
👉 N: Nod (in agreement to His word). Holiness means you're in agreement with the word of God.
👉 E: Exalt the word (above all). You exalt the word above your title, above your opinion, above your education and above tradition, that's Holiness.
👉 S: Seek the word. You're seeking for the word of God constantly, you're thirsty for the word and you're panting after the word.
👉 S: Submit to all the word. You submit yourself, your flesh, your personality, your brain and everything to God. When that kind of Holiness is in your life, it makes you to have real health and healing all the time. When your life is Holy and righteous, the good of Holiness is that the Lord will keep you healthy. Then shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily: and thy righteousness shall go before thee; the glory of the LORD shall be thy rereward. (Isaiah 58:8). Even before you pray, He has the record of your holiness, purity of heart and Heaven will recognize that.
III. The Preservation of the Grant of health.
Proverbs 4:20-23; Acts 27:33-34; Proverbs 17:22; John 5:5,8-9,14.
When you hear the word of God, don't forget it, hold on to it, believe it, live by it, walk by it, when you apply the word of God and you meditate on the word and you live day after day in the word of God, it'll supply the nutrients you need in your body, Spirit and soul, it'll make you strong.
The word of God says, A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones. (Proverbs 17:22). If the person is sad, if he's negative and he misinterpret every little thing that happen in the world, that negative attitude will make him sick and he'll become a sickly person.
When things are happening and you have a positive attitude, positive disposition, and you have joyful Spirit and merit heart, that will make you healthy. But a negative heart, a sorrowful and sad heart will be sickly.
We need to put all our level of joy, positive actions and positive thoughts to consideration. When you have positive mental attitude and you never allow any negative thoughts, you will be healthy. Christ lives inside of you and He's joyful, He's positive and because of His presence in your life, you will be healthy.
You also read to be eating balance diet regularly, eat regularly on time, don't eat anyhow and don't eat whatever you see, eat what will nourish your body, eat food that will help you and develop your health. You will not die before your time. You have to take care of that body so that your own responsibility in keeping your body you will do it. Don't injure yourself by what you're eating, if your food is creating problem for you and negative thinking, you need to make a change and your health will spring forth. As God is taking His own responsibility, you also will do your own part.
The sinful life people live can bring sickness upon them and those who have bad habit and evil habit, sickness can cut short their lives. The Lord is reminding us that we have a part to play in keeping our body hale and healthy.
POINT THREE: THE GIFTS OF WORKING MIRACLES BY THE SOVEREIGN SPIRIT.
1 CORINTHIANS 12:1,7,10.
I. The gift of the working of miracles.
Deuteronomy 34:10-12; 1 Corinthians 12:10; Hebrews 2:3-4; Acts 15:12.
The people of the Old Testament dispensation and the Apostles in the New Testament dispensation had the gifts of working miracles.
Moses had the gift of miracle since he knew the Lord. His rod swallowed the rod of the magicians of Egypt, a lot of miracle happens in wilderness through Moses, the children of Israel ate manna from Heaven, they drank the water out of the rock and other great men of God in the Old Testament, they had the gift of miracles. The Lord did it for them, He will do it for us and through us IN Jesus Name Amen.
II. The gracelessness of wanderers after miracles.
John 2:23-26; 6:14-15,25-27, 60, 66; 12:36-37; Galatians 3:1-5.
Those people that wander around for miracles, they don't have a solid life, they don't have a steadfast life, they wander here and there because they do not have the Grace of God to recognize which one is good and which one is not good.
Those who wander and run after miracle, they loose Salvation and their conviction because they are running after miracles. They loose all the good things they had because they are running after miracles.
Many of the Apostles of Jesus Christ turned back because they were looking for miracles, they were not looking for eternal life, they were not looking for Salvation, they were not looking for Sanctification and Holy Ghost, they were not looking for the power to overcome temptations, they wanted the physical miracle but they didn't wants the faith that will forgive them and change their lives.
III. The grief for wayward workers of miracles.
Matthew 7:21-23; 2 Corinthians 1:13-15; 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12; Hebrews 6:4-8.
There are people that want to be working miracles, but they don't care about Holiness, they don't care about Sanctification, they don't care about Salvation and righteousness of life, all they are looking for is miracles, they want to be performing miracles, they want to be healing those who are sick, they want power that will wrought signs and wonders and open doors and they do not take care of their personal life.
The power, the strength to be obedience to the word of God and power to be able to do the Will of God and living triumphantly is very important and that should be our priority, not seeking for the power to perform miracles, not seeking for anointing to heal the sick, that shouldn't be so important to us, what should be important to us is the Grace to live a victorious Holy life and to do the Will of God everywhere we find ourselves. It's the power and the strength, and the Spiritual pungentness that makes us to be victorious and make us to make heaven. But what shall it profit you if you have the Power of miracles and you loose heaven? Only those who are doing the Will of God will get to Heaven.
Don't be a miracle worker and then loose Heaven. Don't be a miracle worker and then miss heaven, when the trumpet shall sound, the people that will go on that day they are not those who raised the dead and work miracles.
The Lord Jesus Christ said, not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (Matthew 23).
Those people that Christ will profess He never knew them, they didn't have a new life, all they want is to work miracles and on that final day they will not be able to turn and repent, they will not be able to amend their ways. When somebody does not have Salvation, when He doesn't have a heart of Holiness and all he's looking for is to seek miracles. What they wanted is just extraordinary and supernatural Power to perform miracles, they don't have a change of life, they are not interested in Holiness, and many people were deceived because of what they are running after. They didn't pay attention to repentance, they didn't pay attention to righteousness that Christ will give when they turn away from sin, but all they were running after is the gifts.
There are lies in those miracles because those miracles are not center on Christ, those miracles are not center on the desire to get to Heaven, all of them will be damned.
The people that knows that those miracle workers are living in unrighteousness and they are running after them, they are satisfy with their fake miracles, they will be damned.
The important thing to concentrate on is the Salvation of your soul. Make sure you have Salvation, make sure you believe Jesus Christ died for you and after that you're saved, after that you have seek the face of God so that He will Sanctify you, you're now a real child of God and then if any challenge come, you can pray a prayer of Faith and solutions will come.
Examine yourself, are you saved? Are you Sanctified? Are you filled with the Holy Ghost? Are you walking in faith and you're not full of yourself?