The Holy Spirit and His Gifts

One of the most pressing words I heard the Lord say to the church recently is, “Will you give My Holy Spirit the opportunity to work in your city?” As I listened to the Lord speak deep into my heart, I heard Him clearly say that we have had over 100 years of evangelicalism in the city of Peterborough and that now is the time for the Spirit to move in power! Clearly, He wants to break out of the restrictive plans and programs of men so that once again He will have His Way. As the prophet Zechariah said so long ago, “Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty” (4:6, NIV, italics added).

In order for this to happen, the people of God must clearly commit themselves to the present reality of the Holy Spirit. There can be no assertion that somehow the gifts and working of the Holy Spirit came to an end with the close of the first-century. In fact, you will find as you study the New Testament that there is not one place where the Lord said He would withdraw His supernatural activity. Indeed, it was Jesus who said, “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father” (Jn. 14:12, NIV, italics added). How the Holy Spirit must long to do in Peterborough these “greater things” which I believe are meant to be the hallmark of today’s church.

In this time we are called to be a community of the Holy Spirit! Commenting on the first-century church in his little book entitled Concerning Spiritual Gifts, Donald Gee says, “the spiritual gifts with which their gatherings were enriched all arose out of the fact that the individuals comprising them were personally filled with the Holy Spirit” (p. 15). As Gee points out, being filled with the Holy Spirit is the necessary key to spiritual advance. I have personally seen how the Holy Spirit has done more in just five minutes when a person is filled than in five hours of intensive counseling. Indeed, the Holy Spirit has such a wonderful way of changing everything, for when He is at work, suddenly everything becomes new! As the apostle Paul said, “and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (2 Cor. 3:17, NIV, italics added). Or as the J.B. Phillips translation says, “wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, men’s (and ladies) souls are set free.”

1 Corinthians 12:7 says, “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good” (NIV). This is an extraordinary verse of Scripture for it challenges us to look beyond all human limitation or boundary. To think that the eternal Spirit of God – the Spirit who was present at creation, the Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead, the Spirit who came at Pentecost – is to be manifest in and through you and me is, well, quite simply, earth shattering! As the word “manifest” means in the original, God wants to make Himself “visible, clear, and known” through YOU! In The Message translation of verse 7, it says, “Each person is given something to do that shows who God is.” Following this line of thought, Donald Gee has written, “The ultimate and full purpose of spiritual gifts thus stands revealed. They are to bring men face to face with the reality of the Invisible God” (Concerning Spiritual Gifts, p. 31).

Perhaps this is why it would seem necessary for the church to experience a restoration of awe in the presence of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. You see, the gifts are not spiritual toys to be played with, nor are they human abilities that have a touch of inspiration mixed in. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are a manifestation of the Spirit of God that affects and transforms our whole being! The apostle Paul knew this when he said to the Corinthians that in the presence of the clear prophetic word an unbeliever “will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, ‘God is really among you’” (1 Cor. 14:25, NIV).

As I look back over my years of serving God, I can remember many times when I have felt a great sense of awe and reverence for the Lord in the presence of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. One time in particular comes to mind when I was in a leaders gathering in Chicago during the mid 1990s. The late Bryn Jones was present in the meetings and during a time of prayer he prophesized over my life in a way that I will never forget. His spiritual insight into my life and the clarity by which he spoke touched me right to the core of my being. For not only did the Lord speak to me through Bryn about my heart’s desires, but He also laid out the path of my future – a path that all these years later has proven to be a true prophetic insight into the very mind and heart of God concerning myself and my family. It was a dramatic moment and one that I will never forget. Even now I can see the various images that Bryn painted that spoke about things past, present and future. At times like this, you truly know that you are standing in the presence of a holy and awesome God of light and power who knows everything there is to know about you!

I am sure that all of us could tell stories about times when we have known the greatness of God in the presence of the gifts. At such times there is a heightened awareness of the majesty and greatness of God. Confronted by His supernatural presence, we are overcome with feelings of awe and reverence, for the gifts open the door to a realm in which God is absolutely in control of all things. Therefore, we must welcome the gifts of the Holy Spirit on all occasions and in every circumstance. For when we do this, we show the world that God is alive and well and ready to supernaturally change lives. How Peterborough needs this! And so, as we ponder the question, “Will you give My Holy Spirit the opportunity to work in your city?” how will we answer? I trust it will be with the affirmation, “Yes Lord, start by using me!”

The Power of Faith for Today

I could see him trying to make his way to the front of the Crusade Tent where we were standing.  He walked slowly, using two canes for assistance in order to compensate for a definite limp.  Well-dressed and distinguished, he had probably tried everything to find relief.  But on this night, he came in faith to our advertised “Healing Meeting” in Brighton, England.  I clearly remember the man leading the meeting, evangelist Don Double, asking the crippled gentleman to take a seat in the front row.  As Don bent down and raised the man’s legs, it was plain to everyone that one leg was much shorter than the other.  This explained the many years of walking with an extreme limp. 

As I think back to the scene in my mind’s eye, I can remember Don saying to me, “Keep your eyes open and watch what the Lord is going to do.”  So, of course, I did just that!  There was no way that I was going to miss seeing the power of God come in visible demonstration!  Suddenly, Don just spoke to the shorter leg, commanding it to grow.  And it did!  Right before my eyes I could literally see the leg grow and line up with the other.  In fact, seeing this almost took your breath away.  It was like, “O my, look at that!  His leg grew!  That’s amazing!”   I had just witnessed a profound miracle.   Shortly after this, the man got up and without assistance, made his way to the back of the tent. 

Throughout the New Testament, healing was a very common occurrence.  But there was one occasion as described in the Gospel of Mark when “Jesus wasn’t able to do much of anything” (Mk. 6:5, The Message).  This is a rather strange statement, for it seems almost out of character for one of the Gospel writers to say such a thing.  But in Nazareth, which was Jesus’ hometown, it seemed as if the people were not only resistant to the message of the Lord, but to His healing ministry as well.  There were a few exceptions of course.  Mark tells us that Jesus “laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them” (Mk. 6:5, The Message), but generally speaking, Jesus “was amazed at their lack of faith” (Mk. 6:6, NIV).  It was this lack of faith that seemed to hinder His desire to do the extraordinary.

Compare this scene in Nazareth to the healing of the man I just described in the U.K.  The man in Brighton came to the meeting in faith, whereas the people in Nazareth had a noticeable “lack of faith.”  Clearly this gives us a clue to what we should be looking for as we meet people who need healing.  Consider the following examples:

• To the sick woman, Jesus said, “Take heart, daughter…your faith has healed you" (Mt. 9:22, NIV, italics added).
• To the woman with the demon-possessed daughter, Jesus said, “you have great faith!  Your request is granted” (Mt. 15:28, NIV). 
• To blind Bartimaeus, Jesus said, “Go…your faith has healed you" (Mk. 10:52, NIV, italics added).  
• To the man with leprosy, Jesus said, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well" (Lk. 17:19, NIV, italics added).

In each of these situations, Jesus simply responded to what was already present.  He saw their faith!  He didn’t need to pray about it or ask some probing questions to see where the person was at.  He simply saw their faith.  This leads me to ask, “What does faith look like?”  Well, part of our answer lies in the story of the sick woman as mentioned above.  Matthew 9:21 in the Amplified Version says, “For she kept saying to herself, if I only touch His garment, I shall be restored to health” (italics added).   

As I think about the story of the sick woman, it becomes clear to me that faith is certainty.   It is knowing deep inside that what I am believing for will actually happen.  This is why the woman could say with absolute confidence, “I shall be restored to health.”  There was no question in her mind as to whether she would be healed, she just knew that once she touched Jesus’ garment, she would be healed.  We see this “certainty” in the definition of what faith is as found in Hebrews 11:1.  The writer says, “Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see” (NLT).

In his insightful book entitled Christ the Healer, F.F. Bosworth has written, “Before anyone can have a steadfast faith for the healing of their body they must be rid of all uncertainty concerning God’s will in the matter…one needs to know what the Scriptures plainly teach, that it is just as much God’s will to heal the body as it is to heal the soul” (p. 5).   It is the Word of God which creates the certainty in us that God will do what He has promised.  Added to this certainty is the importance of making a right and positive confession concerning our healing.  Matthew 9:21 tells us that the woman who was sick “kept saying to herself…I shall be healed” (AMP).  Faith and confession are really two sides of the same coin, for one will not work without the other.  You cannot on the one hand say, “I am believing to be healed,” while on the other keep listing all your aliments.  The list will sooner or later rob you of the ability to truly believe. 

I never saw the gentleman who came to that “Healing Meeting” ever again.  While I know that his life was forever changed because of what happened on that night, I can honestly say that my life was changed as well.  For on that night my eyes were opened to the power of faith for today – the same kind of faith that Jesus responded to when He said to the sick woman, “your faith has healed you.  Go in peace and be freed from your suffering” (Mk. 5:34, NIV).  

The Day Everything Changed! (A Story Based on Mark 10:46-52)

The day dawned like so many others before it. Slowly life began to stir on the streets of Jericho as the first rays of sunshine sought to dispel the darkness. One by one the various shop-keepers readied their wares for the coming day, while the traffic of animals and heavy carts slowly started moving along the main road into the city. Bartimaeus also stirred in his hiding place along the edge of the old city walls. As a blind beggar living on the streets of Jericho, he always tried to find a safe spot every night where he could get at least a few hours of sleep. But even then, most nights were filled with attempted robberies from other hungry beggars, and always, one had to watch out for the wild dogs that roamed the streets looking for someone or something on which to prey.

Like so many days before this one, Bartimaeus had to find his way to a place along the main street where he could beg for a few scraps of food or a little money. It was not easy, for the people of Jericho were often unkind and unwilling to help. And so, with little assistance from others, Bartimaeus simply felt his way along the street to a place where he could sit and beg for his life. But today something different was happening! All along the street people were talking about a man named Jesus who had visited Jericho and was now on his way to Jerusalem. People were saying that this Jesus was the promised Messiah – the Son of David – and that he had the power to heal all kinds of sicknesses and diseases. In fact, it was this same Jesus who was coming down the road that very minute!

“Jesus, Son of David,” Bartimaeus began to shout. “Have mercy on me!” Despite the protests of those standing next to him, Bartimaeus kept shouting. “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Clearly, Bartimaeus was desperate! If ever there was a time when he wanted something – now was that time. He had nothing to lose in calling out to Jesus. He simply thought, “If I can just get his attention, maybe – just maybe – he will speak to me and I will regain my sight.” So, while the crowds were pushing and shoving, and the streets teemed with all kinds of activity, Bartimaeus tried shouting louder and louder in the hope that Jesus would hear him.

Of course, the wonderful thing about this story is that Jesus did hear Bartimaeus shouting his name. Stopping in the middle of road, in the midst of a large crowd of people, Jesus simply said to those around him, “Call him.” With that, Bartimaeus was on his feet, and throwing his cloak aside, made his way over to where Jesus was standing. “What do you want me to do for you,” Jesus asked him. For Bartimaeus, this was the question of a lifetime! Here he was, a blind, unemployed beggar, who lived on the streets of Jericho, standing face to face with Jesus! And so, from deep within he said those words that have echoed throughout history: “Rabbi, I want to see.” Of course, he could have said so much more, but true faith is never complex; it never has to say a lot. True faith simply, and confidently says, “Lord, I believe.”

Jesus’ answer was simple and direct: “Go, your faith has healed you.” Here were the words that changed everything that day, for instantly, Bartimaeus could see! He could see colour, he could see people’s faces, he could see trees, flowers, the blue sky – finally, the darkness of being blind was gone! And yes, he could even see the face of the man who said, “Go, your faith has healed you!” Such faith changes everything. The power of God is released in response to the man, woman or child who simply and honestly puts their faith in God. And this is what happened on that dusty road in Jericho so many years ago. Bartimaeus simply believed that God could do anything – including making a blind man to see.

Herein lies the challenge set before us as the people of God. The Lord is looking to see an awakening of faith to overcome what appears to be impossible to the human mind. God wants us to dare to believe for the sick to be made well, for cancers to disappear, for mental illnesses to be removed, and for those who are lame, deaf or blind to find freedom to live life without hindrance. Yes, today is the day of the Lord’s favor, and His hand is reaching out to “bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners” (Is. 61:1, NIV), for truly we standing in expectation to see the earth filled “with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea” (Hab. 2:14, NAS).

Finding Water in the Desert

As Christians, we are called to live a life that is filled with praise and thanksgiving to the Lord no matter what we may be facing in the world around us. Hebrews 13:15 says it well: “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise – the fruit of lips that confess his name” (NIV). King David had learned to do this for in Psalm 34:1 he says: “I will praise the Lord at all times; His praise will always be on my lips” (HCSB). Even while living out in a desert as described in 1 Samuel 26, David stayed in joy and knew the presence of the Holy Spirit.

A desert is not one of the nicest places in which to live, for it conjures up images of a dry, barren and desolate wasteland or wilderness that is unfit for human habitation. It is interesting that King Saul did not venture very far from the safety of the road, “but David stayed in the desert” (1 Sam. 26:3, NIV). From this verse, it is clear that David had learned how to trust the Lord – even while living in the desert, for Psalm 54:4 says, “Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me” (NIV). In other words, David had found water!

Consider the following two points:

1. Giving praise and thanksgiving to God helps lift us above our circumstances.

While David was living out in the Desert of Ziph, he penned the words of Psalm 54, addressing it to “the director of music.” Known as “the hill country of Judah,”the Desert of Ziph was a place where David could stand looking over his surroundings with his hands outstretched in praise to God. Despite the dry and barren landscape, David stood to say: “I will praise your name, O Lord, for it is good. For he has delivered me from all my troubles, and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes” (Ps. 54:6, 7, NIV).

The joy we experience in praise is to become “detached from the external pressures of life” (Bryn Jones) in order to clearly see things from God’s perspective. In praise, the power of self and its problems loses its grip and we become conscious of God and His glorious plan. An “Awareness of God presence quiets…inner turmoil” and enables us to experience peace and joy. In fact, C.S. Lewis has written that “The real test of being in the presence of God is that you…forget about yourself altogether.” Simply stated: Becoming God-conscious paves the way to inner freedom!

This is why we must understand that there is a clear connection between lifting one’s voice and hands in praise and staying filled with the Holy Spirit. It follows that to be filled with the Spirit means being empty of self.

2. Staying filled with the Holy Spirit is critical for our survival in this world.

1 Samuel 26:3 tells us that unlike King Saul, David and his men “stayed in the desert,” probably because they had found water. The Bible tells us that David was a man after God’s own heart (see Acts 13:22), which leads me to believe that he must have been a man of the Spirit as well. Sustained by the “water of the Spirit,” David could survive anything!

Recently, I have found myself gripped by the simple phrase, “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col. 1:27, NIV). There is a special treasure in this simple phrase that only comes to us by way of revelation. It is simple, but deeply profound! The only way the truth of these words becomes possible is by remaining filled with the Holy Spirit – the very Spirit of Jesus Christ. It is the Holy Spirit who will quicken (or help develop) all that Jesus Christ wants to be in each one of us. He quickens faith, courage, peace, power, love – all the fruits of the Holy Spirit and more.

Faith for Bigger Things

We are living in a time when God is encouraging us to have faith for bigger things! John 14:12 says, “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these” (NIV, italics added). This means that our attitudes must be adjusted so that we will not be limited by what we have been in the past. Of course, the reason for this is that attitudes are what govern our lives.

In his book entitled The Difference Maker, John Maxwell defines “attitude as an inward feeling expressed by outward behavior.” He says, “There is not a single part of your current life that is not affected by your attitude…It is like the mind’s paintbrush.” This means that the way we think affects the kind of attitudes we possess. Therefore, the kind of attitude we possess is directly related to whether we become a people who have faith for bigger things. Clearly, faith and attitude are always connected!

We see the importance of attitude in the following three key statements:

1. The attitude you possess will always determine your first response to the situations you face in life.

2. A willing attitude will always unlock the power of faith in your life.

3. An attitude that is governed by faith will always say, “God can do anything!”