Receiving The Spirit And Gifts Series

Tonight, we will begin our study on spiritual gifts. Most of us are familiar with Matthew 28:19-20, in which Jesus gave His disciples the Great Commission to “go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things I have commanded you.” This task of soul winning and spiritual education was given to Jesus’ disciples. According to The New Bible Dictionary, a disciple is one who is a pupil or learner of a great teacher. Based on this definition, those of us today who are students of God’s Word and who have a relationship with Christ are also His disciples.

Therefore, every believer has the task of winning lost souls for the kingdom and discipling them. Not one of us is exempt from this mandate. The purpose of spiritual gifts is to enable those with different personalities and backgrounds to reach the lost in a way that works best with how they were created; that suits their demeanor or abilities. I know from talking to many Christians that we are not all comfortable with speaking in front of large crowds or witnessing to people on the street corner. That is okay, because God knows that we are not all gifted for those particular techniques of soul-winning.

God does, however, expect each of us to be spiritually sensitive to the needs of others. Sometimes we are to plant a seed in someone’s heart, and at other times we are lead someone to faith in Christ. Through the Holy Spirit the Lord provides us with gifts to help in the task of the Great Commission. In this study on spiritual gifts, we are going to look at the work and purpose of the Holy Spirit in our life, and identify the gifts of the Spirit. At the conclusion of our final session, we are going to have an opportunity to take a “Spiritual Gifts Assessment” which will help us find a place in ministry more suitable to our giftings, and a place in which we will be more effective for the kingdom.

The Promise of the Spirit

Turn with me in your Bibles, and let’s read John 16:5-15: 5 But now I go away to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, “Where are You going?” 6 But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. 7 Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. 8 And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 9 of sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; 11 of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.

12 I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14 He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. 15 All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore, I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.

• In verse 7, Jesus stated that He must depart from the world in order that the Helper, or the Holy Spirit, would come. He said it was to their advantage that the Helper come. In verses 8, 13 and 14, what would the Holy Spirit do for the disciples?

He would: 1.) convict the world of sin, 2.) convict the world of righteousness, and 3.) convict the world of judgement (v. 8); He would also 4.) guide the disciples in all truth, 5.) speak to them what He heard from Jesus (v. 13); and 6.) He would glorify Christ (v. 14).

Please note that each of the things the Holy Spirit will do, He will do through Jesus’ disciples; meaning, through us. Whenever we try to uphold the Great Commission, we must remember that we should not attempt to do so through our own strength. Some of us find ourselves afraid to be a witness for Christ, or participate in any kind of ministry, because we feel unworthy or ill-equipped. It is true that we are incapable if we rely on our own strength; however, we do not have to rely on our own ability. That is the beauty of trusting the Holy Spirit. We can rely on God’s strength through the power of the Spirit; and therefore, we will succeed by allowing the Lord to work through us.