Intro
In this message, we are concluding our series on the spiritual gifts. We have gotten into a lot of detail in 1 Corinthians 14, so let me go back to the beginning of Paul’s teaching on the subject. 1 Corinthians 12:1: “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant.”i Paul’s subject in 1 Corinthians 12-14 is spiritual gifts or manifestations. In our study, we learned that all the nine gifts of the Spirit are supernatural manifestations of the Holy Spirit. To operate in the gifts is to operate in the supernatural. How do we position ourselves to operate in the supernatural?
We also learned that God distributes these manifestations “as He wills” (1 Cor. 12:11). We cannot make these things happen. If we try that, we will find ourselves off in a ditch. God decides who He will use in the gifts of the Spirit to meet a need. That sovereignty is one side of operating in the gifts, and it must be respected and honored. The other side of the equation is God uses people who are available to Him.ii Because He honors free will, He looks for people who are open to His promptings. “For [2 Chron. 16:9] the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.” God is looking for people He can use to accomplish His will in the earth. I want to be one of those people. I think you’re here today because you also want to be used of the Lord, you also want to make your life count for the glory of God.
So we will complete this series by addressing the question: How can we position ourselves to be used by God in the gifts of the Spirit? The sovereign side of this must be left in God’s hands. But the availability side is our responsibility and our opportunity. What can I do to make myself available for the supernatural manifestations of the Spirit?
I. DESIRE SPIRITUAL GIFTS.
We are clearly told to do that in 1 Corinthians 14:1. Reading from the NIV: “Follow the way of love and earnestly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy.” Are you earnestly desiring spiritual gifts? People who are apathetic about the gifts of the Spirit are seldom used in these manifestations. God may sovereignly do something to let them taste and see how good it is. But if you will be consistently used by God, you have to want it. How bad do you want it? “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled” (Matt. 5:6). Not everybody gets filled. Who gets filled? Those who hunger and thirst. Those two words indicate a certain depth of desire.iii
Because of freewill, God operates on the principle of desire. David said of God in (Ps 145:16), “You open Your hand And satisfy the desire of every living thing.” You are designed for the fulfillment of desire. If you’re alive and well, there is something you’re desiring. Some people desire more and more money.iv They live their lives in pursuit of that objective. Others are lovers of pleasure,v and decisions are made in life on that basis. People may desire recognition,vi fame, or any number of things. Those things become the idols of their lives. But Jesus said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matt. 22:37). If we do that, we don’t have much room left to love this fallen world.vii
The question is: what are you desiring? The abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.viii You can tell what people desire and love by simply listening to what they want to talk about. It’s not as hidden as most people think. The basic issue is what desire am I nurturing? A gambler can nurture his desire for gambling by hanging out in a casino. An adulterer can nurture his desire for illicit sex by lusting after women. A greedy person can nurture his desire for more material things by surfing the internet for the latest new gadgets. We choose which desires we will cultivate. Our point this morning is that we should cultivate a desire for the things of the Spirit. We do that by hanging around people who desire that. We do that by singing about God’s goodness. We do that by prayer and worship and meditating on the goodness of God, and by meditating on the word of God. Our desire for spiritual gifts can be cultivated and it is our responsibility to do that.
II. ASK GOD TO FILL YOU WITH THE SPIRIT AND USE YOU IN THE GIFTS.
Jesus said in Luke 11:9, "So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” That is a promise straight from the Lord Himself. “For everyone who asks receives….” There is an irrevocable connection between asking and receiving. The asking is not to be casual and superficial. If the desire is there, the asking will persist. We will seek and we will knock until the petition is granted.
In early Pentecost, people did not understand how easy it is to receive the Holy Spirit by faith. They would spend hours and hours in prayer, asking God to fill them with the Spirit. On the one hand, it was sad because they could have had it the first night if they had simply taken God at His word and received it. On the other hand, there was a benefit. During the process of asking, they dealt with a lot of peripheral issues that needed to be dealt with. Old habits were set aside. New commitments were embraced. The process of asking, seeking, and knocking was beneficial in itself. But asking is essential. James says, “…ye have not, because ye ask not…” (KJV). Are you asking? Are you seeking? Are you persevering in prayer?
Notice how Jesus ties this specifically to the things of the Spirit in Luke 11-13. “If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"
Ask God to fill you with the Spirit and ask Him to use you in the gifts of the Spirit.
III. RECEIVE THE SPIRIT ON GOD’S TERMS.
Asking is one thing. Receiving is another. Jesus said to His followers (John 20:22), "Receive the Holy Spirit.” There is a time to ask, and there is a time to receive. Receiving is an act of faith. It is reaching out and taking what God is handing out and giving. I could stand up here at this pulpit holding out a $100 bill and saying, “I give this money to you.” You could sit there and smile and say that is so nice, or you could get up and take it from my hand and actually have it. Me giving you the $100 will never help you until you receive it. You’re not going to spend it while it is still in my hand. You have to receive it first.
And we must receive on God’s terms. Do you believe in impartation? I see that principle in the Bible. Moses’s 70 elders were filled with the Spirit as Moses ministered to them.ix The Spirit of wisdom came on Joshua when Moses laid his hands on him (Deut. 34:9). Cornelius and his family were filled with the Holy Spirit when Peter ministered to them.x Paul laid his hands on the elders at Ephesus, and they received. Acts 19:6 says, "And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.” Do you see the principle of impartation in that? There was a significant connection between Paul laying his hands on them in faith and them being filled with the Holy Spirit.
Look with me to Acts 9, and I will give you one more example. Paul had perhaps the most profound conversion experience of anyone in the Bible. In that experience, he actually heard the voice of the Resurrected Christ. But did you notice that he did not get filled with the Holy Spirit at that time? He is converted. He calls Jesus Lord. But for him to be filled with the Spirit, he had to follow Jesus’s command. He was told to go to Damascus, and he waited there for three days. Then God sent Ananias to minister to him. Acts 9:17: “And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.’" Of course, Paul was healed and filled with the Spirit. But how did God bring that about? The Spirit came on Paul when Ananias laid his hands on him, not before. Such a powerful conversion on the road to Damascus, but the infilling came when Ananias, in obedience to the Lord, laid his hands on him and prayed.
I have heard some very sincere men of God say, “I don’t know why I haven’t spoken in tongues. I have asked. But I have not received.” Perhaps the answer is found in what we have already said about receiving and what we have said about impartation. The elders at Ephesus did not get filled with the Spirit until Paul laid his hands on them and prayed. Paul himself did not receive until Ananias laid his hands on him and prayed. God has designed an interdependence in the Body of Christ. We can’t get it all by ourselves. Sometimes, by God’s design, we need a little help from our friends. Sometimes, we need to humble ourselves and receive from our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Sometimes, a gift of the Spirit comes to us when someone with that gift lays hands on us and prays. Paul wrote to Timothy and said, “Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands (2 Tim 1:6). In 1 Timothy 4:14, he instructed him, “Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership.” How did the gift come to Timothy? It came “by prophecy with the laying on of the hands”: impartation.
God has to orchestrate that. The person praying for you cannot make it happen. God gives the gift; but He may choose to do it by the laying on of hands.xi When those opportunities come, make the most of them. Make sure the one praying for you is godly. Be selective about who you allow to lay hands on you. But be willing to receive through impartation. If you want to be used by God--
IV. OBEY THE HOLY SPIRIT.
Peter says, speaking of Jesus, “Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are His witnesses to these things, and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey Him" (Acts 5:31-32).
Obedience is a factor at many levels. The 120 were positioned to receive the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost because they obeyed Jesus’ directive to tarry in Jerusalem. Paul was filled with the Holy Spirit when he obeyed Jesus’s command to go to Damascus and let Ananias pray for him. An attitude of submission and obedience is essential. When God prompts you to speak in tongues, you speak. When God gives a word of wisdom, you follow that counsel. Faith obeys. Faith doesn’t lean on its own understanding; it simply does what the Holy Spirit says to do. We must operate in faith; we must co-operate with the Holy Spirit.
V. LISTEN TO THE HOLY SPIRIT
Learn His voice. Young Samuel heard the voice of God, but he did not discern it as the Lord.xii He learned to hear the Lord and became a mighty prophet.
The voice of the Holy Spirit will always be consistent with the Bible. We need to meditate on this word day and night. We need to hide this word in our hearts.xiii God does not operate in a vacuum. When He inspires a prophecy, it often flows out of biblical truth already in the heart. We can’t know the voice of God without knowing the word of God because the two go hand-in-hand. The content of the subjective voice of God is judged by the objective revelation in the word of God, a more sure word of prophecy (2 Pet. 1:19).
Does God have your attention? This is often the most important issue. God is speaking. He is a speaking God.xiv The problem is not in getting God to speak. The problem rests with us listening and hearing what the Spirit is saying. I’m not just taking about during the church service. I’m talking about throughout the day, every day. Practice the presence of God. Keep your mind stayed on Him. Talk with Him throughout the day. Commune with Him on your bed at night. There are all kinds of things to divert our attention away from Him. Some of those things we are responsible to tend to. But our attention should always default back to Him. Like the needle on a compass, it always points north. No matter what we’re doing, our mind comes back to the Lord.
Roman 8:5: "“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit.” There is a fundamental principle here for being used in the gifts of the Spirit. I cannot set my mind on carnal things all week and then expect to hear the Lord on Sunday morning with a word of prophecy. God, in His mercy, might sovereignly do that a time or two. But if I am to be consistently used in the gifts of the Spirit, I need to walk in the Spirit. To do that, I need to set my mind on the things of the Spirit rather than the things of the flesh. The key question here is: what has your attention? Many Christians sit through the whole Sunday morning service with their attention on something else. They don’t truly worship in Spirit and truth because their hearts are not in it. The discipline of the mind! If you want to be used by God, make it your habit to think on the things of God. Cock your ear toward heaven, and listen.
VI. COMMIT TO GOD’S AGENDA.
God does not empower us to do our own thing. His empowerment comes so that we can fulfill our part of the Great Commission. At a young age, Jesus said, “I must be about my Father’s business.” That was the rule of His life. Jesus told the Pharisees in John 6:38, “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.” That is the mentality that gets empowered by the Holy Spirit.
American Christians don’t understand why they don’t see the signs and wonders recorded in the book of Acts. Some even conclude it’s not for this age. No, you have to be about your Father’s business for that to happen. The gifts are not an entertainment show. They are for advancing the kingdom of God. And only those who are engaged in the business of the kingdom operate in the power of the kingdom. The gifts are for the accomplishment of God’s agenda.
VII. WORSHIP THE LORD.
We have come full circle in our study. Do you remember the five messages I preached in preparation for the teaching of the gifts of the Spirit? Worship is an integral part of operating in the supernatural. It is in an attitude and atmosphere of worship that the Holy Spirit operates. He has come to glorify Jesus.xv Where people are glorifying the Lord, the Holy Spirit manifests Himself.xvi Worship is foundational to operating in the gifts of the Spirit. The gifts flow out of a worshipping heart. The 120 were worshipping Godxvii when the Holy Spirit came upon them. So worship is the beginning point for the operation of the gifts.xviii
But it is also the end objective of the gifts. The manifestations of the Spirit should always inspire worship. When God does a miracle, when God heals someone’s body, when God gives a prophetic word of comfort, what should happen next? People should give thanks to the Lord.xix People should worship God for His goodness. People should glorify God.
That worship, in response to the works of God, protects us from pride. It protects us from glorying in men. When we recognize the Source of every good gift,xx when we honor the Lord with our praises, our attention is turned in the right direction. When people don’t do that, they become prideful and self-centered. That grieves the Holy Spirit, and the river dries up. Ps 29:1-2:“Give unto the Lord, O you mighty ones, Give unto the Lord glory and strength. 2 Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name; Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.”
CONCLUSION:
We have addressed seven keys to being used by the Holy Spirit. How do we position ourselves to be used in the gifts of the Spirit?
1. Desire spiritual gifts. The American Church is far too apathetic on this matter.
2. Ask God to fill you with the Spirit. Ask God to use you in the gifts. That should flow naturally out of desire.
3. Receive the Spirit on God’s terms. It’s not about you and me looking good. It’s about God accomplishing His purposes. Understand that God may use other people in the process of imparting His good gifts to you. Be humble enough to receive it in anyway God wants to give it.
4. Obey the Lord. Let Him position you as you do what He tells you to do. Operating in the gifts always requires our cooperation. It always requires faith on our part. He initiates, and we obey.
5. Listen to the Holy Spirit. Just as a musician develops an ear for music, develop an ear for God’s voice. Fill your heart and mind with the word of God. Practice the presence of God in your daily life. Keep your mind stayed on Him
6. Commit to God’s agenda. God does not empower us to do our own thing. He empowers us to do His thing and fulfill the Great Commission.
7. Worship the Lord in all you do. Begin with worship and end with worship. An attitude and atmosphere of worship are foundational to operating in the gifts. And when God does great things, we should give Him the glory. That prepares us for the next round of God’s goodness.
Do you want to be used in the gifts of the Spirit? Will you ask Him to use you?
Invitation
ENDNOTES:
i All Scripture quotes are from the New King James Version unless indicated otherwise.
ii An outstanding example of this is Mary, the mother of Jesus. Her attitude toward God is revealed in her response to God’s plan brought to her by the angel, Gabriel.
"…Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word..." (Luke 1:38). Phillips translation captures her availability to God well. “’I belong to the Lord, body and soul,’ replied Mary, ‘let it happen as you say….”
iii Psalm 42:1
iv Matt. 6:24
v 2 Tim. 3:4
vi Matt. 23:6
vii 1 John 2:15-17; Matt. 6:24
viii Matt. 12:34
ix Numbers 11:23-25
x Acts 10:44-47
xi One of the six foundational doctrines listed in Hebrews 6:1-2 is laying on of hands. Yet most Christians know little about it.
xii 1 Samuel 3:3-20
xiii Joshua 1:8; Psalm 119:11, 16, 105 and 140
xiv Psalm 29 in contrast with Psalm 115 and 135. The command in Ps 95:7b-8a is “Today, if you will hear His voice:
8 "Do not harden your hearts, as in the rebellion….” People must choose to hear. People can’t hear because they have hardened their hearts. People harden their hearts because they insist on going their own way independent of God’s authority.
xv John 16:13-14
xvi Psalm 22:3
xvii Acts 1:14; 2:1, 11; Acts 13:2; 2 Chron. 2:4, 13-15.
xviii This does not have to be in a group of Christians, although there are special benefits in that (Matt. 18:20). Wherever God finds any Christian with a worshipful heart toward Him, He can manifest His presence.
xix Psalm 150:2
xx James 1:17; 1 Cor. 3:21
