The Gift the Father Has Promised
#holyspiritseries
(This Weekly Prayer Summary was written by Brigitta Tedja)
We honor all the fathers, stepfathers, grandfathers, foster fathers, and spiritual fathers of this house. Your role is very important. A wise father provides provision, protection, and identity, just as our Heavenly Father does. Your role is an opportunity to become like God, so love and care for your children and grandchildren just as Abba Father loves and cares for you! Proverbs 20:7 “The righteous man walks in his integrity; His children are blessed after him.”
Pastor Paul continues with the #holyspiritseries with a sermon entitled, “The Gift the Father Has Promised.” Our heavenly Father has given each of us a gift and all we need to do is to just receive. May God reveal His truth and Holy Spirit to you and that the revelation does not become information only, but for an encounter—to experience and encounter God and the Holy Spirit.
Acts 1:4-5, TPT “Jesus instructed them, “Don’t leave Jerusalem, but wait here until you receive the gift I told you about, the gift the Father has promised. For John baptized you in water, but in a few days from now you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit!”
In John 11, Lazarus was raised from the dead in Bethany and it triggered Jesus’ crucifixion.
The order starts from Jerusalem
Bethany located in the outskirts of Jerusalem
Bethany’s population are the unlearned
Jerusalem was filled with intellectuals
God will touch the learned, educated, intellectuals in Jerusalem
Acts 1:8, NKJV “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
The order starts from Jerusalem (the intellectuals)
We need the power of the Holy Spirit
The Father promised us something good
Do not miss it!
Luke 24:49, NKJV “Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”
Starts in Jerusalem again
The Promise of the Father: Holy Spirit
Wait until you receive the power
John 16:7, AMP “However, I am telling you nothing but the truth when I say it is profitable (good, expedient, advantageous) for you that I go away. Because if I do not go away, the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Advocate, Intercessor, Strengthener, Standby) will not come to you [into close fellowship with you]; but if I go away, I will send Him to you [to be in close fellowship with you].”
Disciples witnessed miracles daily
Witnessing miracles does not guarantee you stay faithful (Ex. Moses’ time)
Jesus said He needed to go away
Need the power of the Holy Spirit (truth—profitable)
The Holy Spirit: Counselor, Helper, Advocate, Intercessor, Strengthener, Standby (24/7)
The Holy Spirit is The Gift
Do not reject Him as the Father’s Gift!
Do not ignore Him.
HE is God, a mighty and powerful Gift.
Jesus is Also a Gift
Receive Jesus!
He is also a Gift.
Mark 16:17, NKJV “And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues.”
We tend to build dichotomies in our culture. We have non-spirit-filled churches and spirit-filled churches.
Anybody that believes in Jesus and has Jesus living in their heart, the Spirit of God is resident within them.
So maybe we should say there are those who are practicing speaking in tongues or those who are not practicing.
And some of that is based on theological positions that people take—that after the Bible was written, any kind of supernatural manifestation was no longer necessary.
When the New Testament principles are properly applied, the practice of spiritual language becomes very orderly, and very beneficial into the hearts and lives of every Christian.
It is also very practical, because its value to every believer is clearly taught in Scripture.
It is beneficial in their worship expression, and it advances their spiritual development/growth in ways like nothing else can.
1 Corinthians 14:1, NKJV “Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.”
Two kinds of motivation: fear and desire
Prophecy is for the future. Desire this gift.
Pastor Paul’s goal and desire for City Blessing Church is that ever believer, every Christian would walk with a desire to live in the fullness of the Holy Spirit. So, anybody who is born again has the Holy Spirit.
Throughout the New Testament, all the New Testament Churches believed that there was something that happened beyond salvation.
There is a difference between me drinking water and jumping in a pool of water.
When I drink, the water is in me, but when I jump into the pool, I'm in the water.
When I am born again, the water comes in me, but when I'm baptized in the Holy Spirit, I'm in the water.
Jesus was our Savior, but He was also our Baptizer
Every person who seeks the fullness of the Spirit has the right to expect, that at some point in time, will be given a spiritual language that will help them in their prayer life and in their walk as a believer. Faith is not a result of striving but of surrendering.
Spiritual Gifts (1 Corinthians 12:8-10)
Word of wisdom
Word of knowledge
Faith
Healings
Miracles
Prophecy
Discerning of spirits
Different kinds of tongues
Interpretation of tongues
There are Two Distinctions of Spiritual Languages
The gift of spiritual language and the prayer language—a gift of tongues.
The public use of spiritual language and the private use of spiritual language.
When Paul asked the question in Corinthians: Do all speak in tongues? He is not asking the question about the personal prayer language. Do not be confused.
He is asking about does everybody get used in a gift of the Spirit, the gift of tongues in a public service? And the answer to that is no.
Does everybody prophesy? No.
Does everybody get a word of wisdom? No, because the Spirit gives those as He wills
But can everybody live in wisdom? Yes.
Can everybody receive prophetic instruction? Yes.
Can everybody pray in tongues? Yes.
The public use of spiritual language and the private use of spiritual language:
You will hear that happen oftentimes in our worship service here. People may be standing around you may start singing or PRAYING in a language you do not know.
And you will think, well, what is wrong with them? There is really nothing wrong with them. It is that at that moment, their worship or PRAYER has moved from the level of their mind—to the level of their spirit.
They are beginning to sing out of their spirit to the Lord—Paul says they speak mysteries.
Paul told the Corinthians. In 1 Corinthians 2, he says that the Holy Spirit searches the mind of God.
Holy Spirit searches even the deep things of God
Holy Spirit is a search engine > Google
Google only searches known facts
Holy Spirit searches the unknown facts
The “Great I Am” is greater than AI
Tongues in the Bible:
Gift of tongues as a sign. (1 Corinthians 14:22)
Seen in Book of Acts—sign for unbelievers
Gift of tongues as a gift that edifies the church. (1 Corinthians 12:12–13)
Obtain the interpretation or else do not speak it
Tongues as a prayer language. (Jude 20)
Pray in the Spirit with your spiritual language
Tongues as an aid in intercession. (Romans 8:26)
When there are no words, pray in tongues, only God understands
1 Corinthians 14:18, NKJV “I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all.”
Among the apostles, Paul went through the most challenges (2 Corinthians 11)
1 Corinthians 14:39-40, NKJV “Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues. Let all things be done decently and in order.”
The same person, Paul, stated this within the same chapter
It is done decently and in order
The Benefits to Having a Spiritual Language:
He that prays in tongues does not speak to men but to God. It is a language to communicate to God alone. (1 Corinthians 14:2)
He who speaks in an unknown tongue speaks mysteries. (1 Corinthians 14:2)
He edifies himself. (1 Corinthians 14:4)
Building you up on your faith. (Jude 20)
Ephesians 5:18 “Do not get drunk with wine but be filled in the Holy Spirit.”
The Holy Spirit enables us in intercession. (Romans 8:26)
- You say: “So then do I need to seek tongues?” No.
- You need to seek the Holy Spirit. The biggest challenge is your brain
- Seek the fullness of the Spirit.
- And when you do, you have a right to believe that God will give you a prayer language.
Pastor has been to churches where people forced and pushed and got really tough with people about you needing to speak in tongues:
Be filled with the Holy Spirit!
God will give you the Holy Spirit when you ask, it is not from the devil
Never be intimidated to use the language of the Spirit
Some people might call you crazy
43 years ago, Pastor’s friend told him that he was demonized
Never judge people who do not pray in tongues
Do not treat them like secondary Christians
Your pride may sneak in. Pride precedes the fall
RECEIVE the Gift the Father has Promised!
Prayer Points:
We honor all our fathers, stepfathers, grandfathers, foster fathers, and spiritual fathers and pray God’s blessings upon them so that they will be powerful role models
Pray that God heals all the wounds that may have come from parents, children, relatives
Pray to receive the Father’s gift: The Holy Spirit
Pray to have an encounter with the Holy Spirit
To be filled by the Holy Spirit
To receive power of the Holy Spirit
To be led by the Holy Spirit
Pray that the Holy Spirit be your:
Counselor
Helper
Advocate
Intercessor
Strengthener
Standby
Pray to have the desire to live in the fullness of the Spirit
Pray in the heavenly language daily; to edify yourself, to intercede on behalf of others, to build your faith
Pray for a desire for the spiritual gifts:
Word of wisdom
Word of knowledge
Faith
Healings
Miracles
* Prophecy
Discerning of spirits
Different kinds of tongues
Interpretation of tongues
Pray for the advancement and building progress of the Ministry Center; no delays, obstacles, or interruptions.