Spiritual Growth 2 Lesson 16

Acknowledgments
Living Logos was the heart-work of Bro
Dale Starks and Sis Josephine Starks,
missionaries to Singapore in the early
1980s. As the original authors of this
devotionals, the Starks meant for
these self-study materials to help new converts
(and matured saints alike) get a hold of an
understanding of God’s written Word. Since Sis
Stark’s passing in 2013, the couple had graciously
entrusted Tabernacle of Joy with its copyright.
Therefore, with every print run, we would like to
honour their life work and sacrifice in bringing the
gospel to Singapore. This copy is an updated and
revised version. Be blessed as you immerse yourself
in the Word and allow God to transform you into
the likeness of Jesus Christ.
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Spiritual Growth 2
Lesson
Spiritual Growth 2
Sixteen
The giFTs oF The hoLy sPiriT ii
The church is compared to a spiritual building:
Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy
priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by
Jesus Christ
— i Peter 2:5
And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets,
Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an
holy temple in the Lord:
In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God
through the Spirit
— ePhesians 2:20-22
Because the church is a spiritual building, it must be built
with the tools of the Holy Spirit. Natural talents and abilities
alone will never get the job done correctly. Paul was a highly
educated and qualified man, but he confessed that these were
not the things that are needed to build God’s spiritual temple,
the church:
And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of
speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.
For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus
Christ, and him crucified.
And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much
trembling.
And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of
man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:
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That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of
God”
— i Corinthians 2:1-5
1. The gifts of the Spirit edify (build up) the church:
a. They bring men into a deeper knowledge of God.
b. They help men to see themselves as God sees them.
c. They provide deliverance from demonic spirits that would oppress them.
d. They give physical healing, so that the saints can better serve the
Lord.
e. They give emotional healing (bind up the broken hearted — Isaiah 61:1).
f. The gifts of the Spirit build up, comfort, and instruct the body of Christ
(I Corinthians 14:3-4).
g. They strengthen the faith of the believers.
h. They give direction to the church.
2. The gifts of the Spirit help us to reach the lost:
a. The city of Lydda was reached through the operation of the gift of
miracles (Acts 9:32-35).
b. The city of Joppa was reached through the operation of the gift of
miracles (Acts 9:36-42).
c. Sergius Paulus was reached through the operation of several gifts of the
Spirit (Acts 13:6-12).
d. The city of Lystra was reached through the gifts of the Spirit
(Acts 14:8-11).
e. Paul informed us that the gifts of the Spirit will convince the sinner that
God is with us (I Corinthians 14:29-30).
f. The gifts of the Spirit help confirm the truth that we preach (Mark 16:20;
Acts 8:5-8; Acts 4:29-30).
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g. When Jesus commissioned the twelve to go forth, they were not only to
preach, they were to heal the sick, also (Luke 9:1-2).
h. When He sent forth the seventy, it was the same (Luke 10:8-9).
3. The miraculous moving of the Spirit is given to all believers:
These signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils;
they shall speak with new tongues;
They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt
them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover
— mark 16:17-18
Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall
he do also; and greater works than these . . .
And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be
glorified in the Son.
If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it
— John 14:12-14
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
— i Corinthians 12:7-11
4. What our average church service should be like:
How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm,
hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all
things be done unto edifying
— i Corinthians 14:26
Is this what our average church service is like? Our teaching is Biblical and
apostolic, but what about our services? Have we settled for forty per cent
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of what God wants us to have? Have we substituted other things for the
moving of the Spirit because we do not want to pay the price? Do we have
to have a lot of extra songs to fill in, because we do not have the gifts of the
Spirit in operation?
Let us not accept a substitute. Let us seek for a restoration of the gifts of the
Spirit in the church of Jesus Christ!
Let the Spirit of God be manifested in your life, both for personal
edification, and the building up of the body of Christ. Remember that
the gifts of the Spirit are the power tools necessary to build up the spiritual
body of Christ—His church!
VOCABULARY
enticing —
attracting, tempting
habitation —
restoration —
a place in which to live, a dwelling place
the act of restoring that which was lost
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Spiritual
Lesson
Growth
Sixteen
2
Test
1
2
3
4-11
The church is compared to a .
It must be built with the tools .
Paul ministered, not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but
.
Name eight ways that the gifts of the Spirit help build up a church.
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
How do the gifts of the Spirit help us to reach lost souls?
Was the miraculous moving of the Spirit given only to the twelve apostles,
and the seventy men Jesus sent forth?
Jesus said, “He that believeth on me, the works .”
The manifestation of the Spirit is given to .
What guidelines do the Bible give us so that we will know what an average
service should be like?
Is this what our average church service is like?
We should not accept a .
We should seek for a
of the gifts of the Spirit.
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19
20
Let the gifts be manifested in your life for
.
What was of special interest to you in this lesson?
and
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