Here is a transcript from a sermon by Pastor Don, the video was too large to put on Xanga, but the message is well worth reading! Praying your Day is blessed and that you have a wonderful Passover. Remember that what is in [brackets] is said by the congregation. I slightly edited it to make it easier to read. For example if Pastor mentions the Bible verse over and over so that people can find it in the Word, I only put the address once.

SAY AMEN
SHOW 142
WATER AND SEED
1-8-10

Well hello my friends. We’re so glad that you’re with us. I’m Pastor Don Moore, and we don’t want to waste time talking, so let’s get right into the Word. Today’s teaching, I want to meld together an understanding of two words that Jesus talked quite a bit about. One word is water, and the other word is seed. And the two come together very importantly, in terms of a discussion of: the receiving of the Word of God, the growing of the Word of God, as well as surviving the onslaught that comes from our minds and comes from other people against the Word of God.

Now, John, chapter 3, Nicodemus, who is one of the teachers of the Law, comes to Jesus at night. This is a very powerful passage. I want to read a little bit of it and then let’s get some clarification. [Yes] Here it is. And so, Nicodemus comes, “Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” And then Jesus, in verse six, gives us a clear and interesting distinction. He says, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” And then in verse 8 He tells us. “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

So here we have a teaching that Jesus is saying that to be born again is by the action of the Spirit, and He says that when the Spirit moves in this way, we may not see it coming or see it going, but we know that it was spiritual, that the Spirit did something. But prior to that, He tells us that the Water – He says that you must be born of water.

Now, when I grew up, a young man in the Gospels and all, it was taught that that water is from the water that is in the belly of the pregnant woman. That when her water breaks, that is the water, so you must be born of water. The water, you know, that fluid that comes out. But that can’t be so because it says flesh is born to flesh and Spirit to spirit. So we have the flesh and we have spirit. Therefore flesh is not pregnancy and the water. Is that all not physical? It is. And so it is of the flesh.

But He says something interesting. He says you must be born of water. Therefore, we must remember something. The Bible is it’s own definition of its own terms. The Bible, when it uses Bible terms, we must look into scripture to find out what it’s talking about. And therefore, water here, is not referring to H2O, nor is it referring to pregnancy of the fluid, nor is it saying baptism. This has been taught for a long time, that it is of baptism. But isn’t baptism of the flesh? Isn’t baptism of the flesh physical?

It is a spiritual act that we are carrying out, but we are carrying it out in the flesh realm. We take our physical bodies, our fleshly bodies, and immerse them in physical water and we come up out of the water. Is that not the flesh making a decision to go down and the flesh coming up? And we know for a fact, many people get wet but don’t get changed. Therefore, it has to be flesh upon flesh.

When what the Apostle is telling us, what Jesus, as an Apostle, as a Prophet, as a Teacher, as the Great I AM, is He not saying that there is an experience from God of the Spirit causing change? But there’s water. What is that water?So, if we’re gonna say it’s not the fluid. If we’re going to say it’s not the water of baptism. We’d have to look into the Scriptures to find other places where there is mention of water and see if we can get what the Bible says this water is.

Now, when we look at this, we realize that from the other scriptures we have a number of passages that can help us with this. One is Ephesians 5:26. It tells us that Husbands should wash their wives in the water of the Word. Washing them in what? The water of the Word. And then it also tells us in 1 Peter, Chapter 1 and this is a very powerful passage that Peter gives us and He says, beginning at verse 22. “Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,” And here it goes, verse 23, are you ready? “…having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible,…” How? “…through the word of God which lives and abides forever,…”

So we can see from these passages of scripture that the Word of God is not only referred to as seed, but it is also referred to as water. And we have the washing of water, through the Word. For you Bible students, you can also look up Ezekiel 26 verse 25 and Titus Chapter 3 verse 5. These are also references to the mystery of the Word of God as being the Water of God.

Now, let’s take a look at the seed. We go into the book of Mark, well, let’s go to Matthew first. No, let’s go to Mark. Let’s go to Matthew, let’s go to Mark. Which do you want to go to? Ok, we’ll go to Matthew. So, in the book of Mark, I got a kick out of that. I don’t know if that helped anybody, but that sure helped me.

In the book of Mark, in the 4th Chapter. Jesus is talking about the parable of the sower. And right away in verse 14, we want to look at that. Verse 14. Here’s what He says. “The sower sows the word. The sower sows the word.” So we have that the Word of God is also expressed as water, but we see here that Jesus is using it as an expression of seed. And He says that the sower goes to sow seed.

Now, in our culture, we don’t see many sowers. But a sower was one, he’d have a bag over his shoulder filled with seeds. He’d reach in and he would then spread the seed over the soil that had been opened up and prepared. They’d dig in, grab a handful, and he’s sow it. So He says, then, that the sower, which is a picture now of the believer, a picture of the saint, a picture of the teacher, a picture of the preacher, he takes the Word and he spreads it. You, my friends, are also sowers, and you should be spreading the Word of God, sharing it with neighbors and friends, with your children and people that come into your life. Spreading it about. Believing that some of it is going to, like the scripture says, is going to fall on thorny soil. Some of it’s going to be choked out by the worries and the cares of this life. But the promise of God is, some of it will fall on good soil, and bring forth a crop, 30, 60, and even a 100-fold blessing.

Now in seed, when we talk about seed, you know, pastors can’t help it, but to talk about sowing financial seed and bringing forth. But in this particular parable of the sower, Jesus is talking about sowing the Word of God. And then in Mark, if we look again, at this passage, as we follow it to its natural conclusion, He tells us something in verse 21. He says, “Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Is it not to be set on a lamp stand? For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light.” A little bit later He says, “Take heed what you hear. Take heed what you hear.” He says, “With the same measure you use,…” to hear “…it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given. For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”

This passage is not talking about money, He’s talking about hearing what the sower has sown. Hearing the water of God, drinking in the water of God. And so we get a better picture by realizing that a person who hears the Word of God, guess what? His hearing will enlarge. Romans 10:17 says what? “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” Doesn’t it? Therefore, our faith is increased because we hear more of the Word, and if we hear more, then He says, more Word will be given to us, if we hear.

Now, let’s look at it in another further passage, in the same text. In the same book of Mark. “And He said, “The kingdom of God…” watch this. “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how. For the earth yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head. But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”

In this passage we get a lot. Remember, the Word is the seed. The sower sows the Word of God, the Water of God grows the seed, because faith comes by hearing, hearing by the Word of God. The Seed is the Word we water the Word with more Word, and that Word brings forth more Word for those that will hear. But He says something, sow the seed, not knowing how it’s going to sprout. Too often we judge people that we minister to. We tell them about Jesus and we expect that they’re going to be born again and on fire for the Lord overnight. But He says, you don’t know the seed that you sow and that you water, you don’t know how it’s going to spring forth. And Jesus tells us that at first it’s going to come up just a little bit, then a little bit more, then a little bit more, then it breaks forth unto the harvest.

We get another clear picture, and I love talking about seeds. But the mustard seed is the one that Jesus really nails down. Let’s take a look at the mustard seed. In verse 30, Jesus talks about the mustard seed and He says, “To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or with what parable shall we picture it? It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on the earth; but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade.”

Now you might be wondering why did Pastor Don have this big artificial tree here. Oh I know, on TV it looks real, but trust me, it’s plastic. But look at this beautiful picture. Let’s say, if this were a mustard seed, we would be getting an example and we can understand the mystery of it. He is saying that the mustard seed’s small. If you shake out some pepper out of a pepper mill, the seeds are very, very small. That’s how small mustard seeds are. They’re just little tiny specks. But a mustard seed would grow to a bush like this. It would be big. And it would have a lot of stuff. And He says the birds would come, and notice we’ve got these nice artificial, can’t fly red birds here. And they nest in it, and they find a place of shade in it.

Jesus is telling us that faith, when we look at faith and the Word of God, watch this now. The Word of God is water, it causes things to grow, seed causes what? Something to spring up and be multiplied. In other words, our seeds are Words of God, Romans 10:17 “Faith comes by hearing, hearing by the Word of God.” If we will speak and sow the Word of God, guess what? It will grow the largest of all things on earth. In other words, it will cause growth that will be greater than doing anything else we could do, if we will have mustard seed faith.

We need to know something about mustard seed faith. Faith, described as a mustard seed. Jesus is trying to tell us two things. First of all, it has been told to me, that the mustard seed cannot be cross pollinated with anything else. In other words, you cannot mix doubt with your faith. You cannot mix unbelief with your faith. You cannot mix wishing and hoping with your faith. That your faith must remain pure. And so, faith, though, mustard seed faith, means that it is pure, it is faith without doubt in it.

And then, one of the greatest teachings of all, Jesus said, mustard seed, it can be small as a mustard seed and your faith can move mountains. Well, what did He mean? What was the mystery? He is saying, that our understanding of faith has been wrong. We’ve prayed for years, “Lord, give me more faith.” Well, you can’t get more faith. You can only get, listen to me carefully, either you have faith or you don’t. Mustard seed, small as a mustard seed, if you even have that much faith, you have enough to move a mountain. You don’t need anymore faith because faith, my brothers and my sisters, is quantitative.

In the sense that you may have faith for sickness, but not have faith for salvation. You may have faith for walking on water but not have faith for the common cold. You may have faith for healing of cancer, but you may not have faith for blind eyes being opened. You may be like the apostles, who had faith for the multiplication of fish and loaves, but when they saw the water troubled, they were afraid and thought that they would die. They did not have faith for that.

So in conclusion, my brothers and my sisters, let us remember that the Word of God is the water of God, the water is the Word, the Word is water. That seed, when He’s talking about seed, He is talking about faith that can come by the planting of the right Words. And that Water and the Words are right. And we are but sparrows, we are pictured as these birds that can hide in the tree of faith. We are pictured as birds that can find the shade by faith. We can find the secret place, a hiding place. We can find a place of security. We can be like the little sparrow, that the song talks about. That if we keep our eyes on Christ, our seed faith will grow. The Word of God, the Water of God will pour upon us, cleansing us and provide for us, not just a hiding place and a place of safety, but also a place of power.

May this word richly, richly get down into your heart. Be careful, make sure you’re sowing Word Seed. The money thing is true and it works, but your seed faith must also be the fruit of your mouth and the Water of God, and He says, that if you have that, out of your belly will flow rivers of living water. God bless ya.

If you did not read part 1, here is the link.

Pam continued teaching on the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, speaking on each of the gifts mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same^a]’> has gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun, which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoices like a strong man to run its race. Its rising is from one end of heaven, and its circuit to the other end; and there is nothing hidden from its heat. The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; the statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold;  sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them Your servant is warned, and in keeping them there is great reward. Who can understand his errors? Cleanse me from secret faults. Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and I shall be innocent of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer.

Romans 1:19-20 …because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.  For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,

In History or providence

Deuteronomy 6:20-25 “When your son asks you in time to come, saying, ‘What is the meaning of the testimonies, the statutes, and the judgments which the LORD our God has commanded you?’  then you shall say to your son: ‘We were slaves of Pharaoh in Egypt, and the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand; and the LORD showed signs and wonders before our eyes, great and severe, against Egypt, Pharaoh, and all his household. Then He brought us out from there, that He might bring us in, to give us the land of which He swore to our fathers. And the LORD commanded us to observe all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God, for our good always, that He might preserve us alive, as it is this day. Then it will be righteousness for us, if we are careful to observe all these commandments before the LORD our God, as He has commanded us.”

Daniel 2:21 And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding.

and especially in the Bible.

Psalm 119 (look this one up it is the longest Psalm in the Bible, but sure teaches us about the benefits of the Word of God – HM)

Revelation 1:1-3 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John,  who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw. Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.

FAITH – this is special faith, raising dead kind of faith. That paralyzed man WILL get up off the bead.  This is from Brother Hagin’s BIBLE HEALING STUDY COURSE:  Hagin knew this gift was operating in his life, he says that the gift of faith is also a supernatural endowment by the Holy Spirit whereby that which is uttered or desired by man, or spoken by God, eventually comes to pass. In other words, when this power gift is in operation, you believe God in such a way that God honors your word as His own and miraculously brings to pass whatever you believe or say. Hagin spoke of Smith Wigglesworth special faith – under his ministry, at least three different people were raised from the dead. In his book, EVER INCREASING FAITH, Wigglesworth related one instance of his neighbor being raised from the dead.

The Weymouth translation of 1 Cor. 12:9 calls this faith special faith because every believer already has faith. Romans 12:3  For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.

For example, there is SAVING faith, or faith to receive salvation, which is also a gift of God. Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, The faith by which you are saved is a gift of God, but it is given to you through hearing the Word. The Bible says, Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. But the gift of faith is distinct from saving faith. The gift of faith is the supernatural manifestation of one of the nine gifts of the Spirit. The gift of faith is a gift of the Spirit to the believer that he might receive a miracle, whereas the working of miracles is the gift of the Spirit. (One gift receives something, the other does something). But these gifts are very closely related. We’re just differentiating between them for the purpose of defining them.

This gift of faith is also distinct from the FRUIT of faith that we’re taught about in Galatians 5:22-23  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. Faith is a fruit of the Spirit, but the kind of faith mentioned here is faithfulness. The fruit of the Spirit is for character, but the gifts of the Spirit are for power. A fruit is something that grows. So faith, faithfulness, is a spiritual fruit that grows in the life of the Christian to establish him in spiritual character. The more we abide in Him, the greater the fruit. He produces His character, likeness, in us so that we become human embodiments of His love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. The gift of faith, however, is given supernaturally by the Spirit of God as He wills. 1 Corinthians 12:11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills. Romans 12:11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; Fervent means boiling or bubbling.

So you see, three are different kinds of faith. Saving faith comes before salvation, and the fruit of faith comes or develops after salvation. But the manifestation of the gift of faith comes after the baptism in the Holy Spirit as the Spirit wills.

Remember, the working of miracles employs faith that actively works a miracle, but the gift of faith employs faith that passively expects a miracle as a sustained or continuous actions. There may not be anything that the person sees at the moment to confirm that he has his answer. But special faith will carry over a long period of time. In other words, its manifestation can be sustained or continued for the purpose of receiving a miracle.

HEALINGS – they have nothing to do with miracle science. This gift of the Holy Spirit is supernatural. It comes by laying on of hands, anointing with oil, or sometimes just speaking God’s Word in faith! So we not only believe in natural healing, but we also believe in supernatural healing. The Bible is full of examples of gifts of healings in operation – delivering the sick and destroying the works of the devil in a person’s human body – especially through Jesus’ ministry. However, it must be pointed out here that Jesus ministered (fully human) as a prophet anointed by the Holy Ghost. Notice, for instance what Jesus said of Himself in the synagogue, reading from the Prophet Isaiah.  Luke 4:18-19 The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD. Then, Peter says in Acts 10:38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.

Jesus never healed anyone until after He was anointed with the Holy Ghost and power. He healed them the same way anyone else would minister to the sick today – by the anointing of the Spirit or the manifestation of the gifts of healings.

The gifts of healings are not referring to gifts to individuals to bless them personally. They are ministries of healing that are give to some in order to bless others. Ephesians 4:8 Therefore He says: “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men.”  Ephesians 4:11-12 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,  In other words, these gifts are not given to bless you, but to bless others. It’s a ministry. 1 Corinthians 12:28 And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. Hagin says, “The gifts of healings are supernatural manifestations of the Spirit that are manifested through someone to someone.

MIRACLES – a divine intervention in the ordinary course of nature.  Examples in the Old Testament are when God parted the water for the Israelites, when He saved Israel in Egypt through the Passover. God revealed His character, and the Israelites were convinced that God was working for their salvation.  Exodus 12:13-14 Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt. So this day shall be to you a memorial; and you shall keep it as a feast to the LORD throughout your generations. You shall keep it as a feast by an everlasting ordinance. Miracles were expressions of God’s saving love as well as His holy justice.

Miracles in the Old Testament are connected especially with the great events in Israel’s history. I am giving you some of the examples and where you can find them in scripture – some of the passages are long, so you need to check them out for yourself).
* The Call of Abraham – Genesis 12:1-3 Now the LORD had said to Abram:  “Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
* The Birth of Moses (Exodus 1:1-2:22)
* Exodus from Egypt (Exodus 12:1-14:31)
*The giving of the Law (Exodus 19:1-20:26)
*The entry into the Promised Land (Joshua 3:1-4:7)
* The miracles are for salvation but God also acts in history for judgment (Genesis 11:1-9), the plagues of Egypt showed God’s sovereign power in judgment and salvation (Ex0dus 7:3-5)
* One unusual miracle was the recovery of Hezekiah (2 Kings 20:1-21; Isaiah 38:1-21) as well as the miracle in Jonah and Daniel. God revealed Himself through the spoken and written Word.
* Miracles in the New Testament – when in prison John the Baptist sent some of his disciples to Jesus to see if He was the “One to come” (Matthew 11:3) Jesus told them to inform John of what He had done: “The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear,a the dead are raised and the good news is preached to the poor.“  (Matt 11:5) with those words, Jesus declared that His miracles were the fulfillment of the promises of the Messiah’s kingdom as foretold in Isaiah 61:1,  Isaiah 35:5-6  Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the dumb sing. For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert. Miracles were signs of the presence of the kingdom of God. Matthew 12:39  But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.
* The Acts of the Apostles is a book of miracles.  These miracles are a continuation of the miracles of Jesus, made possible through the Holy Spirit. The miracles of the Apostles were done in the name of Jesus and were manifestations of God’s salvation. Acts 3:11 Now as the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch which is called Solomon’s, greatly amazed.
* God began His church with a powerful display of miracles. At Pentecost the Holy Spirit came on the people with great power. (Acts 2:1-13), leading to conversions Acts 2:41 Then those who gladly^b]’> will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.^a]’> in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
1 Corinthians 1:7  so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ,
1 Corinthians 12:11, 28-31 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills Verses 28-31  And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues.  Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?  But earnestly desire the best^d]’> for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.
Matthew 21:22  And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.
Mark 9:23 Jesus said to him, “If you can believe,^j]’> of Christ.
Acts 5:12  And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon’s Porch.
Acts 14:9 This man heard Paul speaking. Paul, observing him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed,  —  ”He discerned he believed the gospel and had faith to be healed. Paul evidently had all the gifts of the Holy Spirit of 1 Corinthians 12:4-11. Paul had the fullness of “the blessing of the Gospel of Christ” Romans 15:29.” (Source, Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible)

4. WERE THEY MANIFEST IN THE OLD TESTAMENT DAYS? YES
Acts 1:5 for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now. – First New Testament Fulfilled: Acts 2:4  And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Old Testament Saints had many experiences and blessings as followers: they were filled.
Exodus 28:3 So you shall speak to all who are gifted artisans, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron’s garments, to consecrate him, that he may minister to Me as priest.
Exodus 31:3 And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship,
Exodus 35:31 and He has filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom and understanding, in knowledge and all manner of workmanship,
Old Testament saints had gifts and fruits of the Spirit
1 Kings 3:12  behold, I have done according to your words; see, I have given you a wise and understanding heart, so that there has not been anyone like you before you, nor shall any like you arise after you.
1 Kings 17:1-2 And Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the LORD God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word.” Then the word of the LORD came to him, saying,
2 Kings 13:20-25  Now it happened, as they sat at the table, that the word of the LORD came to the prophet who had brought him back; and he cried out to the man of God who came from Judah, saying, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Because you have disobeyed the word of the LORD, and have not kept the commandment which the LORD your God commanded you,  but you came back, ate bread, and drank water in the place of which the LORD said to you, “Eat no bread and drink no water,” your corpse shall not come to the tomb of your fathers.’” So it was, after he had eaten bread and after he had drunk, that he saddled the donkey for him, the prophet whom he had brought back.  When he was gone, a lion met him on the road and killed him. And his corpse was thrown on the road, and the donkey stood by it. The lion also stood by the corpse. And there, men passed by and saw the corpse thrown on the road, and the lion standing by the corpse. Then they went and told it in the city where the old prophet dwelt.

5. CAN GIFTS BE MISUSED? YES: Solomon – vanity of pleasure
Ecclesiastes 2:9 So I became great and excelled more than all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me.
Numbers 20:7-13  Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,  “Take the rod; you and your brother Aaron gather the congregation together. Speak to the rock before their eyes, and it will yield its water; thus you shall bring water for them out of the rock, and give drink to the congregation and their animals.” So Moses took the rod from before the LORD as He commanded him. And Moses and Aaron gathered the assembly together before the rock; and he said to them, “Hear now, you rebels! Must we bring water for you out of this rock?” Then Moses lifted his hand and struck the rock twice with his rod; and water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their animals drank.  Then the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.” This was the water of Meribah,^a]’> but have not love, it profits me nothing.

6. ARE GIFTS PERMANENT OR TEMPORARY? YES, PERMANENT IF FRECEIVED AS A PERSONAL GIFT.
Romans 11:29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. God never changes His mind about the gifts and the call He has given you.

7.  WHEN SHOULD GIFTS BE USED? WHEN NEEDED.
1 Corinthians 14: 3-6, 12, 17, 26  But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men.  He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for^d]’> gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.
1 Corinthians 14:1 Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.
Matthew 7:7-8 Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

10. DO WE NEED GIFTS TODAY? YES, FOR THE SAME REASON OTHERS OF OLD NEEDED THEM
Mark 16:15-20  And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;  they^c]’>
John 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me^c]’>the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose); to another the ability to discern and distinguish between [the utterances of true] spirits [and false ones], to another various kinds of [unknown] tongues, to another the ability to interpret [such] tongues. All these [gifts, achievements, abilities] are inspired and brought to pass by one and the same [Holy] Spirit, Who apportions to each person individually [exactly] as He chooses.

Our ministry gifts and the supernatural gifts of the Spirit are used to buildup the Body of Christ. They are distributed according to the will of the Holy Spirit in order to bring the body of Christ as a whole into full maturity of faith.

In the book of Acts, Jesus talked about Baptism in the Spirit and said that the disciples would receive power (ability, efficiency, and might) when the Holy Spirit came upon them, and this power would cause them to be witnesses to Jesus.

Acts 1:5-8 AMP For John baptized with water, but not many days from now you shall be baptized with (^b]’>what time brings [the things and events of time and their definite periods] or fixed ^a]’>kept giving them clear and loud expression [in each tongue in appropriate words].

Acts 8:17 Then [the apostles] laid their hands on them one by one, and they received the Holy Spirit.

Acts 10:44-46 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all who were listening to the message. And the believers from among the circumcised [the Jews] who came with Peter were surprised and amazed, because the free gift of the Holy Spirit had been bestowed and poured out largely even on the Gentiles. For they heard them talking in [unknown] tongues (languages) and extolling and magnifying God. Then Peter asked,

Acts 19:6 And as Paul laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them; and they spoke in [foreign, unknown] tongues (languages) and prophesied.

Pam shared a passage from Maria Woodworth-Etter’s book, Marvels and Miracles.  This comes from a chapter:  How to Cooperate with the Holy Spirit in a Meeting.  This was so powerful that I asked her for a copy of it so that I could get all the words down for you.

A word from the Lord:

Jesus was pure and undefiled and separate from sinners and free from guile, and so must you be. Let Him manifest His love in you from day to day. Many have I chosen and put my mighty power on, but today they have drifted back. They will not let me have my way with them. You must obey me, or I will remove the candlestick out of its place. Why question and doubt as to my mighty power? Do not doubt, but submit yourselves fully and completely into my hands, that you may be used to my glory and honor.

Come as a little child, full of joy and gladness. Come right, conscious that we have done all we know He wanted us to do in the best way we could, to please Him. Think on that. Praise God, and look to Him in faith to refill us and use us to glorify Jesus. Then by faith, we touch the button, as it were, and turn on the switch. The connection being good and the communication between God and man restored by Jesus, and maintained in good order by the Holy Spirit.

The mistake many of us make is to let the persecutions, and threatening and rage, and the powers of this world scare and frighten us. We are not prepared to suffer. We don’t trust God and go to Him to vindicate His work and us. We too often draw back or compromise and “use wisdom” of the wrong kind, and are just as well satisfied when the power of God is not manifested so much, and the nice, quiet, imminently respectable, and precise, modern Christians are not offended. We should be praying and looking for God to work more and manifest His power more, to draw back is not pleasing to God, and therefore, the marvels and miracles, the manifestations of His Presence and Power, are to a great degree, lacking. Let us go forward. Meet the conditions. Come at peace with all the brethren with love for God and man. Come with the desire that Jesus may be glorified. Meet together in one accord.

Lose sight of yourself and each other in the supreme desire that God should work, that He should manifest His power. Then pray the prayer of faith and something supernatural will happen. God will answer. His power will flow in and through you. he will give you fresh courage and enable you to do your part, to speak the word of God with boldness, and to give witness to the Resurrection with great power and signs following will give positive and unmistakable evidence that the Lord is working with you. Fear and convictions will fall on unbelievers.

Enoch was translated, but before his translation, he had this testimony: that he pleased God. We are looking and hoping to be translated, the church that is, with the rest when Jesus comes. And we too should have the same testimony. The power, signs and the manifestations of the Spirit are testimony that God is pleased with us.

We should desire to be operated by God’s mighty hand and power. There should be the touch of virtue. Our prayers should produce results. We should have His power in our bodies. God should be glorified in some way in our bodies. We are God’s powerhouses. Jesus said, “You shall receive power, the Holy Ghost having come upon you.” If we draw back, God has no pleasure in us and will not use us to do His pleasure. He cannot, because we are not a consenting party, and God has given to every man a free will. God desires and seeks those after His own heart, one with Him and the Lord Jesus, to whom no sacrifice is too great. In order that eternal counsels of God and His purposes may be carried out in their entirety. He seeks men of faith, of the eleventh chapter of Hebrews class.

All that the Father has is conditionally ours. Now that prodigals are coming home, let us too eat of the fatted calf and join in the music and dancing. Let us make merry. He makes our feet like hind’s feet, and sitteth us upon high places. The power of God makes our bodies light, when we are filled with the Holy Ghost, which is in earnest of the translating power. Some, however, are bound hand and foot. They cannot lift hands to God and cannot join in the holy dance. Some, it may be, have the spirit of the elder brother in the parable. We have holy, gentle boldness. We that are under the Blood have not a spirit of fear, but of love and of power and of a sound mind. We know that we are sons and daughters of God, with power and authority.

But at the same time we are continually careful not to do or say anything that will displease or grieve Him, bring reproach on the cause or contempt on the work. We should try the spirits. Ours is the desire to do some big thing ahead of someone else, then watch. Ask rather, “Will the people receive light, will they be edified?” And you will probably have to say, no. Because so many spirits are not of God, some throw away God’s Spirit too. The Word and the Spirit agree in perfect harmony. We should not be trembling and fearful and excited for fear some other spirit should come in. When some wrong spirit comes in, don’t whisper around, getting others nervous. Jesus is present on the White Horse of Power to control the meeting and God can take care of His own business. Don’t say to your brother, “Stand back there because the devil comes in sometimes and uses you, I cannot trust you.”  Peter backslid, but he repented, he went out and wept bitterly. If he had lived in these days, they would always be throwing it up to Peter and he would never hear the last of it. Why, he denied the Lord. At Pentecost a few days afterward, a spokesman was required. Did the rest say, “We cannot trust Peter; just lately he lied and backslid, and cursed and swore and disgraced the Lord and us.” If they had acted like that, the words would have frozen in his mouth.  They knew God had restored him and filled him with His Spirit again. Take the one God chooses no matter what is in the past. What are they now? Take heed that you offend not one of these little ones that believe in Christ. (Mark 9:42) That they stumble not and fall because you reject them from fellowship, deny them liberty, and withhold your love.

Be a committee of one, to see that you walk straight in all the will of God. Be a committee of one to see that it is the spirit of love that controls you at all times. Watch against an unforgiving spirit, a desire to avenge, to take satisfaction for injury by just punishment through retaliation. Beware of envy. It is a feeling of uneasiness at another’s superior advantages or privileges, a dislike or discontent because of the superior excellence or success of another. If God has respect to the offering of a brother, and pays no attention to ours, it is not good for us to be angry and jealous, afraid someone else will get ahead of us in the affections and the love of the brethren. Then is the time to watch, because sin crouches at the door, and the devil is close at hand preparing to spring in and overpower us. If our ear is open to hear the Spirit, the Holy Spirit will warn us. If our supreme desire is that Jesus shall be glorified, we will be glad He is glorified in our brother.

Pam goes on to describe the gifts of the Spirit in more detail.  I am going to leave that post for the next entry because she gives a lot of information and I don’t want it to get lost in a too long blog entry.

Hoping your day is blessed!

Heather