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A brief definition for praise:

Praise is the activity of declaring God’s worth in the presence of others.

“thanksgiving” is a term used for private or silent giving thanks.

“praise” is reserved for giving honour to the Lord in public setting.

It was Vocal, Audible; it is Loud, and Active. It could be Heard or Seen.

1. God Declares It.

· We are Commanded to praise him.

Paul expected Timothy to Know his spiritual gifts.

Paul expected Timothy Not to Neglect his spiritual gifts.

Before we fan into flame the gifts given:

1. We need to meet 4 Prerequisites:

a. A Personal Relationship with Jesus Christ.

b. We need to Believe in Spiritual Gifts.

c. We must have a Willingness to Minister.

d. A Commitment to Prayer.

2. Fanning into Flame.

a. Understand the Difference between Spiritual Gifts and Christian Roles.

Be careful not to allow spiritual gifts to become an Excuse for us not to Perform Christian Roles.

b. Explore the Possibilities.

Read the Scripture Passages that talk about Spiritual Gifts.

c. Examine our Feelings.

d. Evaluate our Effectiveness.

e. Expect Confirmation from the Body.

The Confirmation of the body of Christ, and the Correction of the body of Christ, is a healthy thing:

The Principle of Consecration.

· There is no knowing the Will of God apart from a Deep, Personal and Serious commitment to Jesus Christ as Lord.

· Paul says I want you to Offer yourself as a Living Sacrifice, Willingly and Voluntarily.

· The basis of our Worship depends on how you and I are Relating to Christ.

The Principle of Biblical Self-Evaluation.

· When we see God and who He is this helps us put our life into Proper Perspective.

· Paul encourages us to think Rationally about Ourselves.

· Biblical Humility: I will Refrain from Comparing myself with other People, and I will Compare myself only to Jesus Christ.

The Principle of Discovering our Part in the Body.

· A human body has Many Parts.

· Certain parts in a body Function in Certain ways.

· As a church we are one body, but we have many parts.

- We all belong to the same body, but have Different Functions.

· Seek after God for how he has Gifted you to play your part in the body, to be a Blessing to His Church and have that Affirmed by the rest of the Body of Christ.

1. Are the Sign Gifts for today?

The Bible nowhere says that the gifts have passed.

2. Myths about the Sign Gifts.

a. That Every Christian Must speak in tongues.

b. My Experience Validates the Truth.

c. The Gift of Tongues Increases Faith.

d. Tongues are the sign of Being Filled with the Holy Spirit.

e. Tongues must Always be from God.

f. Tongues are Commanded.

g. Tongues are the most Important Gift for Christians to have.

3. What are the Purposes for the gift of Tongues?

a. The Primary use of Tongues in the NT was to be a Sign. In contrast to what the Corinthians were Practicing,

Paul makes the point that tongues were Not Meant as a sign for Believers.

Tongues are a sign to the Unbelieving.

b. Tongues as a Personal Prayer gift.

c. Tongues are for the Strengthening of the church.

That is done in prescribed conditions.

i. For the Strengthening of the church.

ii. Only to be used in a public time if Interpreters are present.

2 or 3 at the most.

One at a Time.

No interpreter present - Remain Quiet.

Tongues are Not Required for God to Bless a worship service.

All spiritual gifts are to be Exercised in Love and for the strengthening of the church.

1. For The Common Good.

To Each one is given the Manifestation of the Spirit.

2. To bring us into Unity.

God has chosen to Establish Leaders in the church.

3. The Role of the Pastor/Teacher.

Lead and Feed. Protect and Correct.

We are to point you to Christ and not to Ourselves.

1. How do we Test?

a. We test them by the Word.

b. Do they Confess “Jesus as Lord”?

c. What is the spirit of the person? Their life walk.

2. How do we see Prophecy operating in the NT church?

a. Not more than 2 or 3 in any time.

b. Let the Other’s weigh.

c. Do they Acknowledge leadership?

3. Some Practical Application.

a. Test prophecy that Foretells the Future.

b. Test prophecy that claims to Reveal Something.

d. Consider carefully Negative prophetic words.

e. Be aware of Correcting the church without the Leadership.

g. Be aware of an Aura of Superiority.

It will be for the church’s Edification, Exhortation and Consolation.

1. In the OT.

a. God by His Spirit impressing upon the heart and mind of his Servant.

· The main function: was to be “Messengers from God”

· A Revelation from God that is Recorded as Scripture.

b. Another type of Prophecy.

· Their words were Not Recorded as Scripture.

· To a Specific Situation to affirm He was present.

2. In the NT.

a. We see those speaking as God’s Messengers.

· Speaking with Divine Authority, writing for us Scripture.

· These men are not called prophets, but Apostles.

b. We also see in the NT.

· God Revealed something to people to speak words of Instruction, Encouragement & Edification for the Church.

· Their words are Not Recorded as Scripture.

3. Prophecy in the church Today.

· Is Not Adding to the Word of God.

· Not all have the gift of Prophecy.

· Prophecy is not just Telling the Future.

· NT prophecy is to be Tested and Weighed.

· Don’t fall into the trap of Quenching the Spirit, or Despising prophecy.

· We affirm the Closing of the NT Canon.

New words of equal Authority are Not given Today.

The question some ask: “Is this all there is in the Christian life?”

I want to look at some things that we need to Know and Understand in order for us to Experience the fullness of the Holy Spirit.

1. The Holy Spirit is Within Us.

2. There is an Inner Conflict.

3. Sin must be Honestly and Completely Confronted.

4. We are Commanded to be Filled with the Holy Spirit.

To be filled with the Holy Spirit:

1. Confession and Repentance.

2. We need a Personal Good Friday.

3. Trust.

An unmistakable test that we need to apply to Anyone, or any Movement in seeking to test the Validity of any Manifestation of gifts of the spirit.

Paul tells us:

- Negatively, no person by the Spirit can Curse Jesus;

- Positively, only by the Spirit can a person openly Testify that Jesus Is Lord.

1. Right Belief.

· We need to have a proper understanding of Who Jesus is.

· We need to be able to Ask People, what do they Believe.

· Any gift given or manifested by people who Deny who Jesus Christ is, is Not a Genuine manifestation of the Holy Spirit.

2. Right Place.

· Gifts are not to be regarded as Ends in Themselves.

· The Spirit has come to Lift Up and Exalt Jesus.

· When the Holy Spirit is being Obeyed people are Exalting Jesus.

· The Holy Spirit will Rejoice when we Glorify Jesus Christ.

· The right place involves Jesus being Central.

· Jesus must have the right place as Lord of our Lives.

3. Right Response.

· The right response is the Total Surrender of our lives to Jesus.

· Those who are truly able to say Jesus is Lord will not only say it with their Mouths, they will say it with their Whole Life.

· Their whole life will be a Testimony to the fact that Jesus is Lord.