The Holy Spirit
Course:
The Ministry of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament Church
Lesson 8
Lesson Title: Three Streams
Text:
'Now
there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations,
but the same Lord. And there are
diversities of operations, but it is the same God which works all in all.' (1
Corinthians 12:4-6)
Introduction: The River
of the Holy Spirit divides into three streams - Gifts,
Administrations and Operations of the Holy Spirit.
The ministry of the Holy Spirit has
not changed from the Old Testament. The
difference in the New Testament is that the Holy Spirit now operates through
the body of Christ and not just through some selected people.
The Holy Spirit
ministers through spiritual gifts, ministries and operations (workings).
Main Points
1. The ministry of the Holy
Spirit in the New Testament Church is characterized by the Gifts, Ministries
and Workings of the Holy Spirit operating through the members of the body of
Christ, (1 Corinthians 12: 4-6).
This is the time of the
Holy Spirit and God when the Holy Spirit flows out of the body of Christ, (John
We receive the
anointing of the Holy Spirit by coming to the Lord Jesus Christ and drinking
from Him.
This means to desire
Him above all else. The anointing of the Holy Spirit will depend upon how much
we love Christ.
·
The gifts, ministries and workings of the Holy Spirit can be seen
operating in the Old Testament and in the New Testament. They are clearly seen in the ministries of
Elijah and Elisha.
If the power of the Holy Spirit was seen in the Old Testament then how
much more should this power of the Holy Spirit be seen working today through
the body of Christ? Wherever believers
gather together the gifts, ministries and energising
power of the Holy Spirit should be evident.
Without the power of the Holy Spirit the Church will only grow in
numbers according to the extent that we are able to draw people ourselves –
this is not New Testament Christianity..
·
It is not the Holy Spirit that has changed in the New Testament; the
difference is that the Holy Spirit now operates through the body of Christ and
not just through selected leaders. The witness of the body of Christ needs the
empowering of the Holy Spirit. When the
Holy Spirit moves in power through the body of Christ crowds will be drawn
without the need for large amounts of money to be spent in advertising or TV
promotion. It is essential that every
member of the body of Christ is actively involved in the anointed ministry of
the Holy Spirit.
2.
The gifts, ministries and energising power of
the Holy Spirit enable the church to minister in power.
·
‘There are
different gifts, but it is the same Spirit’, 1 Corinthians12:4. The nine gifts are listed, 1 Corinthians12:8-10. The gifts are provided by the
Holy Spirit through the body of Christ to build up the body. The gifts were also in operation in the Old
Testament but the gift of tongues and interpretation of tongues is only seen in
the New Testament. This is wonderful
Holy Spirit empowerment in worship.
·
‘Different
ministries, same Lord’, 1 Corinthians12:5.
The word for ministries means service. Serving is a characteristic of
the Holy Spirit and serving characterises the
disciples of Jesus. The greatest must become the least in God’s kingdom. Jesus washed the disciples’ feet, John 13:12-16. To be effective witnesses to
Christ we must be empowered by the Holy Spirit in serving. The Holy Spirit
ministry (serving) is also seen in the Old Testament. God used the widow woman in Zarephath to minister to Elijah, 1
Kings 17:9. All ministry should be anointed serving.
·
Different
activities, same God (v6). The Greek word 'energematon'
means workings. It is the word energy –
this where we receive the energising power of the
Holy Spirit. All of the Christian life
is spiritual and needs the energy of the Holy Spirit. Whatever we do, do as
unto the Lord. The energising
power of the Holy Spirit is seen in the Old Testament. Elijah was energised
by the Holy Spirit to pray, James 5:16. James tells us that we should pray with the
same expectations as Elijah. See course
Prayer (1)
3.
The New Testament Church is a body and every member of the body of
Christ should be actively involved in the anointed ministry of the Holy
Spirit.
·
We are the body of Christ because the life of Christ is dwelling in us (Colossians 1:27). The believer is crucified with
Christ, buried with Christ and raised in newness of life, and is now seated in
heavenly places in Christ. This is why
the Holy Spirit was able to come upon the 120 believers on the Day of Pentecost
(Acts 2). The promise of the Holy Spirit
is to every believer. Peter preached
that the promise if to ‘as many as be afar off’, that includes us.
·
The day of Pentecost experience is essential for the body of Christ to
function as a New Testament Church. Jesus
told His disciples to wait until they were empowered by the Holy Spirit. They had already been commissioned to go into
all the world and preach the gospel but they were to wait for the empowerment
of the Holy Spirit. It is the same
today. We need the empowering of the
Holy Spirit to be effective witnesses to Christ.
All the body of Christ should be ministering
to one another and to the lost in the power of the Holy Spirit. Not everyone is called to leadership but
everyone is called to be minister in the power of the Holy Spirit. We must all be witnesses to the saving power
of the Lord Jesus Christ and when we speak to others we need the anointing of
God to make the words pierce right into the heart. When Paul stood a prisoner before the Roman
ruler it was the ruler who trembled.
This is the anointing of the Holy Spirit.