Overflow: Embracing the Gifts of the Holy Spirit

Devotional

Day 1: Spiritual Gifts for the Common Good

Spiritual gifts are diverse and meant for the edification of the church. They are not limited to certain denominations but are available to all believers who seek them. These gifts are manifestations of the Holy Spirit's presence and power in our lives, meant to build up the body of Christ and serve the common good. The gifts include wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, tongues, and interpretation of tongues. Each gift is given by the Holy Spirit as He wills, to meet specific needs and situations. As believers, we are encouraged to desire and pursue these gifts actively, not for personal gain but for the benefit of the entire church community. By seeking these gifts, we open ourselves to be used by God in powerful ways, bringing His love and truth to those around us. [39:04]

1 Corinthians 12:7-11 (ESV): "To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills."

Reflection: What spiritual gift do you feel drawn to pursue for the benefit of your church community, and how can you take a step towards seeking it today?

Day 2: The Holy Spirit's Relentless Pursuit

The Holy Spirit is often referred to as the "hound of heaven," relentlessly pursuing us even before we come to faith. He dwells with us and in us, guiding us towards a deeper relationship with God. This pursuit is a testament to God's love and desire for us to live in the fullness of His Spirit. The Holy Spirit's presence in our lives is not passive; He actively seeks to draw us closer to God, transforming us from the inside out. As we respond to His pursuit, we are invited into a deeper relationship with God, experiencing His love, grace, and power in new and profound ways. [47:51]

John 14:16-17 (ESV): "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you."

Reflection: In what ways have you experienced the Holy Spirit's pursuit in your life, and how can you respond to His invitation to deepen your relationship with God today?

Day 3: Continuous Filling of the Spirit

Being filled with the Spirit is not a one-time event but a continuous process. We are called to be continuously filled with the Spirit, allowing His power to overflow in our lives. This overflow impacts not only our personal walk with God but also our ability to influence and serve others. As we open ourselves to the Holy Spirit, we allow Him to overflow in our lives, impacting those around us with His love and power. This continuous filling is an invitation to step into a deeper relationship with the Holy Spirit, to be continually filled and refilled, so that we can live out our faith with boldness and effectiveness. [53:58]

Ephesians 5:18-20 (ESV): "And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Reflection: What daily practices can you incorporate into your life to ensure you are continuously filled with the Holy Spirit, allowing His power to overflow in your interactions with others?

Day 4: Actively Desiring Spiritual Gifts

Scripture encourages us to desire spiritual gifts actively. This desire is not just for personal gain but for the benefit of the entire church community. By seeking these gifts, we open ourselves to be used by God in powerful ways, bringing His love and truth to those around us. The pursuit of spiritual gifts requires an active longing for the Spirit to work through us, and it involves a willingness to step out in faith and trust God to use us for His purposes. As we desire these gifts, we position ourselves to be vessels of God's love and power, impacting the world around us for His glory. [01:10:56]

1 Corinthians 14:1 (ESV): "Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy."

Reflection: How can you cultivate a genuine desire for spiritual gifts in your life, and what steps can you take to actively pursue them for the edification of your church community?

Day 5: Faith as the Foundation for Spiritual Gifts

Faith is a crucial component in the operation of spiritual gifts. It is the Spirit-given ability to see what God wants to do in a specific situation and to trust Him to accomplish it. This faith is not based on our strength but on the unwavering confidence in God's power and promises. As we exercise faith, we open ourselves to the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit, allowing Him to manifest His gifts through us. This faith is essential for stepping out in obedience and trusting God to work through us in ways that go beyond our natural abilities. [01:08:18]

Hebrews 11:1-2 (ESV): "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation."

Reflection: In what area of your life do you need to exercise faith to see the manifestation of spiritual gifts, and how can you take a step of faith today to trust God in that area?

Sermon Summary

In our new series, "Overflow: Living in the Fullness of the Spirit," we embark on a journey to understand the manifestation gifts of the Holy Spirit. This series is designed to clear up misunderstandings and confusion surrounding spiritual gifts, particularly those that are often misunderstood or misrepresented. Many of us come from diverse church backgrounds, and our experiences with spiritual gifts vary widely. Some have witnessed the gifts in action, while others have been taught that they are no longer relevant. However, the truth is that these gifts are still very much alive and necessary for our personal and communal spiritual growth.

The Holy Spirit is the greatest untapped power in the universe, and we need His gifts in our lives and in our church. These gifts are not just for personal edification but for the common good, to build up and encourage the body of Christ. As we delve into this series, we will explore the different categories of spiritual gifts: manifestation gifts, motivational gifts, and office gifts. Each of these plays a unique role in the life of a believer and the church.

The manifestation gifts, as outlined in 1 Corinthians 12, are supernatural demonstrations of the Spirit's presence in our lives. They include the word of wisdom, word of knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, tongues, and interpretation of tongues. These gifts are not owned by us but are given by the Holy Spirit as He wills, to meet specific needs and situations.

We are called to desire and pursue these spiritual gifts actively. This is not just a passive hope but an active longing for the Spirit to work through us. As we open ourselves to the Holy Spirit, we allow Him to overflow in our lives, impacting those around us with His love and power. This series is an invitation to step into a deeper relationship with the Holy Spirit, to be continually filled and refilled, so that we can live out our faith with boldness and effectiveness.

Key Takeaways

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2. The Holy Spirit's Pursuit: The Holy Spirit is often referred to as the "hound of heaven," relentlessly pursuing us even before we come to faith. He dwells with us and in us, guiding us towards a deeper relationship with God. This pursuit is a testament to God's love and desire for us to live in the fullness of His Spirit.

3. Living in Overflow: Being filled with the Spirit is not a one-time event but a continuous process. We are called to be continuously filled with the Spirit, allowing His power to overflow in our lives. This overflow impacts not only our personal walk with God but also our ability to influence and serve others.

4. Desiring Spiritual Gifts: Scripture encourages us to desire spiritual gifts actively. This desire is not just for personal gain but for the benefit of the entire church community. By seeking these gifts, we open ourselves to be used by God in powerful ways, bringing His love and truth to those around us.

5. The Role of Faith: Faith is a crucial component in the operation of spiritual gifts. It is the Spirit-given ability to see what God wants to do in a specific situation and to trust Him to accomplish it. This faith is not based on our strength but on the unwavering confidence in God's power and promises.

** [39:04]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[34:52] - Introduction of Stephen and Portia
[38:08] - Series Introduction: Overflow
[39:04] - Understanding Spiritual Gifts
[42:35] - Addressing Misunderstandings
[43:35] - The Need for the Holy Spirit
[45:11] - The Greatest Unused Power
[46:26] - The Holy Spirit's Role
[47:51] - The Holy Spirit's Pursuit
[51:28] - Being Filled with the Spirit
[53:13] - Living in Overflow
[53:58] - The Holy Spirit in You
[55:33] - Categories of Spiritual Gifts
[56:34] - Motivational and Office Gifts
[57:57] - The Purpose of Spiritual Gifts
[61:24] - Defining the Gifts
[70:56] - Desiring Spiritual Gifts
[73:20] - Call to Live Spirit-Filled Lives
[77:09] - Invitation to Salvation
[78:22] - Closing and Worship

Sermon Clips

If you were raised in a Pentecostal Charismatic Church, you've seen in operation these gifts that I'll be talking about. I'm going to talk about manifestation gifts this month. I'm not going to go into the others. You've seen the use of them, and some of us have seen the abuses of them, right? Can I get an amen? [00:39:38] (19 seconds)

And I really don't sense any power. I can look across this congregation while praise and worship is going on, and I can pick you out, that there is no power operating in your life. It is impossible if the power of the Spirit is working in your life to just stand and to be placid and beige as worship is going on like that. Do you need to get the power of the Holy Spirit working in your life? [00:43:35] (27 seconds)

So I'm approaching this subject in all humility and hunger, knowing that what I'm trying to do in four weeks is trying to capture the ocean and put it in a jar. It's impossible. How can I take this whole thing of gifts of the Spirit, manifest gifts of the Spirit, that wide ocean, and do it in four weeks? I can't. But I believe the Holy Spirit can speed up the process for us. [00:44:02] (26 seconds)

And a fellow believer stood beside him, and he said, no, I have to disagree with you. The Holy Spirit is the greatest unused power in the universe. If you accept that or believe that, give the Lord a hand clap and say, yeah, I believe that. Why would we want to teach in Growth Track about the Holy Spirit in our lives and not God experienced the power of the Holy Spirit in our church. [00:46:01] (27 seconds)

But when you talk about the ghost in the room, God the Holy Ghost, God the Holy Spirit, then we begin to like, well, yeah, but I've seen, yeah, I know we have. Look at Acts, John chapter 14. And Jesus said, and I will pray the Father. Now, Jesus is getting ready to go back and descend into heaven. Now, before Jesus came and took on the human flesh, he was spirit, just like God. [00:47:00] (32 seconds)

So when you see the release of the Holy Spirit, he says he comes upon you. And so it's not, it's just like you start to overflow. And it just overflows everywhere. And no matter where you go, there's an overflow of your life. My question to you is this. Are you allowing him to overflow in your life? Or are you just, are you just halfway filled? Ephesians says this. It says, Ephesians 5 and 18. Be ye filled with the Spirit. [00:54:19] (27 seconds)

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