The Temple of the Holy Spirit – Spiritual Gifts

We've been in a series, a series talking about the temple of the Holy Spirit.

And I don't know about you, but I personally am loving this talk because it's all about a fresh revelation of who we are and who we belong to and what we have been given access to.

Because if we do not get a revelation of the Holy Spirit operating in our lives, we risk becoming dependent upon our own strength.

We risk becoming dependent on our own understanding.

Watch this.

We risk becoming dependent on our own energy.

And for those of us who are getting up there, I'm going to be turning 40 this year.

I'm getting up there.

I don't have the energy that I used to have.

I'm getting booed up here.

Ah, you know what I'm talking about.

But listen, as the Holy Spirit's operating your life, you're not relying on your own energy anymore.

You're relying on something greater, something bigger, something far outside of yourself.

Because if God calls you to do something and be somebody, then He is going to equip you with every resource you need to accomplish the task successfully.

Can I get an amen?

All my 40 and above, amen.

We were designed to always operate in the supernatural with God in our midst.

This community with God gives us way to purpose, it gives us way to our accomplishment, it gives our way to fulfillment, it gives our way to life that we believe and we know never runs out.

But the desires of the flesh poured man pulled man toward sin and separation from God.

But thanks, thank you, God, for your love.

Thank you, God, for your mercy because what he did is he reversed death through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

And now listen, and I want you to understand this.

You have been given full access to the beauty of who God is.

At salvation, the Holy Spirit took residence within you, and you became the temple of the Holy Spirit.

Once again, no longer dependent on what we can pull together, but we have been united with God through the Spirit, and now we can operate in the supernatural.

Can you say supernatural?

Which gives way to purpose, accomplishment, fulfillment, the supernatural, which gives way to eternal life.

Can you say amen?

Read this passage with me.

This is our key passage in 1 Corinthians.

1 Corinthians chapter 6.

1 Corinthians 6 · chapter mention

It says, Or do you not know, read it with me, that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own, for you have been bought for a price.

Therefore, glorify God in your body.

I don't know about you, but I get excited when I call myself the temple of the Holy Spirit.

I get excited.

I am the temple of the Holy Spirit.

Thank you, God.

We've been talking about the change that was made inside of you and the work that is being done by the Spirit to make you the best version of yourself.

We talked about the greater things that God wants you to do and through you as the Spirit brings conviction, as the Spirit brings confidence to fulfill the great commission that you've been called to.

We found because of the Spirit is dwelling in us, we've been given access to truth because He is the Spirit of what?

Truth.

As we read God's word, the Spirit brings revelation and we put into practice, and the Spirit brings understanding to what we're practicing.

Last time we spoke, we talked about the peace of God.

Can you say the peace of God?

And while the world talks about peace and has its own definition of peace, Jesus talks about peace in a different way.

Jesus calls it what?

My peace I give unto you.

Oh, it's a different kind of peace.

Stop relying on the world's peace.

Jesus gives a different kind of peace, a peace that is beyond our comprehensive comprehension.

Yet we have been given access to it through the Holy Spirit.

Jesus says this, my peace I leave you, and he goes to the Father and He sends the Spirit right after to dwell in us, giving us the opportunity to walk in peace, to speak in peace, to not rely on the world's fragile peace.

Everything can be going perfect, and all that has to happen is somebody has to say something and everything starts to fall apart.

That's how fragile the world's peace is.

All somebody has to do is do something, not thinking, and all of a sudden the world is crumbling around us.

That's how fragile the world's peace is, but that's not the peace that Jesus left us.

He left us the Holy Spirit, which is our peace.

There's a song that goes like this: He is our peace.

He has broken down every wall.

Do you know this one?

He is our peace.

He is our peace.

Sing it with me.

He is our peace.

He has broken down every wall.

He is our peace.

He is our peace.

And it goes like this.

Cast all your cares on him, for he careth for you.

Sing he is our peace.

He is our peace.

He is our peace.

Cast all your cares.

Cast all your cares on him.

For he careth for you.

He is our peace.

Let it wash over you this morning.

He is our peace.

We're thankful for the peace of God that passes all comprehension.

God, I don't know where it comes from, but I know you have it under control.

Amen.

Not only that, that peace unites us as brothers and sisters.

Before it was impossible for us to get along, but now because the Holy Spirit is operating in us, we can forgive one another.

We can look past all of our faults.

We can look at the goal and the prize that has been set before us.

Because Jesus is our peace.

And we are now one body and one spirit.

Ephesians chapter 4, 4 through 6 says, there is one body.

Ephesians 4 · chapter mention

Read this with me.

Well, when we get it, there is one body, one spirit.

I'll read it.

Just as you also were called in one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Thank you, Lord, for your spirit.

This morning I want us to continue in our talk in this revelation of who the Holy Spirit is and why we are called the temple of the Holy Spirit and what is found therein.

We find that through the operating of the Spirit in our lives, we have been given access to spiritual gifts.

Can you say spiritual gifts this morning?

Turn in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians chapter 12, verse 4 through 7.

1 Corinthians 12:4–7

It says, Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit.

And there are varieties of ministries and the same Lord.

There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons, but to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

Amen.

Some people love gifts.

How many love gifts?

Anybody love gifts?

Okay, how many, how many can't stand gifts?

Any anyone can't stand gifts?

Okay, I see you, I see you.

One thing I notice about my daughter Emora, and by the way, countdown begin.

Our baby Perry, our baby boy Perry's coming on September 21st.

So yeah.

Yeah, so be praying with us.

We're just excited.

Back to this.

One thing I notice about my daughter, Emora, is that she loves gifts.

Emora loves gifts.

It doesn't matter if the gifts are for her or not, she just loves gifts.

When she sees a bag on the counter or a gift under the tree or a table full of gifts, she just has to see what's inside.

She has to.

Her inferior love going when we pull home from school, Emora goes, Daddy, can I go to the mailbox?

She's got to see if there's something inside.

She's got to see if there's mail, if there's newspaper.

The other day, Emora went to the mailbox and there was one of those community flyers.

We get a few of those.

And as she's walking back to give me the flyer, she says, Dad, this is not junk mail.

Don't throw this away.

And I said, Oh, what is it?

And she goes, Well, and she she can't read, but she tries to read it because she looks at the pictures.

She's like, It says that we're going on vacation and we're gonna get suitcases and we're gonna go on an airplane.

I go, Oh, that's nice.

When Amazon drops off a box at the door, we pull up and Emora says, We got a delivery.

She'll go, it doesn't matter how heavy it is, she'll walk up and she'll go, Dad, I got it.

And she lifts it up and she brings it in.

And I tell you, these are heavy boxes.

And right away she brings in it, Dad.

Can we open it?

Dad, can we open it?

Emora loves getting gifts.

Some people hate getting gifts.

Some of us will look at a wrapped gift and you're just mad.

Why did somebody get me a gift?

You don't know what's inside, but you already don't like it.

But even though you hate getting gifts, you still just want to open the gift so you can see what's inside and confirm that you don't like it.

Then when you do like it, you get mad because you didn't want to like it, but you do like it and wish you never opened it because you hate getting gifts.

Anyone like that?

No?

Just no.

Whether you like gifts or you don't like getting gifts, realize that when the Holy Spirit took residence in your life, not only were you given that gift, but realize the Bible says that you were given access to a variety of gifts, all provided through that same Spirit.

And the manifestation of these gifts operating in your life is not only for your benefit, but for the benefit of everybody else.

What does that mean?

It's like when mom and dad, I come from a family of gifts of six kids, and it's like when mom and dad on Christmas morning come out with one gift and say, This is for all of you.

Ah, thanks, mom and dad.

This is for all six of us to share.

And really was only targeted towards Sarah or Timmy, but it was so expensive that it was just meant for all of us.

But that's the way God gives these spiritual gifts.

They're not just for you.

Although they are for you, but they're for the benefit of everybody around you when you open it up and you start using them.

Also, I think of when a mom buys dad a vacuum cleaner for Christmas and says, here you go, it's for the whole family, but we figured you would use it the most.

When the Spirit gives us gifts, or when God gives us gifts, they're not just for us, but they're for everybody.

Imagine the Spirit dwelling inside of you is like a big present with countless gifts inside that are just waiting to be open.

And when you open up this gift, it's going to be not just for your benefit, but for the benefit of everybody around you.

That's the way this works.

As a believer, when the Holy Spirit is operating in your life, there is a manifestation of spiritual gifts given to each person to help fulfill Christ's assignment for them.

Let's continue in that passage in 1 Corinthians chapter 12.

1 Corinthians 12 · chapter mention

We're in verse 8.

For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit, and to another, faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kind of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues.

But one and the same spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as he wills.

See, Paul lists all of these beautiful gifts as wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discernment, speaking in tongues, the interpretation of tongues.

And for some of you, you might be saying, Pastor Stephen, what in the world are you talking about?

Realize when you gave your life to Jesus Christ, you got access to every single one of these gifts to the Holy Spirit working inside of you.

And it's not just one or two or three, but I believe that all of us should be working in the gift of faith.

I believe that all of us should be working in all of the varieties of these gifts.

As the Holy Spirit continues to reveal himself and sends us on different assignments as the Lord leads and the Lord calls.

These gifts are beautiful expressions of the Holy Spirit working through us and being recognized as a member of the body of Christ.

And realize each and every one of these gifts are given to you for a purpose.

They are not, listen, for your personal gain.

They are not for your own attention.

These gifts, whether it's speaking in tongues, the interpretation of tongues, listen, they are not to create confusion, but to build up the church, to encourage, to strengthen, and to advance the gospel message of Jesus Christ.

And when these gifts work together in unity, they accomplish God's purpose and they bring glory to Jesus Christ.

Do you believe this, or would you believe this, that you and I have a role to play in the kingdom of God?

He designed each and every one of us unique and beautiful and perfect, all with a specific role to play.

And through the work of the Holy Spirit, listen, outside of the Holy Spirit, you're gonna find yourself an outcast.

You're gonna find yourself a weirdo.

You're gonna find yourself a nerd or whatever other label they want to put on you.

But when you step into the kingdom of God and you allow the Holy Spirit to operate, you realize that God designed me this way for a purpose.

I just have to allow the Holy Spirit to reveal it to me and to be able to manifest all of these gifts through me.

Each of us has a role to play, and through the work of the Holy Spirit, we're empowered to fulfill our purpose as children of God.

Some gifts seem to come naturally for certain people.

Some people are really good at teaching.

Some people are really smart, and you look at them and say, I'll never be as smart as them.

Oh, they can just put things together.

They just get up there so confidently and they can pour out all these different things.

Or you might look at somebody and say, I could never do what they do.

They have so much charisma and it's natural.

For others, these same skills may require some training or studying or conditioning or just taking a step of faith.

I'll tell you this, Steve, Pastor Stephen, as a little boy, when he would get up, I could sing, but I couldn't talk in front of people.

And then when I would have to talk in front of people, I would, you could watch videos, I would go like this.

I might say two words and just try to move on past it.

But praise the Lord.

I'm speaking because I took a step of faith.

I conditioned, I studied, I said, God, if this is the direction you're leading, I know by the power of the Holy Spirit I will be resourced to get the job accomplished in the way that you have asked me to.

Listen, we must remember that God is the good gift giver.

Turn to somebody and say, God is the good gift giver.

And because God gives good gifts to his children, he knows exactly why each gift was given to you and the potential that he designed it to carry.

Our responsibility as recipients of these gifts is to be faithful stewards.

We need to use them to the best of our ability for his glory, regardless of the level at which we operate.

And we find that if we steward these gifts, God will continue to empower us with greater gifts because he talks about that.

He doesn't want you to stop growing.

But as he opens the door, he will continue to equip you with everything you need through the Spirit of God living inside of you.

The Lord might be tugging on your heart and saying, you know, I want to serve in Usher's and greeters' ministry, but that's just not me.

I'm not really good at talking to people.

Or how about this?

I'm not really good at waking up early.

Right?

If God's tugging you on your heart, he will resource you with the ability to be able to accomplish these things.

You might not be good at first.

You might kind of do a half smile, or you might show up five minutes late.

But as you continue to steward it, as you continue to exercise it, you're gonna find that smile growing and growing.

And you're gonna find yourself a little bit tall, you're gonna find yourself getting here 15 minutes early and grabbing a bagel at the cafe.

When you surrender your gifts to the Lord and you're obedient to the Holy Spirit, you're gonna find that if God is called and opened up the opportunity, He will equip you because He is the good gift giver.

And it's not just pertaining to ushers and greeters or a relay group or girls' ministries or children's church or nursery.

But if God calls you to pray healing over somebody's life, and it might not be something that you've ever done before, realize that God, through the power of the Holy Spirit, will equip you to get the job done, is a spiritual gift.

And realize if God gives you a word to speak to somebody, and listen, it needs to line up with God's word.

I say that all the time.

Don't just go pour in your opinions over somebody.

It needs to line up with God's word, and it needs to be God's word that you're speaking into somebody's life.

But if God gives you the desire to do that, might not be something that you've done before, but through the Holy Spirit equipping you, He will give you the ability to get the job done as He has called you to.

That's the way the spiritual gifts work as it meant as the Spirit manifests himself through you.

And when all these gifts are working together, they are effective.

They unite us as the body of Christ to accomplish great things.

One may be stronger in their giftings than the other, but when the Holy Spirit is at the center, insecurity is replaced with boldness and confidence, knowing that your gift was intentionally designed by God and carries purpose in the kingdom of God.

I asked Matthew today if he would, Matthew Carboni's an usher and greeter.

I said, I want you and Michaela to join the Christmas play.

And he looked at me a little bit and he goes, Okay, okay, I'm gonna do it.

Has Matthew ever been in a Christmas play?

I don't know if he's ever been in a Christmas play.

But he's gonna get up there, he's gonna come to rehearsals, and he's gonna get the job done.

But you know how much he's gonna add to the presence of what we're doing there in Providence on December 4th.

He doesn't even know the lives that he is going to impact as the spirit gives him the confidence to stand on that stage in an army uniform.

Maybe Navy uniform, we'll see.

We'll see where it goes.

You don't know what God wants and what he's gonna do, but when we come together and everybody plays their different roles.

But when the Holy Spirit's at the center, timidity, fear, all of the insecurity, it just falls at the wayside because I'm surrendering my gifts over the Lord and allowing the Holy Spirit to put to manifest himself through me.

God gives us the power through the Holy Spirit to faithfully and confidently walk in the unique calling he has placed in our lives.

You might feel like your gifts are not as important as some as somebody else, but the Holy Spirit brings boldness that confirms who we were created to be.

He empowers us to serve without fear, without comparison, without timidity, without insecurity, helping us to function at our fullest potential for the glory of God.

When I think about Emora, and I talked about Emora just a few minutes ago, but I imagine Emora looking at a gift and wondering what is inside that gift.

I told you she likes gifts or loves gifts, whether they're hers or not.

But when the gift is Emora's, and when she opens up that gift, you know what she wants to know?

Dad, who gave this gift to me?

Was this from Miss Stephanie?

Was this from Auntie Sarah?

Did Aurora give this to me?

When she opens up that gift, she wants to know, why did they give this to me?

I already have one.

Or, ooh, I didn't have one of these.

Dad, what do I do with it?

And then not only, oh I should have saved that, because not only does she ask who gave it to me, why did they give it to me, she asks the question, where does this fit into my life?

I've received this gift, where does it fit into my life?

Do I use this during tubby time?

Do I use this to go to sleep with?

Do I bring this to school?

I imagine when she finally gets to open that gift, she pulls the bow, she tears open the wrapping paper, opens up the top of the box, and looks inside, and this is each and every one of us when we realize what's been placed inside of us.

We open up that gift, and all of a sudden we pull out wisdom and we say, Who gave this to me?

Where does this fit into my life?

We pull out knowledge, we pull out faith, we pull out healing, and we say, Why did he give this to me?

Why did God give this to me?

We pull out prophecy, we pull out miracles, we pull out discernment.

God, where does this need to be used in my life?

We pull out tongues, speaking in tongues.

Why would you give this to me?

God, reveal how this can be used, not just for me, but for everybody around me.

With your interpretation of tongues, God, where does this fit?

She realized that God gave her these gifts.

God gave you these gifts.

Why did he give you these gifts?

Where do they fit into your life?

And then she does what most of us don't do, or at least what we should do and what she should do.

Where do these fit in my life?

That's when we open up God's word.

That's when we open up the instructions of the gift that has been given to us.

And we learn how to put these gifts into practice, like getting on a scooter, falling off, and then getting back on again.

Realizing there was a reason that somebody gave me this gift.

And watch this, I'm not gonna give up until I figure out why somebody gave me this gift.

I thought, I think of roller skates.

Emma got roller skates, Auntie Steffi got them for her, and we tried them one time, in about five minutes.

She said, Take them off, take them off, take them off.

So we took them off.

But guess what?

The next day we went out there and I said, put on those roller skates again.

There's a reason why somebody gave you that gift, and you're gonna use it.

It might take time, it might take failing, it might take falling.

And as the temple of the Holy Spirit, we have been given access to gifts, just waiting to be open.

And sometimes you put those gifts into operation, you pray for healing for somebody, and I wish Nina was here.

Nina had a beautiful testimony, and we'll wait for another opportunity.

You might pray for somebody, and you might not see the miracle unfold.

But then you continue praying for that person and you believe, and God gave Nina, she had a dream, and I'll just share kind of highlights of it.

But God revealed to her in that dream that everybody that she prayed for, she never saw the healing in the flesh.

But all of a sudden, all these people started to come past her, and they all received the healing that she prayed for.

See, sometimes when you're exercising spiritual gifts, even speaking in tongues, God, I don't know if I'm doing it right.

God, I don't know.

Is this really you or is this really me?

Continue to speak as the Spirit gives you the words to speak.

Stop second-guessing the gifts that God has given you.

Because He's given you them for a reason: faith, discernment, prophecy, all the beautiful things of the Holy Spirit.

It's time to allow the Spirit to bring the gifts that God has given you into operation.

God, let me operate in wisdom.

No longer a fool, but a woman or a man full of wisdom through your word.

How about this?

God, give me knowledge, strengthen my faith.

God, you have provided healing through the Holy Spirit living inside of me.

Let me speak it all over my life and to those who are hurting.

You want to know why I can pray for somebody, pray for healing, whether over John Proctor or for Timmy or anybody else, and expect God to do a healing because I know that the Holy Spirit is living inside of me.

And I know that I've been given access to the gift of healing to be able to pray that and speak that over somebody's life.

And I do it through the word of God.

God, let me speak healing all over my life and who those who are hurting.

Allow me to speak your word confidently, allow me to discern things that are not of your word.

Allow me to speak your word confidently, to discern things that are not in your word.

God, fill me up with the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

God, give me the gift of speaking in tongues that I may speak the wonders and mysteries of your word.

God, that I may pray and declare as you declare.

God, let me understand the words that you speak to bring revelation and direction and vision.

God, let me understand the beauty of who you are.

There is a reason why you have made me the temple of the Holy Spirit.

Can you shut your eyes this morning?

God, there's a reason you have made me the temple of the Holy Spirit.

And it's so that I could experience the fullness of your spiritual gifts and to be an effective son or daughter of God.

God, I pray that in my timidity, God, I pray in my fear and my lack of understanding, God, I pray that through the Holy Spirit operating in me, because I've given my life to Jesus Christ, God, I pray that I could approach you in humility, saying, God, I do not understand it all, but I want to.

Reveal yourself in the best way.

All those fears, all those misunderstandings, all that confusion, God, all those hurts, because I know there's plenty of hurts to go around for generations.

I come before you humbly, God, take all of those hurts and begin to reveal your spirit in a mighty, mighty fresh way, God.

I don't want to miss out on the beautiful gifts that you have provided me through the Holy Spirit.

God, whether it's faith, whether it's discernment, whether it's speaking in tongues, whether it's prophecy, a word of knowledge, God, wisdom, we need wisdom.

God, I pray that you would give me the boldness to open up these gifts, God, and as you send me on an assignment, God, that these gifts should rise up within me.

I'm willing, I'm available, I'm not afraid anymore.

Use me to the fullest.

God, as we prepare for communion this morning, and I ask you, if you do not have a communion cup, go ahead and raise your hand.

If you didn't grab communion on your way in, the ushers and greeters will bring you.

God, I pray as we prepare for communion.

And we do this today because we realize that the access to these beautiful gifts, God, even the gift of your spirit indwelling with us, God, we realize it's only been made possible through the blood that was poured out on the cross, through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, your Son.

We surrender our lives to you, God.

We ask for forgiveness.

God, all those things that we know they don't belong in our lives as children of God.

I pray as we surrender them over to you, God, we're sorry.

And that you set us straight by the work of the Holy Spirit.

Let us reflect your goodness.

Let us reflect the beauty that has been placed inside of us.

Thank you for the blood.

Thank you for the body.

Thank you for your son who took our place so that we could be saved from all of that.

And in 1 Corinthians, Paul reflects and he says, When he had given thanks, he broke it and he said, Take eat this is my body which is broken for you.

Do this in remembrance of me.

Realize the body was broken so that ours didn't have to be.

Stop walking in the miseries of life.

Stop walking and being saturated in the misery of everybody else's decisions.

Jesus stepped in the gap, so you didn't have to deal with all of that nonsense anymore.

Shake it off in the name of Jesus.

You're a new creature in Christ.

The old things have passed away.

Everybody else's bad decisions, they do not belong to you, and they do not belong to your future.

Because the body was broken.

Lord, we thank you for the body that was broken.

We receive it, that gift of love.

In Jesus' name we pray.

Amen.