HOLY SPIRIT SEMINAR OUTLINE
by Ivan Maddox
Decatur, GA
I. A Taste of the Power of God. Hebrews 6:4-6.
A. We have been given the privilege of enjoying now a tiny
sample of what God has in store for us at Christ's return.
1. The ability to worship God in spirit and in truth.
2. A taste of God's encouragement.
3. A taste of God's knowledge.
4. A taste of God's wisdom.
5. A taste of God's spiritual vision.
6. A taste of God's power.
B. The reality of the sample is proof of the reality of the whole.
C. God's power to usward who believe. Eph. 1:18-23.
II. The Giver and the Gift. What holy spirit is and isn't. (REW)
A. The Giver is God, through Jesus Christ. John 14:17-26; John
15:26; John 16:7.
B. The gift is holy spirit (pneuma hagion).
1. The gift is the down payment on what born-again
believers are promised to receive in full when Christ
returns. II Corinthians 1:22; 5:5; Ephesians 1:14.
2. The gift is incorruptible seed, the new man. I Peter
1:23; Ephesians 4:22-24.
3. The gift was first given on Pentecost. Acts 2:1-4, 29-32.
4. The gift can be received today; Be thankful!! Acts
2:38-39; Romans 10:9-10; II Corinthians 9:15.
5. The gift gives us access to God's power. Acts 8:20; Luke
11:20.
III. To profit withal.
A. Gifts or manifestation? I Corinthians 12:1-11.
1. Gifts are given as God chooses. The manifestation is
given to "every man."
2. "Manifestation" is singular. All nine work together as a
unit. What use is Word of Knowledge, for instance,
without Word of Wisdom?
3. God blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly
places at the time of the new birth (Ephesians 1:3,
addressed to the entire church!). All God has to give to
us, He has already given us!
4. The current teaching on "the anointing" seems to
contradict Ephesians 1:3, and seems to put back on God
the responsibility He has placed on us.
a. The words CHRIO and CHRISMA, translated
"anoint" and "anointing", are used 5 and 3 times
respectively in the New Testament.
(1) CHRIO is used in Luke 4:18; Acts 4:27; 10:38;
II Corinthians 1:21; Hebrews 1:9. It is used
four times of Christ, and only once (II
Corinthians 1:21) of born-again Christians.
(2) CHRISMA is used three times in two verses: I
John 2:20, 27. IN EACH CASE THE VERSE
IS TALKING ABOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT
TEACHING US!
b. The whole doctrine of "the anointing" is built on
three verses, none of which make any reference to
manifestations of the spirit (except as the spirit
teaches the individual it dwells within) or any other
spiritual phenomena.
c. In Luke 4:16, which refers to Christ as anointed by
God, Christ was ANOINTED to preach the gospel
to the poor, and SENT to heal the brokenhearted,
etc.
d. In Acts 10:38, Jesus was "anointed... with the Holy
Ghost and with power." As a result, he "went about
doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of
the Devil; for God was with him."
B. "Occupy till I come." Luke 19:12-27.
1. The parable.
a. Each slave was entrusted with one pound (300
shekels or 1/100 talent)
b. Each slave was authorized to conduct his master's
business in his master's name. Freedom to invest.
c. The servants were judged on the basis of how they
used the money they had been given to earn a
profit for their master.
d. Servants who earned a profit on their investment
were rewarded, regardless of the size of the profit.
e. The servant who was reproved was the servant who
refused to invest the money given him on behalf of
his master.
2. The interpretation.
a. The money represents holy spirit.
b. The master's instructions were, "Take care of
business until I return."
c. The time referred to, in the absence of the Lord,
includes the grace administration.
d. The question is not just "what is the profit" in the
use of the manifestations, but what is the profit to
Christ?
e. The manifestation of the spirit is given to every
man to profit withal. The manifestation of the
spirit has been given to us, and God expects to see
profit from our exercise of what He has given us.
f. It is possible for God and others to profit from our
manifesting holy spirit, while we receive no profit
whatsoever. We profit when we walk in love. I
Corinthians 13:1-3.
g. Seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the
church. I Corinthians 14:12.
IV. Witnesses unto me. Acts 1:8. Why did the disciples need holy spirit
in order to be witnesses of Christ?
A. Moses: first occurrence of the working of a miracle. Exodus
4:1-5. Reason for the miracle: proof that God was speaking
through Moses.
B. Jesus Christ did not have or need holy spirit in order to walk
perfectly with God for the first thirty years of his life. He did
need it in order to carry out his ministry as the Messiah, the
ministry of reconciliation. II Corinthians 5:19a.
1. Jesus' mission was to preach the coming of the Kingdom
of God, and himself as the King. His miracles and
healings were evidence that the Kingdom of God had
indeed come to Israel. Matthew 11:5-6; 12:28.
2. Jesus' coming and works were the beginning of the
establishment of the Kingdom of God on earth, and the
beginning of the end of Satan's reign on earth.
C. Mark 16:19-20. God's gift of holy spirit is God's way of
confirming that He is speaking through you. Free samples of
the Kingdom of God. The relationship of the manifestations
with outreach.
D. I Corinthians 4:18-20. Anyone can talk! But if you're working
for God, where's the power?
V. The love of God is essential. (REW)
A. We are commanded to love each other. I John 3:23; 4:20-21.
B. The love of (from) God motivates us to manifest holy spirit in
l ove, to our profit. I Corinthians 13; Galatians 5:6.
VI. I can do all things through Christ... Phil. 4:13.
A. I am able.
1. We are able because God through Christ has made us
able. John 14:12.
2. We are able because God works in us. Phil. 2:13;
Ephesians 3:20; 1:18-23.
3. We are able because our Father does the work. John
14:10.
B. I can do.
1. God has already acted on our behalf in Christ. Now it's
our turn to act. Joshua 1:3; I Samuel 11:7; Ephesians
2:10.
VII. Christ in you, and you in Christ. (REW)
A. "Christ in you" is figurative, not literal. John 14:20; Colossians
1:26-27; I John 3:23-24; 4:13.
B. We are not to be deceived, nor fear those who seek to deceive.
I John 4:1-4.
VIII. Keys to walking in the spirit.
A. Meekness and faithfulness toward God increase your capacity
to receive revelation from God. Numbers 12:1-8.
B. God requires obedience to His instructions. Stand fast on what God has told you. I Samuel 15:22-23.
C. Speaking in tongues is the one manifestation that you can do
at will, any time, any place, and it bears witness to you of
God's presence. Speaking in tongues much helps you to
remain aware of God's presence, and helps you get in the habit
of manifesting holy spirit.
D. Study the Word much. God expects you to know what He has
already told you in His Word. Revelation begins where the
written Word ends. Matt. 1:18-25.
E. Don't entangle yourself in the things of this world. Don't let
your agenda get in the way of God's agenda. II Timothy 2:4;
Mk. 4:19; Heb. 12:1.
F. Obedience to the revelation given to you by God precedes
results. Faith without works is dead. Exodus 14:21; James
1:22; 2:26.
G. When you do not know from the written Word of God how to
handle a situation, ask God to tell you what to do and wait for
His answer.
1. Doodle. John 8:6-8.
2. Pace the floor. II Kings 4:35.
3. Pray, sing, or just wait. Acts 16:24-26.
H. Do not tell everything God has told you. Receive Word of
Wisdom. I Kings 13:1-26; Proverbs 29:11.
I. It is sometimes necessary to put unbelievers out of the room,
or to act when they are not around. Matthew 9:23-25.
J. Listen to God! Do or say whatever God puts it on your heart to
do or say. Acts 3:4-7.
K. Don't be deceived by your five senses. Acts 16:17-18.
L. Don't argue with God. Jonah 1:1ff.
M. Revelation may be conditional. Revelation may change when
circumstances change.
1. Circumstances may change due to prayer. II Kings 20:7.
2. Circumstances may change due to repentance. Jonah
3:5-10.
3. Circumstances may change due to someone standing in
the gap for others. (Intercessory prayer from a
righteous man.) Ezekiel 22:29-31.
N. If you have a problem with the instructions God has given you,
talk with God about them. Acts 9:10-17.
O. Watch and be ready. Revelation may come at the most likely
or unlikely places and times.
P. When you fall, pick yourself up. Walking involves a learning
process. Matthew 17:14-21.
Q. Talk to God. Keep a running conversation going on with God
in your head. It's much easier to hear from God when you're
already talking with Him.
R. Take your temptations straight to the Lord and ask him for his
help and advice.
S. Purify yourself. I John 3:3.
1. Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy
ghost. II Peter 1:21.
2. Whenever possible, God prefers to work by means of
those who walk righteously, though He will work
through a Samson or a Balaam if no one else is available.
3. II Tim. 2:19-21. An individual makes himself or herself
fit for the master's use by purging oneself from evil.
T. Pray for people every chance you get. God may choose to heal
someone through you.
U. Make yourself available to God for His work on a daily basis.
V. Develop a hot love affair with God.
W. Listen to God when you pray. Prayer should be a two-way
conversation, not a monologue.
X. Persist in manifesting God's spirit until you succeed. Don't
stop until the person is delivered or God tells you to stop.
Y. Don't seek your own glory.
IX. How did people learn to manifest holy spirit in the Bible? The
simplicity of manifesting holy spirit.
A. Taught by God.
1. The boy Samuel. I Samuel 3:1-10.
a. Revelation by surprise cannot be by the will of the
person manifesting.
b. Samuel did not even know it was God talking to
him when he first received revelation.
c. Samuel's part in receiving revelation was listening.
2. Moses. Exodus 4:1-9.
a. First working of miracles recorded in the Bible.
b. God did not tell Moses what to expect. Surprise
miracles.
(1) Believing for the results was neither necessary for results nor possible in this
case, as Moses did not know what to believe
for, or even that something supernatural was
about to occur.
c. Moses' part in performing these signs was
obedience to God's Word.
B. Second-party manifestations. Revelation is given to one person for another person to carry out.
1. Aaron.
a. Moses was given revelation to give to Aaron for
Aaron to speak to others. Exodus 4:14-16; 7:1.
b. God gave Moses revelation to give to Aaron for
Aaron to perform miracles. Exodus 7:9-10; 8:5-7,
16-17.
c. This was not a permanent arrangement. Eventually
God spoke directly to Aaron as well as to Moses.
Exodus 9:8; 12:1.
2. Gehazi. II Kings 4:25-37.
3. One of the sons of the prophets. II
Kings 9:1-13.
C. Teaching by example.
1. Jesus sending out the twelve. Luke 9:1-3.
a. The twelve had seen Jesus' example of healing the
sick and casting out devils, but had received no
teaching that we know of about how to do these
things.
b. Jesus gave the twelve authority to heal the sick and
cast out devils.
2. Jesus sending out the seventy. Luke 10:1, 10-12.
3. Peter walking on the water.
a. No instructions from Jesus on how to walk on
water.
b. Initiated by Peter, not by God.
c. Dependent on Peter's faith. When Peter doubted,
he began to sink.
4. First century church in Jerusalem. First apostles
performed signs and miracles, then other believers
began to.
D. Learning from the written Word.
1. How did Jesus learn to manifest holy spirit?
a. No sign in the Word of anyone teaching him.
b. No sign in the Word of God teaching him.
c. Many of Jesus' miracles were fulfillments of
prophecies given in the Old Testament, or were
similar to miracles done in the Old Testament.
d. Jesus knew the written Word remarkably well by
the age of twelve, and continued to study it avidly
until he begin his ministry at about the age of
thirty.
e. As our example, learning from the written Word
was particularly fitting for Jesus.
2. God's Word is designed to teach us how to manifest holy
spirit.
a. The written Word not only tells what was done, but
in many cases how it was done.
b. Records of second-party revelation are especially
interesting because they give us a "cut-away" view
of the manifestations, with the person receiving the
original revelation acting in the role of God.
X. Speaking in Tongues.
A. Speaking in tongues is speaking words, given by God, in a
language unknown to the believer doing the speaking. Acts
2:6-11; I Corinthians 3:1; 14:2.
B. What is speaking in tongues for?
1. Saying Jesus is Lord. I Corinthians 12:3.
2. Praising God. Acts 10:44-46.
3. Giving thanks to God. I Corinthians 14:15-17.
4. Practicing the presence of God. I Corinthians 14:2.
5. Perfect prayer. Romans 8:26-27.
C. Who can speak in tongues?
1. Every believer who has received the gift of holy spirit can
speak in tongues. I Corinthians 12:7.
D. The believer does the speaking. Acts 2:4.
XI. Interpretation of Tongues.
A. What is interpretation of tongues? I Corinthians 14:5, 13.
B. What is it for? The edification of the church.
Corinthians 14:5.
C. How is it to be used in the church?
1. Speaking in tongues is not to be used in the church
without interpretation. I Corinthians 14:28.
2. Only one person at a time is to speak in tongues,
followed by interpretation. I Corinthians 14:27.
3. No more than three people may speak in tongues,
followed by interpretation, at a fellowship meeting. I
Corinthians 14:27.
4. Who is to interpret?
a. I Corinthians 14:27-28 seems unclear on the
subject.
b. I Corinthians 14:13 makes it clear that it is God's
will for each believer who speaks in tongues to
seek to interpret also, so that they may bless the
church.
c. The exhortation in I Corinthians 14:13 seems
unnecessary if it was God's intention that someone
other than the one speaking in tongues should
interpret.
D. How do you interpret?
1. Pray that you may interpret. I Corinthians 14:13.
2. Do it. The spirits of the prophets are subject to the
prophets. I Corinthians 14:32.
3. When you speak in tongues [or interpret or prophesy],
your spirit is speaking, but your mind is unproductive. I
Corinthians 14:16.
4. Acts 2:4. You do the speaking, but the Spirit, God, gives
you what to say.
5. Seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.
Interpret every chance you get.
6. Love enough to do what is necessary for the edification
of the saints by interpreting.
E. Is interpretation supposed to be prayer and praise to God, or a
message for the believers?
1. He that speaks in a tongue speaks not unto men, but unto God. I Corinthians 14:2. Nowhere in scripture is
this changed.
2. Nowhere in scripture is the content of interpretation of
tongues described. This implies that it will be prayer or
praise to God, just as speaking in tongues is.
a. In I Corinthians 14:16-17, a situation is described
where a believer is speaking in tongues in front of
other believers, and is described as blessing [God]
with the spirit, and giving thanks well.
b. In this situation, which appears to be outside a
fellowship setting, the exhortation was not to
interpret, but rather to bless with the mind rather
than the spirit for the benefit of others present.
3. Speaking in tongues can be directed by the speaker.
a. Ephesians 6:18-20. Paul asked for the believers to
pray specifically for him in the spirit. Praying in
the spirit is defined in I Corinthians 14:14 as
praying in tongues.
b. Paul asked for the saints to pray in the spirit for
specific needs and requests of his. This strongly
implies that it is available to choose who and what
you want to speak in tongues about.
c. In I Corinthians 14:16-17, the speaking in tongues
is described specifically as blessing and giving
thanks, completely leaving out any possibility that
intercessory prayer was being made. In a situation
where a prayer of thanksgiving is appropriate, it
seems to be possible to choose to give thanks
perfectly in tongues.
4. In many reported cases, people have spoken in tongues
and interpreted in front of people who knew both
languages. In most of these cases, both the tongue and
the interpretation were a message to the believers
present.
a. Is the speaking in tongues counterfeit in these
cases?
b. Can a believer choose to bring forth a message
from God for other believers, just as he can choose
to pray for a specific need of a specific believer?
c. If this is the case, both forms of tongues with
interpretation are genuine. Still, we should strive
to be as faithful to what the Word of God teaches
on the subject of tongues with interpretation.
d. It appears from God's Word that tongues with
interpretation were designed by God to be prayer
or praise to Him. However, it also seems that He
accommodates in love those believers who speak in
tongues with the intention of bringing forth a
message from God.
5. If both forms of tongues with interpretation are genuine,
and a believer has the ability to direct his speaking in
tongues, then a believer can simply choose to interpret
as prayer and praise to God, and it will happen. The
spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.
XII. Manifestation of Prophecy.
A. What is it?
1. It is speaking by the spirit of God in the language of the
body of believers present. I Corinthians 14:2.
2. It is speaking unto men to edification, exhortation and
comfort. I Corinthians 14:3.
B. What it is not.
1. It is not revelation. The manifestation of prophecy does
not include foretelling.
2. Prophecy is not preaching. It is speaking by the spirit of
God.
C. What is it for? The edification or building up of the church. I
Corinthians 14:4.
D. How is it to be used?
1. No limit set on the number of words of prophecy in a
fellowship.
2. Believers are to actively seek to be able to prophesy. I
Corinthians 14:1.
E. How does it work? Mark 13:11.
1. Speak as you are given by God what to speak.
2. Speak what you have been given to speak. Do not wait
for more until you have spoken what you've been given.
3. God is faithful. Those who trust in Him will not be put to
shame.
XIII. The Bible our basic source for revelation: Read The Manual!
A. Example: The tech support problem.
1. Modem instructions: "You've got to read a book!"
2. Read the instruction manual before calling the help line.
B. The Bible is to be our primary source of revelation.
1. The Bible is revelation.
2. The Bible consists of word of knowledge, word of
wisdom, and discerning of spirits.
3. The Bible is revelation on demand, revelation on tap. The revelation in the Bible is available 24 hours a day, 7
days a week.
4. The revelation contained in the Old Testament was all
the revelation Jesus needed to walk perfectly before God
for the first thirty years of his life.
C. Jesus and the Bible.
1. Not one jot or tittle will pass away... Matt. 5:18.
2. It is written. Luke 4:1ff. Jesus had just received holy
spirit, but relied on the revelation in the written Word to
deal with the assaults of the adversary.
D. Rewards of using the revelation in the written Word.
1. Whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. Psalm 1:1-3.
2. Made free. John 8:31-32; 15:7.
3. Proverbs 2:1-11. The deeper things of God are given to
those who dig. You don't have to reach them by digging,
but you do have to dig to receive them. Mark 4:10-13.
XIV. Word of Knowledge and Word of Wisdom
A. What are they?
1. I Kings 14:1-18.
2. Word of Knowledge is God giving you information about
a situation about which it is impossible for you to know
by your five senses.
3. Word of Wisdom is God giving you instructions on what
to do in a particular situation. God's solution to the
situation or problem.
B. What are they for?
1. Word of Knowledge.
a. Used to encourage a discouraged servant of God. I
Kings 19:14, 18.
b. Used to expose a hypocrite. II Kings 5:25-26.
c. Used to provide military intelligence. II Kings
6:9-12.
d. Used to recover lost property. I Samuel 9:19-20.
e. Used to discover a man in hiding. I Samuel 10:21-
23.
2. Word of Wisdom.
a. Used to set apart people for special ministry. Acts
14:1-2.
b. Used to assure God's protection. Acts 27:10.
c. Used to provide direction from God. Acts 16:6-10.
d. Can be conditional. II Kings 20:1ff.
C. How do they work?
1. If God speaks to you, you have received revelation. I
Samuel 3:1-10. If He gives you information, you have
received word of knowledge. If He gives you
instructions, you have received word of wisdom.
2. It is God's responsibility to make His voice heard and His
message understood. It is your responsibility to be ready
to hear and obey.
3. Revelation may be received by:
a. Seeing.
b. Hearing.
c. Smell.
d. Taste.
e. Touch.
f. Dreams.
g. The eyes of your heart being enlightened.
4. God works with each person individually to speak to
them in a way that is best for them to receive it.
a. God's answer may not always come by revelation.
However it comes, be listening for it. II Kings 4:27.
b. God will not always tell you what to do. Often He
will let you take the initiative, so long as your
decision is within God's will, and correct your
course when necessary. Acts 16:6-10.
5. ASK GOD!!!
a. In any given situation, you have one option that is
better than all the others.
b. God knows what it is.
c. He's not trying to hide it from you!
d. In fact, He's bending over backwards trying to let
you know what it is!
XV. The Prophecy of a Prophet
A. What is prophecy? In a nutshell, prophecy is revelation
received by one person to be given to another person.
B. What was the role of a prophet in the Old Testament and
Gospels?
1. A prophet made intercession to God for other men.
Genesis 20:7. First occurrence in the Bible of the word
"prophet." Today we have access to God through Christ
Jesus (Romans 5:1-2), and are able to make intercession
for other saints (Ephesians 6:18) and for all men (I
Timothy 2:1-4).
2. A prophet was a spokesman for God (Exodus 4:14-16).
Today we act in this capacity as ambassadors for Christ
(II Corinthians 5:20).
3. A prophet inquires of the Lord for other men who do not
have direct access to God (I Samuel 9). Today, instead
of inquiring of God when we feel like it, we are
instructed to walk by the spirit of God (Gal. 5:16-17).
4. In a wider sense, a prophet was anyone who had been
given the spirit of God in order to carry out a specific
assignment for God (Numbers 11:25-29). We have been
given the spirit of God and the ministry of reconciling
men to God.
C. What is the role of a prophet in the Grace Administration,
when anyone who accepts Christ as Lord has direct access to
God?
1. Since prophecy is revelation that God gives to one
person so that that person can give it to another, why is
the ministry of a prophet still necessary in an age when
all of God's people have direct access to God?
2. Possible reasons:
a. The person to whom God is trying to speak is not
listening or is disobeying. In that case, the
prophecy given to the prophet will agree with the
revelation given to the individual. Acts 21:10-14.
b. The prophecy is for a group of believers rather
than an individual. Revelation 1:1.
c. The prophecy deals with long-range situations
outside the bounds of the local fellowship. Acts
11:27-30.
d. God wants to intervene directly into a believer's
meeting with a verbatim message for His people. I
Corinthians 14:29-31.
3. Prophets are uniquely responsible to keep God's people
walking in accordance with God's written Word.
a. When things go well, prophets work "within the
system" of the church to minister to God's people.
Acts 15:30-32.
b. When God's people choose to walk contrary to
God's Word, prophets work "outside the system" to
bring God's people back to God.
D. Keys to judging prophecy.
1. Look for the fruit manifested in the life of the prophet or
prophets. Matthew 7:15-20. Are the fruit of the
spirit manifested in the life of the prophet(s)? or
the works of the flesh? Galatians 5:19-26.
2. Are they involved in immorality that continues to go
uncorrected? II Peter 2:10. Are they involved in adultery
and unable to cease from sin? II Peter 2:14.
3. Does the prophecy reprove people for their evil deeds
and turn people back to God? Does it call God's people
to righteousness? Jeremiah 23:16, 21, 22.
4. Does the prophet exalt his prophecy above the written
Word of God? Jeremiah 23:25, 28.
5. Is God's Word like a fire, like a hammer that shatters
rock, a two-edged sword; or is the prophecy "straw"?
Jeremiah 23:29; Hebrews 2:12. Does the prophecy cut
through all the bull and get right to the heart of things?
6. Does the prophet plagiarize other prophets? Jeremiah
23:31.
7. Does the prophet try to put himself between you and
God? I Timothy 2:5.
8. Does it bring glory to God and to Christ? John 16:14.
9. Does the prophecy agree with God's Word (in detail!), or
does it contradict it? II Peter 1:21.
a. Creflo Dollar: "The minute someone tells you he or
she is prophesying, you have the right and the
responsibility to judge what that person is saying
by the same standards that you judge the written
Word of God."
10. Does the prophecy come to pass (in detail!)? or is it only
partially accurate? Deuteronomy 18:20-22.
11. Does it lead you toward or away from the One True God?
Deuteronomy 13:1-5.
12. Do the prophecies produce liberty or bondage? II
Corinthians 3:17; 11:20; Acts 20:28-30.
13. What is the witness of the spirit of God in you about the
prophets or their prophecies? I John 2:20, 27.
14. Do they despise authority? Do they refuse to answer to
anybody? II Peter 2:10.
15. Are they afraid to speak evil of dignities? Do they adopt
a defiant or smart-alec attitude toward the devil and his
angels? II Peter 2:10-12.
16. Is it in line with the wisdom that is from above? James
3:17.
XVI. Discerning of Spirits
A. What is it?
1. Discerning of spirits is God telling you what you need to
know about what's going on spiritually in a given
situation.
B. How does it work?
1. Discerning of spirits is received in exactly the same way
as word of knowledge and word of wisdom.
2. The only difference in discerning of spirits is that the
revelation deals with spiritual things.
a. The presence or non-presence of spirits.
b. Their identities if needed.
c. If evil, whether or not they should be cast out.
C. What is it for?
1. No discerning of spirits before the fall.
a. God gave Adam and Eve no information about the
adversary or about evil.
b. What He did give them was everything they needed
to successfully withstand the devil.
2. Discerning of spirits in the Old Testament.
a. Five-senses people were often able to tell when
people were possessed with evil spirits.
b. The Old Testament Scriptures provided basic
discerning of spirits for God's people.
(1) God's people were told which situations were
an abomination unto the Lord.
(2) God's people were warned about what to do
to avoid becoming "accursed."
(3) While some information was provided about
the adversary in the Scriptures, spiritual
warfare was not taught in the Old Testament.
c. No provision was made for removing evil spirits
from an afflicted person. The one remedy given
for handling acute cases was killing the possessed
person.
3. Discerning of spirits in Christ's ministry.
a. Exposed the scale and scope of spiritual warfare.
b. For the first time, cast evil spirits out of people.
(1) Some of the Pharisees were already "casting
out devils," but not by the power of God.
c. Delegated this authority to the twelve, and to the
seventy.
4. Discerning of spirits in the Church.
a. The written Word is our primary source for
discerning of spirits.
b. Our warfare is not in the realm of the senses, but
in the realm of the spirit.
c. All things are under the feet of the risen Christ, and
d. We have the authority to command out spirits in
the name of Jesus Christ.
(1) If the spirit is allowed to return, the person
will be worse off than before the spirit was
cast out.
(2) Ask God and listen to Him before casting out
devils.
XVII. Working of Miracles.
A. What is it?
1. "A supernatural intervention in the ordinary course of
nature, a temporary suspension of the accustomed
order, an interruption of the system of nature as we
know it, operated by the force of the spirit of God."
-Kenneth Hagin.
2. It is God's solution introduced in the natural realm.
3. It is initiated by revelation from God.
B. What is it for?
1. It confirms the Word of God that has been spoken. Mark
16:19-20.
2. It confirms the ministry of an individual believer. Acts
2:22; I Corinthians 4:18-20.
3. It is a means of God meeting the needs of His people.
4. It is a means of God protecting His people.
C. How does it work? Exodus 4:1-5.
1. Man's part is to obey God's instructions.
2. God's part is to do the work.
3. Believing is not required for the manifestation of
working of miracles, but obedience is.
XVIII. Gifts of Healings.
A. What is it?
1. It is the power of God in operation in a believer to heal
people supernaturally.
2. It is God's solution to sickness and affliction introduced
into the natural realm.
3. It is initiated by revelation from God.
B. What is it for?
1. It is evidence that Christ has the power to forgive sins.
Luke 5:24.
2. It brings glory to God. Matthew 15:30-31.
3. It brings deliverance to God's people. Lk. 13:16.
4. It confirms the Word of God that has been spoken.
5. It is a sample of God's deliverance for those to whom the
Word of God is being preached.
C. How does it work?
1. Exodus 4:6-8.
2. Man's part is to obey God's instructions.
3. God's part is to do the work.
4. Believing is not required for the manifestation of gifts of
healings, but obedience is.
XIX. Methods of Healing in the Church.
A. God's method of healing is spiritual.
1. When the world heals, it must work through either the
body or the mind.
2. God requires faith for healing, but not always from the
person being healed.
a. Centurion and his servant.
b. Syrophenician woman and her daughter.
c. God can help us in spite of deficiencies in our faith.
Father of the epileptic boy: "Help thou mine unbelief."
B. Methods of healing.
1. The name of Jesus. John 14:13-14.
a. Every believer has a right to perfect deliverance
from the hand of the enemy in the name of Jesus.
b. In the name of Jesus, command pain or sickness
(or whatever else you're dealing with) to leave.
c. This is not asking (and certainly not
commanding!!!) the Father, but commanding the
sickness or pain itself.
2. The manifestation of gifts of healings. Mark 16:18.
3. The prayer of faith. James 5:14.
4. Ask the Father in the name of Jesus. John 16:23-24.
5. Two believers agreeing together for healing. Matthew
18:18-20.
6. Recognize what Christ has accomplished for us in
redeeming us. Isaiah 53:3-5; II Peter 2:24; Matthew 8:16-
17.
XX. Incidents where the manifestations seem not to have worked right the
first time.
A. Elijah: Looking for rain.
B. Elisha and Gehazi: Raising of the Shunammite's son from the
dead.
C. Peter: Walking on the water.
D. Disciples: Healing of the epileptic boy.
E. Jesus: "I see men as trees walking..."
XXI. The manifestation of faith: what it is not.
A. Previous definition of manifestation of faith: the God-given
ability to believe for the impossible to come to pass at your
command in accordance with the revelation given to you.
1. Based on the Law of Believing: to receive anything from
God you must appropriate it by believing.
2. Manifestation of believing is required to manifest gifts of
healings and working of miracles. It is believing for
miracles before they are manifested.
3. The manifestation of faith is required from the time the
revelation is received until the time the healing or
miracle actually begins to take place.
B. Problems.
1. Nothing is manifested in the manifestation of faith. Only
when another manifestation kicks in, either working of
miracles or gifts of healings, is anything manifested.
2. Faith is not an integral part of working of miracles or
gifts of healings. Exodus 4:1-9; 7:19-21; II Kings 4:29;
Luke 9:1-6. No instruction to believe!
3. We have read believing into countless biblical records of
miracles and healings where it is not mentioned, implied,
or hinted at, only because our theology required it to be
there. A look at the records in and of themselves shows
no such requirement for believing.
4. If believing, in and of itself, does not appropriate results,
then the whole reason for the manifestation of believing,
as we have been taught it, is gone.
5. With the change in our teaching on the law of believing,
the need for the manifestation of believing, as we have
been taught it, ceased to exist. We were short one
manifestation, but that manifestation has to be described
in the Bible.
XXII. The manifestation of faith: what it is.
A. Working definition: Believing God, in accordance with His
will, to bring the impossible to pass at your request.
B. Examples:
1. Elijah's drought. I Kings 17:1.
a. Elijah did not say, "Thus saith the Lord," but rather
the equivalent of, "I swear by the Lord."
b. No sign that he was obeying revelation from God.
No revelation from God apparent until v. 2.
c. James 5:16-18. Elijah prayed earnestly that it not
rain. If God has given you revelation to do
something, do you need to pray earnestly for it to
come to pass?
d. Elijah appeared to be the initiator in this situation
rather than God.
e. Elijah prayed in accordance with God's written
Word for the judgement that God had promised for
disobedience to His Word.
f. Elijah prayed for the rain to stop, and later for it to
start again. No indication that he prayed in
between to keep the drought going.
2. Joshua and the sun and moon stopping. Joshua 10:8-14.
a. Joshua did not get revelation to do this.
b. Joshua said what he did in the sight of all Israel,
not in private with God.
c. God hearkened to the voice of Joshua and did what
he said to the sun and moon.
d. Joshua was clearly the initiator of this miracle.
3. Peter walking on the water.
4. Elijah raising the widow's son from the dead.
5. Elisha raising the Shulamite's son from the dead.
C. Characteristics of the manifestation of faith.
1. The manifestation of faith is initiated by man; the
manifestation of working of miracles and gifts of
healings, and phenomena on God's part, are initiated by
God.
2. The manifestation of faith is not preceded by revelation.
The manifestations of working of miracles and gifts of
healings are preceded by revelation.
3. The manifestation of faith is often accompanied by
prayer to God for the desired results.
a. Prayer may accompany working of miracles and
gifts of healings, but these are never prayers for
results.
b. When you receive revelation to work a miracle or
heal someone, you have already received the
solution to your problem. There is no further need
to pray for results at that point. instead,
thanksgiving prayers and obedient action are in
order.
4. The manifestation of faith is a direct, supernatural result
of God hearing, hearkening to or listening to man.
Working of miracles and gifts of healings result from
man listening to and obeying God.
5. With working of miracles and gifts of healings, faith on
the part of the person doing the work does not seem to
be essential for their operation. With the manifestation
of faith, faith seems critical.
a. In Peter's case, it was so critical that when Peter
doubted, the manifestation stopped working in the
middle of the miracle.
b. Faith is energetically, persistently seeking help
from God. Faith is also recognizing God's supreme
authority, and the authority He delegates to those
He authorizes to speak and act on His behalf.
6. As with renewed mind faith, it is not the faith that
appropriates results when the manifestation of faith is in
operation; it is God who does the work.
XXIII. Ambassadors for Christ/Ministry of Reconciliation. (REW)
XXIV. "I will be with you."
A. God and Moses. Exodus 3:11-12.
1. Moses' five-senses credentials. Acts 7:22.
2. Moses' sense of inadequacy in the face of God's call.
3. It was not "Who am I" that got the Israelites out of Egypt;
it was "I will be with you!"
B. Joshua.
1. The five-senses situation after Moses' death.
2. God's power in Joshua. Deut. 34:9.
3. God's promise to Joshua. "I will be with thee..." Joshua
1:1-9.
C. Jeremiah. Jer. 1:4-8.
1. Jeremiah's inadequacy in the face of God's call.
2. God's response: "I am with thee..."
3. Jeremiah faced hard times, but God delivered him out of
them all.
D. Paul. II Corinthians 12:7-10.
1. Paul's thorn in the flesh.
2. Paul's prayer.
3. The Lord's answer: "My grace is sufficient for thee."
4. Paul's testimony. II Timothy 3:11.
5. Paul was put to death only after he had finished his
course, or completed the work God had given him to do.
E. Israel at Kadesh-Barnea. Numbers 14:1-9.
1. The situation: report of the spies.
2. Testimony of Joshua and Caleb: "The Lord is with us."
3. The decision to disobey.
4. The price of disobedience.
F. Conclusions
1. Reckon God as your sole source of supply. Everything
you do is to be subject to His approval and direction,
which comes to us through Christ.
2. When the going gets tough, call on God persistently and
hang on until He delivers you.
3. Keep God and His agenda first in your life. Matt. 6:33.
4. Don't turn your back on God's will for your life because it "looks too hard."
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