Hey, This is Malachi.

we’re continuing our series on the book first John. We’re actually going to touch a little bit on the book of second John.

We are going to talk about spiritual gifts as they pertain to the believer’s life, how to really function in spiritual gifts and be led by God to minister to others and to be an effective witness.

Let me start this out by bringing it straight over to Acts 2.

Acts 2:1-4;

And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

[2] And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

[3] And there unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.

[4] And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

We have seen pentecost. We saw how the holy spirit came down.

Let us take a look about what Jesus say about that specific event.

Acts 1:8;

“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

It is interesting when we take a look at Acts 2.

What happened to all of them in Acts 2:4?

“All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and they began to speak in other tongues.”

This is interesting, take a look at this 2:4, they were filled with the Holy Spirit, they began to speak in tongues”

Acts 1:8, what Jesus said “You will receive power when the holy spirit comes upon you.”

Why doesn’t Acts 2 specifically say that they were filled with the holy spirit and receive power?

Instead, it says “they were filled with the holy spirit began to speak in other tongues”

What happened is the power is in the deliverance of the actual spirit of God indwelling in a believer.

So by nature, when you get filled with the holy spirit and you receive the spirit of God — which we’re going to have an opportunity to receive the Spirit of God in our lives to a greater manifestation and you may say “well, I already have the spirit of God.”

Do you speak in tongues? Have you flown in the gifts of God? –which we’re going to touch on.

Are you understanding that power that God has given us in order to grow and to go?

That is the power and that’s why Acts 2 specifically says that they spoke in tongues.

They received, that was a gift that was given to them as that indwelling of the spirit came into inside of them and upon them.

In Acts 1:8 was essentially “You’re going to receive power.” That power is dunamis power, dynamite power.

To be my witnesses, and that word witness actually is translated to mean martyr.

This is some real stuff, i mean this is some real heavy stuff. Not everybody wants to be a martyr for Christ and i get that.

If you don’t want to be a martyr for Christ, that is up to you right but ultimately we we martyr our lives, we lay down our lives, we pick up the cross daily.

That really is us being a martyr for Christ. We are dying to our flesh and living in the spirit so that God can use us effectively.

We talked a little bit about the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in Acts and then, all of a sudden, Peter that denied Jesus three times — look it up again, Acts 17:11.

We’re hitting on that a lot. You have to seek out what God has for you, you have to understand the word for you.

Peter denies Jesus,  all of a sudden Peter stands up and he starts preaching.

It says in acts 2:14;

Peter stood up with the 11, the same individual the same peter that denied Jesus.

“Then peter stood up with the 11” He stood up with those that were with him, very important.

Peter is not a lone ranger. Peter didn’t “I got this now, I’m going to go and I’m going to, I don’t need to go to a church.”

We talked about that the Spirit of God leading us and teaching us but we have to understand the full counsel of God.

We don’t preach the partial counsel of God.

Acts 2:14-17;

“But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:

[15] For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.

[16] But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;

[17] And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:”

They were confused, they thought these people were drunk. They were not drunk, this is the new wine from heaven that is available for every believer as they receive the Holy Spirit baptism, as they receive this power.

Not every believer has that power when they first believed. As a matter of fact, I can prove it

I thought I was baptized in the in the Holy Spirit. Well, not every believer is baptized in the holy spirit when they come to Jesus.

If you’re thinking to yourself “doesn’t every believer receive the baptism of the holy spirit when they believe? No, that is not true.

Acts 19:1-7 ;

“And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,

[2] He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.

[3] And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism.

[4] Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.

[5] When they heard this , they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. [6] And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.

[7] And all the men were about twelve.”

We can see

the same comparison if we go over to Luke 3:16 it specifically says;

“John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire”

Big difference. Even Paul said did you did you receive the basket of the Holy Spirit? Well, no.

Let us go over in understanding this baptism of the Holy Spirit, this power that we receive and we’re going straight to first John, continuing in our series and understanding all that was set in place for us.

1 John 5:18-21 ;

“We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.

[19] And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.

[20] And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.

[21] Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.”

We are touching on second John.

2 John 1:1-3 ;

“The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth;

[2] For the truth’s sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever.

[3] Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

Love is how we receive the power. Understanding that God loves us, that he anoints us for purpose, he anoints us for his plans and he wants to bless us. It is really important to understand that.

2 John 1:4;

“I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father.”

This means that not all children are walking in truth.

The baptism of the holy spirit and the way that God uses each believer is his purpose. However all these gifts are for those who ask.

God is not a respecter of person, if we ask he will give if we’re walking in love, if we’ve repented.

Not walking in anger or unforgiveness but we’ve forgiven everybody. We’ve received this grace that the lord has for us and now we say “Lord baptize me in your Spirit, I want this power, i want this dynamite power.”

God is faithful to do such..

When you’re baptized in the spirit,the purpose is to be a witness, a mouthpiece, to hear from God even bolder even stronger, to build yourself — Jude 1:20 says build yourself up in the most holy faith, pray in the Holy Ghost.”

Romans 8:26 says you know sometimes, we don’t know what we ought to pray but the spirit of God makes his makes prayers and petitions for us with utterances and words that we cannot understand

That is the essence of being baptized.

Praying in the spirit, praying in tongues as the bible explains is being led by god in order to do those things.

Let’s touch base onwhat exactly does the baptism of the Holy Spirit allow us to do.

How does god use us right why? Is there a difference between what happened there and the baptism of holy spirit that took place at pentecost?

1 Corinthians 12:7-11;

“But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

[8] For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;

[9] To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;

[10] To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:

[11] But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.”

Very important. Ephesians 4:10 says;

“He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)

[11] And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

[12] For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

[13] Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

[14] That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

[15] But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ”

That is the point of the gifts. The point of the gifts is too love his people, to heal his people, working of miracles, gifts of healing to heal his people, words of knowledge, words of wisdom, to reveal his heart, to reveal people of the the body, believers or non-believers alike, to come to them and say, ‘I am the one true God”

If you want to maneuver, the Bible says that we must eagerly desire spiritual gifts. If you want to move in this in the gifts of God, if you want to be able to be used like Jesus was used, healings and miracles and words of knowledge like the woman at the well where she comes and she doesn’t even know and he says well you actually don’t have one husband, you have had five and the one you’re with now is not your husband.

That was a revelatory gift that Jesus maneuvered in order to reveal to her that he is the messiah, that he is God, that he is the one that has come to redeem the world and save that which is lost.

Jesus has come to to destroy the works of the devil, that is what the gifts of the spirit are for.

When we receive the the baptism of the Holy Spirit and we understand that yes, some believers don’t have the baptism of the holy spirit because paul said it.

That is not something I said, Paul said it. Paul said “did you receive the spirit when you first believed? No. They didn’t even know there was a spirit.

When you receive the baptism the holy spirit, you’re anointed for purpose.

If that is what you want to do, if you want to say “Lord, I want to hear your voice clear, I want to hear your voice more, I want to be able to be using these gifts and to grow and to go.”

Then what we’re going to do is   to say a prayer and by faith you’re going to receive the gift andthe baptism of the Holy Spirit and then you’re going to begin to praise God in your own way.

After we say this prayer, I encourage you to continue to pray, praise God and to thank God in your own words however God gives you utterance and just thank him however you can and the presence of God will will meet you where you are.

Because everything that we do we do is in faith. We receive gifts in faith, we receive the baptism of the holy spirit in faith, we receive Jesus in faith, we walk in and speak in tongues in faith, we walk and maneuver in healings and in miracles, words of knowledge and wisdom, discerning of spirits and all these interpretation of tongues are all in faith.

God is a faith God and faith is what delights him more than anything.

As we do this remember, God rewards those who diligently seek him. Have you been seeking him? Yes you have.

Believe that god rewards you according to Hebrews 11:6 and he will bless you and will anoint you for service to be used even more, and to go and to make a greater impact as determined by the Lord.

As submitted, As yielded to not get ahead of him, to not get behind him but stay in perfect step as his spirit allows you.

Let us pray andwe’re going to receive what the lord has for you.

Father I just thank you lord for your loving kindness, I thank you holy spirit, that you bless every believer that is listening. I thank you father specifically for the one on the other side.

Lord I ask that you to anoint them lord for service. I ask you holy spirit that you would just enthrone yourself upon them and around them .

Lord that you would remove any anything that’s not of you father, that we all would decrease and you would increase in our lives.

I thank you holy spirit for your mercy, your salvation, for your goodness and your kindness that leads us to repentance Holy Spirit.

We ask in Jesus name that you would just come in, that you would baptize us with your Spirit for service with power.

Father, that we can be good witnesses, that we can be witnesses for who you are.

And as you are praying with me, I encourage you to say Lord baptize me with your Spirit, i ask for your gifts, I ask for your anointing, I ask to be made humble that you can be exalted.

I thank you Lord for your goodness and your kindness.

And I thank you lord for your gifts and I ask for them in Jesus name. Amen.

Continue to thank God in your own way and ove the Lord in your own time.

I love you.