 We look into our own hearts Lord, in the light of this instruction God, this exhortation to pursue love. Father God, we pray that even as you poured out your love into our hearts, God, Romans chapter 8, very clear that the love of God, the agape of God has been poured out into our hearts by the Holy Spirit. So Lord, we just pray that we would pursue this kind of love, that we would, Lord, express or extend to others this kind of love God. We know that the flesh comes in the way. We know that our own undrenewed thinking and thinking patterns, Lord, come in the way as a barrier. Lord, today we ask, oh God, that all these would be removed, that we may, Lord, extend your love in truth, Father God, to others who need it. And to ourselves, Lord, that we would love ourselves the way you love us God, that we would see ourselves in truth the way you see us for God. And Father God, we also pray that we may be zealous for spiritual gifts. For these are the expressions of the Spirit. These are your expressions, God, the way you express yourself to us and to others. And so God, maybe be zealous. Lord, I just pray this, we pray this morning that whatever is hindering us, Lord, whatever is causing us to cool down in our spirit, whatever is causing us to cool down that hunger and thirst and that fire and passion, God. It could be maybe sin, it could be maybe compromise, it could be lack of focus, a distraction, whatever it is, God, that is causing us to compromise on that, hold back on that with hold, God. Father, we pray that that will be dealt with this morning, God, that that will be removed, God, things that need to be uprooted will be uprooted, Lord, that things that need to be set right will be set right, things that need to come aligned to Father God. If we need to come aligned in our thinking, God, in our imaginations, oh God, let it be so, Father God, let it be so, Master, Lord, from the depths of our heart, maybe desire, Lord's spiritual gifts and Lord, even as your, as the exhortation is, the instruction is that, especially that we may prophesy, yes, Lord, as your people, as your children, Father God, may know your heart, maybe know what's in your heart, maybe know, oh God, what your whispers are, Father God, maybe know, oh God, what you are speaking, Lord, you are, Lord, you said, oh God, that you would guide us with your eyes, oh, Father God, that you would speak to us, oh, Father God, this is the way, walk in it, and Lord, we pray, God, that maybe be recipients of those instructions, Father God, you said, oh God, Lord, in your word that, Lord, when men sleep, oh God, that you will, the dreams and visions of Father God, you would speak and seal our ears, awaken our ears to hear and seal ears with instruction, God, and I pray that will be the case, Father God, especially that we may hear your voice and obey and do according to what you ask us to. So we commit ourselves to that, Lord, we commit ourselves to that, oh Father God, maybe take this up seriously, each one of us, we thank you. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Amen. Okay, praise God. Awesome. Let's, let's look at, you know, as we've been studying about understanding the spiritual gifts, you know, one of the first things that we looked at was that we need to commune with the Holy Spirit, right, commune, meaning have a deep relationship with Him, deep relationship with God, because these are, these belong to Him and He wants to display it through our lives. Okay, so it is to help people. Okay, look at it that way, you know, it is, it is not to elevate us, but really to help people. Okay, it is to bring comfort, it is to solve problems in people's lives, it is to change situations in people's lives. So if you do look at it, you know, it's a wonderful thing, right, and we can say, yes, Lord, I need more of you, I need more of you to manifest yourself through me and in me. Okay, so our, you know, the last thing we looked at, we need to have that friendship, we need to have that fellowship, we need to have that partnership with the Holy Spirit, right, so that is the first and foremost thing. Okay, so let's look at a few more things about the gifts. We saw that gifts of the Holy Spirit are given to all believers. Okay, and not just to some special, super special, super spiritual believers, but these gifts are actually for all believers and that's why we are asked to pursue a go after desire. Okay, what is the point in desiring and not having? Why should the Bible say desire? If the objective of that end result of that is for us to not have it, right? So the instruction is to just walk in it, right? So the question is, okay, is it for all believers or is it for all believers? So if it is for all believers, why do we think it's for all believers? Okay, anyone? Those of you who are online, you know, why can we save only, confidently, without any doubt that the gifts of the Spirit are for all believers? Because it is written in the exactly, because it is a scripture instruction, but we need to know where, we need to know, you know, what context. Okay, so what scripture can we look at? Okay, so Joel 2, the prophecy of Prophet Joel says in the last days, I'll pour out of my spirit on all flesh. So we're talking about the baptism of the Holy Spirit, outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and which is what Peter said, you know, in Acts chapter 2, he said, this is what Joel prophesied in the first message after being anointed, filled with the Holy Spirit, this is what he said. Okay, so that God will pour out his spirit on all flesh, and this is what will happen. They will dream dreams, they will have visions, etc., right? What else? You know, okay, this is a broad thing, so we can say, okay, people would argue. It doesn't talk about gifts, no. It talks about the baptism of the Holy Spirit. It talks about, okay, visions, prophecy, but you know, where does it say rest of the gifts? What do you think? 1 Corinthians 14 and verse 1, this verse that we just read and prayed, it says, desire, spiritual gifts. It doesn't say desire, spiritual gift, one gift. Yes, it says desire, spiritual gifts, and this is instruction for all believers. Okay, one more verse is, if you back up to chapter 12 and the last verse, chapter 12, verse 31, but earnestly desire the best gifts. So we're going to look at that. What is this best gift? We're going to look at that, but here, in these two verses, we see that this message is for all believers. Therefore, this instruction for desiring spiritual gifts is also for all believers, which means that all believers can manifest all the gifts of the Spirit. Okay, so we need to have no doubt in mind that the gifts of the Spirit are for all believers. Now we also learned, we're looking at some things over and over again because we tend to forget, but we also know that there are ministry gifts. What are ministry gifts? We studied that, or ministry offices, as we might call them. Yeah, correct. So are these for all or for some? For some, who decides that? The Lord Jesus decides. Okay, so if we just put off about that. Yes, Nina, one verse, 1 Corinthians 12, we'll come to that again, a better explanation of that again. Each one it's given for the benefit of all. Okay, now that verse can be used both ways. So we'll just come back to that verse a little bit. Okay, 12, 7, yes, is given to each one for the profit of all. Okay, now we also know that there are these ministry gifts. So we need to understand that these ministry gifts are given as per the will of God, as per the will of the Lord Jesus, and he gives it to some. But we also know that yes, some are called to be prophets, but all can prophesy. Some are called to be evangelists, but all can share the gospel in evangelism. So we know that, yes, all believers can move in these gifts, but some are called to these ministry offices. So the thing is just because I can prophesy, just because I share the gospel, does not make me an evangelist. Just because I prophesy, share a word of knowledge, does not make me a prophet. So this means that the ministry gift is it's a proven, it's a consistent thing. It is what people are called to walk in, day in and day out. And the Lord Jesus desires, decides that. Very clear. Any doubts? No, okay. The second thing we saw was that the gifts of the Spirit are gifts of grace. This is not something that we earn. Yes, it is something for us to desire that the Lord will use us and the Lord will move in us and through us, but it's not something that we perform in order to get as a prize. These are gifts of grace. What does that mean? Gifts of grace. When you say it's a gift of grace, what does that mean? Sorry. It is something that is freely given. I don't earn it. I can't say, hey, I read the word cover to cover three times this year. So I need to have all the nine gifts working in my life. It's not something, I lived a very righteous life this whole month. Therefore, I need to have the gifts working in my life. It's not a prize to be earned. It's a grace that is given. So that's something that we saw. So how do we manifest these gifts? So we walk in love. We desire the special gifts. Those are two things, very important. Third thing is we step out and we take a risk. So which means we need to be sure. We need to be confident. At the same time, we need to take a risk. And it's something that we continue to grow in. As we take a step of faith, release these gifts, especially the latering gifts of word of knowledge or word of wisdom or prophecy, we will grow in it. And we will grow in hearing his voice clearly, instructions clearly, recognizing the voice of the Holy Spirit and also accuracy. We will grow in it. One second. Let me just, I need to come out of this. We are in page number 53, I think, sorry. 53 in the, 53 in the notes, the gifts of the Spirit in that book. Gifts, 53. Got it? Okay. So we are addressing those questions. Okay. Okay. So one of these best gifts, 1 Corinthians 12, 31. What are these best gifts that Paul is talking about? Is it prophecy? Is it healing? What do you think is the best gift or the best gifts plural, right? Sorry. But then he says, you know, don't desire the best gifts. Why does he say that? What is and also, you know, sometimes that you use a super, it's one thing, but the best gifts. So, sorry. Okay. So the, okay. The question is, I asked a question. Now again comes a question. Is it the five-fold, you know, ministry gifts? Okay. What do you think? What are the best gifts? Tongues. Okay. The gift which glorifies, see, all the gifts actually glorify. They are supposed to edify people, which means build up people, bless people, and glorify Christ because it's the work of the Holy Spirit. And that's what the Holy Spirit does, right? He always lifts up Jesus. So the thing is this, you know, when, suppose I want to drink coffee and I can drink coffee from a cup, right? A full cup, or I can drink it from a saucer, right? You pour it in a saucer. But what do you think will be the best way to drink from the cup? See, I can drink it with a spoon also. It's going to take a long time. And sip after sip. But if I, let me finish. But if I drink from a cup, that's the best way. It's keeping it hot. It's keeping it together. It's convenient. So that's the best way to drink. Right? A hot cup of coffee. So here's the thing. What is the best gift? The gift which is just right for that situation, for that need. Okay. So somebody is going through severe problems. You know, they are going through a crisis in life and they don't know what to do. They've tried out all options and they don't know what to do. And then you've been praying for them. You pray for that person and God puts in your heart a counsel, a word of wisdom, okay? An instruction. It's like a key that unlocks that very thing that they've been trying to unlock, okay? A word of wisdom. And so you share that word of wisdom saying, do this. And I believe that God is asking, giving this sense that God is giving this instruction when we do this. And they pray about it and they feel a peace about it. They go and they do it. And it solves the problem. Now, when the problem is, when the person is going through that kind of a crisis, which is something that needs to be solved, maybe in the business, maybe relationally. Now, the best gift there could be or is the word of wisdom. Or it could even be a prophetic word, a gift of prophecy. Gift of healing is not the right one for that moment, right? So the best gift is the one which actually takes care of that need for that moment. So he's saying, you know, you see somebody in need and maybe there's a problem to be solved, earnestly desire the best gifts. When somebody's having a physical problem, well, the best gifts to desire go after the gifts of healing or working of miracles, or even gift of faith, faith that can remove mountains. So he's saying, earnestly desire the best gifts. So the best gift is not like, you know, you look at the list and say, okay, maybe this is the best gift. This is the second best, this is the third best, right? It's not that. It's the one which takes care, which is just right for that situation, which is just right for that need. Somebody's going through very depressed, very discouraged. And, you know, here's the prophetic word. A prophecy to see is edification, being edification, exhortation and comfort. Okay, so this word becomes and it brings in comfort, it brings edification. And that's the hope the person's life is changed from that moment on, just lifted up out of that depression, out of that, you know, the thing that they're going through, right? So that's the best gifts. Okay, so remember that. Okay, so other question, can these gifts or operation of these gifts use these gifts? Can it be taught? Can it be taught? What do you think? Maybe. Okay, so what are we doing right now? You know, I'm teaching. So the answer is yes. You know, see, the Lord Jesus told the disciples, you go make disciples, preach the gospel, make disciples, teaching them to observe all the things that I have taught you. So the disciples actually went out, they preached the gospel, and they taught them everything, they baptized them, they taught them everything that the Lord Jesus had told them. So also, you know, like we see Paul, Paul was in Corinth, we read that he was there for about 18 months. And in that 18 months, he seems to have taught the church all that Jesus had taught him, right? Yeah, yes, Sheila. I'm sorry, how to recognize and go about the teaching gift or what kind of gifts I have. Okay, okay. So your question is how to recognize what gifts I have. Okay, so the thing is, you know, like we've been seeing, every believer, okay, can manifest the gifts of the Spirit, all the gifts of the Spirit. So the thing is, you desire, you learn about the gifts, and you learn about, okay, how does the Holy Spirit release these gifts or express himself in these ways? And you step out in faith. Okay, because the instruction is, desire the best gifts, and the best gifts are the best gifts for that particular situation, for that need. So I need to learn about all the gifts, understand about all the gifts, and desire them, and ask the Lord, say, God, here's the seed, please use me, and I'm going to step out in faith. I'm going to lay hands and heal, play hands and pray, Lord, heal this person. Lord, I'm just going to pray for this person. Lord, give me a word that will bless them, encourage them, you know, things like that. So if you're asking about the ministry gift, right, you know, am I called to be a apostle, prophet, pastor, evangelist, teacher, you know, that would be something that the Lord would call, the Lord would use you consistently, like we were talking about it earlier. He would use you in that way, either to the church or, you know, the others whom you're connected with, He's going to use you in that way over and over again and call you into that. So you find yourself ministering, you find yourself, okay, I'm just leaning more towards this. I want to share the gospel wherever I go, I want to share the gospel wherever I go. You know, I see, okay, I want to start some work there, a Bible study church, something it could be, you know, wherever, you know, so that's the desire that God has put in you to go to people, places where no work is there and then He wants you to start, you know, yeah, okay, okay, what is the difference between teacher and, okay, pastor, okay, we're going to learn about that in detail one full semester, but then this is the, you know, so the pastoral gift, the word pastor actually comes from the word shepherd, okay, so he's a shepherd. The Greek, the word poyman is used, so a poymane, I don't know, so he's a shepherd. So he's one who is watching over, who's nourishing, who's protecting the sheep, right, he's feeding the sheep, he's nourishing the sheep and that's the thing. And in the second Peter also we see, you know, Peter saying that, you know, he's the great shepherd and we are all working under him, right, and the flock belongs to him. So we see that, you know, that's the shepherd's call or the pastor's call, one who feeds spiritually, one who nourishes, one who strengthens, maybe corrects all that, so that's the shepherd's pastor's calling. When it comes to the teacher, a teacher is one who grounds the person in the Word of God, which means the teaching gift, for the teacher, you know, this is how the gift operates, there is deep revelation from the Word of God, there's, you know, deep understanding of the Word of God. It's not just a superficial thing, but it's a deep understanding, revelation about the Word of God, about, and it's also not just the depth, but also the width of the subjects, you know, everything. So the Lord works in such ways. So the person also, the second thing is also to be able to communicate in a simple manner. So the teacher not only has deep understanding or the Holy Spirit gives that person revelation and deep understanding, but also the ability to communicate it in a very simple way, so people can be grounded in the Word of God. So the teacher always, you know, has this things like why, what, it's not satisfied, right? Ask the question, okay, why is it like that? Why, what, when, how, where, right? So, and the Holy Spirit is more than willing to just pour out that revelation and the teacher gets the revelation from not just information, but revelation about the Word of God, so that they can minister to ground them, to establish them in the Word of God. Yes, so the thing about 5-fold ministry is that these gifts overlap and flow together. So usually the pastoral and the teaching gift goes together because the pastor does the whole role of nourishing the flock and also, you know, getting them strong in the Word, so it'll go together. It can even be, you know, the evangelist, prophetic, you know, going together. I mean, there's no chapter and verse, but this is what we see, right? But also Paul says about himself, he calls himself an apostle, he calls himself a teacher, right, and he ministers in those ways, so we see that these gifts flow together, right? Okay, prophetic office and prophetic gift, yeah, yeah. So when we study that also you're going to take a semester to study about the understanding of the prophetic. So we see that, we talked about three things, right? Gifts of the Spirit, we talked about membership gifts that in the body of Christ, Romans 12, where one ministers to one another, then we also looked at the ministry office, which is in Ephesians 4, okay? So now, all of us can prophesy. Now, how do I know that I'm called to be the prophet? Like, see, the office of the prophet is more than a simple gift of prophecy, okay, or a simple word of prophecy, which will bring exhortation, edification and comfort. It's more than that. It's also predictive in nature, foretelling. It is also directive in nature. You need to move from the city to that city. It is also corrective in nature, like Nathan. Nathan went to the king and he corrected him, right? So because he, the Lord revealed that, you know, you need to, this is what is wrong with going wrong. So he did all that. So, and also you see that a prophetic gift or the ministry gift of the prophet, it's also the realm of influence. So it is not just the local church. It's not just a local gathering, but it is to the city, you are prophesying to the nation, to the nation, to announcing the moves of God. Like, if you read about Agabus, the prophet in Acts, in the book of Acts, right? We see that he announced to the world, hey, there's going to come a famine, right? So, you know, things like that. So a prophet who's walking in the prophetic office, the Lord will actually enhance the realm, when I say realm of influence, it means the geographical territory is also, because that person has to function in that way, right? So it's a journey that we make, but we start with this hearing God, obeying God. It's as simple as that, right? And it never stops right through the journey. It never stops. That simple thing, foundational thing never stops. Okay, any questions from the online class, online community? Okay, so we're looking at the simple premise that spiritual things can be taught, okay? Because we see that Paul spent about a year and a half with the Corinthians, and he seems to have taught everything. The Lord Jesus Himself, in the Great Commission said that, okay, this is what you need to do. You need to teaching them to observe, okay? So we can teach a person how to follow Jesus, how to read the Word of God, how to pray, how to worship, all that we teach. In the same way, we can teach about the gifts. Teach about what the gift is, how it operates, right? And what one needs to do, but then it stops there, right? I can't teach you, say these words and pray in tongues. That would be error. That would be heresy. You can't get into that. I can't say, okay, I can just bring that person. We can teach, bring that person, expose that person to the truth and to the power of the Holy Spirit, and from there, that person, he or she, takes that step of faith and starts moving in it, okay? Because in the Old Testament, we see there was a school of the prophets, okay? What was that school? There was a bunch of prophets who had junior prophets, senior prophets. So this, you know, senior prophet, if you can call that person, that would be teaching the other prophets, okay? School of the prophets. This is what you need to do. This is how you, you know, function and so on. So must have been exciting, right? So we see that spiritual things can be taught and needs to be taught. People should not be ignorant of spiritual gifts, okay? We need to, we need to teach, right? And it can be very empowering, liberating. People to understand, hey, God can use me, right? And it will be so empowering that the people will move in that, right? They discover their call, they discover their destiny and then fulfill God's call for them, okay? What else can we, what are the questions? Okay, so gifts of the spirit, is it only for when we, when believers gather together or is it for the world outside also? What do you think? Gifts of the spirit. One contains 14 and 20, 22, okay? Okay, yeah. So he's talking about gift of tongues, gift of prophecy and the use of both in a congregation. He's actually addressing that. So he's talking about how if it is prophecy and then someone who does not know comes in, the secrets of his heart are revealed. And what does that person say? Truly God is among you and begins to question. So the person is drawn to God, right? Word of knowledge, word of wisdom, working of miracles, gifts of healings, everything. These are signs which point to Jesus, signs that point to the fact that God loves them, God cares for people and draws them to the heart of God, draws people to the heart of God. So these gifts are not restricted for, just for believers, praying for one another, but for others also, especially for outside where you can actually share the gospel and you can believe God. Okay, God, give me a word for this person, right? You're handing out maybe invites, right? So just ask the Lord next time, Lord, give me a word for this person. Maybe an, it can be an encouraging word, okay? It needn't be something, okay, you were born on 30th of January, need not be like that. It can be like that, need not be also, but it can be a very, very simple word of encouragement saying, hey, God knows who you are and maybe you just felt, felt like, you know, sharing about the love of God, saying, okay, God loves you and he will, he's taking care of you, he knows you, maybe it's just that, a word of encouragement, comfort, but it goes a long way, it's like, for that person, just what that person needs, okay? So, yeah, sorry, testing of these gifts, okay, so we are going to get into the other thing, which is, okay, we're skipping a few things, but it's fine. How do we, why should we test these gifts, okay? How also, okay, I think we looked at it yesterday, okay, it's a vision, okay, so gifts need to be tested, especially the revelatory gifts of word of knowledge, word of wisdom, maybe prophecy, these things need to be tested, okay, so the question is, why should we test, okay? See, if you look at 1 Thessalonians 5, okay, 1 Thessalonians 5, see, we're just laying a foundation, a background before we get into the details of the gifts, right, 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 and yeah, 1920, 21, 22, 19 to 21, do not quench the spirit, what does quench mean? Put water, putting out the fire, don't quench the spirit, do not despise what? Prophecies, and I'm saying, hey, this was always saying this, he's always wrong, don't despise it, why do we despise prophecies? You know, it's coming from God, the prophetic gift, but why do you think people would despise prophecies? Despise means to hate, I don't want it, why do you think people would despise prophecy, would anyone despise prophecy? It's difficult for them to receive, they have to change their attitude, okay, maybe it's a word of correction, maybe, okay, then, okay, so maybe it's a very corrective word, okay, that's possible, yes, anyone from the online, okay, this is the answer for why should we test, okay, I'll just keep that on pause, yeah, but why should anyone despise prophecies, yeah, okay, so you think that, okay, that this person doesn't know how to prophesy, you know, I've seen him, I've seen his life, so we look at the messenger and we decide, this guy, no chance, I know what he listens to, I know what he watches, I know that God can speak through a donkey, but you know, well, surely not this donkey, yeah, so we come to such conclusions, right, based on the messenger, or maybe, you know, there's been an abuse of it, right, maybe people try to control you, say, hey, you need to, you're earning so much, God is saying, you put all your salary, you know, here, here in this place, now, put the cover, put it, maybe there's been a manipulation abuse of it, so, you know, just tired, so people say, prophecy, I don't want, you know, so here, Paul is writing and saying, don't despise prophecies, hey, the good thing, don't quench the work of the Spirit, next verse, what does he say, test all things, so the issue that, if there is a problem, if there is some kind of a confusion because of our experience past history with the supernatural and the gifts and so on, you know, so Paul is saying, don't despise it, the gift is good, because it's an expression of the Holy Spirit, but we need to test, so that's the instruction, test all things, hold fast to what is good, okay, what does hold fast mean, have a tight grip on what is good, yeah, so have a tight grip on what is good, so what does it mean, don't have a tight grip on what is not good, okay, which means when you're testing, there's going to be some things that are good, right, there's going to be things that are good, you better have a tight grip on it, because these are good things that God is revealing, God is showing, God is bringing your way, have a whole tight hold on it, at the same time, the opposite of it, if it is not so good, if you discern that, okay, this part of it, well, I'm a little doubtful, don't have a tight grip on it, which means don't just take it in, right, you don't have to hold fast, okay, so that is the other side of it, the outcome of testing, then verse 22, abstain from every form of evil, okay, so this is the instruction, the instruction about testing, so why testing, the thing is this, that God is a holy God, the gift is good, God is a good God, the gift is a good gift, but we as human beings, we are not perfect vessels yet, right, we have our, you know, our own biases, we have our own preferences, we have our own under new part of us, we are still works in progress, because as vessels we are not perfect yet, right, we don't, so the word is, the instruction is tested, okay, so in case there is any kind of a contamination, or in case, you know, the water is good, but the tap through which it flows might have something, so saying, you know, you test it, okay, so maybe you are prejudiced against, you know, maybe God gives me a word, and it's for all Tamil speaking people, and I'm prejudiced against Tamil people, let's say, you know, I had a bad experience with these Tamil guys, you know, I'm saying that because I'm Tamil, so I can say that, so all these Tamil guys are like this, okay, so then the word which God gives, you know, I just see it through that, through that prejudice, and then I give that, okay, or the way in which God dealt with me, okay, so God called me, as I was looking in the corporate sector, God called me into ministry, that's how God called me, now if I, you know, let's say someone has God's call on their life, and God is calling them to be whatever, and God is saying, okay, you go encourage that person, and you know, affirm that he or she has a call upon her life, and I'm going to use, so if I go and say, okay, God got a call on your life, God is going to use you, therefore you need to, you know, quit your job, okay, you need to quit your job, move out, because that's how he worked with me, so the message is accurate, God's got a call, but then I'm mixing it with my experience, right, that's how God worked with me, so that's how God must work with him or her, so I'm saying, so you need to, you know, get ready to leave your job, and then move on, and God is going to use you, now that would be dangerous, that would be, that won't be correct, that is tainted, okay, for one part of it is good, the other part of it is, it's not good, so all is saying, test all things, hold fast to what is good, get a good grip, you test, like Renshan asked yesterday, you know, that question, you know, if it's, how do I know, it's God speaking, and you know, so this is the thing, you submit it, and you say, okay, you also test, this is what I have, I have, you know, received, but you check, you test, and so testing is for both sides, the one who is ministering in the gift, and for the one who is the recipient of it, okay, okay, so we'll stop here, and we'll get back.