Getting to know the Holy Spirit: The Gifts of the Spirit - Part 1

The apostle Paul urges us to follow the way of love and eagerly desire the spiritual gifts. 

The gifts of the Spirit are exactly what they say they are – they are gifts from God to His Church and are energized or empowered within us by the Holy Spirit.

Their primary function is to build up and edify the Church and to bring Godly guidance and counsel to both individuals and groups to help them in their Christian walk in fulfilling their Godly destiny in Christ Jesus.

1 Corinthians 14:1 (NLT)

Let love be your highest goal! But you should also desire the special abilities the Spirit gives—especially the ability to prophesy.

From scripture, let’s identify what the spiritual gifts are:

1 Corinthians 12:7-11 (NIV)

⁷ Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. ⁸ To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, ⁹ to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, ¹⁰ to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. ¹¹ All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

A word of wisdom

The ability to receive from God a word of wisdom of what to do about a particular situation once you know the facts concerning that situation.

A word of knowledge

The ability to receive from God a word of knowledge that will reveal facts of a situation in an individual’s or a group’s situation about which it would be humanly impossible for them to know anything about.

Faith

The ability to believe in God for the seemingly impossible to come to pass and to also pass on to others the same belief and faith, i.e. impart and inspire faith in the hearts of others.

Gifts of healing 

The ability to impart the healing virtue of Christ to those who believe and have faith in God to receive their healing.

Miraculous powers

The ability to perform acts that are contrary to or beyond the realm of the laws of the natural and common understanding.

Prophecy

The ability to deliver in your own language a message from God to a person or group of people that is always for their edification, exhortation, instruction and comfort or correction.

Distinguishing between spirits

The ability, with revelation from God through the Holy Spirit, to detect the presence of evil spirits (demons) and to identity the type of spirit.

Speaking in different kinds of tongues

The ability to speak in languages that you do not understand, and to speak at your own will. This gift can manifest in two forms:

i.        In a language known on earth.

ii.      In a language spoken by angels.

1 Corinthians 13:1a (NIV)

If I speak in the tongues (languages) of men or of angels, but do not have love,

i.       In a language known on earth

This was evidenced on the day of Pentecost

Acts 2:4-8 (NIV)

⁴ All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

⁵ Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. ⁶ When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being

spoken. ⁷ Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? ⁸ Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language?

i.       In a language spoken by angels (of the Spirit)

This is a language that is available to all believers as bestowed by the Holy Spirit. It is a language all of our own (each person’s spirit language sounds different to another’s although some sound similar) that connects you to God through the Holy Spirit and is the language we use when we are praying in the Spirit and do not know what to pray. Praying in tongues is for one’s personal edification, it edifies your own spirit.

Romans 8:26 (NLT)

²⁶ And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. ²⁷ And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.

1 Corinthians 14:4 (NLT)

A person who speaks in tongues is strengthened personally, but one who speaks a word of prophecy strengthens the entire church.

Ephesians 6:18

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people. 

The interpretation of tongues

The ability to interpret in the language of your understanding the sum and substance of what has been spoken in an unknown tongue – usually somebody else’s tongue but can be your own tongue as well.

The gifts of the Spirit operate effectively in and through us when our sole motivation is the agape love of God. Loving others unconditionally as He loves us.

TO JESUS BELONGS ALL GLORY, HONOUR AND PRAISE.
JESUS THE NAME ABOVE ALL NAMES

Part 2 will be published next week.

An extract from my book: Fan Into Flame: Life in the Spirit available on Paperback:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1798692120

Getting to know the Holy Spirit: Life in the Spirit - Romans 8

Now that we have had a look at the man Paul and how he was converted, changed and trained, let’s now look at what he tells us about living life in the Spirit from Romans 8.

Let’s bear in mind that the Church in Rome was under savage persecution and most of their activity and worship took place ‘underground’. Many believers had been put to death. At the time Paul’s letter was written the Roman Emperor at the time was the heartless Nero.

Paul new that in order for the Christians in Rome to overcome the persecution of Nero, it was imperative for them to live life in the Spirit. Paul’s letters are written for a specific purpose and always to build up and to edify the Church and to correct error.

Below, from Romans 8, is a list of the benefits we receive in living life through the Holy Spirit for those who are in Christ Jesus. This list is by no means exhaustive.

• There is no condemnation in Christ Jesus – verse 1.
• The Holy Spirit gives us life and freedom in Christ Jesus – verse 2.
• The Holy Spirit enables us to live life in the Spirit and not according to the flesh (our sinful nature) – verses 3 and 4.
• The Holy Spirit allows us to set our minds on what God desires for us – verse 5. 
• The Holy Spirit allows us to set our minds on life and peace in Christ Jesus – verse 6.
• The Holy Spirit allows us to be pleasing in the eyes of God – verse 8. 
• If we do not have the Holy Spirit in us, then we do not belong to Christ – verse 9. 
• The Holy Spirit gives life because of righteousness – verse 10. 
• The Holy Spirit will raise us from the dead as He did for Jesus – verses 10 and 11. 
• If we are led by the Holy Spirit, then we are truly children of God – verse 14. 
• The Holy Spirit brings about our adoption to sonship – verse 15. 
• The Holy Spirit testifies with our spirit that we are children of God – verse 16. 
• The Holy Spirit enables us to be heirs of God along with Jesus – verse 17
• The Holy Spirit helps us in our weaknesses – verse 26. 
• The Holy Spirit intercedes for us – verses 26, 27. 
• The Holy Spirit knows our hearts – verse 27. 
• It is the Holy Spirit that helps us to conform to the image of Christ Jesus – verse 29.
• Through the Holy Spirit we can overcome our present suffering and look forward to future glory in Christ Jesus – Romans 8:18-30 
  
  
  The Holy Spirit will enable and empower you to overcome your present sufferings, trials and tribulations, (remember the words of Jesus in John 16:33, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart I have overcome the world”) and lead you into the future glory that God intends for you. 
  
  
  Through the Holy Spirit we are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus – Romans 8:31-39. 
  
  
  When we as Christians, are filled with the Holy Spirit and are obedient to His promptings and to God’s Word, we are overcomers! More than conquerors! For the Holy Spirit, just like Jesus, intercedes with God on our behalf which guarantees us victory over this world.

Life in the Spirit for those who are in Christ Jesus - to Him alone belongs all glory, honour and praise!

An extract from my book: Fan Into Flame: Life in the Spirit available on Paperback:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1798692120

Getting to know the Holy Spirit: How the Holy Spirit redirected the life of Saul of Tarsus.

From Saul the persecutor to Paul the Evangelist

Let’s take some time to examine the apostle Paul. Doing this will give us a greater understanding of the authority and understanding he had in writing about spiritual matters for our purposes, and ‘life in the Spirit’ in particular.

Paul (still called Saul at this stage) before his conversion

·    By his own admission (Php 3) a Hebrew of Hebrews and a Pharisee of Pharisees

• ·        The Persecutor-in-Chief of Christians
• ·        A highly rated scholar of the ‘Law’
• ·        Supremely confident in his own flesh

Philippians 3:4b-6 (NIV)

If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: ⁵ circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; ⁶ as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.

·    A thoroughly nasty and extremely religious character. An instigator of, and an accomplice in murder:

Acts 7:57-60 (NLT)

⁵⁷ Then they put their hands over their ears and began shouting. They rushed at him ⁵⁸ and dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. His accusers took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul.

⁵⁹ As they stoned him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” ⁶⁰ He fell to his knees, shouting, “Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!” And with that, he died.

Acts 8:1 (NLT)

Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.

·    Saul’s sole purpose in life at this stage was to eradicate Christianity. Saul the persecutor of Christians – the destroyer of the Church

Acts 9:1-2 (NLT)

Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers. So he went to the high priest. ² He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them—both men and women—back to Jerusalem in chains.

Paul’s dramatic conversion

Enlightenment on the Damascus highway!

Acts 9:3-4 (NIV)

³ As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. ⁴ He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

One-minute breathing out murderous threats, the next slain under the power of the Holy Spirit, lying in the dirt as blind as a bat with Jesus talking to him, asking him why he was persecuting him – the Church!

God knows exactly where you are, physically and spiritually and knows exactly what you are doing!

Let’s have a look at what happened to Saul after this encounter:

Acts 9

• ·        Saul was blind and did not eat and drink for three days
• ·        God sent Ananias to pray for him
• ·        Ananias lays hands on Paul and prays for him
• ·        He receives his sight
• ·        He receives the baptism of the Holy Spirit
• ·        He is water baptised

This was the pinnacle turning point in Paul’s life. After this all the zeal and enthusiasm that he had used to persecute the Church was turned around and focused on preaching the gospel with great power followed by signs, wonders and miracles – just as Jesus did. The Holy Spirit wants to do the same with us!

Paul’s preparation for ministry

Paul tells us in Galatians that the gospel message he preaches did not come out of any human reasoning, but it came by direct revelation from Jesus himself.

Galatians 1:11-12 (NIV)

¹¹ I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. ¹² I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.

Galatians 1:15-17 (NIV)

¹⁵ But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased ¹⁶ to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any human being. ¹⁷ I did not go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went into Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus.

In the above verses Paul tells us as well that after his conversion he did not go Jerusalem to consult with the other apostles but to immediately start his calling in Christ Jesus which was to preach to the Gentiles. He did this in Damascus for a while and by going into Arabia.

It was during this period, whilst preaching to the Gentiles, that he received the true revelation of Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit! Divine revelation! This is how he was able to write with such authority and with such deep conviction about living life in the Spirit.

Let’s examine the below verses from Philippians 3:

Philippians 3:3-9 (NLT)

³ For we who worship by the Spirit of God are the ones who are truly circumcised. We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort, ⁴ though I could have confidence in my own effort if anyone could. Indeed, if others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more!

⁵ I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. ⁶ I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault.

⁷ I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. ⁸ Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ ⁹ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith.

In the above verses from 3-6 Paul tells us about his academic pedigree and self-ability before his encounter with Jesus. This is what he says about himself in verses 5-6:

•        I was circumcised (in the flesh)
•        I am a pure-blooded Israelite
•        I am a Benjamite
•        I am a Hebrew
•        I am a Pharisee
•        I was zealous
•         I harshly persecuted
•        I was self-righteousness
•        I obeyed the law

He was definitely an “I” specialist!

Now, let’s see what he says about himself after his encounter with Jesus when he is born-again, when his heart has been circumcised! Verses 7-9:

·        I now consider these things (the things bulleted above) worthless

·        For Jesus I have discarded everything else

·        Everything I knew before Jesus is garbage

·        I can now become one with Jesus

·        I am no longer self-righteous

·        My righteousness comes from my faith in Jesus

·        Circumcision of the heart through the Holy Spirit

·        God’s way (through faith in Jesus) makes us right with Him

Paul wrote his letter to the Philippians a number of years after his conversion, so he was able to write it with such confidence and conviction because he had by then actual life experience of being led and taught by the Holy Spirit who brings us divine revelation.

This is the very thing that Jesus meant when he spoke these words:

John 16:12-15 (NIV)

¹² “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. ¹³ But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. ¹⁴ He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. ¹⁵ All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”

It is the Holy Spirit that prepares us for the life that God intends us to live in Christ Jesus! Without him and our faith in Jesus we will not be overcomers.

John 16:33 (NLT)

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

2 Corinthians 3:16-18 (NLT)

¹⁶ But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. ¹⁷ For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. ¹⁸ So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.

Life in the Spirit is a must for all believers of every generation as Jesus and the Word are one and they never change. What applies to one of us applies to all.

Hebrews 13:8 (NIV)

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Without living life in the Spirit, we will not become like Jesus – we will not be changed into his glorious image. The more we eagerly desire the things of the Spirit and use them for the benefit of others to glorify the name of Jesus, the more we will be conformed to His image!

It is clearly evidenced through his ministry that Paul, after his conversion, eagerly desired the things of the Spirit and was faithful in using them to the benefit of others, and by this he brought glory, honour and praise, to his Saviour – our Lord Jesus!

Let's imitate Paul as he imitated Christ! The born again Paul!

1 Cor 11:1

And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.

May the name of Jesus be lifted up and glorified!

An extract from my book: Fan Into Flame: Life in the Spirit available on Paperback:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1798692120

Getting to know the Holy Spirit: How did the disciples move in the power of the Holy Spirit after Pentecost? Part 2

How did the disciples move in the power of the Holy Spirit after Pentecost? Part 2.
Acts Chapters 13 - 28

Acts 13:

1.   Paul and Barnabas are in Antioch when they are called out by the Holy Spirit to do the work for which he has called them. Following the leading of the Holy Spirit they go to Cyprus – vs 1-4

2.   At Paphos they are opposed by a Jewish sorcerer and a false prophet called Bar-Jesus. Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit curses the sorcerer and he is struck blind – vs 6-12

3.    As a result of this display of power, the proconsul of Cyprus became born-again – vs 12

4.    From Paphos Paul sails to Pamphylia and preaches the word boldly in many Jewish synagogues and the word of the Lord spread but they also come under persecution – vs 13-49

5.   And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit – vs 52

Acts 14:

1.  In Iconium Paul and Barnabas continue to minister powerfully in the Spirit and perform many signs and wonders – vs 1-7

2. Paul is stoned and left for dead. After the disciples gathered around him and prayed, he

    arose and carried on ministering – vs 19-20

3. In Derbe Paul and Barnabas preach the gospel and win a large number of disciples – vs      21

4. Paul and Barnabas return to Antioch preaching the gospel all the way – vs 21-28

Acts 16:

1. Paul and his companions revisit a number of towns they had visited before strengthening

    the Churches in the faith – vs 1-5

2. Paul and his companions were prevented from preaching in Asia by the Holy Spirit – also

    called the Spirit of Jesus in these verses – vs 6-8

3. Paul has a vision of a Man in Macedonia begging them to go to Macedonia. Paul left 

    immediately concluding that God had called them to preach the gospel – vs 9-10

4. In Philippi, Macedonia, a woman called Lydia originally from Thyatira responds to Paul’s

    gospel message and she and her household are baptized – vs 11-15

5. In Philippi, Paul delivers a slave girl from an evil spirit that could predict the future – vs 

   16-18

6. The owners of the slave girl incite the crowd against Paul and Silas and they are flogged,

     beaten and thrown into prison – vs 19-24

7. At about midnight whilst Paul and Silas were in prison singing hymns and praying, a

    violent earthquake shook the prison and all the prisoners’ chains fell off and the cell doors

    sprang open – vs 25-26

8. The jailer was about to commit suicide at this, but Paul stopped him by assuring him that

    nobody had escaped. He was so overwhelmed by this that he immediately got saved. 

    The jailer dresses their wounds and he and his household are then baptized. He is filled 

    with joy because he and his household had come to know God – vs 27-34

Acts 17:

1. Paul and his companions face persecution in Thessalonica and Berea for preaching the

    gospel. He leaves Silas and Timothy in Berea and heads for Athens – vs 1-15

2.  In Athens Paul boldly preaches the gospel to the Areopagus, a group of Greek philosophers and epicureans. Some of them even got saved! – vs 16-34

Acts 18:

1.  In Corinth Paul struggles to get the gospel message across to the Jews and eventually, after they became abusive, he decides to concentrate on preaching to the Gentiles only – vs 1-8

2.  One night the Lord speaks to Paul in a vision and tells him to persevere and keep preaching in Corinth and he will keep Paul safe. Paul is obedient and stays there for a year – vs 9-11

Acts 19:

1.  In Ephesus, Paul finds twelve disciples who weren’t water baptized. After they are water baptized and Paul lays hands on them and they are baptized in the Spirit and they speak in tongues and prophesy – vs 1-7

2.  Paul preaches the word of God in Tyrannus for 2 years so that all the Jews and Greeks that lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord – vs 10

3.  God did extraordinary miracles through Paul including healing the sick from handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him and then laid on the sick – vs 11-13

4.  The word of God spread widely throughout Asia because of Paul’s preaching and the many miracles, signs and wonders that God did through him – vs 23-41

Acts 20:

1.  Paul continually visited and encouraged the Church throughout Asia – vs 1-6

2.  Paul raises Eutychus from the dead in Troas – vs 7-12

3.  Paul, compelled by the Spirit, decides to return to Jerusalem, where, as the Holy Spirit warns him, he faces many trials and hardships. Paul resolutely goes in obedience to the Holy Spirit’s leading – vs 13-38

Acts 21:

1.  On the way back to Jerusalem, Paul stops in Caesarea where he receives a prophesy by the Holy Spirit through the prophet Agabus. Paul is told that the Jews in Jerusalem are going to have him imprisoned and handed over to the Gentiles – vs 10-11

2.  This prophesy comes to be – vs 27-40 and chapters 22-26

Acts 27 & 28 – Paul’s journey to Rome

1.  Paul warns the centurion assigned to guard him that their voyage would be disastrous with loss of ship and cargo. Centurion doesn’t listen – 27:10-11

2.  Shortly after leaving Crete they run into a violent storm of hurricane strength just as Paul predicted, the cargo is lost, and the ship is wrecked – 27:13-44

3.   An angel of God visits Paul one night and tells him the ship will run aground on an island but his life and the lives of all who sail with him will be saved – 27:23-26

4.  Paul witnesses to the soldiers and the ship’s crew by encouraging them to eat and by giving thanks to God for the meal in the middle of the storm – 27:4-38

5.  The ship runs aground, the centurion saves Paul’s life from the soldiers and everybody reaches shore safely on Malta – 27:42-44

6.  Paul is bitten by a poisonous snake but suffers no ill effects, this is a powerful witness to the islanders - 28:1-6

7.   Paul is shown favour by the chief official of the island and is invited to stay at his house. Paul prays for the official’s sick father and he is healed. After this the rest of the sick on the island came to Paul and they were healed – 28:7-10

8.  After 3 months on Malta Paul finally sets sail for Rome – 28:11-14

9.  Paul lived under house-arrest in Rome and was allowed to preach the gospel without hindrance – 28:17-31

And now Church let's take hold of these scriptures addressed to the Church from Paul himself:

1 Cor 4:15-16 

Even if you had ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. 16 Therefore I urge you to imitate me.

1 Cor 11:1 

Follow (imitate) my example, as I follow (imitate) the example of Christ.

May the name of Jesus be lifted up and glorified!

An extract from my book: Fan Into Flame: Life in the Spirit available on Paperback:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1798692120

Getting to know the Holy Spirit: After Pentecost - How did the disciples move in the power of the Holy Spirit? Part 1.

How did the disciples move in the power of the Holy Spirit after Pentecost? 
Acts Chapters 3 - 12

Acts 3:

1. Peter heals a lame beggar – vs 1-10

2. Peter boldly speaks to the Jewish crowd about Jesus, whom they killed, being the Messiah the Old testament prophets spoke about – vs 11-26.

Acts 4:

1. The apostles continue to preach Jesus boldly and the number of believers increases to    about 5000 – vs 1-4

2.  Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, speaks boldly to the religious leaders of Jerusalem – vs 8-21

3.  The believers get together and pray and one of their prayers is that the Lord would give them boldness to speak the Word and for the Lord to stretch out his hand to heal and perform signs and wonders – vs 23-30

This prayer was answered immediately:

Acts 4:31 (NIV)

After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

4. The believers come together in unity, sharing all their possessions and nobody went       without and the apostles continued to testify of the resurrection of Jesus with great power – vs 32-37

Acts 5:

1.   Ananias and Sapphira die suddenly after lying to God – vs 1-11

2.   Fear of God seized the whole church – vs 11

3.   Many healings, miracles, signs and wonders are performed by the apostles – vs 12-16

4.  The apostles are persecuted by the high priest and Sadducees, arrested and thrown in prison but are miraculously released by an angel of the Lord – vs 17-41

Acts 6 & 7

1.   God uses Spirit filled people to spread the Word and reach the lost – 6:3-7

2.   The Holy Spirit empowers Stephen to perform great signs and wonders and to face     persecution and death without flinching – 6:8-15; 7:all

Acts 8

1.   Philip in the power of the Holy Spirit performs many signs and wonders, healings and demonic deliverance – vs 4-8

2.  The laying on of hands facilitates the impartation of the Holy Spirit to others who desire to be Spirit filled – vs 9-25

3. An angel of the Lord instructs Philip to leave Jerusalem and go to Gaza where he witnesses to an Ethiopian eunuch and baptizes him. The eunuch then carries on his journey taking the gospel with him – vs 26-39

4. The Holy Spirit supernaturally transports Philip to another town after baptizing the eunuch and there he starts preaching the gospel in Caesarea – vs 39-40

Acts 9:
1. Saul’s miraculous conversion from Christian persecutor-in-chief to Gospel preacher-in-chief, instigated by the Lord in the power of the Holy Spirit – vs 1-30

2. The Holy Spirit encourages the Church – vs 31

3. Peter travels around the country visiting the Church and heals a paralytic called Aeneas and prays over a dead woman, Dorcas, and sees her life restored – vs 32-42

Acts 10:
1. Cornelius, a Gentile and a Roman centurion, has a vision of an angel of God who tells him to send for Peter. Cornelius obeyed immediately and sent three men to fetch Peter – vs 1-8

Some important facts to remember about Cornelius:

· He was devout and God-fearing

· He prayed regularly

· He gave generously

· He recognized that God was speaking to him

· God answered his prayers

2. Peter’s vision – vs 9-23

Some important facts about Peter’s vision:

· The vision was God’s way of preparing him to mix with Gentiles who were considered by    Jews to be unclean. Confirmed in vs 28-29

· Peter heard the Holy Spirit telling him to go with the three men that Cornelius had sent to fetch him

· Peter is obedient and goes with the three men

3. Peter at the house of Cornelius – vs 23-48

· Cornelius tells Peter that he and his household were there so that they could hear everything that the Lord commands Peter to tell them – vs 30-33

· Peter speaks and tells them all about Jesus and the gospel of salvation – 34-43

· The Holy Spirit came upon all those that were listening to Peter and they started speaking in tongues. The Jews were astonished that the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles – vs 44-46

· All the Gentiles were then water baptized – vs 47-48

Acts 12:
1. Peter miraculously released from prison by an angel – vs 1-19

2. Herod struck down by an angel of the Lord and died – vs 21-23

3. The word of God continued to spread and flourish – vs 24

May the name of Jesus be lifted up and glorified!