MIDWEEK GROUP DISCUSSION NOTES – HOLY SPIRIT AND GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT – “GOOD TO KNOW” SERIES

Hearing the Voice of God

• Many people in church’s and even here in our church ask these questions.
• “How can I hear God?”
• Sometimes the question is slightly different, “How can I learn to hear God’s voice more clearly?”
• “Why is God silent?”
• Rest assured, God has always been a speaking God, and God still speaks to us today. Fifteen times in the New Testament alone, Jesus says, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” Matthew 11:15 NASB
• John 10:27 “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;”
• The question then becomes why don’t we hear His voice? The answer is relatively simple, we are just not listening to the right voice. We need to tune in to the right frequency.

John 14:16-19 6 I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; 17 that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. 18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also.

The Holy Spirit

• Cielo Vista believes that The Holy Spirit is co-equal with God the Father and God the Son. He is present in the world to make people aware of their sin and their need for Jesus Christ as their Savior. He also lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation, providing power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance for obeying God.
• He gives every believer a spiritual gift when they are saved. As Christians, we seek to live under His control daily.
• These verses demonstrate the Holy Spirit’s Deity, God’s promise, His Omniscience, Omnipresence, and Omnipotence.
• In each of your groups read these scriptures carefully, then discuss the 3 questions at the end of the scriptures.
• 2 Corinthians 3:17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
• John 16: 7-13 But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. 8 And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me; 11 and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged. 12 “I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.
• Acts 1:8 “but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”
• 1 Corinthians 2:12 “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God.”

Questions:

1. Knowing that God, The Holy Spirit, indwells every believer, what does this mean to your everyday walk?
2. Can you honestly say that you rely and call on the Spirit in your everyday life? Why or why not?
3. What questions do you have about the Holy Spirit?

Spiritual Gifts

• Do you know that God is the most generous gift-giver you can ever know?
• When we are saved, God gives each of us a Spiritual Gift so that we can live for him and others.
• So, what are these gifts, and are they the same as talents?
• Both come from God; however, talents are like gifts that come naturally to everyone, whether you believe in God or not.
• Spiritual gifts are different. They’re only given to people who believe in Jesus Christ. These special gifts help us serve the Lord effectively and successfully.
• 1 Corinthians 12:4-7 4 There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. 5 There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. 6 God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us. 7 A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.
• We all have unique gifts, but they come from the same source. These gifts can be service-oriented or work-related, and they’re all meant to help others.

DIFFERENT KINDS OF GIFTS

PERSONAL GIFTS OR MANIFESTATION GIFTS.

• These gifts are given to individuals for the common good of the church (1 Corinthians 12:8-11).

MINISTRY GIFTS

• The ministry gifts are God’s way of showing believers how to serve others and meet their needs (1 Corinthians 12:7).

 MOTIVATIONAL GIFTS

• The motivational gifts are how the Spirit of Grace flows through us, inspiring our words and actions (Romans 12:4-8).

WARNING

• Romans 12:3-4 3 Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. 4 Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, 5 so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.
• The warning is not to think too highly of ourselves because our gifts are from God’s grace. We don’t earn them; He gives us them freely. So, we shouldn’t be proud of our gifts but instead use them humbly to serve others.

Group Questions:

1. Discuss the difference between a talent and a Spiritual Gift?
2. Have you identified your Spiritual Gift(s) and how are you using them to serve the local church?
3. Have you been selfish or prideful with the gifts that the Spirit of God has given you? What will you do to change this?

Lord Jesus, I admit that I am a sinner. I know that the penalty for my sin is physical, spiritual, and eternal death. I acknowledge that I can’t do anything about my situation. But I know that You came to pay the penalty for my sin. I trust in You alone as the One who died in my place. I repent of my sin and trust in You as the only One who can place me in an eternal relationship with the living God. I desire to be Your child. I desire to live as Your child. In Your name. Amen.

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