A Spirit-Led Church - Revival Booklet #3

 A Spirit-Led Church – Revival Booklet #3

New Creation
2 Corinthians 5:17-18 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. (Reconciliation = to make friendly)

Important butterfly message

1 Corinthians 12:1-3 Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

Paul also explains that the Holy Spirit decides who receives each gift.

Men are to live for Christ using his spiritual gifts. With love in my heart for you, I must share 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

Pray this Life-Changing Prayer:

Dear God, I know that You love me, and I know that You want to save me. I am a sinner. My sin deserves judgment and will receive judgment unless I get saved. But Lord, I want to be saved. Jesus, You died to save me. You promised to save me if I would trust You. I do trust You.” Tell Him that. “I do right now. Lord Jesus, I receive You as my Lord and Savior. Come into my heart. Forgive my sin. Save me. I believe You’re the Son of God. I believe You paid for my sin with Your blood. I believe that You were raised from the dead. I believe it and I receive it. And now begin to make me the person You want me to be, and help me never to be ashamed of You. In Your holy name I pray, Amen.

We the spirit of truth that lives in me, and I, a new creation had the privilege of attending a spirit-led church. Each member was using his spiritual gifts. I was overwhelmed with love and didn’t want the workshop to end.

1.        Humble Service in the Body of Christ

a.        Romans 12:3-8 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with somber judgement, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, they prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. 

 

3.    Each born again, new creation, must seek a spiritual gift from God in order to lead a spirit-led life as a new creation. The gift is to be used as a daily walk with Jesus. To receive your spiritual gift as a new creation, take a gift test.

A  A Spirit-Led Church

4.     Years ago, I had the privilege of attending a workshop of a spirit-led church. I attended a spirit-led church and each member (part of the body) was using their spiritual gift. I didn’t want for the day to end as I was overwhelmed by love. The new creation church will grow fast in size and love as members of Christ’s body. God’s promise!! My Lord has super blessed me with the gift of faith yoked to Jesus. Matthew 11:28-30 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yolk is easy and my burden is light."

Humbly submitted in my Father God’s name, Yahweh, and me, a new creation living the gift of faith 24/7. What an exciting life we live in Jesus! My witness John 14:19-21 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them. My Lord, Jesus Christ, is alive and well living in me and we love you very much.

To discover your spiritual gift, go to your computer, and Google (“GiftsTest.com”. Click here. Sign up.) You will become a functioning new creation. Please use your gift wisely.

 

Ten Characteristics of a Spirit-Led Church

1. Fear of the Lord

Worship has never been about bringing God down to our level but about worshiping God for who He is. When we have a sense of awe and godly fear in the presence of God, we carry an awareness of His presence through the week and live in obedience to Him.

2. Desire for the Holy Spirit's Fullness

Although I regularly preach on the holy lifestyle God calls His children to live, in the past twenty-eight years of pastoral ministry, I've preached more on the Spirit-filled life than any other topic. Without a yieldedness to the Holy Spirit and a hunger for His power, no matter how free from worldliness our lives may be, they will be empty and shallow. Having a desire for the power of the Holy Spirit means we move from self-reliance to God-reliance in every facet of our lives.

3. Fervent preaching

Biblical preaching that lifts up Christ and boldly declares the truths of His Word is the great need of the hour. As E.M. Bounds rightly said, "The power of Christ's dispensation is a fiery pulpit. Not a learned pulpit, not a popular pulpit, not an eloquent pulpit, but a pulpit on fire with the Holy Ghost."

4. Doctrinal teaching

Nothing is as important as the doctrines of the Word of God. The early Christians saved at Pentecost continued first in the Apostles' doctrine. With the emphasis on doctrine -- the clear teaching of God's Word -- they continued in fellowship and prayer. The doctrine of the Apostles was the natural backdrop for teaching young Christians the lifestyle set forth by those doctrines. To reverse the pattern -- teaching what we do before teaching what we believe -- is to give people the fruit without helping them develop the root.

5. Fervent prayer

One of the overriding characteristics in the early church was prayer. Prayer was their source of power, comfort, courage, and hope, and it was the underlying force for their witness, faithfulness, and growth. A church without frequent times of fervent prayer is a church without power.

6. Loving fellowship

We easily connect the two words fervent prayer in our minds. But what about fervent love? Indeed, the early church was a loving church -- a church with an intense spirit of love fore one another to bear burdens, sacrificially give, and gladly fellowship.

7. Sacrificial spirit

The natural outflow of love is sacrifice. As Amy Carmichael once said, "You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving."

8. Obedient witness

The early church not only witnessed in the power of the Holy Spirit, but they did so in spite of intense persecution. A Spirit-led church is a church that witnesses for Christ regularly, passionately, and faithfully -- regardless of the obstacles.

9. Gracious spirit

A Spirit-led church overflows with the grace of God. And that grace will never be more evident than it is in the relationships within the church. Whether it be the member to member, member to pastor, or pastor to member relationship, every relationship in the church should set forth the graciousness of Spirit-filled people. A bickering, quarreling church is not likely to see the supernatural power of God.

10. Dedicated ministry

While the first characteristic we saw -- the fear of the Lord -- is an attitude of the heart, this characteristic -- dedicated ministry -- is the corresponding outward action. To serve the Lord is to obey His will by obeying His commands. And a Spirit-led church will be focused on obeying Christ's command to preach the gospel in its community and around the world.

To see the power of God in our churches, and spiritual fruit for our efforts, we need to return to a dependence on and yieldedness to the Holy Spirit of God.

Matthew 11:28-30 NIV "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yolk is easy and my burden is light."

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Humble Service in the Body of Christ  
Romans 12:3-8 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with somber judgement, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. 

Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit 

John 14:15-21 “If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever – the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” 

As a gifted and blessed prophet, we can assure you that using your spiritual gift will yield great joy for it is God’s will for your life in Christ.

We the Spirit of Truth, that lives in me, and I  new creation, did not want this witness workshop to end; we felt so loved and accepted.

The Great Commission

Matthew 28:18-20 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always to the very end of the age.”

The Day of the Lord

Joel 2:28-29 “And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old me will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.”

In a dream, I saw Jesus. I was standing at the foot of the cross and looked up into his eyes. I could see the tremendous pain. After awhile, the pain turned to love. Soon the love overshadowed the pain. He spoke to my heart and said “I do this for you.” As I turned to walk away, he commanded me “Tell someone about me.”

I was so overwhelmed with love and acceptance that I did not want the workshop to end.