THE VOCAL GIFTS These gifts release what God says — through the body of Christ.

THE GIFT OF PROPHECY “…to another prophecy…” — 1 Corinthians 12:10

A Spirit-given word spoken in the language of the people for a specific, timely, Spirit-breathed purpose.

The Job Description — 1 Corinthians 14:3 “The one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort.”

Before delivering any prophetic word — ask: 

☐ Does it strengthen someone who is weak? 

☐ Does it encouragesomeone who is discouraged? 

☐ Does it comfort someone who is grieving or afraid? 

If the answer is no to any of three — hold it.

PAUL’S GUIDELINES FOR PROPHECY — 1 Corinthians 14

1. It must be ordered — not chaotic (v.29–33) Two or three at most, one at a time, with the body weighing what is said.“God is not a God of disorder but of peace.” — 1 Corinthians 14:33

2. It must be tested — not automatically received (v.29) The Greek word diakrinō — to carefully evaluate and distinguish. Ask: Is it Scriptural? Does it strengthen, encourage, and comfort? Does it bear fruit? Is it confirmed by spiritual leadership? “Test everything. Hold on to what is good.” — 1 Thessalonians 5:21

3. It must build up the church — not showcase the individual (v.4, 12) “Try to excel in those that build up the church.”— 1 Corinthians 14:12 Before you speak — ask honestly: “Is this for the church — or is this for me?”

4. It must align with Scripture — never replace it (v.37) No prophetic word carries the authority of the written Word of God. The Bible is always the senior voice in the room.

5. It must be offered — not forced (v.32) “The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets.” You are responsible for how you steward this gift.

PASTORAL DIRECTION — HOW WE HANDLE PROPHECY AT NEW LIFE

In a service: Feel a word during worship? Bring it to a pastor or elder. We will weigh it together. If it is to be shared — it goes through the platform and the microphone so the whole church hears it, including our online family, and so it can be recorded.

Offer it humbly — “I feel like the Lord may be saying…” Never as a command or decree. Let the group weigh it together.

Privately to an individual: Never alone — have another believer present. Keep a record. Encourage them to weigh it with a pastor or elder.

We will never allow: Public rebuke or accusation framed as prophecy. Words that claim to expose hidden sin. Words that bypass pastoral confirmation. Words that contradict Scripture.

We will always welcome: Words that strengthen the weary. Words that encourage the discouraged. Words that comfort the grieving.

Prophecy at its best is not spectacular — it is surgical. It lands on the right person at the right moment with exactly what they needed to hear.

THE GIFT OF TONGUES “…to another speaking in different kinds of tongues…” — 1 Corinthians 12:10

Two distinct operations — both from the same Spirit:

OPERATION ONE — Personal Prayer Language (1 Cor. 14:2, 4) A private prayer language between you and God. Your spirit bypasses your natural mind and prays the perfect will of God. Available to every believer — not just pastors, not just the especially spiritual. “I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.” — 1 Corinthians 14:18

OPERATION TWO — Corporate Gift of Tongues (1 Cor. 12:10; 14:27–28) A Spirit-given utterance spoken publicly in a congregational gathering. Always followed by interpretation — without it the church is not edified. Together with interpretation, functions as prophecy — a complete word from God to the congregation.

The Promise: “The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off — for all whom the Lord our God will call.” — Acts 2:39

THE INTERPRETATION OF TONGUES “…and to still another the interpretation of tongues.” — 1 Corinthians 12:10

The completing gift — the other half of the equation. Public tongues and interpretation belong together the way a lock belongs with a key. Not a word-for-word translation — Spirit-given meaning delivered to the body.

When a public tongues utterance is given — open your spirit and wait. Ask: “Lord, what are You saying to Your people right now?” Receive what comes — an impression, a phrase, a picture, a sense of a message. Offer it in humility: “I believe the Lord is saying…”

When these two gifts operate together in proper order — something shifts. People who came in carrying doubt leave carrying a word. People who came in broken leave knowing God has not forgotten them.

THE COMPLETE PICTURE — ALL NINE GIFTS:

Nine gifts. One Spirit. One purpose — for the common good.

THE CHARGE: Desire the gifts. Pursue the love. Let the Holy Spirit use you — for the glory of God and the good of the people around you.

“Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.” — 1 Corinthians 12:31

That is why you were filled. That is why the fire has not gone out. That is why you are here today.

“To each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” — 1 Corinthians 12:7

The Holy Spirit is not stingy. He gave every Spirit filled believer a supernatural gift to be opened, activated, and used for God’s glory and the good of the people around you.

THE REVELATION GIFTS What the Spirit reveals — seeing what God sees

THE WORD OF WISDOM 
A Spirit-prompted word of divine clarity for a specific situation or decision. “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all.” — James 1:5 Example: Solomon and the two mothers — 1 Kings 3 To activate: Ask → Quiet yourself → Trust the impression → Speak it humbly

THE WORD OF KNOWLEDGE 
A supernatural revelation of a fact about a person or situation you could not naturally know. “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did.” — John 4:29 Example: Jesus and the woman at the well — John 4 To activate: Pray → Receive the impression → Offer it gently → Watch God move

THE DISCERNING OF SPIRITS 
The supernatural ability to identify the spiritual source behind a person, teaching, or atmosphere. “Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God.” — 1 John 4:1 Example: Paul and the slave girl — Acts 16:16–18 To activate: Know the Holy Spirit intimately → Stay grounded in the Word → Pray for spiritual perception

THE POWER GIFTS What the Spirit does — doing what only God can do

THE GIFT OF FAITH 
A sudden, Spirit-given certainty that God will act in a specific, impossible situation. Example: Elijah on Mount Carmel — 1 Kings 18 To activate: Pray until something settles → When the confidence comes — speak it, believe it, act on it

THE GIFTS OF HEALING 
Spirit-given ability to be a conduit of God’s restoring power to the sick — physical, emotional, inner, and deliverance healing. “Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray.” — James 5:14 Example: Peter and the lame man — Acts 3:1–10 To activate: Ask → Anoint → Pray in faith → Expect God to move

THE WORKING OF MIRACLES 
Supernatural intervention in the natural order — God overriding what is impossible. “Do whatever he tells you.” — John 2:5 Example: Water into wine — John 2:1–11 To activate: Obey even when it makes no sense → Create the conditions → Trust God for the result

REMEMBER: These gifts are not behind museum glass. They are not reserved for another generation. They are yours — right now, today.

“Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.” — 1 Corinthians 12:31

UNWRAP YOUR GIFT: Ask God: “Which gift are You activating in me right now?” Create one opportunity this week to use it. Do it for His glory — not yours.

I. THE SPIRIT IS A GIVING SPIRIT (vv. 1–6)

“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them.” — v. 4

• Father, Son, Spirit — all three involved in distributing gifts to the Church
• The Trinity is a community of self-giving love; giving is not something God does — it is something God is
• The Spirit’s operating agenda (John 16): “He will glorify me”
• Gifts are not about building your platform — they are about displaying His presence

II. EVERY BELIEVER HAS A GIFT (v. 7a)

“Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given…”

• phanerōsis — a making visible, a disclosure, a proof of presence
• Gifts are God making Himself seen through yielded vessels
• Lie #1: “I’m not gifted.” — This contradicts Scripture. Each one.
• Lie #2: “Gifts are for super-Christians.” — Paul wrote to messy Corinthians

III. GOD IS GLORIFIED WHEN GIFTS ARE USED FOR THE COMMON GOOD (v. 7b)

“…the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.”

• Culture’s framework: inward (what makes you unique?)
• Paul’s framework: outward — and all the way up
• God is glorified when people are built up, the lost are found, the sick are healed
• The common good is the display of God’s glory in community
• The gifts are already distributed — the question is whether they are being deployed

IV. GOD IS GLORIFIED WHEN EVERY PART PARTICIPATES (vv. 12–27)

“Just as a body… has many parts… so it is with Christ.” — v. 12

• The body doesn’t exist to serve itself — it exists to carry out the will of the One it belongs to
• “The parts that seem to be weaker are indispensable.” — v. 22
• God’s pattern: shepherd boy, stuttering deliverer, teenage girl, uneducated fishermen, 120 in an upper room
• Four things that shut people down:
  • Fear — What if I’m wrong? What if it doesn’t work?
  • Passivity — Someone more qualified will do it.
  • Comparison — My gift doesn’t look like theirs.
  • Insecurity — I don’t even know what my gift is.

V. GOD IS GLORIFIED WHEN GIFTS OPERATE IN LOVE (13:1–3)

“If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong.” — 13:1

• 1 John 4:8 — Love is not one attribute among many. Love is His nature.
• The Spirit distributes gifts → extending God’s power
• The Spirit forms love → forming God’s character
• Gifts without love do not glorify God — they may impress, but they do not reveal
• Gifts = the expression of the Spirit’s presence
• Love = the nature of the Spirit’s presence

UNWRAP WHAT YOU’VE BEEN GIVEN

Every gift, when opened and used, brings Him glory. Every healing reflects His power. Every prophecy confirms His knowledge. Every word of encouragement reveals His heart. Every act of service displays His love.

A gift unwrapped is not just a gift withheld from the person it was meant to reach. It is glory withheld from the God who gave it.

So open it. Use it. Offer it in love. Let Him be seen.

“Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” — Matthew 5:16

Acts 2:1–4 | Day of Pentecost

Central Truth: The same Holy Ghost fire poured out at Pentecost is still burning today — and God is calling His Church to step into dunamis power.

I. THE PROMISE WAS FULFILLED — “Fully Come” (Acts 2:1)

• Pentecost is the New Covenant fulfillment of the Old Covenant given at Sinai
• At Sinai: the Law was written on stone — outward obedience
• At Acts 2: the Spirit is written on hearts — inward power
• Joel prophesied it (Joel 2:28–29) | Jesus commanded it | The Spirit delivered it
• “The promise is for you, your children, and all who are far off” — Acts 2:39

II. THE FIRE STILL BURNS — Wind, Fire, and Tongues (Acts 2:2–4)

• Wind — God’s Spirit has always moved as wind (Job 38; Ezekiel 1; 1 Kings 19)
• Fire — a manifestation of God’s presence; it rested on each of them — not just leaders
• Tongues — a prayer language between you and God; boldness to witness to the world
• The world didn’t understand it then; the world doesn’t understand it now — but it’s still power

III. THE SHIFT IS HAPPENING — Logos to Dunamis

• Logos power: divine, creative power released through the spoken Word
• Dunamis power: explosive, supernatural force — the root of “dynamite”
• God empowered us to: heal the sick | cast out demons | raise the dead | preach the gospel
• “The Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you” — Romans 8:11
• Satan has no authority over us — he lost it at the cross

IV. THE FIRE IS FOR YOU — Come to the Altar

• You were not created to live a powerless life
• You were created to walk in miracles, speak with authority, and call things that are not as though they are
• Whatever is holding you down must submit to the authority of Jesus Christ
• “Afterward I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh” — Joel 2:28

1 Corinthians 12:1–11

You are not just filled with the Spirit — you are entrusted with His gifts for others to bring glory to God.

THE SPIRIT IS A GIVING SPIRIT — 1 Corinthians 12:4–6

Same Spirit. Same Lord. Same God — all of the Trinity involved in distributing gifts.

The Trinity is a community of self-giving love. The Spirit arrives equipped to equip.

The Spirit doesn’t just fill people. He equips them for God’s glory.

EVERY BELIEVER IS GIFTED — 1 Corinthians 12:7

“To each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given.”

Phanerōsis — a making visible, a proof of presence.

Gifts are not just tools. They are evidence the Spirit is active among us.

Two lies to reject:

• “I’m not gifted” — contradicts Scripture
• “Gifts are for super-Christians” — contradicts 1 Corinthians 12:7

Your gift is proof that the Spirit of God is alive and at work among us.

GIFTS ARE FOR THE COMMON GOOD — 1 Corinthians 12:7

“…given for the common good.“

World says: discover yourself. Kingdom says: give yourself.

Your gift is not proof of your spirituality. It is provision for someone else.

THE BODY NEEDS EVERY PART — 1 Corinthians 12:12–27

A body where only a few parts function is not healthy — it is in crisis.

“The parts that seem to be weaker are indispensable.” (v. 22)

What shuts people down:

• Fear / Passivity / Comparison / Insecurity

A silent church is not a Spirit-filled church.

GIFTS MUST BE CARRIED IN LOVE — 1 Corinthians 13:1–2

Gifts without love = noise. Power without love = harm.

The Spirit gives gifts so the Church can function and bring glory to God. He forms love so the Church doesn’t destroy itself in the process.

RESPOND

1. Repent of passivity — “God, I have been sitting this out.”
2. Ask — “Holy Spirit, what gift have You placed in me?”
3. Step out — Pray for someone. Encourage someone. One small step of faith before you leave.

When Fire Falls

Pentecost was not God visiting His people — it was God moving in permanently.

WHAT IS PENTECOST?

Pentecost means fifty — the fiftieth day after Passover. Old Testament names: Feast of Weeks / Feast of Harvest / Day of First Fruits (Exodus 23, 34; Numbers 28; Deuteronomy 16)

One of the three great pilgrimage feasts of Israel. At its core: a harvest celebration — God is the God of the harvest.

THE ORIGINAL FIFTY DAYS — Exodus 19

God’s offer at Sinai: “You will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” (v. 6)

The fire of God rested on a location. The people could not enter.

1,500 years later — Acts 2:1–4

At Sinai, God gave Israel a law to live by.
At Pentecost, God gave the Church a Person to live in.

Romans 8:1–4 — The Law could not do what the Spirit now does in us. God didn’t upgrade the Law. He replaced the operating system.

WHAT THE FIRE MEANS — Three Things Fire Signals

God is near — Burning bush (Exodus 3) 
God is holy — Sinai; Isaiah 6 (the coal, the lips, the commissioning) 
God is powerful — 1 Kings 18 (fire consuming the water-soaked sacrifice)

In the old covenant, people traveled to where God dwelled. In the new covenant, God travels in His people. (1 Cor. 3:16; 6:19)

THE DE-BABELIZATION OF MANKIND — Genesis 11 → Acts 2

At Babel: shem (name/authority) + shamayim (heavens/God’s dwelling) → Humanity tried to seize heaven’s authority. God scattered them.

At Pentecost: Every nation gathered. Every language hears the wonders of God. → God gives heaven’s authority freely to all who call on His name.

Babel was humanity saying ‘look at us.’ Pentecost is the Spirit saying ‘look at Jesus.’
Babel humanity separated by human language. Pentecost humanity united by heavenly language.

Acts 2:39 — “The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off.”

THE PROMISE IS FOR YOU — Acts 2:38–39

The question some ask: Isn’t Spirit-baptism the same as salvation?

• John 20:22 — Jesus breathes on disciples: “Receive the Holy Spirit.” Regeneration.
• Acts 1:5 — Jesus tells those same disciples to wait for Spirit-baptism. Distinction.
• Acts 19:1–6 — Paul finds disciples in Ephesus. Two separate moments. Confirmation.

Romans 8:9 — Every believer has the Spirit. Acts 1:8 — Every believer is promised Spirit-baptism and power.

You were not designed to carry a candle. You were designed to light a fire.

Fire Falls on Sacrifice — 1 Kings 18

Elijah rebuilt the broken altar. (God doesn’t need a perfect history — just a rebuilt altar.) Elijah drenched it — made it humanly impossible. Then the fire fell. It consumed the sacrifice, the wood, the stone, the water.

The authority of heaven is not seized. It is given. You lay something down. The fire falls.

I. Introduction

• Many individuals with disabilities go unnoticed or are hidden
• Statistic:
  • 1 in 5 Americans (≈65 million people) have a disability
  • Over 85% do not attend church
• Big Idea:
  • We must learn to see what is unseen in order to do what feels impossible
• Transition:
  • Before understanding disability, we must understand God’s truth about people

II. Scriptural Foundations

A. Created in the Image of God

• Genesis 1:27
• Every person has inherent worth and dignity
• Value is based on who God is, not ability

B. The Work and Glory of God

• John 9:1–3
• Disabilities can display:
  • The work of God
  • The glory of God

C. Indispensable Members of the Body

• 1 Corinthians 12:23
• Those seen as “weaker” are indispensable
• Every person matters in the body of Christ

D. Divinely Designed Lives

• Psalm 139:16
• Every life is:
  • Known
  • Planned
  • Purposed by God

III. Understanding Disabilities

A. Types of Disabilities

• Autism Spectrum
• Cognitive/Intellectual
• Hearing Loss/Deafness
• Learning Disabilities
• Physical Disabilities
• Social/Emotional Impairments
• Speech/Language Disabilities
• Visual Impairments

B. Invisible Disabilities

• Not immediately obvious
• Can lead to:
  • Misunderstanding
  • Judgment
• Example:
  • Accessible parking skepticism

IV. Perception vs. Reality

A. The Power of Perception

• Perception drives:
  • Choices
  • Actions
  • Reactions
• Misperception leads to:
  • Assumptions of incompetence
  • Missed opportunities to love

V. Biblical Case Study: The Road to Emmaus

• Luke 24:13–35

A. The Journey

• Two followers walk with Jesus
• They do not recognize Him

B. The Reality

• Jesus is present, but unseen
• Scripture says they were “kept from recognizing Him”

C. The Revelation

• Recognition happens when:
  • They sit with Him
  • He breaks bread

D. Key Insight

• Sometimes we don’t see clearly until we:
  • Slow down
  • Sit with people
  • Share life together

VI. Other Moments of Unrecognition

A. Among the Disciples

• Luke 24:36–43; John 20:19–29
• Mistook Jesus for a ghost

B. Mary in the Garden

• John 20:11–18
• Mistook Jesus for a gardener

C. Disciples Fishing

• John 21:1–23
• Recognized Jesus after a miracle

D. Pattern

• Jesus was present…
• But not recognized immediately

VII. The Power of Revelation

A. Eyes Opened

• Occurs in God’s timing
• Happens through relationship and encounter

B. Breaking of Bread

• Represents:
  • Fellowship
  • The Lord’s Supper
  • Connection and relationship
  • Openness and belonging

C. Key Truth

• Recognition often follows relationship

VIII. Connection to Disabilities

A. The Parallel

• Just like Jesus was unseen:
  • People with disabilities are often unseen or misunderstood

B. Two Realities

• Invisible disabilities → misunderstood
• Visible disabilities → hidden or excluded

C. God’s Perspective

• God sees fully
• Nothing is hidden from Him

D. Our Responsibility

• We must choose to:
  • See
  • Engage
  • Understand

IX. The Power of Relationship

• We begin to truly see people when we:
  • Spend time with them
  • Listen to them
  • Do life with them
• Just like Emmaus:
  • Recognition comes through relationship

X. Testimonies (Examples of Seeing the Invisible)

• Noah 
• Grayson
• Tyler
• Michael
• Matt
• Monica
• Jayden
• Destiny

XI. Application: Living It Out

A. To Truly See People

• Move beyond first impressions
• Look past ability and behavior

B. To Activate Gifts

• Help individuals discover and use their God-given purpose

C. To Build Relationships

• Choose presence over assumption
• Choose connection over comfort

XII. Conclusion

• Jesus’ journey to Emmaus shows:
  • The power of recognition
  • The importance of relationship
• When we choose to see the invisible:
  • We create space for God to move
• Final Challenge:
  • See what others overlook
  • Engage those who are unseen
  • Trust God to do the impossible through it

It’s Time To Grow Up

Hebrews 5:12 · Pastor Gabe Cole

SERVING FROM THE WRONG PLACE

Serving can become a facade — a mask that covers the absence of real intimacy with God. The danger isn’t serving itself, it’s serving as a substitute for relationship.

עָבַד (Avad) — “to serve, to work”

“The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to avad it and take care of it.” — Genesis 2:15

The same word is used for Israel’s brutal slavery under Pharaoh. Same word. Same action. What changed? Who they were “avad’ing”.

Burnout’s #1 cause among Christians: 

“Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”

Luke 5:15–16

Jesus was showing us: nothing is more important than your relationship with the Father. Not your job. Not your school. Not your ministry.

Serving comes from the overflow — you can’t give what you don’t have.

WORKS VS. SITTING AT HIS FEET

Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38–42) — One was doing the right things for the wrong reason. One chose the better thing.

The fear of Matthew 7:21–23:

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven… Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'”Matthew 7:21–23

“What good is serving if you’re not sitting at His feet?”

IT’S TIME TO GROW UP — HEBREWS 5:12

“For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food.”Hebrews 5:12

It’s time to take responsibility for the life God gave you. We love to play the blame game — it’s in our nature (Genesis 3). But as Christians, we have three real enemies:

1. THE WORLD
2. THE DEVIL
3. THE FLESH (YOURSELF)

The devil can only work in children of disobedience — not you. Take dominion.

“Passive” and “Christian” don’t belong in the same sentence. There is a cost to discipleship, and you cannot separate salvation from it. This is the elementary stuff Hebrews is talking about.

THE PARABLE OF THE TALENTS — MATTHEW 25:14–30

Salvation is the beginning, not the end.

Imagine standing before God and saying: “Master, I know you gave me this incredible gift of salvation and grace — but I was afraid. So I hid it. I didn’t share it. I didn’t increase it. I just did nothing.”

• What legacy do you want to leave?
• What account do you want to give God?
• Are you living for the bare minimum — or are you living like somebody died for you?

THIS WEEK

• Spend time sitting at His feet before you serve — let it flow from the overflow
• Ask yourself: Is my service covering for a lack of relationship?
• Take responsibility for your spiritual growth — stop blaming the world, the devil, or your circumstances
• Use the gifts and grace He gave you — don’t bury them

“Start living like somebody died for you.”

Filled – Power For Mission

Acts 2.1-6

THE GREATEST HONOR IN HUMAN HISTORY

Jesus — risen, all authority in His hands — looked at ordinary, frightened, sometimes faithless people and said: “You will be my witnesses.” Not angels. Not a spiritual elite. Fishermen. Doubters. People who fell asleep in Gethsemane. And YOU!!

“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you — and you will be my witnesses.” — Acts 1:8

This is not a suggestion. It is a declaration over your life.

HOLY SPIRIT POWER IS NOT PRIVATE (Acts 1:8)

Dunamis — raw, explosive, transformative power. But watch the grammar: “You will receive power… and you will be my witnesses.” The and is not incidental. It’s for our direction.

• Bezalel (Exodus 31) — filled with the Spirit to build the Tabernacle. Not for himself. For the worship of a nation.
• Samson — treated the anointing as a personal resource. Ended up blind, grinding grain.
• Saul — used God’s gift to secure his own position. The Spirit departed.

The Spirit is not a power or possession to be used. He is a Person of the Trinity and on a mission. When you are filled — you are caught up into His mission.

MISSION IS NOT A PROGRAM. IT’S A POSTURE.

Martys — witness — is a legal term. Someone who reports what they personally experienced. Not an argument. A testimony.

The Four Lepers Outside Samaria (2 Kings 7:3–9) The city is starving. The enemy has fled. The lepers find the feast — and start hoarding it. Then one stops: “What we’re doing is not right. This is a day of good news and we are keeping it to ourselves.”

The city is starving. The provision is real. And they are keeping it to themselves.

The Man Born Blind (John 9:25) No theology degree. No defense prepared. Just one line: “One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see.”

“The Spirit doesn’t require you to win debates. He empowers you to tell the truth about what He has done.”

THE GIFTS ARE NOT FOR YOU (1 Corinthians 12:7)

“To each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” Every gift — prophecy, healing, encouragement, teaching, mercy — has someone else built into its purpose.

Manna in the Wilderness (Exodus 16) God said don’t hoard it. The ones who tried — it bred worms and began to stink. In the same way, spiritual gifts hoarded become spiritual decay.

The Widow of Zarephath (1 Kings 17) She had one meal left. Elijah asked her to give it away first. She did — and the flour and oil didn’t run out for a year. The miracle didn’t happen until she released what she had.

“What you release becomes multiplied. What you hoard begins to rot.”

THE SPIRIT IS FORMING A SELF-GIVING PEOPLE

Christ is the most radically self-giving person who ever lived. Incarnation — self-giving. Ministry — self-giving. Cross — self-giving. The Spirit forms you into His image — which means outward, always.

The River from Ezekiel’s Temple (Ezekiel 47:1–9) Ankle deep. Knee deep. Waist deep. Too deep to cross. Wherever it flows — the Dead Sea becomes fresh. Everything lives. “Where the river flows, everything will live.”

You are the temple now. (1 Corinthians 3:16) The river is meant to flow out of you — into every room you enter.

“Rivers of living water will flow from within them.” — John 7:38

Not a pool. Not a reservoir. A river.

“Holy Spirit fills you to flow through you.”

THIS WEEK:

• Pray daily: “Holy Spirit, show me who needs You today — and use me.”
• Ask the lepers’ question: “What good news am I sitting on — and who needs to hear it?”
• Release one thing: a gift, a word, a prayer — to one specific person this week

The Promise Stands

Acts 1:1–5

THE MOST UNEXPECTED WORD

After the resurrection, Jesus doesn’t say go — He says “Wait.” (Acts 1:4)This isn’t hesitation. It’s strategy. Abraham waited 25 years. Joseph waited 13. Moses waited 40. David waited in a field after his anointing. God has always made His people wait before He sent them — because what happens in the waiting is the point

THEY HAD EVERYTHING AND STILL LACKED SOMETHING (Acts 1:3–4)

Moses had the Law, the burning bush, the parted sea — and still said: “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.” — Exodus 33:15

Revelation is not the same as the Presence. 
You can have the map and still need the Guide.

Moses prayed in Numbers 11:29 — “I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!” Moses was praying for Pentecost 400 years before it happened.

JESUS COMMANDS WAITING BEFORE WORKING (Acts 1:4)

Elijah called down fire on Carmel — then collapsed under a tree, burned out. God’s response wasn’t a new assignment. He fed him. Twice. “The journey is too great for you.” — 1 Kings 19:7

The prophet who called down fire needed to be filled before he could move again.

SALVATION IS NOT THE FINISH LINE (John 20:22 / Acts 1:5)

In Ezekiel 37, the bones came together — flesh, sinew, skin — but there was no breath. Then God said: prophesy to the breath. The ruach came in — and they stood up, a vast army.

• Stage 1: Formation without animation (bones assembled)
• Stage 2: Divine indwelling producing mobilization (ruach breathed in)

“The Lord God… breathed into his nostrils the breath of life.” — Genesis 2:7

THIS IS COVENANT, NOT EMOTIONALISM (Acts 1:4)

“I will pour out my Spirit on all people…” — Joel 2:28 “I will put my Spirit in you and move you…” — Ezekiel 36:27

When Moses finished the Tabernacle, the glory of the Lord filled it. (Exodus 40:34) You are now the Tabernacle. (1 Corinthians 6:19

PENTECOST DIDN’T START A DENOMINATION — IT STARTED AN ERA (Acts 2:1–4, 16–17)

Peter didn’t say “look what happened to us” — he said “This is what Joel prophesied.” “In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people…” — Acts 2:17

“The promise of the Spirit” is the content of the Abrahamic blessing for every believer. (Galatians 3:14) “We were all given the one Spirit to drink.”— 1 Corinthians 12:13

The label “Pentecostal” is 120 years old. The reality it describes is 2,000. You inherit a promise.

GOD FILLS HUNGRY PEOPLE (Acts 2:1–4)

“Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.” — Psalm 81:10 “I will pour water on the thirsty land… I will pour out my Spirit…” — Isaiah 44:3

The 120 in the upper room had no program, no production — just hunger, unity, and a promise. They didn’t earn the filling. They positioned themselves for it.

THIS WEEK:

• Create 10 minutes of daily silence before God — beak open (Psalm 81:10)
• Pray every morning: “Holy Spirit, fill me fresh today.”
• Fast one distraction — replace it with expectancy
• Ask honestly: “Where am I doing supernatural work in natural strength?”

RESURRECTION IS ENOUGH

Romans 1:1–4

“[Jesus] was appointed the Son of God in power… by his resurrection from the dead.” — Romans 1:4 (NIV)

The resurrection is God’s final declaration that Jesus is who He claimed to be—

and that everything He accomplished is fully sufficient.

The cross was the payment.

The resurrection is the receipt.

RESURRECTION IS ENOUGH TO JUSTIFY

Romans 4:25

• Jesus was delivered for our sins
• Raised for our justification (legal declaration: not guilty)
• The empty tomb = “Debt Paid. Case Closed.”

You are not overlooked—you are declared righteous.

RESURRECTION IS ENOUGH TO MAKE YOU NEW

Romans 6:1–5

• Not behavior modification → new nature
• “New life” = new in kind, not improved version
• United with Christ → you died and rose with Him

Christianity is not “try harder” — it’s die and rise to a new life.

You don’t need improvement—you need resurrection.

RESURRECTION IS ENOUGH TO GIVE YOU POWER TODAY

Romans 6:8–11

• Death no longer has mastery over Christ
• Therefore sin has no rightful authority over you
• “Count yourselves dead to sin” = reckon what is already true

You are not fighting for victory—you are fighting from it.

Stop obeying a master that lost its authority.

RESURRECTION IS ENOUGH TO BREAK SIN’S POWER

Romans 8:11

• The same Spirit who raised Jesus lives in you
• Not similar power—the same power

You are not powerless—you are resurrection-empowered.

Stop living like you’re empty when you’re connected to heaven’s power.

RESURRECTION IS ENOUGH FOR JESUS TO INTERCEDE FOR YOU

Romans 8:31–34 | Hebrews 7:25

• Jesus is alive, reigning, and interceding for you right now
• No accusation can stand—Christ speaks on your behalf

You are not forgotten.

You are not alone.

You are continually covered.

RESURRECTION IS ENOUGH TO AWAKEN LOVE FOR JESUS

1 John 4:19 | Romans 5:8 | John 20

• The cross demonstrates His love
• The resurrection makes that love personal and present

A dead Christ can be admired

A risen Christ can be known

A Study in the Final Phase of Jesus’ Ministry

THREE PHASES OF JESUS’ TEACHING

Phase 1 — External Teaching

Public proclamation to the crowds; signs, parables, and healings.

Phase 2 — Internal Teaching

Private discipleship; Jesus turns attention to forming his closest followers.

Matthew 16:16–17  ·  Peter’s Confession at Caesarea Philippi

Phase 3 — Preparation for the Holy Spirit

Jesus readies his disciples for his departure and the coming Comforter.

KEY EVENTS ON THE ROAD TO JERUSALEM

• Peter’s Great Confession Matthew 16:13–17  ·  Luke 9:21–26
• The Demon-Possessed Boy Jesus heals a boy his disciples could not, teaching on faith.
• Jesus Predicts His Death — Second Time
• Jesus Sends Out the Seventy-Two Jesus teaches the power of his name over all darkness.
• Jesus Predicts His Death — Third Time
• Arrival in Bethany Jesus learns of Lazarus’ illness; chooses to wait, then acts. John 11:11–15

THE PASSION WEEK — DAY BY DAY

Sunday

The Triumphal Entry

Jesus enters Jerusalem humbly, riding on a donkey — the King who comes in peace.

Monday

Cleansing the Temple

Jesus drives out those who had turned his Father’s house into a marketplace.Luke 19:46

Tuesday

Controversy and Teaching

Religious leaders challenge Jesus’ authority; Jesus responds with wisdom and warning.Luke 20:1–4

Wednesday

Betrayal Prepared

Judas Iscariot negotiates with the chief priests — thirty pieces of silver.Matthew 26:15

Thursday

The Last Supper & Gethsemane

Jesus institutes the Lord’s Supper, washes the disciples’ feet, and agonizes in prayer.Matthew 26:64

Friday

The Crucifixion

The Lamb of God is crucified — not a bone of him was broken, just as Scripture promised.Psalm 34:20

Saturday

The Tomb

Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus tenderly prepare Jesus’ body and lay him in the tomb.

Sunday

To Be Continued…

Even the historian Flavius Josephus could not ignore what happened next.

Hebrews 10:19–22 (NIV)

“Since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus… let us draw near to God.”

The ultimate purpose of the blood is not only forgiveness, redemption, cleansing, or victory.

The blood gives us access to God.

EVERYTHING THE BLOOD ACCOMPLISHES LEADS TO DRAWING NEAR TO GOD

Isaiah 59:2 — Sin separates us from God

Genesis 3 — Adam hid

Shame creates distance. Humanity has been hiding ever since

THE OLD TESTAMENT BARRIERS

• The court → sacrifices
• Holy place → first room
• Most Holy Place → God’s presence
• A veil separated people from God

The veil was not rejection — it was protection

WHY THE BARRIER EXISTED

God is holy and His glory is overwhelming:

• Infinitely holy (Isaiah 6:3)
• Holiness exposes (Hebrews 4:13)
• Power not just beauty (Hebrews 12:29)

EXAMPLES OF PROTECTIVE COVERINGS

• Moses covered (Exodus 33)
• Elijah shielded (1 Kings 19)
• Isaiah cleansed (Isaiah 6)

God wasn’t pushing people away. His holiness was too powerful to withstand

THE VEIL WAS MERCY

THE VEIL WAS TORN – A NEW MERCY REVEALED

Matthew 27:51 — The curtain was torn from top to bottom

God opened the way because the blood was shed

A NEW AND LIVING WAY

Hebrews 10:20 – Jesus is the way

WE NOW COME WITH CONFIDENCE

Without the blood:

• Fearful
• Distant
• Guilty

Through the blood:

• Bold
• Free
• Near

We come as sons and daughters

DRAW NEAR

Hebrews 10:22

Not just forgiveness — nearness

God didn’t just forgive you — He brought you home

WHAT DRAWING NEAR LOOKS LIKE

• Prayer — speaking to God with confidence anytime
• Worship — living aware of His presence
• Intimacy — God is not distant
• Confidence — you belong in His presence

The greatest gift is God Himself

You don’t visit His presence — You belong there

The Blood Forgives

Matthew 26:26–28

“This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”

Romans 3:23

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Isaiah 59:2

Your iniquities have separated you from your God.

Humanity’s greatest need is not improvement. It is forgiveness.

The Problem: Forgiveness Requires Blood

Hebrews 9:22

Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

Leviticus 17:11

The life of a creature is in the blood.

Sin requires a substitute.

Hebrews 10:4

It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

Points forward to Jesus.

The Person: Jesus Is the Perfect Sacrifice

Matthew 26:28

“This is my blood… poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”

John 1:29

“Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

Forgiveness = Removal of Sin

Psalm 103:12

As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

1 John 1:7

The blood of Jesus… purifies us from all sin.

The blood of Jesus is powerful enough to cleanse every stain.

Forgiveness = Cancelation of a Debt

In Scripture, forgiveness is a financial term.

Matthew 6:12

Forgive us our debts.

Sin creates a debt before God.

Our sin debt is impossible to repay.

The Blood of Jesus Settled the Debt

Colossians 2:13–14

He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, nailing it to the cross.

Your sin created a legal record. The blood of Jesus wiped it clean.

John 19:30 — “It is finished.”

The word tetelestai was written on ancient bills to mean: Paid in full!

The Blood Did What We Could Never Do

Ephesians 1:7

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins.

Because of the blood:

• The debt is paid
• The record is erased
• We are forgiven

The Blood Frees Us to Forgive Others

Ephesians 4:32

Forgive each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

We forgive because we have been forgiven – Our Motivation
We CAN forgive because we have been forgiven – Our Empowerment

True forgiveness means we stop making others pay by withholding:

• attention
• affection
• honor

The Costs of Unforgiveness

Unforgiveness is destructive.

1. Emotionally Draining

Keeping score is exhausting.

2. It Doesn’t Work

James 1:20

Human anger does not produce God’s righteousness.

3. Damages Your Relationship With God

Unforgiving people often assume God treats them the way they treat others.

4. Warps Your Theology

Unforgiveness says:

“The blood of Jesus is enough for God to forgive—
but not enough for me. I require more”

5. Kills Compassion

Forgiveness produces compassion.

I realize I am forgiven and I recognize you need the same forgiveness I have experienced.

Weekly Confession:

Through the blood of Jesus, my sins are forgiven.
My debt before God, has been canceled.
The record of my sin, has been nailed to the cross.
Jesus paid my debt in full. I am not condemned. I am forgiven.
Because I have been forgiven, I can and will forgive others.
Today I release every debt, and walk in freedom.

The Blood That Sanctifies

Hebrews 13:11–14

Hebrews 13:12 (NIV)
“And so Jesus also suffered outside the city gate to make the people holy through his own blood.”

What Does Sanctification Mean?

Sanctify (hag-ee-ad’-zo) — to set apart for God’s purposes.

Sanctification means:

• Belonging exclusively to God
• Being separated for divine use
• Living aligned with God’s created purpose

John 17:19; Matthew 6:9

Jesus Suffered Outside the Camp

Hebrews 13:11–13

Under the Old Covenant:

• The sin offering’s blood went into the Holy Place
• The body of the sacrifice was burned outside the camp

Jesus fulfilled this pattern.

Then Hebrews gives a call: “Let us go to Him outside the camp.”

Sanctification involves separation.

Sanctification Is Ownership Language

1 Corinthians 6:19–20

“You are not your own; you were bought at a price.”

The price was His blood.

Sanctification describes what belonging to God looks like.

The Old Testament Pattern

Under the Old Covenant, blood sanctified:

• Priests
• Altars
• Temple vessels
• People

They belonged to God.

Now Jesus Sanctifies Us By His Blood

Under the Old Covenant:
Blood of bulls and goats was sprinkled on people and objects

Under the New Covenant:
The blood of Jesus is sprinkled on our hearts

Hebrews 10:10; 1 Peter 1:2

Sanctification Is Both Instant and Progressive

Instant Sanctification (Position)

Hebrews 10:10

Progressive Sanctification (Practice)

1 Thessalonians 4:3; Hebrews 10:14

What the Fruit of Sanctification Looks Like

A Sanctified Mind

Romans 12:2

“Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

Thinking changes.

A Sanctified Body

1 Corinthians 6:19–20

“Your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit.”

Your body becomes:

• A temple for God’s presence
• An instrument of righteousness
• A vessel for service

Romans 6:13

A Sanctified Heart

Ezekiel 36:26

“I will give you a new heart.”

Sanctification changes what you desire.

Psalm 37:4

Sanctification changes what you love.

A Sanctified Life

Colossians 3:12–14

Sanctification eventually becomes visible.

Matthew 7:16

Sanctification is the invisible work of God becoming visible in your life.

Why Sanctification Matters

Hebrews 12:14

“Make every effort to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.”

Holiness is not optional. But holiness comes through the blood.

Declaration

Through the blood of Jesus:

I am sanctified.
I am set apart for God.
I am holy.
I do not belong to sin.
I do not belong to the world.
My mind, heart, body, and life belong to the Lord.

THE BLOOD THAT CLEANSES THE CONSCIENCE

Hebrews 9:13–14

“How much more… will the blood of Christ… cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!”

Many believers are redeemed legally
but still live condemned internally.

WHAT IS THE CONSCIENCE?

The conscience is the inner moral witness.

Romans 2:15
Our consciences bear witness and our thoughts accuse or defend us.

The Conscience Can Be:

Defiled – Titus 1:15
Seared – 1 Timothy 4:2
Weak – 1 Corinthians 8:7
Guilty – Hebrews 10:2

Many Christians are forgiven by God
but still prosecuted by their own conscience.

THE PROBLEM OF A GUILTY CONSCIENCE

A guilty conscience produces:

• Shame
• Fear of prayer
• Avoidance of God
• Insecurity in worship
• Performance-based Christianity
• Self-punishment

With a GUILTY CONSCIENCE
you can be saved and still live spiritually timid.

But a CLEAN CONSCIENCE
leads to bold access.

Hebrews 10:22

“Having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience…”

Hebrews 9:14 says:

“…so that we may serve the living God.”

You cannot serve freely while internally condemned.
Freedom inside produces courage outside.

The Blood Reverses Eden

Romans 8:1

“There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

If God is not condemning you,
your conscience must not outrank God.

WITHOUT CLEANSING WORSHIP BREAKS DOWN

Psalm 24:3–4

“Who may ascend the mountain of the Lord?”

Jesus Opens the Way

We can live in continual worship.

Priests sprinkled blood → People accepted
Christ sprinkles hearts → Believers draw near

The blood makes worship possible.

BELIEVE THE BLOOD MORE THAN YOUR MEMORY

Hebrews 12:24 says:

The blood speaks a better word.

Which voice will you agree with?

WALKING IN A CLEAN CONSCIENCE

Confess Specifically

1 John 1:9 – Bring sin into the light.

Receive Fully

Do not confess and then re-punish yourself.

Reject Ongoing Self-Accusation

Agree with Scripture, not shame.

Weekly Confession

Through the blood of Jesus,
my heart is sprinkled clean
I am free from a guilty conscience.
I will draw near to God and worship
with boldness and confidence