The Holy Spirit doesn't only want to be present, He doesn't only want to work in us - He wants to be 'manifest' (I Cor.12:7-10).
What child would say to his or her parents, "Thanks for these gifts - but can you make sure you only give me gifts at Christmas time please, not all the time, thanks".
We can receive the manifestation of Him, often!
And they're not superfluous gifts.
"Healing" for example, is "the children's bread" Jesus said. "Bread" isn't a superfluous gift, it was necessary food.
We can therefore desire and plan for the manifestation of the Spirit to be the norm each time the church gathers.
The Spirit is "sent"; He "comes"; "falls"; is "given"; can be "ministered" by a believer to other believers; He is to be "received"; He "touches"; "moves"; He comes "upon" a group; and everyone can be "filled" with Him, and filled with joy; He gives the "manifestation" of Himself to every man so a whole group benefits.
He manifests Himself in our meetings by giving to each man: either the word of wisdom; and/or the word of knowledge; faith; the gifts of healing; the working of miracles; prophecy; discerning of spirits; divers kinds of tongues; and/or the interpretation of tongues.
We are to "quench not" the Spirit; "resist not" the Spirit; "despise not" prophesyings; and "forbid not" to speak with tongues.
We can "stir up the gift that is in thee, through prophecy and the laying on of hands..." We can "earnestly desire" spiritual gifts; "covet them"; we can "seek to excel" in them; so that we "come behind in no gift".
The Holy Spirit. Not just present, but manifest. Each time we gather. Something we may desire. And can allow to happen, by including His manifestation in our concept of what is a 'normal' gathering; by deliberately allocating time for Him in our runsheet.
And then It's simply a matter of not drowning it out by persisting with more dominant expressions such as singing from the stage during that part of the service. And it will happen.
We can make this normal. Desire it.
What child would say to his or her parents, "Thanks for these gifts - but can you make sure you only give me gifts at Christmas time please, not all the time, thanks".
We can receive the manifestation of Him, often!
And they're not superfluous gifts.
"Healing" for example, is "the children's bread" Jesus said. "Bread" isn't a superfluous gift, it was necessary food.
We can therefore desire and plan for the manifestation of the Spirit to be the norm each time the church gathers.
The Spirit is "sent"; He "comes"; "falls"; is "given"; can be "ministered" by a believer to other believers; He is to be "received"; He "touches"; "moves"; He comes "upon" a group; and everyone can be "filled" with Him, and filled with joy; He gives the "manifestation" of Himself to every man so a whole group benefits.
He manifests Himself in our meetings by giving to each man: either the word of wisdom; and/or the word of knowledge; faith; the gifts of healing; the working of miracles; prophecy; discerning of spirits; divers kinds of tongues; and/or the interpretation of tongues.
We are to "quench not" the Spirit; "resist not" the Spirit; "despise not" prophesyings; and "forbid not" to speak with tongues.
We can "stir up the gift that is in thee, through prophecy and the laying on of hands..." We can "earnestly desire" spiritual gifts; "covet them"; we can "seek to excel" in them; so that we "come behind in no gift".
The Holy Spirit. Not just present, but manifest. Each time we gather. Something we may desire. And can allow to happen, by including His manifestation in our concept of what is a 'normal' gathering; by deliberately allocating time for Him in our runsheet.
And then It's simply a matter of not drowning it out by persisting with more dominant expressions such as singing from the stage during that part of the service. And it will happen.
We can make this normal. Desire it.
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