Many of the things we've learned about the Holy Spirit in today's churches, have been incomplete. Somehow, the Holy Spirit has taken a backseat to other teachings we receive after being saved. Many believe that His job is done. But, nothing can be further from the truth. Before and after we are saved, the Holy Spirit is the One Who has been entrusted with out new birth and growth as Christians.
John 14:26 (Amplified) says, "But the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Stand-by), The Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My Name (in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf). He will teach you all things. And He will cause you to recall (will remind you of, bring to your remembrance) everything I have told you."
Jesus said that the Holy Spirit was being sent in Jesus' stead and will represent and act on His behalf. 1Corinthians 12:11 (Amplified) tells us, "All these (gifts, achievements, abilities) these gifts of the Spirit, are inspired and brought to pass by One and the same (Holy) Spirit; Who apportions to each person individually (exactly) as He chooses."
The Holy Spirit is the One Who decides what gifts and which person, or persons, He will manifest the gifts through. As He indwells you, then you, at anytime, will have the potential for one or all of the gifts to flow through you (at His will).
Through revelation given him, Paul says that we should make ourselves candidates for the gifts to function in and through us. Thus, he says in 1Corinthians 12:31 (Amplified), "But earnestly desire and zealously cultivate the greatest and best gifts and graces (the higher gifts and the choicest graces) And yet I will show you a still more excellent way (one that is better by far and the highest of them all-Love."
Here, the great Apostle was revealing the very thing the Holy Spirit uses when "apportioning to each person (exactly) as He chooses." The Holy Spirit is in charge of these gifts and He is in charge of who receives them. Paul said that seeking love is better than seeking these gifts. Love makes you available and trustworthy for any and all of these gifts to flow through.
Some of seek the gift we think is the "best" gift, while others believe that if God would simply perform one great miracle, then we would have more people to minister to and that their church would fill up. By the authority of Jesus, Paul spoke saying that when we love to the point that it hurts us to see someone who is lost, maimed, blind or crippled, then Love will flow through the Holy Spirit to set them free.
After the beheading of John the Baptist, Jesus went to be alone in Mark 6:33-4 (Amplified) which says, "Now many (people) saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the surrounding towns, and they got there ahead of those (Jesus and His disciples) in the boat." Verse 34 says, "As Jesus landed, He saw a great crowd waiting, And He was moved by compassion for them." This is what the Holy Spirit is looking for the believer's heart. When God's love becomes your love, you will "be moved by compassion" to set the captives free. Whatever it takes to free them, the Holy Spirit will move through you, exactly as He chooses, and free them.
We are to yield only to the Holy Spirit and He is to teach and instruct us both in wisdom and love. We can make ourselves candidates for the gifts of the Spirit to flow through us, when we allow the Holy Spirit to lead us. Romans 5:5 (Amplified) says, "Such hope never disappoints or deludes or shames us, for God's love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit, Who has been given to us."
Even the "Love of God" must come through our fostering knowledge and a relationship with the Holy Spirit. There are so many things in the heart of a Christian that never get released into the world, because we will not allow the Holy Spirit to manifest in our lives.
There is a gift of tongues that flows from the Holy Spirit and there is also the language of the new creation that allows us to pray in tongues. 1Corinthians 14 tells us that, "The spirit of the prophet is subject to the prophet." This simply means that it's up to you whether or not you speak or are silent. God won't choke this new language out from you or force you to speak. It all comes from trusting and yielding to the Holy Spirit.
Instead of our being one of those people who always says, "This isn't for everyone" or "not everyone does these things or speaks in tongues," we should learn to "desire, seek after and pursue" these gifts through love. How many people are seeking someone who will finally manifest God into the dying world?
The Holy Spirit is the Teacher of the Church. We all need the five fold ministry from Ephesians 4, but we should not discard the Holy Spirit as the Teacher in our lives. 1John 2:20 (Amplified) says, "But you have been anointed by (you hold a sacred appointment from, you have been given an unction from) the Holy One, and you all know (the truth) or you know all things." We also read in 1John 2:27 (Amplified) which says, "But as for you, the anointing (the sacred appointment, the unction) which you received from Him, abides (permanently) in you; (So) then you have no need that anyone should instruct you, But just as His anointing teaches you concerning everything and is true and is no falsehood, so you must abide in (live in, never depart from) Him (being rooted in Him, knit to Him) Just as (His anointing) has taught you to do."
This doesn't mean we don't need the five-fold ministry or the fellowship of the Church. It does mean that we are still must listen to the Holy Spirit on our own. We shouldn't rely solely on what someone else has said, without seeking from the Word and the Holy Spirit.
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