Oxford Bible Church - Living in the Last Days (audio)

After describing the Gifts of the Spirit in 1Corinthians 12, Paul describes the 2 WAYS to pursue the Gifts: (1) DESIRE the Gifts to operate through us, but (2) the most excellent WAY is to pursue LOVE (1Corinthians 13). LOVING people will activate our DESIRE for the Gifts, as a means of blessing them.

In this Series, we study the 9 supernatural gifts of the Spirit of 1Cor 12:7-11, consisting of 3 revelation gifts, 3 power gifts and 3 utterance gifts. We see that these gifts have not passed away and are for us today. They operate as the Spirit wills, but we must make ourselves available to Him for Him to use us.

In Praise, we open the gates of our heart to welcome the King of Glory, allowing Him to fill us with His Presence and Peace. The Triumphal Entry shows how Jesus comes to us, offering Himself as our Lord and Saviour, and how we should respond to Him. Jesus rode on both a DONKEY and her COLT. WHY?

Praise and thanksgiving release the waters of salvation from our spirit into our hearts and lives. Isaiah 12 is a prophecy of the New Covenant, based on Christ's atonement (v1), in which God Himself lives in us as our Salvation (v2,6). Isaiah 12:3-6 describe 5 ways we draw water from our Spring (Well) of Salvation by our words.

Our Praise (1) BLESSES God, (2) BENEFITS us and (3) BINDS the enemy (Psalm 149). A Sacrifice of Praise is thanking God before we see the answer. We see 3 examples that show how this prepares the way and opens the door in the Spirit for God to release His saving power into our lives and situations.

*More Benefits of Praise: (9) It brings us into greater MENTAL HEALTH, by helping us have a healthy perspective, by seeing things from God’s viewpoint. It also helps create in us a humble relaxed state of mind, rather than being governed by pride. It brings us into a state of peace and freedom from anxiety.

*Benefit (6): Praise releases spiritual strength into our hearts for living, empowering us to do God’s will. (7) By a lifestyle of praise we pursue God and bring our hearts increasingly into submission and harmony with God. (8) Praise, thanks and worship are foundational for developing our moral virtue and character.

Praise (1) brings us into God’s Presence and His Presence into us, (2) causes us to triumph, bringing us into the spirit of victory (3) releases God's Glory in our lives (4) delivers us from a spirit of heaviness (5) beautifies us in our personality, (6) releases strength into our hearts, empowering us to do His will.

Thanksgiving brings us into God’s Presence, so that we can receive the supply of His Grace. Through thanksgiving, we acknowledge God as the Source of every blessing, and activate the flow of His Grace in us. Thus by thanksgiving we unlock and release the supernatural miracle working Power of God.

Why Praise? (1) We were created to glorify God, so we are fulfilling the purpose of our being. (2) Our Praise blesses God. (3) Praise and Thanksgiving (hallowing His Name) is the ordained way into God's Presence (the holy of holies), where we can enter into Worship (direct, intimate communion with God).