Debra Grant

(Mark 1:33-39) What pattern do you see emerging in Jesus' prayer life? Why do you think he spends Quiet Time with the Father before the day begins? How does this prepare him for his ministry? Why does Jesus minster through the power of the Spirit instead of in his own power? 1. Jesus prays in a solitary place. 2. Going away to pray and listen to God is a vital pattern and to know what the father’s will is. He was also an example to the disciples, letting them know to pray in solitary. 3. He is able to listen to the father and know what is to be done that day. 4. He can do nothing by himself, but with the help of the father. He spends time with the Father to know what the Father is doing and then do what the father does.

Q4. (1 Peter 4:10-11) If people are always promoting themselves and pointing to how God is using them, what does that say about them? About their sense of self-worth? About their maturity? Their realism? Their humility? What spiritual gifts has God given you, and how are you using them to his glory? 1. Some people fall in love with power and become tin-pot dictators in a congregation. They have pride. 2. They are not committed and truthfully interested in God’s work or will. 3. They have not matured and have no desire. 4. The are phoney, false, and more on the antichrist side. They have no zeal for God’s will. 5. It is lacking because they are raised up with pride. 6. He has given me the gift of helping others. I help others that are in need of food, clothing, and encouragement.

Q3. (1 Corinthians 12:11) What are lessons do you learn from verse 11? What is the role of the Holy Spirit in spiritual gifts? 1. God is one spirit dividing to every man severally as he will.”God is one spirit dividing, distributing, and giving each a gift or gifts to be used according to his will. Gifts are to be used to edify the church. 2. Gifts don't operate according to our energy or power, but God's. The use of the gifts are to have a healthy, balanced, powerful Church that is a place of healing and equipping to do Christ's work. Each Christian has at least one spiritual gift. God distributes the gifts according to his own will and plan.

Q2. (1 Corinthians 12:9) In the twentieth century we saw the evangelistic power of preaching combined with healing the sick. Where in Jesus' ministry do you see this combination? Where in Paul's ministry? In Peter's ministry? In Philip's ministry? 1. Matt 9:35 And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. 2. Acts 19:11-12 11God did extraordinary miracles through the hands of Paul, 12so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and the diseases and evil spirits left them. 3. Acts 4:8-12 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers and elders of the people, if we are on trial today for a benefit done to a sick man, as to how this man has been made well, let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead--by this name this man stands here before you in good health. 4. Acts 8:6-8 6 When the crowds heard Philip and saw the miraculous signs he did, they all paid close attention to what he said. 7 With shrieks, evil spirits came out of many, and many paralytics and cripples were healed. 8 So there was great joy in that city.

Q1. Is it legitimate to use Jesus as our example in the use of spiritual gifts? Or was he so different than we are that we can't pattern our ministry after his example? Where do you see the gift of knowledge in the Old Testament? In the New Testament? 1. Yes, because it allows us to know how a gift is used and help other. 2. No he was not so different. We see on occasional situations where God shows someone in the church what action to take that is unexpected and profound. This is a gift needed by church leaders so that they might guide Christ's church well. 3. In the Old Testament Noah and the flood. In the New Testament when Jesus met the woman at the well.

Q4. (Ephesians 4:11) How could a person have the spiritual gift of pastor or teacher without having an official position in a church? What must a church do if its "senior pastor" doesn't have the spiritual gift of pastor? Who gives these gifts? 1. All of us Christians have an obligation to share Christ where we are. Some are gifted and not using the gift. You can have a pastoral or teacher’s gift of caring for the spiritual needs of a group of people without having been given any official title. 2. We must pray that God will show the person what their gift really is. In the New Testament, the words "elder, pastor, and bishop or overseer are sometimes used synonymously, though each word has its own distinct flavor. God, because he is the head of us all and knows what we can d

Q3. (1 Thessalonians 5:19-22; 1 Corinthians 14) How would you define the gift of prophecy? Why do churches sometimes despise or prohibit prophecy? What guidelines does Paul give here and in 1 Corinthians 14 to keep prophecy in a congregation healthy? To “speak forth” or declare the divine will, to interpret the purposes of God, or to make known in any way the truth of God which is designed to influence people.The gift of prophecy is when you get a direct Word from the Lord to usually give to someone else. It is because of their prejudices and doctrines. They do not believe God will us a man to speak for him. Some people have abused prophecy. Do not accept not to accept prophetic words without careful discernment. "Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said." (1 Corinthians 14:29)

Q2. (Ephesians 4:11a) Do you think there are modern-day apostles? If so, who might they be? If you don't believe there are modern-day apostles, identify some people who are doing some of the same things that the early apostles did. Yes, I do believe there are modern-day apostles. Christ-designated messengers given authority to speak for him and to establish and build his church. One of an authoritative sent out to preach the gospel;to be messengers/ambassadors of Jesus Christ.

Q1. (1 Corinthians 12:7; Ephesians 4:11) What is the purpose of spiritual gifts according to 1 Corinthians 12:7? According to Ephesians 4:11? What happens when people don't employ spiritual gifts for their intended purpose? 1. They are for the purpose of the body of Christ building and strengthening. 2. We have been given spiritual gifts to equip people for ministry, build up the church, and ultimately and to bring God's people to maturity and unity. They are weakened. They do not grow, be edified, or strengthened.

Q4. (Galatians 5:22-23) How does the Holy Spirit produce this fruit in our lives? What theological term would you use to identify this process? How can it be that a person who has been a "Christian" for years displays few or none of these fruits? Are they saved, but just immature? What does James 2:17-19 say about this? Is that too harsh? 1. While the Holy Spirit is working in our lives, he changes us slowly. 2. Sanctification, holiness 3. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. 4. No, they are not saved because they must activate their walk with God all they way. When we walk in the flesh, there isn't much character transformation taking place. 5. You must show action with your faith. Otherwise, your faith in God is dead. 6. No

Q3. (Galatians 5:16-18) How does the Spirit enable us to resist the temptations of the flesh? How does He restrain us? How does he enable us to break the hold the flesh has had over us? 1. If we walk by the Spirit, and we will not gratify the desires of the flesh.The Holy Spirit contends actively with the flesh to keep us from sinning because we would if the Spirit were not active in our lives. 2. The restraint is the presence of the Holy Spirit himself within us, to whom we are called to yield as our guide. 3. We must be led by the Spirit, then we are not under law." When the Holy Spirit is present within us it will keep us from doing what the old sinful nature wants.

Q2. (Romans 8:1-9; Isaiah 26:3) What does it mean to "set the mind on the things of the flesh"? What is involved in "setting the mind on the things of the Spirit"? What does it mean to have your mind "stayed" on Jesus? How much of this requires will-power? How much does the Spirit assist us? Can this become a habit as we practice it? 1. We will not walk in perfect peace. We do not belong to God if we don’t have his spirit. We obey the desires of the flesh if our mind is not on God. 2. When the Spirit lives in us we are connected to Christ. We are kept in perfect peace. Living in accordance with the Spirit will help our minds set what the Spirit desires." 3. A mind stayed on Jesus will help us to obey him. Living with our mind stayed on Jesus, on the Spirit, and his power will transform us. Placing our minds on the Spirit will enable our indwelling Spirit to be free from the power of the sinful nature. 4. It’s a complete determination. No waving back and forth. 5. It will lead and guide us as long as we are willing to obey. We are controlled by the spirit when it dwells inside of us. 6. Yes, that’s what helps us to live free from bondage to the flesh.

Q1. (Romans 7:7-25) What does Paul mean by "the sinful nature" (NIV) or "the flesh" (ESV, KJV)? Is this ever eradicated? Can there ever be victory over temptation? 1. The corrupt human nature is dominated by sin and rebellion against God, which is controlled by our self-seeking desires. It also influences man to live as a god to himself and neglecting the will of God. 2. No, but "It's still there as part of our fallen, imperfect, and broken being 3. Yes, when we have the Holy Spirit within us. We need help because we cannot get the victory by ourselves.

Q3. (Acts 10-11; Acts 19:1-7) The Holy Spirit comes upon new believers in both Caesarea and Ephesus accompanied by speaking in tongues (and prophecy and praise) like on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:4). Does He always come like this initially? What about the times when people are saved in the New Testament but tongues aren't mentioned? Are they filled with the Spirit also? 1. No 2. Perhaps tongues came later, but they repented, got baptized, and were waiting to receive the Holy Spirit. 3. It is a possibility, but I spoke in tongues and didn't know it when I received the Holy Spirit.

Q2. (Acts 4:8, 31) What does it mean that Peter and the believers are "filled with the Holy Spirit" in these passages? Are they "re-filled"? Is it possible for a believer to have many "fillings" of the Holy Spirit? Why or why not? 1. The Spirit coming upon them with special power to testify. 2. No, but quicken with more power 3. Yes 4. The power will come on us to give us strength and more power as we grow.

Q1. (Acts 2) What happened at Pentecost that was different than anything that had happened in previous history? What word analogies are used to describe this phenomenon? Are these word analogies essentially used synonymously with others in Acts 2? What did the Jews from foreign lands hear and see? How did Peter interpret what they heard and saw? (Acts 2:14-21) 1. The Holy Spirit came on them and they spoke in tongues. 2. Baptize (Acts 1:5) Come upon (Acts 1:8) Filled (Acts 2:4) Pour out (Acts 2:17-18, 33) Receive a gift (Acts 2:38) Promise (Acts 2:39, cf. 2:33) 3. Yes 4. They saw the tongues of fire sitting on the disciples and the disciples receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit that Jesus had promised them. They heard the disciples speaking their languages. 5. Peter interpreted by recalling: the outpouring of the Holy Spirit as a fulfillment of the Scripture in (Joel 2:29-32) were it is written that, “In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people.”

Q4. (1 John 4:4) Why does John need to remind us that we have "overcome" the world? Is the potential power of the Holy Spirit within you less than the power in the Apostle Paul. What might be the factors that seem to limit our sense of power? 1. He wants us to remember that the one who is in us is greater than the one who is in the world." (1 John 4:4) 2. No, it’s the same power, but it depends on our faith to use it. 3. Faith, unbelief in God and not believing we have power over Satan, demons, principalities, and powers in the spiritual realms (Ephesians 6:10-18).

Q3. (2 Corinthians 1:21-22) What does the Holy Spirit as a "seal of ownership" teach us? What does the Spirit as a "down payment" teach us? When is the full payment made in this analogy? What does the Spirit as an "anointing" teach us? 1. The seal you and I bear in the spiritual world in which Satan is our enemy is the Holy Spirit of God, who identifies us as God's and protects us from evil. 2. The Spirit as a down payment is "a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.” God sealed us, and gave us the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. 3. When Jesus comes back. 4. The anointing we receive from him remains in us, and we do not need anyone to teach us. His anointing will teach us about all things and get us ready to obey his will.

Q2. (1 Corinthians 2:10-16) What are the implications of having access through the Spirit to the "mind of Christ"? How does this Holy Spirit connection explain spiritual gifts such as prophecy, teaching, healing, etc.? 1. The Holy Spirit connects the human spirit to God to enable a mere human to have a deep relationship with God himself! The Spirit deeply searches us and God, "even the deep things of God," and allows us to connect. 2. We do nothing of our own. We seek for an understanding and what the Holy Spirit wants us to do.

Q1. (Romans 8:9-11; John 14:23) Do people who aren't Christians have Christ living within them? In what Person do Christ and the Father make their home in us? What should you do to make them feel "at home" in you? How is the Home Analogy like the Temple Analogy. How might it differ? How does the Spirit living within you affect your holiness of life? Your witness to others? Your spiritual power? 1. No "And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ." (Romans 8:9b) Without the Holy Spirit we are "without hope and without God in the world" (Ephesians 2:13). 2. We have to have God's Spirit living within us! 3. Love God and obey his teaching. 4. The spirit lives in or dwells in you just as in a temple when worshiping him. 5. The phrase "lives in you" or "dwells in you is spiritual" "to reside." "The spirit can dwell in a house" or "a temple which is inside a building." The spirit can dwell in both. 6. With the Spirit we can plumb the depths of God and know the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:10-16).We have a relationship with God by obeying him and worshiping him. 7. They can see the God in you by the way you live and carry yourself as an example. You can be lead and guided by Christ when to and how to plant or water which allows God to give the increase. 8. You will experience an overflowing of the Spirit.

Q4. (John 3:8) What does Jesus' reference to "the wind" teach us about people who have been born of the Spirit? 1. People who have been born of the Spirit, Jesus is saying, are motivated and moved by an unseen but powerful force beyond themselves. The life of the Spirit is a new level of spiritual existence, a different plane entirely. Only people who have been born of the Spirit can perceive and enter the Kingdom of God.

Q3. (John 3:5-7) What does it mean to be "born of water and the Spirit"? What do you think "water" refers to? Why have you come to this conclusion? How, then, would you paraphrase "born of water and the Spirit" to best bring out the full meaning? 1. The idea of being born of the Spirit is in the sense of Jesus' conception (Matthew 1:20). "water and Spirit" to refer to the ministry of John the Baptist who preached "a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins" (Mark 1:4). His baptism with water is also contrasted with Jesus' baptism of the Holy Spirit (Mark 1:8; John 1:33). 2. Water refers to the removal of sins being baptized in water and being baptized of repentance. 3. We must be born of water as Jesus was when John baptized him. We must first have a repentant heart to be saved. 4. Getting baptized with repentance and water then receiving the Holy Spirit.

Q2. (John 3:1-8) When Nicodemus came to Jesus, do you think he was already born of the Spirit? What is the difference between people who have experienced the second birth, and those who have only experienced the first birth? 1. No because was a pharisee. He asked a question that lets you know he was not born again. The question was, How can a man be born when he is old?' Nicodemus asked. 'Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!' 2. The second birth is when you are born again by Christ Jesus dying on the cross. This explains the second birth; Jesus answered, 'I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.'" John (3:3-5) We must be changed spiritually. The first birth is when we are born physically from our mother’s womb. We were born in sin physically.

Q1. (John 7:37-39) In Jesus' teaching on streams of living water from within, whom does he invite to drink? What does he promise to believers? To what degree has a spring of living water been fulfilled in your life? 1. Jesus' proclamation is a promise to those who accept his invitation to drink of him, those who believe him and follow him. To sinners and those who are dry and thirsty. 2. The Spirit will be given after his "glorification," which refers to Jesus' crucifixion for sins, resurrection from the dead, and return to his place of glory with the Father. He promises a spring of living water. I have been filled with the spring of water which is the Holy Spirit. It flows from within and reaches others to help them.

Q5. (John 16:12-15) In what sense does the Holy Spirit guide us into all truth? Does this promise apply only to the apostolic age and its task of laying the foundations of the faith? In what sense does it apply to us today? 1. The Holy Spirit assist us in acquiring information or knowledge, lead, guide, and conduct." Brings a person to the point of recognizing wrongdoing. Spiritual truths must be spiritually discerned through the action of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit reveals Christ to us and draws us into a deeper relationship with him. The Holy Spirit will strengthen us with power through his Spirit in our inner being, so that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith. 2. No, we may not have the task of the first apostles, who helped lay the doctrinal foundation of the Church, but we still seek to understand the Word of God accurately. 3. We can call on the Holy Spirit, the Reminder, the Explainer, the Guide into all truth, to assist us in accurately understanding the Father's words to our heart.