BASIC CHRISTIAN FOUNDATIONS

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. THE BIBLE - GODS WORD
A. WHATS THE BIBLE ALL ABOUT?

2. GOD
A. THE TRINITY
B. GOD THE FATHER
C. ATTRIBUTES OF GOD

3. GOD THE SON - JESUS

A. SIN AND SALVATION
B. UNDERSTANDING GODS FORGIVENESS
C. THE LORDSHIP OF CHRIST & HOLINESS
D. THE LORDS SUPPER
E. BAPTISM

4. GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT

A. THE ROLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN WORLD TODAY & OUR LIVES
B. HOLY SPIRIT BAPTISM
C. SPIRITUAL GIFTS

5. KNOWING GOD INTIMATELY

A. FAITH
B. WORD OF GOD
C. PRAYER
D. PRAISE & WORSHIP
E. QUIET TIMES
 1. THE BIBLE - GODS WORD

‘GET YOU THINKING’ QUESTIONS:

1. What do you know about the Bible?
2. Do you know a scripture from the Bible? Which one?
3. Does it mean anything to you?
4. Do you believe that the Bible has any power in it?

The name ‘Bible’ comes from the Greek word ‘biblia’ which translated means ‘books’.
The Bible is a collection of writings which were written by men who were inspired by the Holy
Spirit.
The Bible is a manuel for our everyday living. Its God revelation of Himself and His will for
humanity.

A. WHATS THE BIBLE ALL ABOUT?

1. It is unique and popular
It is estimated that 44 million bibles are sold a year. An article was written in The Times
Newspaper which this was written:
‘As usual the top seller by several miles was… the Bible. If cumulative sales of the
Bible were frankly reflected in bestseller lists, it would be a rare week when
anything else would achieve a look in. It is wonderful, weird, or just plain baffling in
this increasingly godless age – when the range of books available grows wider with
each passing year – that this one book should go on selling hand over fist, month
in, month out… it is estimated that nearly 1,250,00 Bibles and testaments are sold
in the UK each year.’ [Nicky Gumbel:1993]

If the Bible was just another book written by writers that weren’t inspired from God, then
why is it such a ‘success’? Why would people die to get it into other peoples lives and
worlds were the Bible is forbidden to be read? Why don’t the sales go down? Why don’t
people stop reading it? Why is it still in such high demand?

2. It is inspired by God
READ: 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21

God used ordinary people to write and reveal His thoughts.

He chose the writers and equipped them to write. (Jeremiah 30:1-2; Exodus 34:27; 1
Corinthians 14:37)

The word ‘inspiration’ means ‘God-breathed’ meaning it contains Gods life and power.
The writer is saying that scripture is God speaking. Of course he used human agents. It is
100% the work of human beings, but is also 100% inspired by God (just as Jesus was fully
human and fully God).

There are views that say that the Bible cannot be inspired because there are contradictions
and moral or historical differences. Nicky Gumbel explains, ‘Some difficulties can be
explained by the different context in which the authors were writing. It is important to
remember that the Bible was written over a period of 1500 years by at least 40 authors,
including kings, scholars, philosophers, fishermen, poets, statesmen, historians and
doctors. They wrote different types of literature, such as history, poetry, prophecy,
apocalyptic and letters. Although some contradictions can be explained by differing
contexts, others are harder to resolve. This does not mean, however, that it is impossible
and we should abandon our belief in the inspiration of scripture.’

Yes, this is good advice. Take the Bible and start working through it. Often the so-called
contradictions people say that there are, are nor really when read in context etc. Lets not
give it all up because it’s to hard to understand. Rather we need to hold onto the belief of
inspiration and take the difficulties and read about and work through them. If we do, it
should transform the way in which we live our lives.

3. It tells you who God is.

God wants to be known for who he really is. How would you feel if everyone was more
interested in creating their own concept of who they thought you are, rather than coming
to you directly to get to know who you are?
You want to know more about God – Read the book about Him, the Bible.
 4. The Bible is about life & gives life

READ: John 6:63

Justine Whang explains, ‘Like any good story, the Bible deals with the big questions and
themes we face in life -- life, death, hope, disappointment, love, tragedy, evil, existence,
meaning, purpose... The Bible is a relevant book to understanding life -- it offers insight
into why things are the way they are, why we are the way we are, and how things could be
different.

It's a guide to life in this not-so-perfect world. The Bible is honest about life with all its
problems and human frailties -- its contributors tell it like it was, no matter how raw and
real, admitting their mistakes and weaknesses in facing life's challenges.

You'll find the Bible offers practical wisdom and guidance for life -- how to live at peace
with yourself, with others and with God.'

5. Its power changes our lives

READ: Hebrews 4:12; Psalms 19:7
This is not just a book but it has changed people’s lives all over the world and throughout
the ages.

In May 1928, the Prime minister Stanley Baldwin said, ‘The bible is a high explosive. But it
works in strange ways and no living man can tell or know how that book, in its journey
through the world, has startled the individual soul in ten thousand different places into a
new life, a new world, a new belief, a new conception, a new faith.’ Eugene Peterson, a
writer who has translated the Bible, puts it this way, "When you hold a Bible in your hands,
it contains our collective stories. Each of us can find little glimpses of ourselves in its
pages. The people in the Bible are a whole lot like you, and a lot of them were far from
perfect. We need to open our eyes and see what God would have each of us understand
about ourselves."

Obedience to Gods Word is a key to spiritual growth and fruitfulness. If you don’t read and
hear Gods word, and you don’t respond and apply it to your life, it wont be of any value to
you.

6. It is stands forever
READ: 1 Peter 1:23-24
Gods word is eternal and it will never pass away (Psalm 119:89; Luke 21:33; Isaiah 30:8)

Here are some practical ways to effectively read your Bible:

•Begin by reading John’s gospel and after that Matthew, Mark and Luke. These books are all
about Jesus. Knowing how He lived His life for God will help us live our lives for God too.
•Read a Psalm (songs written mostly by King David) and a proverb (sayings mostly by King
Solomon) each day.
•Once you have read Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, read Acts. This book is about the
beginnings of the early church after Jesus died, was resurrected and went to Heaven.
•Work through a book in the Bible from beginning to end. Do a little bit each day.
•Use this outline (it spells SOAP) when reading a chapter from a book in the Bible.
S – Scripture (write down the scripture that sticks out)
O – Observation (observe what was happening around the scripture)
A – Application (how can this scripture apply to me in my everyday living)
P – Prayer (pray to God to help you in these things you have learnt & need to apply to your
life

‘GET YOU THINKING’ QUESTIONS: SELF-STUDY

1. HOW DO I KNOW THE WILL OF GOD FOR MY LIFE? Acts 17:11;
2. WHAT MUST I DO WITH THE WORD OF GOD? Psalms 1:1-3
JOSHUA 1:8 , DEUTERONOMY 6:6-7 Deuteronomy 11:18-
3. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHANGES THAT THE BIBLE HAS MADE IN YOUR LIFE? 20; James 1:22
4. HOW DOES GOD’S WORD TRANSFORM ME? ROMANS 12:2 Psalm 119
5. HOW IS KNOWING GOD’S WORD NOT ENOUGH? JAMES 1:22

2. GOD

A. THE TRINITY – THE TRIUNITY OF GOD

 ‘ It has been said that the doctrine of the Trinity is not taught in the Bible. It is
true that it is not directly taught; but the doctrine of the Trinity is the putting
together of truths that are taught. It is clearly taught in the Bible that there is but
one God. It is also clearly taught that there are three divine per-sons —
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.’
R.A. Torrey

God is a unity of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
To us it seems like its not possible for God to be one and yet three persons at the same time, but
we need firstly bear these two points in mind.

(1) God is Spirit, and numbers belong primarily to the physical world. Difficulty arises when we
attempt to conceive spiritual being in the forms of physical thought;
(2) God is infinite and we are finite. Our attempt at a philosophical explanation of the tri-unity of
God is an attempt to put the facts of infinite being into the forms of finite thought and can be at
best only partially successful. This much we know: that God is essentially one and that He also is
three. There is but one God: but this one God makes Himself known to man as Father, Son, and
Holy Spirit, and they are separate personalities. John 14:16; Mark 1:10-11.
There is one God eternally existing and manifesting Himself to us in three persons: Father, Son,
and Holy Spirit.

When we look biblically at the Trinity we see that there is biblical support for this:

1. The Old Testament word most frequently

used for God is plural in form.
God uses plural pronouns in speaking of Himself SELF STUDY:
Genesis 1:26; Genesis 11:7; Genesis 3:22. Matt 3:16-17; 28:19;
2 Corinthians 13:14;
2. In the New Testament there are also scriptures showing John 5:18;
that God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit Titus 2:13
are one.
John 14:16 Mark 1:10-11; Matthew 28:19; John 16:7; Acts 2:33.

3. The Father is God (John 6:27; 1 Peter 1:2; Romans 1:7)

The Son is God (John 1:1,18; Titus 2:13; Romans 9:5)
The Holy Spirit is God (Acts 5:3-4)

Conclusion:
We can see that God is one yet three persons, God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy
Spirit. Sometimes it’s easier to see this in nature. Example: An egg has three parts to it, the
shell, the yoke and the egg white, but yet each part is still an egg.
Another example: There are three forms to the H2O, liquid water, steam and ice, yet they are still
all the same.
If we can see this in nature how much more would it be possible for the God who made the
universe to exhibit the same traits?

R.A. Torrey says:

‘ God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are separate personalities, having mutual
relations to one another, acting upon one another, speaking of or to one another, and they apply
the pronouns of the second and third persons to one another.

B. GOD THE FATHER

Through Jesus’ death on the cross, we as believers have been adopted into Gods family (Romans
8:15; 1 John 3:1). God is now our Father. The word father in Greek is pater which means
protector, nourisher and upholder.

What thoughts come to mind when you think about a Father?

__________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________

Read these scriptures and keep in mind that God our Father is. Sometimes we relate to God our
Father as we relate to our earthly father but God our Father is often nothing like our earthly mortal
fathers. Read the scriptures below.

God our Father:

F. Protects us (psalm 91; John 10:27-29)
 G. Provides for our needs (1 Peter 5:7; Matthew 6:8-33)
H. Loves us as His children (John 3:16; 1 John 4:8)
I. Disciplines and corrects us (Heb 12:5-11)
J. Forgives us (1 Jon 1:9)
K. Answers prayers (Matthew 7:11)
L. Has an eternal home for believers (John 14:2-3)

C. ATTRIBUTES OF GOD

HE IS:

EVERLASTING Isaiah 43:10-12

SELF –SUFFIENT Psalm 50:9-12

ALL KNOWING Psalm 139:1-3

ALL PRESENT Jeremiah 32:17-19

ALL POWERFUL Hebrews 1:1-4

UNCHANGING Hebrews 1:10-12

HOLY Revelation 15:4

LOVING 1 John 4:7-12

CREATOR Genesis 1:1; Psalms

33:6; Hebrews 11:3

‘GET YOU THINKING’ QUESTIONS

1. HAVE YOU EXPERIENCED GOD IN ANY OF THESE WAYS?

2. DO YOU SEE GOD IN ANY OF THESE WAYS? WHICH ONES?

3. JESUS

A. SIN AND SALVATION

READ ABOUT:

The Original fall of humanity in GENESIS 3:1-24

SO WHAT IS SIN?
 M. Sin is disobedience to God and what He says is right, it means ‘missing the mark.’
N. Take away the ‘S’ in sin and the ‘N’ in sin, what is remaining? The ‘I’. That’s the way
the Bible defines ‘SIN’. It’s a condition in which you and I believe that we are the
master/king/owner of our own lives living by our own rules

Even though it was Adam and Eve who sinned, we choose to sin every day (Romans 3:23) too and
this breaks our relationship with God, just like in the Garden of Eden. Some people say, ‘I do
good things for people, I keep the Ten Commandments’, but the truth is that there is evil in
everyone of us no matter how much we try to cover it with our good deeds, its still there. Read
Isaiah 64:6.

FIND OUT MORE:

READ these scriptures and find out more about sin:

Romans 7:25
Romans 6:23
James 1:14-15
Galatians 5:16-26
1 John 1:9
1 John 3:4-6
Hebrews 4:15
Colossians 2:13-15

We need to be SAVED from our sin and restore our relationship with God for now and eternity.
God cant accept sin as it is contrary to Him, but He wants to have a relationship with us. This can
only happen through SALVATION in Jesus.

A STORY: THE PROBLEM OF SIN:

A man decided to swim across a lake. He was confident when he started that he could get
to the other side but as he was swimming he got a cramp in his leg which mde it
impossible to carry on swimming to get to the other side.
He needs someone who knows the environment, the water. And he needs someone who
can meet his needs… to be saved.
If you relate this to historical story Jesus, He is the one who had to come to earth,
experience the fullness of humanity, the pain, rejection, the joy and sadness, the betrayal
to live in our environment. The Bible tells us in the book of Hebrews that blood had to be
spilled in the form of a sacrifice for this reconciliation to take place between us and God.
Jesus became that sacrifice on the cross of Calvary and we all have an opportunity re-
entering that relationship with God by accepting Jesus and what He did for us on the Cross

WHAT IS SALVATION?
Salvation is the time when we decide to invite Jesus to be the Saviour and the Lord of our lives.
This can be done at anytime, not just in church. It’s a decision that you make in your heart.

HOW DO I INVITE JESUS INTO MY LIFE TO SAVE ME?

We cannot earn Salvation; it is a free gift from God. It’s what Christ did and not what we do that
gets us into heaven (Ephesians 2:8). We first confess Christ as our Saviour and then confess
our sins of the passed (Romans 10:9).

SALVATION PRAYER:
This would be the sort of prayer you would pray aloud if inviting Jesus into your life: “I
confess with my mouth the Lord Jesus Christ and believe in my heart that God has raised Him
from the dead. It is written, (Romans 10:13) ” that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be
saved’. Lord Jesus today I can call upon your name for salvation. Come into my heart and save
me. Today I receive you as my Lord and Saviour. Lord I confess that I have been a sinner.

Please wash me in your blood and cleans me from all my sins. The sins I would like you forgive
include
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Mark 11: 25-26 says that God CANNOT forgive us if we do not forgive those who have hurt us. I
therefore forgive (mention their names) __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
from the bottom of my heart, all the people who have sinned against me. Now please write my
name in the Lambs book of Life and fill me with your Holy Spirit. (Revelation 21:27)
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
Once we have invite Jesus into our lives we need to know that we need to then turn from our own
sinful ways and walk the other direction, Gods direction for our lives.

READ JOHN 11:1-12 and see what an encounter with Jesus does to our lives.
Repentance is a change of mind and purpose and life.

READ ABOUT:

READ LUKE 15:17-21 to see Gods experience of us asking for forgiveness, repenting and coming
back to you.

B. UNDERSTANDING FORGIVENESS

THE PROCESS OF FORGIVENESS FROM GOD

1. CONFESS YOUR SINS TO GOD: Ecclesiastes 7:20 (see
2. TURN AWAY FROM YOUR SINS: Hebrews 2:18
3. ACCEPT GODS FORGIVENESS AND CLEANSING
Psalm 51:3
4. THANK GOD FOR HIS FORGIVENES & FORGIVE OTHERS
5. LIVE IN TOTAL LIBERATION – Matthew 10:8

What is Forgiveness? What it is not?

It’s a choice Not a feeling

Setting yourself and others free Not denying it happened
The Will of God Not an initiative of man
Needs to be sincere Not to be done or taken lightly
Extension of God’s forgiveness Not a source of self – arrogance
Extension of God’s grace Not an extension of human grace
Privilege with positive results Not a begrudging sacrifice
Imitating Christ’s example Not a fleshly desire

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN I DON’T FORGIVE OTHERS?

John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy. I have come that they might have
life, and life more abundantly”.

Un-forgiveness is the number one destroyer of our faith, love, joy and peace that we are assured
of in Christ. It causes bitterness, resentment and anger. It can lead to physical sickness and
stress.
FIND OUT
MORE
READ THESE SCRIPTURES:
1. Colossians 3:13
2. Mark 11:25
3. Luke 23:34

C. THE LORDSHIP OF CHRIST & HOLINESS

READ ABOUT:

1 Corinthians 6:20; 2 Corinthians 5:15; Colossians 1:16-18; Philippians 2:9-11

The question we should constantly be asking ourselves is, “who is really in control of our lives?” If
you really look at your life you notice that very few things are actually in our control. For example
we have no control over our birthdays, looks and life and death. Being a Christian simply means
that we hand over control of our lives to Christ. This called “Submitting the Lordship of Christ”.

These passages give us two reasons for Jesus’ Lordship

1. Jesus has the right to be LORD of your life because of WHO He is.
2. Jesus has the right to be LORD of your life because of WHAT He has done for you.
What do you need to do?
By accepting Jesus as Lord of your life you accept the RESPONSIBILITY that goes with the decision.
This means to live your life according the rules of the Kingdom of God. He is your Lord and you
need to live your life according to His Will. He has a specific and unique purpose for you. It should
be your desire and ambition to find out what that means for you and act it out.

“ For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you, not to harm you,
plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I
will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart”. Jeremiah
29:11-13

The Lord is clear that He loves and cares for you. If our hearts are sincere in submitting to His
Lordship and seeking His Will, we are promised that we will find Him and his personalized Will and
plan for our Lives.

The Two decisions with two different price tags

1. Salvation – The Cost is Free
This is the unearned adoption into the family of God as a child of Christ. This is when
Christ becomes our Saviour
2. Discipleship – The Cost is all we are and have
This is when we become His servant. Not slavery but a voluntarily based servant-hood.
This is when we make Christ our LORD

Remember that Jesus being Lord of our lives means that He is on the thrown of all areas of our
life.
Think of your life and list the areas you have not handed over to His Lordship. (Family,
relationships, marriage, finances, career, physical health, mental health, your mind and thoughts,
your entertainment, your possessions etc.)

Lordship Prayer

“Jesus I submit to you Lordship in all areas of my life. After careful reflection I realize that I have
been holding on to the following areas
(List them)

Please forgive me for my disobedience, ignorance or oversight. I commit myself, and all I have to
a life of servanthood, as you become the rightful LORD of all in my life. Help me as I seek you and
your Will for my life with all my heart.

D. THE LORDS SUPPER

READ ABOUT:

READ: Luke 22:19-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-24

There are two ORDINANCES according the Bible. In other words, symbolic acts that were
commanded by Jesus for the church to observe. These are the Lords Supper (also known as
communion) and Baptism. These are also known as sacraments.
What is the Lords Supper?
The Lords Supper was the last supper (and also the first communion) that Jesus shared with His
Disciples before going to the cross. It was the prophetic fulfillment of the Passover lambs that
were slaughtered 2000 years before in Egypt. It is written that everyone who ate of the lamb and
applied the blood to the lintels and doorposts were saved from the angel of death. In the scripture
passages you read, Christ symbolically demonstrates that He has become the Lamb that has been
slaughtered to save us from certain death.

We as Christians perform the sacrament as a symbolic representation and as act of

acknowledgement of what Christ did on the Cross for us. We do it out of obedience to Christ’s
command.

What is represented?
Table Place of remembrance, forgiveness, cleansing, love, sharing,
fellowship, and communion

Bread Christ Body broken for us. He bore our sins and by His wounds (stripes)
we are healed.

Grape juice The Blood of Christ that was spilled for us. This blood ratifies the new
covenant that we have with God. It is by this blood that we are
cleansed from our sin.

When and where do we partake in the Lords Supper?

We can have communion as often as believers get together. It is not a ritual so there is no
prescribed time or place to have communion. We, at Life Church, have it once a month in the
morning service. You can arrange to have it in your Life Group, when you get together with some
fellow believers or even in private. The early church practiced as part of their “love meals’. A time
when fellow believers got together and reflected on Christ’s Sacrifice of love and their devotion to
the church and other believers.

Who can lead in serving the Lords Supper?

Any true disciple of the Lord can lead or serve in the Lords Supper. If you do not know how to, and
you want to learn, ask your Pastor or Life Group leader, or simply observe how it is done in one of
the Communion services.

Who Can Partake?

Only believers who have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

What are the consequences of partaking in an unworthy manner? 1 Corinthians 11:23-29

________________________________________________________
Examine on your life; Write down the sin that you would need to confess to be worthy
of partaking in the Lords Supper
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

E. BAPTISM
READ ABOUT:

READ: Luke 22:19-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-24

The most Powerful way a new believer can identify with Christ is through water baptism. Water
Baptism is a symbolic act of obedience in which the believers publicly display what has happened
to them. They display their newfound life of faith and obedience.

What does it mean?

 It comes from the Greek word “Baptizo”, which means fully immersed under the water. The same
word would have been used for a ship that had sunk and could not be seen anymore. As it lay
under the water it was “Baptizo”, fully immersed.

Why are we to be baptized?

• In obedience to Christ’s command in Mark 16:16
• We follow His example as He was baptized in the Jordan
• As we go down into the water we leave behind the old life
• As we come out of the water it represents the new birth

Do we have to do it publicly?
This is the ideal because you are proclaiming publicly what Christ has done for you. This public
testimony blesses all other believers and encourages non-believers to make a decision. The Holy
Spirit works in the hearts of all those who are present. It is an awesome time of supernatural
intervention.

Who is a candidate to be baptized?

All believers in Christ.

When are we to be baptized?

In the Bible people were baptized immediately after conversion. The Biblical instruction is “repent
and be baptized”.

Who can Administer Baptism?

Any believer. Ask you Pastors or leaders what this means.

Why then do we practice a delayed form of baptism?

In Biblical times, in both the Jew and the Gentile world, baptism was widely known and practiced.
When a person came to know Christ as Lord and Savior they already understood what it meant to
be baptized. We however live in a world that does not have this biblical understanding of baptism.
Many do not have any understanding of baptism at all. This why we delay baptism until a biblical
perspective has been taught to the candidate.

How many times can I be baptized?

Once and only once? Some Christians believe that after a period of backsliding they are to be re-
baptized when they make a recommitment. This is not biblical at all. God honors the first baptism
even when do not.

Read the following passages and write down your own understandings of the requirements for
baptism.

FIND OUT
MORE
READ THESE SCRIPTURES
1. Repentance – Acts 2:38
2. Faith – Mark 16:16; Acts 8:12.36-37; Acts 16:31-33
3. Confession of Faith – Romans 10:9-10

4. HOLY SPIRIT

A. THE ROLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN WORLD TODAY, OUR LIVES &
THE CHURCH
FIND OUT
MORE
Acts 6:1-6; 9:17; 11:24; 13:52; Eph FILLS CHRISTIANS
5:18-20

John 16:8-11; Acts 5:32; Heb 6:4; Tit CONVICTS SINNERS

3:3-7
 John 3:5-6; 1 Thes 1:4-6; Tit 3: 3-7 REGENERATES BELIEVERS

Psalm 51:10-12; Ezek 36: 24-30; PERMANENTLY INDWELLS THE SAVED

Acts 2:38-39; 10:44-47; 19:1-7;
Rom: 2:29; 1 Cor 12: 1-3

1 Sam 19:18-24; Matt 10:19-20; Mark PROTECTS THE ENDANGERED

13:11; Luke 12:11-12; Acts 6:8-10; Phil
1:18-20

Rom 5:1-5; 8:23; 2 Cor 1:22-23; 5:1-6; GIVES SECURITY

Gal 5:5; Eph 1:13-14

Ex 31:1-11; Acts 13:9; 1 Cor 12:4-11; GIVES GIFTS TO EVERY BELIEVER

14:1-39; Heb 2:3-4

Acts 2:32-33; Rom 7:6; 15:13-16 + 30; 2 TRANSFORMS THE FAITHFUL

Cor: 3:17-18;Gal: 22-26; Col: 7-8; 2 Thes
2:13-15

1 Sam 16: 13-14; Psalm 106: 32-33; Isa MAY BE RESISTED

63:10-14; 1 Thes 4:8; 5:16-22

Acts 20: 22-23 GUIDES THE BELIEVER

Rom 8:1-17; 1 Cor 6:18-20; Gal 5:16-18 MUST BE OBEYED

Rom 8:25-27; Gal 4:6; Eph 6:18; Rev INTERCEDES IN PRAYER FOR THE BELIEVER
22:17

Acts 4:3; 9:31; 1Cor 3:16 UNDERGIRDS THE CHURCH

2 Cor 13:14; Eph 4:3-6 UNITES THE FELLOWSHIP

Acts 4:8-10 ENERGIZES FOR MISSION

Hag 2:4-5; Zech 4:6; John 15:26-27; Acts GUIDES IN MISSION

1:8; 16:6-10
Gen 41:38-39; Dt 34:9; 2 Kings 2:1-18; CALLS AND EQUIPS LEADERS
Acts 13:1-4; 2 Cor 3:3-11
John 14:26; 16:12-15; Acts 15:28; Rom TEACHES HIS PEOPLE
9:1

B. HOLY SPIRIT BAPTISM

IS THERE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE HOLY SPIRIT LIVING IN YOU AND THE BAPTISM
OF THE HOLY SPIRIT?

The Holy Spirit living in you:

God is always knocking on our hearts, wanting to come live fully in us… Rev 3:20, but it’s a
decision we have to make.
When we are reborn by accepting Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, we are born again of the Spirit …
OTHER
John 3:5-8, with the Holy Spirit coming to live in us. Jesus promised the Holy Spirit as He left
earth, that He would be our Counsellor and be with us forever… John 14:15-20 SCRIPTURES
TO LOOK AT:
1 John 4:13-16
‘We know that we live in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. JohnAnd 14:17
we have
seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Saviour of the world.2 Tim 1:14
If anyone
acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he1inJohnGod.’2:27-29
Matt 3:11-12
Once the Holy Spirit is living in us there is the possibility of the believer Luke 11:13
bearing fruit. This is called the fruit of the Spirit… Gal 5:22-26. Acts 2:1-4, 38; Acts 4:29-
We may think these fruit could never be seen in our lives but with the help 31
of the Holy Spirit and our willingness, fruit will begin to grow and flourish Acts 8:14-17; Acts 10:44-47
in your life. Acts 19:1-8; Eph 5:18
Col 1:11
The Baptism of the Holy Spirit:
This experience is available to all believers. Jesus spoke about how
we must wait to be clothed with power… Luke 24:49, being baptized
in the Holy Spirit… Acts 1:4-6.

It is an empowering that is given to us to equip & enable us for service

and ministry.

It is clear from scripture that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is a specific
experience following salvation.

a) After Phillip preached in Samaria, men and women were baptised

in water. In verse15 of the same chapter, Peter and John were then sent from Jerusalem and
they prayed for them to receive the Holy Spirit. Acts 8:14-17

b) Paul came to Ephesus and met disciples of Jesus there. They were born again, but knew
nothing about the Holy Spirit. Paul then baptised them in water in the name of Jesus, and laid
his hands on them. The Holy Spirit came upon them and they spoke with tongues and
prophesied.
Acts 19:1-6

AN EXAMPLE FROM THE DISCIPLES THAT SHOWS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE HOLY
SPIRIT LIVING IN YOU AND THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT:

In John 14:14-20, Jesus spoke about the Holy Spirit coming to the disciples as He was no longer
going to be with them.
This plays out in John 20:19-23 once Jesus had been crucified, then arisen and now was
appearing to the disciples before ascending to heaven. Here Jesus breathes on them telling them
to receive the Holy Spirit. These scriptures show us the disciples receiving the promised
indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

In Acts 1:4-6, just before Jesus is taken up into heaven, He gives the same disciples a command
to wait in Jerusalem for a gift from the Father, the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Once Jesus ascended into heaven the disciples went and waited in Jerusalem. In Acts 2, we see
the disciples being filled and baptised in the Holy Spirit. This indicates to us that there is a 2nd
experience with the Holy Spirit apart from the indwelling of the Holy Spirit at salvation.
This is called the Baptism in the Holy Spirit.

C. SPIRITUAL GIFTS
‘ Just as each one of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have
the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all
the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us.
Romans 12: 4-6

As Christians we make up the Body of Christ, the church. God was the one who designed the
Body of Christ for a specific reason and in a specific way.
God chose to make the Body of Christ an organism with Christ as the head and each member
functioning with a spiritual gift.
Understanding spiritual gifts and especially your own gifts is key to understanding how God wants
the church to work together to reach the world with His love.

What is a Spiritual Gift?

‘A spiritual gift is a special attribute given by the Holy Spirit to every member of the Body of
Christ according to Gods grace for use within the context of the Body.’ - Peter C. Wagner

Who has Spiritual Gifts?

Unbelievers do not have spiritual gifts, but every Christian who is committed to Jesus has at least
one or possibly more gifts. 1 Pet 4:10
These gifts are not our natural talents that all humans have. It is a gift which has been freely
given to you when you
became a Christian.
SELF STUDY
Is it important to find your gifting? Ephesians 4:13-16
‘ A Christian desiring to do the will of God, but 1 Corinthians 13-14
who does not know how he or she was made to 1 Peter 4
function in the Boy of Christ, needs to give top 1 Corinthians 7
priority to discovering gifts.’ – Peter C. Wagner Ephesians 3
What are the gifts?
Throughout the Bible we many gifts being
Mentioned. But majority of these are found in
Romans 12 & 1 Corinthians 12.

Romans 12 1 Corinthians 12 Explanation

Wisdom Wise advice, wise speech
Knowledge Studying, speaking with
knowledge
Faith Supernatural Faith
Healing Healing illnesses, disease
Miraculous powers Doing great deeds
Prophecy Prophecy Inspired utterance
Discernment of Discrimination in spiritual
spirits matters
Different kinds of Speaking languages never
Tongues learned
Interpretations of Understanding languages never
tongues learner
Serving Ministry, serving others
Teaching Teaching
Encouraging Encouraging others
Giving Contributing, generosity, sharing
Leadership Authority, ruling
Mercy Sympathy, comfort to the
sorrowing, showing kindness

FIND OUT
MORE
How can I find my Spiritual Gifts?
Are you a Christian?
Do you believe in spiritual gifts?
Are you willing to use them for Gods glory?
Will you pray for Gods guidance?

If you have answered YES to all these questions then take a look at the 5 Steps that Peter C.
Wagner mentions in his book, ‘Your Spiritual Gifts can help the church grow.’

5 Steps that will help you find your Spiritual Gifts

Step 1: Explore the Possibilities

Study the Bible to find out more about the gifts
Hang around with gifted people
Discuss with fellow Christians
Step 2: Experiment with as many as you can
Ray Stedman says, ‘You discover a spiritual gift just like you discovered your natural
talents.’
You have to step out of your comfort zone to experiment. Not always the easiest but it’ll
pay off.

Step 3: Examine your feelings

God will match the spiritual gift He gives us with our feelings in such a way that if we really
have a gift it will naturally fall in with our desires & feelings.
Step 4: Evaluate your effectiveness
If you experiment with a certain gift and you find that what it is supposed to do doesn’t
happen, you probably have discovered another one of the gifts that God has not given you.
Step 5: Expect confirmation from the Body of Christ
If you think that you have a siritual gift and are trying to exercise it, but no one else in your
church thinks you have it – you probably don’t. It needs to be confirmed.
 5. KNOWING GOD INTIMATELY

READ ABOUT:

READ: Deuteronomy 6:4-9 & 1 John 1:3

By now you have established some sort of relationship with God. This was initiated instantly from
time of conversion. It is now time to cement this relationship and take it to the next level. Your
newfound faith gives birth to a spiritual relationship with both God and the family of God. This
changes your life forever. God has created us to have fellowship with Him and others.
As any Christian should admit the foundational issue in our life must be an appropriate
relationship with God, and knowledge of God.
Even though this may seem obvious for most Christians, careful observation tells us that the
mistake often made by faithful Christians is getting the following three mixed up
• Knowledge of God – Learning about God
• Serving God – What I do for God
• Know-ing – My personal relationship with God

Yes all three are linked but are to be counted as separate. Learning about God and doing things
for God cannot and must never replace the ultimate foundation, our relationship with God. Out of
this deep and personal relationship all the other things will flow.

As you enter into this Father / child relationship through the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit becomes
your ultimate counsellor, teacher, guide and helper. There are certain Christian disciplines that
will help you grow in your relationship with God and as the Holy Spirit speaks to you through
these disciplines helps us know God better and know His purpose for our lives.

A. FAITH
DEFINITION OF FAITH

Heb 11:1… “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
(NKJ)
Vine’s Dictionary defines faith as follows: “A firm persuasion – a conviction based upon hearing”

Faith is now, Hope is future

The only requirement that God demands for all miracles to take place and people to be saved is
Faith.

Faith gives us the assurance that the things we need will be given to us at the right time.

NATURAL FAITH VS SUPERNATURAL FAITH

Natural faith:
Every person, saved or unsaved, has natural faith and exercises it daily. E.g. Sitting on a chair and
believing that it will hold me up is natural faith.

Supernatural faith:
This type of faith grasps the unrealities of hope (future) and brings it into the dimension of reality
(present)… Heb 11:1.

HOW TO DEVELOP FAITH

a) Faith comes through hearing the Word of God… Rom 10:8-17. Many people
hear the Word, but do not combine it with faith. The heard Word is then of
no benefit. Become familiar with the Word of God and the promises contained therein.

b) Memorise Scripture so that you can ward off the devil’s fiery darts. Faith is an integral part of
the armour of God. Eph 6:16…“Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be
able to quench all fiery darts of the wicked one.” (NKJ)

c) Confess the Word Mark 11:23… “for assuredly I say to you, whoever SAYS to this mountain.…
….”

Faith that has been developed through constant positive Word input will always say “I have it,
even though I cannot see it.” If you already possess what you need, it is not necessary to
have
faith. Likewise, you do not need faith for that which you are able to do, but you do need faith
for
that which you cannot do.
But Remember: This doesn’t mean that we can’t say certain things when we need prayer.

d) Read books about faith. Feed your mind with positive input.

e) Don’t let doubt and negativity cloud your mindset

f) Don’t always think your feelings are proof of faith

Faith is not based on feelings, but on the Word of God. We can only expect scriptural results if
we
apply Word-faith.
g) Eliminate wrong thinking, wrong believing, wrong speaking.
If we think correctly (according to the Word) and believe correctly, our confession will be right.
Faith contradicts difficult circumstances. Faith speaks the answer.

HEAD FAITH VS HEART FAITH

Head faith – seeing is believing

Heart faith – believing is seeing

How do we get from head faith to heart faith? Faith needs to become a lifestyle – Heb 10:38
Many read the Bible on an academic level and even agree that the Word is true, but they only
agree with their minds while there is not faith in their hearts. Faith is a decision of your will. You
can choose to trust or to doubt.
N.B. We do not have faith in faith. Our faith is in God – our faith comes from Him.

FAITH MEANS ACTION

The greatest miracles take place when people act on God’s Word

a) The Walls of Jericho

- The whole nation had to believe the Word and take action accordingly
- Joshua and his people could not sit around and wait for things to happen automatically…
Joshua 6:5; 16-20.
- Please note: They shouted while the walls were still standing. Many
people only rejoice after the walls fall – for that no faith is required

b) The paralysed man lowered through the roof

- Jesus saw their faith by their actions…Luke 5:18-20.

- When Jesus spoke to the paralysed man he responded …Luke 5:24-25
- If you believe, you will act.

We receive through faith.

B. WORD OF GOD

God’s Word is essential for our growth, relationship with God and living our lives. God has given it
to us as our final authority and yard stick that we measure our lives by. We are to…
• Take it seriously and obey its instruction
• Apply it to all areas of our lives
• Read all of it in time.
• Use it to transform your thinking
• Test all you hear and see by it’s content.

How do we correctly interpret the Bible?

1. Prayer – Ask for God’s leading and not to lead by your own understanding
2. Quietness – Choose a time and place that you can focus without interference
3. Hunger – Develop a hunger for God’s Word. We do this by “feeding” on the Word
regularly and therefore become “hungry” in its absence. Hunger for the word is the
number one evidence that the Holy Spirit is working in you.
4. Holy Spirit – We can only interpret the Word with the illumination of the Holy
Spirit. This is when we suddenly experience an in-depth understanding of the
passages we read.
5. Historical Context – Always try to imagine the world around the authors and the
time it was written in. Then work out what the passage would have meant at that
tome. Once you understand what it meant it is easier to work out what it means
today and for your life. You can get books at any Christian bookstore to help you
with this. Look in the concordances or Bible Dictionarys.
6. Contextual Principle – Read the verse in context of the passage and the passage
in the context of the chapter and book. Often verses are quoted out of context to
back up an argument. Check these out every time.
7. Ask for Help – God has placed people around you to help you understand and
grow. Use them.
 8. Group Study – This is always an effective means of gaining knowledge of the
Bible. Debate and discussions stimulates and reinforces our thinking and belief
system.
9. The Word through your Pastor – Acts 2 reinforces the fact that we are to devote
ourselves to the teaching of God’ appointed leaders of the church
10. Old And New Testament – We always read the Old Testament in the light of the
New
Testament and visa versa. Jesus and the New Testament authors did this. It is
essential
practice.

C. PRAYER
READ: 2 Chronicles 7:11-16

Prayer is simply communicating with God. Prayer is as essential to spiritual growth as breathing is
to physical growth. It is like breathing.
• As you inhale (figuratively) – listen to God
• As you exhale (figuratively) – talk to God
We need to practice both listening and talking to God.

When and where do I pray? Why?

• Anytime • To Worship
• Anywhere • For thanksgiving
• Out loud • When you need help
• In your mind • When you are lonely
• Under your breath • When you need strength
• Being “prayerful” in all we do • When you are interceding for someone else
• When you need guidance
• When you are tempted
• When you fail or sin and need to confess
How?
As God is our heavenly father approach Him like you would an earthly father. Talk to Him with
love, respect, humility and as a best friend. He is always there and available.

TYPES OF PRAYER MODES OF PRAYING

• Confession – Num 21:7
• Praise – 2 Cor 1:3
• Thanksgiving – Mark 6:41
• Petition – Mark 13:18
• Intersession – John 17:1-26
• Commitment – 2 Sam 5:3
• Forgiveness – Matt 6:14-15
• Confidence – Psalm 121:1-8
• Worship – John 4:23-24
• Blessing – Heb 13:20-21
• Curse – Ps 5:10
• Lament – Luke 5:33-35
• Oath – 1 Kings 2:23-24
• Vow – Gen 28:20-21
• Music – 1 Kings 3: 15-18
• Tongues – Acts 10:46

TRY AND USE THE P.A.R.T. PRINCIPLE

PRAISE GOD AT ALL TIMES - Psalm 34:1
P “I will BLESS the Lord at all times; His praises will continually be in my mouth”.
Always start off by worshipping God or who He is and not just for what He does for
you.
ADMIT YOUR SINS TO GOD – Psalm 66:18
A If I regard my iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not Hear”. Repentance and
confession is essential for our prayer life.

REQUEST NEEDS TO GOD – Matthew 6:8

“Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of
R before you ask Him”. Even though God knows our needs He has chosen to act on
us asking Him. This is us acknowledging our dependence on Him.

THANK GOD FOR ALL THINGS – Ephesians 5:20

T “…giving thanks always for things to God the Father in the name of the Lord Jesus
Christ”. God wants you to give thanks in the good times and the bad.
 D. PRAISE & WORSHIP

PRAISE

DEFINITION OF PRAISE

According to Webster’s Dictionary praise is:-

“The act of glorifying or extolling God.”
Praise means the speaking well of, extolling, or magnifying the virtues SELF STUDY
of God. A relationship with God cannot exist without praise. Romans 12:1-2
Praise is vocal, public and exciting. It is always accompanied 2 Corinthians 10:3-5
by sound. Praise occurs when we tell someone else about Psalm 19:1
God’s goodness. Revelation 12:11

WHAT DO THESE SCRIPTURES TELL US ABOUT PRAISE?

Psalm 8:1-2

ISAIAH 61:3

PSALM 106:47

PSALM 22:3

PSALM 100:4

WORSHIP

DEFINITION OF WORSHIP

“Worship” as a verb means, “to pay homage” or “respect”.

There are also many synonyms that help us understand the meaning of the word. For example: -
adore, esteem, magnify, revere, venerate and exalt. It is always associated with an attitude of the
body: Sometimes lifting of hands, sometimes bowing down, sometimes bending the knee and
sometimes prostrating oneself.

MAN IS MADE TO WORSHIP

Man is essentially a worshipping creature. His choice is not whether he will worship but rather
whom he will worship. In the Bible, God demands worship. We ultimately will end up serving
whatever we worship ...Matthew 4:10. Our nature demands that we worship something. Our
choice is whether it will be God or something else.
SELF STUDY
Psalm 115
WORSHIP IN THE SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH Isaiah 6:1-4
In John 4:23 it says: “But the hour is coming, 1Corinthians 14:15
and now is, when the true worshippers will 1 Chronicles 6:31-32
worship the Father in spirit and truth;

for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.”

In spirit and in truth means absolute honesty
and openness before God, hiding nothing.
Worship is a response to a relationship with God. That relationship is very intimate and it involves
fellowship. It is the outpouring of the inner thoughts to God. It is accompanied by emotional and
expressive actions of the body.

WORSHIP IS AN ACT OF WILL

No man worships God automatically. It is an act of our will to thank God, it is an act of our will to
praise. It is God’s will for us to enter His presence through the act of worship. It is only then that
our relationship with God is consummated.

E. SPENDING TIME WITH GOD (QUIET TIMES)

WHATS A QUIET TIME
Quiet time could refer to those precious moments after the kids are in bed, but for Christians, a
quiet time is more than that. Quiet time, or devotion time, refers to our daily appointment with
God, when we shut out as much outside interference as possible. During our quiet time, we may
sing praise songs, pray, read Scripture or daily devotions, meditate on God's Word, or simply be
still and listen. Making that appointment is one thing; keeping it is something else entirely!

QUIET TIME - THE OUTER CHALLENGE

Quiet time is a goal that sounds simple, but which meets with greater challenges than many
physical endurance contests. We live in a world of noise. Everywhere we go, even in our own
homes, there is some kind of noise to distract us, from telephones to TV to traffic. But making
time for daily devotion is critical to hearing God!!

QUIET TIME - THE INNER CHALLENGE

Quiet time involves an inner state of being, as well as an outward condition. Have you ever
noticed that when you sit down to read your Bible or pray, your mind begins to wander or you
suddenly remember what you needed at the grocery store? Inner "noise" can be just as
troublesome as outer noise when it comes to having quiet time with God. Writing down those
thoughts and deal with them after your time with God can help. If the thoughts are linked
emotionally then don’t hesitate to work through the inner noise with a counsellor or pastor.

QUIET TIME - WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL? WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?

God longs to spend time with us and wants to speak to us. Consider what He was willing to do for
us, in order to reunite us with Him.

Jesus set the example for us concerning quiet time. He took time to connect with the Father
regularly, as the following Scriptures tell us, and His impact on this world was life-changing for
many:

"Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, 'Sit here
while I go over there and pray'" (Matthew 26:36).

"Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a
solitary place, where he prayed (Mark 1:35).

"But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed" (Luke 5:16).

QUIET TIME HELPS - HOW TO FIND IT, EVEN IN A NOISY WORLD

Quiet time can almost seem like a contradiction in this high volume world we live in. If you desire
quiet time with God, but find it difficult to attain, try these tips:

• Carve out time in your day by writing it into your calendar. Appointments and meetings not
written down are often forgotten. Make a daily appointment with God.
• If noise is all around you, look for a place in your home, neighbourhood, or community that
can easily be your place to talk with the Lord. If you can't find a quiet place, try making
one of your own. It's been said that Susanna Wesley, mother of Charles and John Wesley,
would simply pull her apron up over her head! That let her family know she was meeting
with God and not to be disturbed. Be creative! God made you in His image, after all, and
no one is more creative than God.

• If a wandering mind is your hang-up, pray for discipline and then keep lists handy. Have a
list of the people and things you want to pray about. Have a daily Bible reading plan
printed out and easy to find. Keep a note pad nearby for those shopping list items and
errands that pop to mind. Jot them down and go on with the meeting. Our God is a God of
order. Give Him your wandering mind and your desire for discipline. He will help you find
ways to make it work.

Finally, do you desire to hear from God? Are you passionate about wanting His will in your life,
above your own? Daily quiet time prepares your heart to listen. You may "hear" Him speak to you
in those quiet moments…or you may hear Him through a friend or circumstance later in the day.
But because you've made time with Him a priority and have been willing to shut out the world to
hear Him, He will make sure you do.