Invite Him in
Let all things be done for edification. 1 Corinthians 14:26
Here is the key to spiritual gifts. They are to be used for edification and building others up. They are not to draw attention to yourself, and they are not to make you famous or popular. They are for reaching the world.
When Jesus was about to leave this world, He told His disciples to go into all the world and reach all people. Essentially, He was saying: I paid the price for all people for all time and now I want you to go out there in the world and rescue them all. He didn’t stop there either. He also said: Before you do that, wait in Jerusalem until you receive the promise of the Father to be baptized with the Holy Spirit and His power. He will be here in just a few days. He went on to say: Then you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you to be my witnesses all over the entire world. The Holy Spirit will be with you until the end of the age. (Not until the end of their lives. See Acts 1)
Here is the reason for the instruction about the Holy Spirits gifts in 1 Corinthians 12-14. How different would our world be if Christian people led others to the solutions to the problems we all face. Yes, we invite people to church and hope they will experience God there, but isn’t there something we can do besides bring them to a service?
The answer is yes! We can be a voice of encouragement. Start looking around you and notice when there are hurting people around. Let them know there is a hope, and it is salvation in Jesus. Then let them know there is power to overcome through the Holy Spirit. Power to stand in adversity, power over oppression, power against infliction and power to overcome every obstacle.
Start by praying for others. Pray for opportunities, pray for boldness to love others and pray for wisdom to reach them. Also, pray for the power of the Holy Spirit to be evident in your life to draw people into the Kingdom of heaven and to our loving heavenly Father.
Lastly, walk with people. After you bring them into a personal relationship with God through salvation in the blood of Jesus, bring them into community. Connect them with others that can show them how to walk closely to their Savior in faith and don’t let them slip back into a world that wants to devour them the first chance it gets.
Today I want to encourage you to let all things be done for edification. If you have never walked in the power of the Holy Spirit in your life, do it today. You can do this the same way you received your salvation, by faith. Just invite the Holy Spirit to take the lead in your life and ask Him to instruct and comfort you in every area. Let Him know you are available for Him to move through to reach the world around you and ask for Him to give you the boldness to be His vessel. The Holy Spirit will not possess you like a demon does, He will only act as you surrendered and yield to Him. Be watching and listening when the Holy Spirit points you in someone’s direction and then walk out every direction and step He gives.
Today’s scripture reading: 1 Corinthians 14:1-25
1 Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.
2 For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries.
3 But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men.
4 He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church.
5 I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification.
6 But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you unless I speak to you either by revelation, by knowledge, by prophesying, or by teaching?
7 Even things without life, whether flute or harp, when they make a sound, unless they make a distinction in the sounds, how will it be known what is piped or played?
8 For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle?
9 So likewise you, unless you utter by the tongue words easy to understand, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air.
10 There are, it may be, so many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without significance.
11 Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be a foreigner to him who speaks, and he who speaks will be a foreigner to me.
12 Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel.
13 Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret.
14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.
15 What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding.
16 Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say “Amen” at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you say?
17 For you indeed give thanks well, but the other is not edified.
18 I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all;
19 yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue.
20 Brethren, do not be children in understanding; however, in malice be babes, but in understanding be mature.
21 In the law it is written: “With men of other tongues and other lips I will speak to this people; And yet, for all that, they will not hear Me,” says the Lord.
22 Therefore tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophesying is not for unbelievers but for those who believe.
23 Therefore if the whole church comes together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers, will they not say that you are out of your mind?
24 But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, he is convinced by all, he is convicted by all.
25 And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed; and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God and report that God is truly among you.
The Daily Dose 