In this sermon, Pastor Jim explains why spiritual gifts still exist today, focusing on how the Holy Spirit leads, teaches, and guides believers into truth. He reveals how God communicates through the human spirit, guards believers from deception, and empowers them to walk in the Spirit by disciplining their thoughts and remaining sensitive to the voice of God.
In Why Spiritual Gifts Exist Today – Part 3, Pastor Jim develops a clear biblical understanding of how and why the Holy Spirit actively guides believers today. He begins by reaffirming that God created humanity for personal, intimate fellowship, designing man as a tripartite being body, soul, and spirit capable of hearing and discerning God’s voice.
Pastor Jim teaches that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth, who speaks what He hears from God, leads believers away from deception, and directs their steps in life. Using Scripture, he explains that the Spirit guides not only through direct revelation but also by impressing upon the human spirit, helping believers know which paths to take and which to avoid.
The sermon then turns to the practical outworking of walking in the Spirit. Drawing from Paul’s teaching, Pastor Jim outlines a four-step process for spiritual victory: casting down vain imaginations, rejecting prideful and egotistical thoughts, bringing every thought into obedience to Christ, and maintaining obedience through spiritual discipline. He emphasizes that unchecked imaginations and wrong thinking fuel the flesh and hinder spiritual sensitivity.
Through biblical examples and practical application, Pastor Jim shows that spiritual gifts exist to help believers live victoriously, maintain unity, and remain in constant fellowship with God. This message challenges listeners to cultivate spiritual awareness, guard their minds, and allow the Holy Spirit to lead every area of life.
Scripture References
John 16:13; Acts 16:6–7; Romans 8:14; John 14:26; 1 Corinthians 2:12–13; James 1:5; 2 Corinthians 10:2–6; Philippians 4:8; Luke 19:2–8; 1 Corinthians 13
Sermon Notes
God specifically created man with the ability to have a personal, intimate relationship with
Him.
The human being is tripartite: body, soul, and spirit.
But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth.
John 16:13 NIV
But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak
on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.
John 16:13 NIV
“But whatever He hears, He will speak, and He will, disclose to you.”
The Holy Spirit is there to lead and guide us through life, which means He will keep you from
going down the wrong path, the one that leads to deception.
First, God can simply tell you what's true by speaking to that part of your spirit that enables
you to discern or understand the things of God.
1. For He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak, and He
will disclose to you what is to come.
2. The second way that He can do this is by impressing upon our spirit which path to take or
which choice to make.
Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by
the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go
into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them.
Acts 16:6–7 NKJV
When they arrived in Mesopotamia, they intended to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus
did not permit them. The Holy Spirit impressed upon their spirit: not to go this way, but to
go that way.
Firstly - the Holy Spirit said don't speak the word. Secondly, the Holy Spirit said, “don’t go
that way”.
Why? Because God deliberately created you with the ability to do so.
1. One of those components enables you to be sensitive to the Spirit.
For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
Romans 8:14 NKJV
Secondly, the Holy Spirit is believed to be our teacher.
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all
things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.
John 14:26 NKJV
See Hear Learn
Intellect and our spiritual intellect.
What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that
we may understand what God has freely given us.
1 Corinthians 2:12 NIV
Thirdly, the Holy Spirit shares God's wisdom with us.
He whispers insights and truths that align with God's word, guiding us to make choices that
reflect God's heart.
This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the
Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.
1 Corinthians 2:13 NIV
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding
fault, and it will be given to you. James 1:5 NIV
But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence,
wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to
the flesh. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons
of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge
of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; And having in a
readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.
2 Corinthians 10:2–6 KJV 1900
Verse 3-6
Paul responded to their accusation, but more importantly, he revealed the secret to walking
in the Spirit and how to live a life that is in communion and fellowship with God.
“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh”
Verses 4 to 6, Paul demonstrates how to ensure that the spirit prevails in your life, and how
to remain constantly walking in the Spirit rather than in the flesh.
Cast down vain imaginations that are running through your mind. (verse 5)
Did you know that imagined scenarios running through your mind fuel the flesh more than
anything else?
40% of our time is spent imagining things that will never happen!
When vain imaginations fill our minds, are they spiritual or fleshly?
Step 1. Cast down vain imaginations.
Step 2.
Cast down every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God. (verse 5)
The phrase high thing is translated from the
Greek: ὕψωμα
Transliteration: hupsōma
Pronunciation: hoop'-so-mah
Paul is saying
1.Cast down vain imaginations,
2. And, prideful or egotistical thoughts.
Step 3.
Bring into captivity every thought unto the obedience of Jesus Christ.
Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are
just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good
report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these
things. Philippians 4:8 NKJV
Remember to cast down vain imaginations and egotistical thoughts, for the Holy Spirit tells
us to keep quiet!
Every time a church splits, it invariably starts with someone telling lies!
In 1 Corinthians chapter 13 Paul defined love.
Step 4.
In the process, it is to avenge all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.
“and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ and having it a
readiness to revenge all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.” (verse 6)
A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy.
He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the
crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming
that way. Luke 19:2–8 NIV
When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down
immediately. I must stay at your house today.” So he came down at once and welcomed
him gladly. Luke 19:2–8 NIV
All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”
Luke 19:2–8 NIV
But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my
possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four
times the amount.” Luke 19:2–8 NIV
To walk in the Spirit, you need to learn to live by the four-step process!