• New birth (John 3:3–8)
• Born into a family

Adoption (Romans 8:14–17)

• Highest privilege (v.14)
• Closest intimacy (v.15)
• Deepest experience (v.16)

“For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:18)

• He helps us to pray. (Romans 8:26)

• He enables us to understand God’s Word. (Ephesians 1:17–18)

• He makes us more like Jesus. (2 Corinthians 3:18)
• Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23)

Ephesians 4:3–6 (NIV)

³ Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. ⁴ There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; ⁵ one Lord, one faith, one baptism; ⁶ one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

The Holy Spirit gives everybody gifts for the common good. (1 Corinthians 12:4–11)

The Spirit of God gives us power.

• To be witnesses for Christ (Acts 1:8)
• For service (Acts 1:8)

“The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come!’ Let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.”

Revelation 22:17

1 Corinthians 12:4–11 (NIV)

⁴ There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. ⁵ There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. ⁶ There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. 

⁷ Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. ⁸ To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, ⁹ to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, ¹⁰ to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. ¹¹ All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

1. What do you think about each of these spiritual gifts? (esp. the gift of prophecy and speaking in tongues)
2. How do you feel about the idea of God giving us supernatural gifts?
3. How do you feel about Paul’s statement in 1 Corinthians 12:6–7 (NLT), "God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us. A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other."
4. Why does God give spiritual gifts to people?

There will be an opportunity to hear more on this subject in the next session.

• The Gift of Wisdom – the gift of knowing God and being confident in him.
• The Gift of Knowledge – the gift of knowing something about a person(s) that is already known to them, but not to you. This is why it is a gift from God, because only God could have revealed this piece of knowledge.
• The Gift of Faith – the gift of trusting God, trusting his promises, and encouraging others to do the same, no matter the circumstances.
• The Gift of Healing – the gift of God’s healing power to restore a person who is sick, injured, or suffering.
• The Gift of Miracles (miraculous powers) – the gift of instant healing or some other powerful manifestation of God’s power.
• The Gift of Prophecy – the gift of knowing something about a person(s) that they don’t currently already know. This can be Godly wisdom about present circumstances that they haven’t noticed/seen or a picture of what God is promising for the future.
• The Gift of Discernment of Spirits – the gift of identifying spiritual activity that drives thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors, which ultimately manifest in the natural realm.
• The Gift of Tongues – the gift of praying in the Spirit through a foreign or angelic language that you have no knowledge of how to speak on your own.
• The Gift of Interpretation of Tongues – the gift of translating tongues, either general or specific translation, spoken by yourself or by someone else.

• Lifechange by Ed. Mark Elsdon-Dew
• The God Who Changes Lives 1, 2, 3 & 4 by Ed. M. Elsdon-Dew