HOW TO INCREASE THE MANIFESTATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN OUR MIDST!

Today we want to look at “HOW TO INCREASE THE MANIFESTATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN OUR MIDST!” 

Last Sunday we experienced the manifestation of the Holy Spirit. However, it is necessary to increase the manifestation of the Holy Spirit in your life as an individual and in our midst whenever we gather together unto the Lord as a local assembly. We can achieve this by:

1. Eliminating the ignorance of God’s will concerning Spiritual Gifts (Isa. 5:13). In 1 Corinthians 12:1 the Bible admonishes us not to be ignorant of spiritual gifts and their operation because you cannot manifest what you have no knowledge of.

“Now about (concerning) spiritual gifts (the manifestations of the Holy Spirit), brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant” (1 Cor. 12:1).

To eliminate ignorance from your life you must study the Word of God with all diligence (Col. 3:16; 2 Tim. 2:15).

How can this be achieved?

(a) Through a diligent study of the Word of God even in the area of spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 12, 14).

2 Timothy 2:15 says, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

(b) Through continuous meditation on the Word of God (Josh. 1:8, Ps. 1:1-3, Ps. 119:105, 130; Rom. 1:16-17).

It is the will of God for every Christian to manifest the spiritual gifts that will enable him/her to stand in the office where in God has called him/her (1 Cor. 12, 14; Eph. 4:11-13). For instance, a Prophet is expected to manifest the gift of prophecy in addition to at least two revelation gifts. An Evangelist is expected to manifest the revelation gifts in addition to the power gifts and some utterance gifts.

The spiritual gifts don’t belong to you, but to the Holy Spirit. They are not under your control. Therefore, you can’t operate them when you want, but as the Holy Spirit wants.

2. Desiring the manifestations of the Holy Spirit in our midst! How? Earnestly (eagerly)!

What does it mean to desire something? It means to want that thing very strongly. You can only desire what you know. The knowledge you have about a thing is what will create the desire for that thing in your life. In other words, an earnest desire for something can only be created through a sound knowledge of that thing.

1 Corinthians 14:1 says, “Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy.”

1 Corinthians 12:31 says, “But covet earnestly the best gifts…”

To covet earnestly means to eagerly desire.

3. Praying in one accord concerning the manifestation of the Holy Spirit in our midst! This is called united or corporate prayer. When more than two people who are of one mind come together and pray, a corporate unction causes the result to manifest faster: one will chase 1000, and two will chase 10,000. So, more than two will chase more than 20,000 (Acts 4:23-31).

In Matthew 18:19-20 Jesus said, “…That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of My Father which is in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them.”

A good example is what happened when Peter and John were threatened after the healing of the man at the gate of the temple called Beautiful (Acts 4:24, 29-30).

What happened when they finished praying? There was a great manifestation of the Holy Spirit. Acts 4:31-33 says, “And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the Word of God with boldness. 32 And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. 33 And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.”

4. Ensuring that there is Unity amongst us. Psalm 133:1-3 says, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! 2 It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; 3 As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.”

Everyone in the church should be in one accord.

What does it mean to be in one accord? It means to be of one mind. It means to be likeminded. In Philippians 2:2 Apostle Paul said, ``Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.``

His glory comes down when we worship Him in one accord [in unity; with one mind]. In 2 Chronicles 5:11-14 the Bible says, “And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place: (for all the priests that were present were sanctified, and did not then wait by course: 12 Also the Levites which were the singers, all of them of Asaph, of Heman, of Jeduthun, with their sons and their brethren, being arrayed in white linen, having cymbals and psalteries and harps, stood at the east end of the altar, and with them an hundred and twenty priests sounding with trumpets:) 13 It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers WERE AS ONE, TO MAKE ONE SOUND to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of music, and praised the LORD, saying, For He is good; for His mercy endureth forever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD; 14 So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of THE CLOUD: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God.”

Examples of people in one accord abound in the Scriptures:

a) On the day of Pentecost: Acts 2:1 says, “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.”

What happened when the day of Pentecost was fully come? There was a great manifestation of the Holy Spirit in their midst. Acts 2:2-4 says, “And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4 And they were ALL filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

b) When Peter and John were threatened by the chief priests and elders after healing the man that was lame.

Acts 4:15-22 says, “But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, 16 Saying, What shall we do to these men? For that indeed a notable miracle hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it. 17 But that it spread no further among the people, let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name. 18 And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. 20 For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard. 21 So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people: for all men glorified God for that which was done.”

What happened after they were threatened? They went to their company and they all prayed in one accord (Acts 4:23-31).

What happened when they finished praying? The place where they were assembled together was shaken. That was a manifestation of the Holy Spirit. Acts 4:31 says, “And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the Word of God with boldness.”

5. Intense and Sustained worship! This is talking about ministering to God in a sustained manner. God’s Presence is ushered into a service through worship. When we worship God we not only invite the King of Glory into our midst, but we also move deeper into His Presence. When God’s Glory is made manifest, He can touch and heal thousands of people in an instant. Miracles and healings will take place without the laying on of human hands. And as the worship of the saints grow purer, more intense and sustained longer, the manifestation and experience of God’s glory will increase in intensity.

Prayer and worship spread a spiritual canopy over God’s people. The power of God always prevails when we intensify and sustain the worship. If you want a breakthrough in your life, you must break forth into praising and worshipping the Lord. Break forth into dancing, into joy, into praise, into prayer, and into worship. Begin by letting your voice break forth. It will help you to breakthrough spiritually.

Conclusion: Beloved, if everyone here today that is Born Again earnestly puts the above steps into action, I assure you that there will be a great manifestation of the Holy Spirit in your life as an individual and in our midst as an Assembly.

Watch out for the next edition of Good news from the Pulpit!

• Your friend: I. I. MADUBUNYI (Senior Pastor)                              11.06. 2017