bible – All Thailand Experiences

Bible Truths – Biblical Repentance

Repentance in Biblical terms is not what most people think it means. Most think it means only to try to stop sinning and ask God for forgiveness and then feel guilty, sorrowful, regret and condemning ourselves. First of all the only one to ever not sin was Jesus Christ. So to stop sinning is impossible without excepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Second, God knew we cannot obey the Law so He sent His Son Jesus Christ to take the punishment for our sins on the cross. Third, He then sent the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost to guide us away from sin. Now the only way to biblical repentance is to believe and accept that Jesus Christ is Lord and savior.

Hello, I’m Randy Gaudet, founder and director of All Thailand Experiences and Bible Truths. Those who have read my profile know how I first came to Thailand and my association with missions and churches since 1989.

Bible Truths is a tool to explain in both English and Thai ( in video) Languages the Truth in what is available to the believer in Christ Jesus, The Holy Spirit and God the Father. We will talk about real daily situations we all face that can lead to bondage in our lives and how to escape and enjoy true Freedom.

The video lessons are in English and Thai by Abundant Grace Church in Chiang Mai Thailand. Pastor Nathan Gonmei will speak a sentence in English then his wife Pastor Salila will say the sentence in Thai. Now this is a spirit filled church. This is the church I belong to today.

Here we will use scripture to show the true meaning of Repentance.

Mark 1:15,NIV: “The time has come,’ he said. ‘The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!'”

Mark’s first direct quote of Jesus is the announcement that God’s kingdom has arrived. The gospel message includes a sense of urgency, especially with Jesus live and in-person among those He taught. They are no longer to look forward to a future fulfillment of the Messianic prophecies; Jesus is now on the scene fulfilling God’s words among God’s people (Galatians 4:4). Scholars number hundreds of prophecies in the Old Testament about the coming of Israel’s savior. Despite this, the Jews had a very inaccurate idea of what the Kingdom of God was and what the Messiah would do for them. They believed the Messiah would lead them into political independence, civil peace, and personal prosperity. Instead of a military champion, Jesus came as meek as a lamb (John 1:29), not to remove the barrier between the Jews and prosperity, but to remove the barrier between all of humanity and God Himself.

John the Baptist’s message was to repent and believe that salvation was coming. Jesus’ message is to repent and believe in the salvation that is now here. To repent, from the Greek metanoeo, is to change one’s mind and agree that one’s sins are abhorrent. It is not only remorse for sin but also a changed attitude that chooses to live for God. To believe, from the Greek pisteuo, means to be fully convinced. To “believe” and to “repent” go hand in hand. It is impossible to fully believe in Jesus’ message of salvation and not turn away from our sins (1 John 3:4–6). Christians will never be perfect on this earth, but our inclination to live a sinful life changes into a desire to live for God.

Psalm 103:10, NIV: “he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.”

This verse contains a strong admission of Israel’s sin and guilt as well as a tribute to God’s forgiveness. If God punished every sinner as that sinner deserves to be punished, no sinner would be allowed to enter heaven. Even worse, the Bible says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Humanity getting what we deserve would mean every single one of us being separated from God, forever.

The Old Testament prophet Ezra understood that God does not punish us to the extent we deserve. He said, “And after all that has come upon us for our evil deeds and for our great guilt, seeing that you, our God, have punished us less than our iniquities deserved” (Ezra 9:13). Contrary to punishing us as we deserve, God loved us and gave His Son for us (John 3:16–17).

Jesus took the full punishment for our sins by dying in our place on the cross. Romans 5:6 announces: “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Romans 5:8 says “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Those who accept this are saved (John 3:16–18), but those who reject it are not (John 3:36).

Romans 8:11, NIV: “And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.”

No matter what you are going through in life, you can be confident in the Lord because he has made you sweet and precious promises through his word. As Christians it is important to understand the spiritual truths of God. What he says about you, what he has provided you, how he loves you… so you can understand what is yours by birthright in God’s family through Jesus Christ. Did you know that you are so much more than flesh and blood if the Spirit of God lives inside of you? Your natural existence is secondary to your spiritual existence. Jesus said in John, “The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life” ( John 6:63 ).The spirit inside of you is life, understanding how this operates will give you the victory that Christ purchased for you.

Paul wrote that Christians are spiritually alive, because of God’s Spirit with us, but that our physical bodies are dying and will die because of sin (Romans 5:12).

Now, though, Paul assures his Christian readers that their physical bodies will be resurrected, as Christ’s was (1 Thessalonians 4:16). More specifically, he says that “if”—which in this context means “since”—God’s Spirit is in you, that same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead will also give life to our mortal bodies (1 John 3:2).

Paul is clear: Resurrection is a work of the Holy Spirit of God. That’s one of the things He does. He raised Jesus from the dead, and He will do the same for all who are in Christ when the time comes. This continues the theme from this passage: that those who are saved, in Christ, are absolutely and totally free from any threat of condemnation. There is no condemnation for those in Christ, and nothing will ever be able to separate us from His love.

Our mortal bodies are simply a tent in which to house our immortal spirit and eternal soul, and as part of the old creation in Adam, they remain subject to death because of the sin of Adam. But the glorious truth in this verse is that we have hope in Christ – for the same Spirit which raised Him from the dead will also raise us up – spirit, soul, and body. We are a new creation in Christ, such that His death becomes our death and His Resurrection becomes our resurrection – for we are united with Him eternally, and have become one in Spirit with Him.

Jeremiah 29:11, ESV: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

When understood in context, we discover that the words of Jeremiah 29:11 were spoken to people in the midst of hardship and suffering; people who were likely desiring an immediate rescue. But God’s response is not to provide immediate escape from the difficult situation. Rather, God promises that He has a plan to prosper them in the midst of their current situation.

Christians facing difficult situations today can take comfort in Jeremiah 29:11 knowing that it is not a promise to immediately rescue us from hardship or suffering, but rather a promise that God has a plan for our lives and regardless of our current situation, He can work through it to prosper us and give us a hope and a future. Furthermore, Christians can take comfort in knowing that God promises to be there for us in these situations. For in the verses immediately following Jeremiah 29:11, God proclaims through Jeremiah that when you “call on me and come and pray to me… I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 19:12-13).

The Lord desires the best for His children even though we may stray far from Him. His plan for His children is to give us a future and a hope. He knows that only as we sever our reliance on the world’s destructive securities and rest our trust entirely on Christ Jesus our Lord, will we break free from the yoke of this world’s slavery.

Romans 12:2, NIV: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Paul is urging Christians to respond to God’s mercy, His forgiveness of our sin, and His inclusion of us in His family. The appropriate reaction would be offering to Him our entire lives as a form of living, breathing sacrifice.

Next, Paul writes that we must no longer be conformed to the world. The word “world” is often used in the New Testament to refer to the “world system,” or the way that every human being lives by default. John described this worldly way of living as “the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life” (1 John 2:16). By instinct, all of us chase those things in pursuit of happiness and meaning.

Paul tells us to abandon the chase for pleasure, possessions, and status—to stop living like everyone else. Instead, he urges us to be transformed from the inside out. Specifically, he writes that we must be changed in how we think, to have our minds renewed so that we can begin to understand God’s will for our lives.

God may continue to provide us with pleasure, possessions, and status in various forms, but he urges us to learn how to look at life with a new question: What does God want for me? What is truly a good, acceptable, and perfect use of my life for His purposes and not just for my own?

”How should we respond to God’s great mercy to us?” The answer is to become living, breathing sacrifices, using our lives up in service to God as an ongoing act of worship. That’s what makes sense. This is not a means to earn salvation, but the natural response we should have to being saved. To do this, we will need to break free from the me-first pattern of the world and have our minds changed in order to be able understand what God wants. Then we will know how to live.

James 2:17, NIV: “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”

The teaching of Christianity was revolutionary, and it still is. The emphasis of the gospel is on grace, through faith, and not by the good deeds—works—which we do. Instead of demanding sinless perfection and sacrifice, or some subjective judgment, God was offering forgiveness of sins and an eternal home with Him for all who believe in Christ. That leads to an all-important question: “What does it mean to have a saving belief in Christ?” This is the issue James is tackling in this part of Scripture.

Reading James in context with the rest of the New Testament helps us to answer that question. In this particular case, James is making a crucial point about the gospel: simple mental agreement is not enough. “Knowledge” is not “trust.” Salvation does not come when a person agrees to the facts of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection. Accepting Christ is not like agreeing that the city of Lincoln is the capital of Nebraska. Such a “belief” requires no response, no action. In verses 15 and 16, James also pointed out that merely claiming something does not make the claim true. A person who says “I believe,” but does nothing to support such a belief, does not actually believe what they have claimed.

James makes clear that saving faith in Christ is active and transformative. Salvation is about placing our trust in Christ; this necessarily transforms us in such a way that we begin to make new and different choices. Living faith in Christ changes the direction of a person’s life. It always results in the believer beginning to participate in good works. Where there are no works, there is only a dead “words only” faith—the kind James refers to in the first part of verse 14.

It’s important to note here what James is not saying. He is not in any sense claiming that salvation requires good works. He’s not talking about following the law or being perfectly sinless. He’s talking about doing good works that are consistent with loving other Christians and obeying the Father. That’s what those who trust in Christ begin to do.

In other words, we are saved only by faith, and this faith which saves will produce good works. According to James, those who lack works are not saved—not because they lack works, but because their lack of works proves that they lack saving faith.

Romans 6:13, NIV: “Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness.”

We have not, however, lost our desire to sin. We still want to sin, at times, even knowing how destructive our sin is. Paul has commanded us not to volunteer to sin, not to let it take control of our bodies. Now he puts an even finer point on his command. We must not present our members, any part of our bodies, for sin to use to do unrighteous things.

Notice something about that command: It insists that we have control over what we do with our own bodies. Christ’s death and the power of God’s spirit gives us that control. Those who are saved can only sin by choosing to do so.

Instead, Paul writes, we must present our bodies to God to be used for righteousness. In fact, we should do it on purpose like people who have been brought from death to life. How do we do that? We start by continually reminding ourselves that we have actually and genuinely been brought from death to life. That is who we are now, and that’s the life we are destined to lead.

Paul has made abundantly clear that those of us in Christ must engage in a kind of battle with ourselves. We have been freed, through our spiritual death and resurrection with Christ, from the power of sin. Our old self has been crucified spiritually in the same way that Christ was crucified spiritually. The result is that sin no longer has any authority over us. We have been set free.

2 Timothy 1:9, NIV: “He has saved us and called us to a holy life–not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time,”

In this verse, Paul transitions from the idea of suffering for the sake of gospel to the holy life to which Christians are called. Both Paul and Timothy had been saved and were given a calling to serve others in ministry. Salvation is not on the basis of great deeds, but only by the power of God (Ephesians 2:8–9). The same is true of a calling to serve others in ministry: it’s not the result of our own efforts. It is God’s purpose and grace which can be found behind the calling of every person who serves in ministry.

The last phrase in this verse speaks deeply regarding the sovereignty of God. The calling believers have to salvation and ministry has existed since before time began. This amazing truth should humble every believer, including the greatest ministry leaders. We should all recognize that our work is not based on our performance or gifts, but on the divine calling of God.

1 Timothy 1:15, NIV: “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners–of whom I am the worst.”

Paul continues his testimony, which began in verse 12. Here he uses a phrase unique to the Pastoral Epistles—1 and 2 Timothy and Titus—and used five times by Paul: “the saying is trustworthy.” He will also use the phrase in 1 Timothy 3:1 and 4:9, as well as 2 Timothy 2:11 and Titus 3:8. Each time, the phrase emphasizes a particular point or quote Paul wants Timothy or Titus to remember.

In this verse, the statement to remember is, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.” This quote may have become well known within the early churches after Paul wrote this letter. Other scholars see Paul using an existing statement to reinforce his point. As Paul matured in his faith, his writings reflected a man who transitioned from proud, to a new believer, to a mature believer who saw himself in complete need of God’s grace. Like David, Paul saw himself as sinful from his mother’s womb (Psalm 51:5).

Paul proves his spiritual humility. He recognizes that his own sins were severe (Acts 8:1-3, Acts 22:4, Acts 22:19; 26:10–11) and that he can only credit the grace of God for saving him. Paul’s change of life wasn’t due to his own efforts, but was the result of Christ’s miraculous work.

Galatians 1:23, NIV: “They only heard the report: ‘The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.'”

Paul is making the case for why the Judaizers are wrong that he learned about Christ from the apostles. He has shown he wasn’t really even around the apostles for the first several years of his ministry.

In fact, he was gone from Jerusalem and Judea for so long that the Christians in that region only knew him by his two wildly different reputations: Paul—then called Saul—was originally a Pharisee who vehemently persecuted and tried to destroy the church back when he was in Jerusalem. Those who knew of his exploits would have been shocked to hear that the same man was reported to be out in Syria and Cilicia preaching that people could be saved by God’s grace through faith in Christ!

In fact, Paul learned about the gospel of God’s grace through Jesus from Jesus Himself. He was, truthfully, an apostle, and he wanted his Galatian readers to know they could trust his message about Jesus.

Galatians 1:24, NIV: “And they praised God because of me.”

Paul has just described how he had been known by the Christians in Jerusalem and Judea more by reputation than in person. The church in that region heard the stories of his radical transformation. Back when he was a Pharisee in Jerusalem, he had led the effort to destroy the church of God by chasing down and arresting Christians and even advocating for their execution. Every believer who knew of Paul—then called Saul—likely feared him for that reason.

Then suddenly, this persecutor was gone from the scene. As Paul has described, after God revealed to him the Son (Acts 9:1–22), and had commissioned him to preach to the Gentiles, Paul had gone off by himself for three years and then off to Syria and Cilicia to preach the gospel. Eventually, the Judean Christians heard about this Paul, as well. He now told people how to have their sins forgiven by God’s grace through faith in Christ.

How did the Christians in and around Jerusalem respond to the reported change? Paul reports that they praised or glorified God because of him. As his letters often express, bringing praise and glory to God is one of the ultimate goals of his life.

Paul is telling us through his testimony that anyone who repents can enjoy a rich life changing experiences because of the blood of Jesus Christ. Your sins are washed away forever if you just receive Him in your heart and believe. Then through His Grace you will enjoy a rich rewarding experiences now and forever.

Created by Randy Gaudet with contribution from Abundant Grace Church, Chiang Mai Thailand

All Thailand Experiences, Living with Joy

Living with Joy

Hello again, I’m Randy Gaudet, founder and director of All Thailand Experiences. Those who have read my profile know how I first came to Thailand and my association with missions and churches since 1989.

We use funds from our tours to help the needy, change lives and spread the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We teach about the Holy Trinity, Love and Grace because of Jesus Christ and to tell Christians they are free from the Law, sin and death.

At most churches in Thailand the old covenant law is being taught and that Grace is not available to you if you break the law. We are training pastors about the New Repentance as written in the Bible with help from Pastors Nathan and Saia Gonmei at Abundant Grace Church in Chiang Mai.

On all our All Thailand Experiences Christian teaching blogs I will point to scriptures and explain the meaning on the topic. As our mission is to reach Thai people we will then watch or listen to Pastors Nathan and Solila give a sermon on the topic in English and Thai Languages.

When the Holy Spirit put doing mission work in Thailand in me without support and to start a tour company to support the mission I had about $50 US Dollars. I had to step out, be brave and trust in Him. Courage comes knowing your spiritual identity in Christ.

Today we’re going to talk about Living in God’s Joy

Galatians 5:22, NIV: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,”

This verse by Paul describes what all spirit filled Christians already posses in the new birth in Jesus Christ not what they will have. Once you relies you have the presence of God with you and in you all the time you will experience His joy always. As His spirit aligns with your spirit you will never be sad, depressed, fearful, or confused because in the presence of God there if fullness of joy.

What should the lives of those who are free in Christ look like? In other words, how should Christians live if we are not under the law of Moses? Paul has answered that question in two ways so far. First, Christians must not squander our freedom in Christ, which is freedom from under the law, by serving only ourselves (Galatians 5:13–15). That leads to a laundry list of sinful lifestyles. Instead, Paul has written, those in Christ should allow God’s Spirit to lead them into powerful service to others motivated by love (Galatians 5:16–21).

Now Paul begins to offer a new list. This describes what those in Christ should expect to see flowing from their lives when they let the Holy Spirit lead them. Paul calls this the “fruit of the Spirit.” It’s helpful to understand this is meant to imply a single fruit—the Greek term is singular. This is not a list of nine separate fruits, but nine characteristics of the (single) fruit of the Spirit. In Christ, we should expect to see all of these characteristics showing up together as we give God’s Spirit control. They come in no particular order, or rank, or schedule.

Paul begins with love, from the Greek term agapē. This is famously described as “selfless love,” or an attitude that considers other people more than ourselves, without expecting anything in return. God’s Spirit in us produces God’s unconditional love in us for Him and for others (1 Corinthians 13:4–13).

Joy is translated from the Greek chara, which does not necessarily imply happiness. “Joy,” in a biblical sense, is best described as an inner confidence. This allows us to declare to our soul that all is well with us, now and forever, because of our place in Christ. Supernatural peace comes with joy as a result of trusting God and is not dependent on our circumstances (Philippians 4:4–9).

Patience is the ability, in the Spirit, to wait on God’s perfect timing even when our personal agenda seems to be failing. Translated from the term makrothymia, “patience” includes controlling our response to circumstances. This contrasts with the error Paul gave in verse 20, translated “fits of anger,” from the related word thymoi. Scripture uses the term “patience” to mean an ability to endure hardship—to “weather the storm.”

Kindness may be simple, but it is not always easy. The original term, chrēstotēs, includes concepts of being good and gentle. In the Spirit, we can be kind to anyone, even those who are challenging and offensive.

Goodness is the ability to do the right thing in every circumstance. The term agathōsynē implies a moral decency: this describes someone respectable, honorable, and righteous.

Faithfulness is a crucial word, from the Greek term pistis, frequently translated simply as “faith” in the New Testament. This represents a kind of endurance, driven by trust. In the Spirit, Christians can keep going in the right direction, even when we don’t fully understand all God is doing.

Psalm 16:11, KJV: “Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”

Closing his psalm, David thanks the Lord for showing him the way of life that leads to the joy of heaven. There is nothing drab or boring about heaven. It is a place of fullness of joy and unending delights. The greatest joy comes from being in Jesus’ presence. First Thessalonians 4:17 promises that believers will be with the Lord forever. We will see Him face to face, and we will be like Him (1 John 3:2). Every believer will have a body like His glorified body (Philippians 3:20–21). In heaven we will be free forever from sin, sickness, sadness, and dying. We will enjoy a reunion with our Christian loved ones and friends. We will not be burdened by our present experiences of restricted time and space.

Heaven is an attractive place. Revelation 21—22 describes it as far beyond the glories of any place on earth. It has gates of pearl and streets of gold. Paul, who was caught up to heaven, calls it “paradise” (2 Corinthians 12:2–3). Even when death seems likely (Psalm 16:8–10), those who have put their faith in Christ can look forward with hope and joy.

As we are now under the New Covenant of Jesus Christ and not thw law we don’t have to wait for the joy of heaven. Because His Spirit lives in us as a new creation we have God’s joy along with all His promises through Grace by the blood of Jesus Christ in us now.

Nehemiah says to the people in Nehemiah 8:10…

“Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our LORD: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

So how can we find strength and joy in the Lord? The answers can be found throughout Nehemiah.

First, we can rejoice that God provides for us. He divinely directed the leaders of other empires to provide safe passage and resources for the Israelites to return to their homeland and rebuild the Temple. God will provide you with everything you need if you will trust in Him and believe that He will do it.

Next, we can trust that God’s strength is sufficient in everything. When the people began to fear what was happening around them, Nehemiah encouraged them to remember the power of God as greater than those that threatened them (Nehemiah 4:14). The apostle Paul recognizes that God is greater than what we can offer in 2 Corinthians 12:9, when God “said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” Trust that God’s power is stronger than what can come against you (Romans 8:31).

The people also kept themselves dedicated to remaining in God’s Word (Nehemiah 8:1). They sought wise counsel, the leaders ensured that everyone understood the Law, and they devoted a significant portion of their time to corporate worship, study, and fellowship. We should stay steeped in our study and meditation on the Bible, and share our encouragement and godly fellowship with others who are also devoted to God. This is how we can grow together and build up the body of Christ.

Finally, Nehemiah encouraged the people to celebrate! God had delivered them out of exile, and had given them the strength to rebuild their home – that is certainly cause for celebration and generosity (Nehemiah 8:10). When we recognize that God is with us, we can find perfect joy in Him, and we will be quick to share that joy with others by telling them about what God has done for us.

Rejoicing in God can give us the strength to face all of life’s challenges. We can better focus on God instead of our fears, and we can help others learn about the joy we have. Be thankful to God for what He has done, ask Him to remain at the center of your life, and you can be sure that His peace will follow (Philippians 4:6-7).Pastors Nathan and Salila Gonmei of Abundant Grace Church in Chiang Mai Thailand explain Biblically :Living with God’s Joy and how to walk in it in English and Thai languages in the 16 minute video below..

All Thailand Experiences, God’s Healing and Health.

God’s Healing and Health.

Today we’re going to talk about God’s Healing and Health.

Exodus 23:25, NIV: “Worship the LORD your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. I will take away sickness from among you,”

This is why we should pray over our food before eating.

1 John 5:14, NIV: “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.”

After emphasizing confidence in eternal life, John comments on confidence in prayer. The believer can know he or she has eternal life and know God hears their prayers. However, this verse specifies that getting a positive answer to prayer is based on asking “according to his will.” This phrase is used only two other times in the New Testament. In Luke 12:47, a parable is told about a servant who did not act “according to his [master’s] will” and received judgment. In Hebrews 2:4, the author mentions gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed “according to his will.”

Verses such as this clear up the common misconception that God promises to give us “absolutely anything” we ask for, no matter what. God is not a vending machine, or a robot. He acts according to His ways, not ours. He hears our prayers, but it should come as no surprise that He responds to those prayers according to His will.

1 Corinthians 12:8, NIV: “To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit,”

Paul has been describing to the Christians in Corinth what spiritual gifts are. In short, they are manifestations of the Holy Spirit. That is, they are abilities that go beyond normal human capacity in some specific way, even if the display of God’s power is not always obvious. Paul has shown that they are given to every Christian by God to be used for the common good of the church.

Now Paul begins to describe some of these specific gifts. This first list contains nine gifts, and it is not exhaustive. Other passages in the New Testament list additional spiritual gifts (Romans 12:6–8; Ephesians 4:11; 1 Peter 4:10–11).

Some groups of Christians believe this specific set of gifts, sometimes called the sign gifts or confirmation gifts, to have been given to Christians in the early church to demonstrate the power of God and confirm that the gospel was true. These groups typically believe God stopped giving these gifts after the church was established and the New Testament was published. The same group may or may not believe these gifts are given today sporadically and under special circumstances. Other groups of believers, such as Pentecostals and Charismatics believe these gifts are still distributed by the Holy Spirit regularly and throughout the church around the world.

Paul starts the list with two gifts of “utterance” or kinds of messages. He says again that both are given by the same Spirit, though they are slightly different. The first is the “utterance” or “word” or “message” of wisdom, depending on the translation. The second is the utterance of knowledge.

The word of wisdom involves the supernatural ability to offer insight into truth from God in a way that helps others. The word of knowledge might be understood as the ability to proclaim God’s revelation to those who need to hear it or to offer understanding of how it applies to specific areas of life.

1 Corinthians 12:9, NIV: “to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit,”

Paul is listing some of the gifts the Holy Spirit delivers to believers. Not every believer is given every gift. Paul wrote in the previous verse that one is given the utterance of wisdom, while another is given the utterance—or “message”—of knowledge.

Now he adds that one might be given the gift of faith, while another gifts of healing. In all cases, Paul’s emphasis is that these gifts are given by the same Holy Spirit of God. He is the source of each of them, and all the power behind them comes from God.

By definition, every born-again believer has faith in Christ and faith to believe God’s Word. The spiritual gift of faith, as narrowly implied here, seems to involve the ability to trust God with a confidence or certainty that is beyond the ability of other Christians. Some scholars suggest this gift is tied to the rest of the gifts in this list, including the gifts of healing.

The gifts of healing provide the supernatural ability for the person who possesses the gift to restore health or even to hold off death. This is not to be confused with the ability to practice the medical arts or sciences. Those with the gift of healing are empowered by the Holy Spirit to heal a specific ailment supernaturally, often immediately.

Acts 10:38, NLT: “And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.”

Notice that all 3 of the Holy Trinity are involved, God the Father, Jesus the Son and the Holy Spirit. If you are born again the same Holy Spirit is in you, the same Power of God is in you and you have the righteousness of Jesus.

Throughout His ministry, Jesus blessed the vulnerable and held the powerful responsible (John 2:1–11, 13–16; Mark 10:13–16), He healed the demonically oppressed (Mark 1:23–26; 5:1–13; Matthew: 17:14–18), and brought the dead to life (Mark 5:39–43; John 11:38–44). Most importantly, not only was God with Him, He is God with us (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23).

In the previous verse, Peter described Jesus’ refusal to retaliate against those who mistreated Him. Jesus chose this path because He trusted the Father to be the just judge, to make all things right. Jesus suffered for doing good, without fighting back, so He could fulfill His purpose. Verse 24 describes exactly what that purpose was.

1 Peter 2:24, NLT: “He personally carried our sins in his body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you are healed.”

If Jesus had not willingly endured unjust suffering, we would have remained lost in our sin. Instead, Jesus bore, or “carried,” our sins and physical suffering on the cross. He actually died in order to pay the penalty for our sinful actions. He became our substitute, dying the death we deserved. God, the one who judges justly (1 Peter 2:23) judged Christ for our sin in that moment, pouring out His wrath on His own Son to satisfy the payment for our sin. He endured suffering so we could die to sin. In that action, by God’s grace and through our faith in Christ, we have been freed. Believers are free from the price of our own sin, from the power of sin to poison our choices and sickness and disease. Now, thanks to Jesus’ suffering, Christians can live righteously. We don’t have to sin; we are free to make right choices that please and honor our God (1 Corinthians 10:13).

The verse ends by quoting Isaiah 53:5. As Christians, we have been healed from the penalty and power of our sin by Christ’s wounds, by His death in our place, by His suffering for our good. The wounds—the suffering—of Jesus are the means by which Christians are healed—not only forgiven by God for our sins but physical healing from sickness and disease.

Pastors Nathan and Salila Gonmei of Abundant Grace Church in Chiang Mai Thailand explain Biblical health and healing and how to walk in it in English and Thai languages in the 16 minute video below.

All Thailand Experiences, The Holy Spirit in You.

The Holy Spirit lives in you.

Today we’re going to talk about The Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit, in a sense, does from the inside what Christ would do from the outside: teach, convict, remind, and guide. In John 14:17, Jesus will clarify that this Helper is the Holy Spirit, who is available only to those who believe .

Many people misunderstand who the Holy Spirit is. Using Biblical scripture we will show you that the Holy Spirit is a person and will be with you for eternity if you have excepted Jesus Christ.

The Holy Spirit

Ephesians 1:13, NLT: “And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago.”\

Notice how the sealing, occurring at only one time, is linked to one’s belief in Christ. Just as our saving belief happens only once, so the sealing, the guarantee of our faith, only happens once and remains with us for eternity

Paul describes three things that took place in the lives of the Ephesian believers. First, they heard the gospel, known as the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15; James 1:18).

Second, rather than rejecting the message as many Jews had done, these Gentile believers both heard and believed the gospel and were saved as a result (Romans 10:9; Ephesians 2:8–9).

Third, Paul noted that when they became believers they “were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.” This specific description of the Holy Spirit is only used in the book of Ephesians here, and in Ephesians 4:30, among a dozen total references to the Spirit in the letter. A “seal” was a mark indicating a letter or scroll was closed or completed. When a king or dignitary wanted to show an identifying mark with a letter, he would seal it with a resin imprint of his ring. The Holy Spirit likewise shows that believers belong to the Lord.

John 14:16, NLT: “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you.”

Jesus commanded the disciples to love each other (John 13:34–35) and to obey His commands (John 14:15). He has also reassured them that knowledge of Him is their means of salvation (John 14:6). In that context—acting in His name—Jesus also promised to provide whatever is asked of Him (John 14:14).

English translations of this verse are relatively consistent, but translating from Greek blurs a subtle difference in this statement. When Jesus refers to the disciples “asking” for something in prayer, He uses the root word ait󠅍eō (John 14:13–14; 15:7; 16:23). Here, however, Jesus uses the term erōtaō. This also means “to ask,” but carries a more personal and mutual sense. Jesus uses both words—with the same distinction between their requests and His—in John 16:26. This, once again, implies that Jesus shares a relationship with God which transcends mere humanity. It also reinforces the idea that prayer is not intended to blindly grant us our wishes.

“Helper,” here, is translated from the root term paraklētos. This can also be translated as a “comforter,” or “advocate.” This is the same term John will use later to describe Jesus in 1 John 2:1. That connection has meaning—Jesus will later point out that He is leaving behind His earthly ministry specifically, so the Holy Spirit can act (John 16:7). The Holy Spirit, in a sense, does from the inside what Christ would do from the outside: teach, convict, remind, and guide. In the following verse, Jesus will clarify that this Helper is the Holy Spirit, who is available only to those who believe (John 14:17).

This Spirit is guaranteed to be with the believer “forever.” This contrasts with the work of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament, which came and went from God’s servants at various times (1 Samuel 19:23; 2 Chronicles 15:1; Judges 14:6).

The beautiful role of this “Helper” is also demonstrated by understanding its translation. In legal terms, the “defense attorney” is the paraklētos. The opposing side is the “accuser,” from the Greek katēgōr, a term John uses in Revelation 12:10. The concept of an “accuser” features heavily in the Old Testament, through the phrase ha sā’tān. The One who stands by us and guides us is God, the Holy Spirit—our accuser and enemy is Satan.

John 14:17, NIV: “the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you know Him, for He lives with you and will be in you.”

IS THE HOLY SPIRIT A PERSON?

The Identity of the Holy Spirit

To many people, the Holy Spirit is an enigma. Some see Him as an impersonal force or influence, some deny His very existence, and others are not certain who or what the Holy Spirit is. However, the Bible is very clear on this matter; the Holy Spirit is a person, the Third Person of the Holy Trinity.

The Definition of Person

By “person,” we mean one who has their own identity or individuality as a rational being. They are conscious of their own existence.

When we say that the Holy Spirit is a person some assume that He has eyes, feet, and hands. But these are not the marks of a person. The marks of a genuine person are knowledge, feeling, and will.

The fact that the Holy Spirit is a person can be observed in six ways.

He acts like a person.

2. He is treated as a person.

3. He has the ministry of a person.

4. He is mentioned in connection with other persons.

5. He is the Third Person of the Trinity, and therefore, is personal.

6. The Holy Spirit Has the Characteristics of a Person

We will now consider the personality of the Holy Spirit.

The Scriptures attribute to the Holy Spirit characteristics that only a person can truly possess. He is portrayed as a thinking being, a being who has a mind, an emotional being, and a volitional (or choosing) being.

The Holy Spirit Is a Thinking Being

The Bible says that the Holy Spirit has the intellectual capacity to think and know. These are the marks of personhood.

As we search the Scripture, the Holy Spirit is ascribed personality in the fullest sense. Indeed, through a study of Scripture a number of things become clear. The Holy Spirit has the attributes of a person. He has characteristics that only a genuine person can have.

The Spirit also performs the acts of a person. In other words, He does things that only a person can do. The Holy Spirit is treated as a person. In historical situations the Spirit of God is treated as other persons are treated. The Holy Spirit has the ministry of a person.

He does things that in the Christian ministry that only persons can do. The Holy Spirit is mentioned in connection with other persons. This is further indication that the Spirit of God is indeed a person.

The Holy Spirit is God, and therefore, by nature is personal. Each of these truths makes it clear that Spirit of God is indeed a person.

Galatians 5:25, KJV: “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.”

Paul has been describing what it looks like to live as one who is free in Christ. He has been clear that this is not a freedom to do whatever feels good. It is not a freedom to simply indulge in trying to satisfy all our sinful desires. On the contrary, true salvation—and freedom from the Old Testament’s ritual law—is freedom from being controlled by our sinful desires. How? Just as we needed an external source, Jesus, to pay for our sin, we also need an external source of power, the Holy Spirit, to overcome our sinful desires and lead us in the right direction.

This happens, Paul has written, when we “walk by” (Galatians 5:16) and are “led by” (Galatians 5:18) the Spirit. The picture he paints is not one of possession in the sense that the Spirit takes us over and does whatever He wants. We are not spiritual robots, or puppets who suddenly lack free will. Instead the picture is one of Christians using our will to allow God’s Spirit to set the direction we will go.

It’s a mysterious idea than none of us fully understand, but the way Paul describes it in this verse is helpful. He says living by the Spirit involves keeping in step with the Spirit. It involves adjusting our pace to match the pace and direction the Spirit is leading. Sometimes, Bible teachers describe it as allowing one’s partner to lead in a dance. In other words, it involves submitting to God’s way, but we are still the one taking each next step.

This will not happen automatically. It is something we must choose from day to day. In fact, we must often choose to give the lead to the Spirit moment by moment .

Pastors Nathan and Salila Gonmei explain Biblically who the Holy Spirit is and how to walk with the Holy Spirit in the video below in English and Thai languages.