The New Testament teaches that Holy Spirit meetings should be marked by Spirit-led freedom and rigorous order . Believers are encouraged to gather actively expecting the Holy Spirit to manifest through different gifts, such as prophecy, tongues, and teaching, for the primary purpose of building up the church body. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
The clearest instructions for structuring a Spirit-filled meeting are outlined in 1 Corinthians 14 (especially verses 26-40). The New Testament outlines several foundational principles for these gatherings:
Everything must be done for edification: The overarching goal of activating spiritual gifts in a meeting is to strengthen, encourage, and comfort the church.
Orderly participation: When the church gathers, participation should be orderly rather than chaotic. If someone speaks in a tongue, it must be limited to two or three people and require interpretation so the whole congregation understands.
Testing the prophecies: Prophetic utterances are to be carefully weighed and evaluated by the congregation to ensure they align with the truth.
Decorum and respect: The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. If a revelation comes to someone who is seated, the first speaker should stop to allow room for the other, as God is not a God of disorder but of peace. [8, 9, 10, 11, 12]
Furthermore, Ephesians 5:18-20 teaches that believers should continually be "filled with the Spirit", expressing this through corporate worship with "psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs". The atmosphere is meant to be one of mutual submission, active participation, and constant thanksgiving. [4, 13, 14, 15, 16]
Would you like to explore:Practical ways to cultivate an environment of worship before exercising gifts?The difference between the nine manifestations of the Spirit listed in 1 Corinthians 12?Specific examples of how prophecy and tongues were used in the book of Acts?Let me know what you'd like to focus on next.
AI responses may include mistakes.
[3] https://www.crossway.org/articles/10-key-bible-verses-on-spiritual-gifts/
[4] https://hehasyou.org/2019/03/03/activating-spiritual-gifts/
[5] https://record.adventistchurch.com/2020/10/29/peter-roennfeldt-talks-thirst-for-the-holy-spirit/
[6] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zerNhUHgDec
[7] https://ntrf.org/participatory-worship-practical-considerations/
[8] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffhO9H-k5jE
[10] https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Corinthians+12:4-16:24&version=NIV
[11] https://upwards.blog/2012/06/23/the-use-of-tongues-in-church-1-corinthians-14-commentary/
[12] https://biblehub.com/1_corinthians/14-32.htm
[13] https://medium.com/@john_onyekachi/how-to-activate-or-stir-up-the-holy-spirits-working-b95a71ef7b6a
[14] https://kingdomway.ca/40-important-bible-verses-on-using-the-supernatural-in-your-daily-life/
[15] https://www.jesuswalk.com/spirit/11_spirit_living.htm
[16] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3NCmLkSqEE