How can Christians pursue and implement the miraculous gifts of the Spirit without falling into fanatical excess and splitting the church in the process?

The Bible teaches us that we are to be filled with God’s Spirit and that God’s presence and grace is manifested among his people as they serve, love, and minister to one another. Yet some of the gifts that God offers to his people aren’t commonly seen in many churches today. Gifts of prophecy, healing, tongues, and other supernatural gifts of God seem to be absent, and many Christians are unsure how to cultivate an atmosphere where God’s Spirit can work while remaining committed to the foundational truth of God’s Word.

In Practicing the Power, pastor and author Sam Storms offers practical steps to understanding and exercising spiritual gifts in a way that remains grounded in the word and centered in the gospel, including:

• Combining sound theology with inspiring personal examples
• Covering all kinds of practical and theological questions about using gifts
• practical ways to express the compassion of Jesus to others by partnering with Him in spiritual gifts

With examples drawn from his 40 years of ministry as a pastor and teacher, Practicing the Power offers help to pastors, elders, and church members to understand what changes are needed to see God move in supernatural power and to guard against excess and abuse of the spiritual gifts.

If you long to see God’s Spirit move in your church and life, and aren’t sure why that isn’t happening or where to begin, this book is for you.

Few other issues have separated the church more than the issue of tongues. Sam Storms focuses on this controversial subject with his signature insights to theology and the gifts of the spirit. What does the gift giver say about the gift He gave?

Storms seeks to bring balance to this subject in The Language of Heaven as he wrestles with this sensitive issue experientially as well as theologically. He ultimately provides a platform to allow God to speak for Himself as he addresses every text of Scripture on the subject and engages with every theological issue that speaking in tongues provokes. As a pastor, Storms knows the questions that the typical churchgoer is asking and provides clear and accessible answers to them all, including:
#9679 Is the gift of tongues for every Christian or only some?
#9679 How does the gift of tongues operate in the life of the believer individually in private practice?
#9679 How does the gift of tongues operate in the corporate assembly of God’s church?
Remember, God gives only good gifts, and it is His intention that His church utilize all that He has provided so that we might experience all that He is.

What are spiritual gifts?

Author and pastor Sam Storms has spent several decades teaching on the topic of the spiritual gifts and equipping believers in the faithful practice of God’s gifts. Yet there remains a great deal of confusion about the nature of the gifts and how they best function in the body of Christ. In this comprehensive guide to the spiritual gifts, Storms addresses the many bizarre and misleading interpretations that abound and confronts the tendency to downplay the urgency of spiritual gifts for Christian living and ministry. He explains how spiritual gifts, both the more miraculous and the somewhat mundane, are given to build up the body of Christ. God has graciously provided these “manifestations of the Spirit” so that believers might encourage, edify, strengthen, instruct, and console one another, all with a view to an ever-increasing, incremental transformation into the image of Jesus Christ.

Throughout this guide, Storms unpacks the glorious truth that there is a supernatural and divine energy or power that fills and indwells the body and soul of every born-again believer. God does not call upon us to speculate about the nature of this power or to embrace it as a mere idea. His desire is that we avail ourselves of it to partner with him in his purposes on the earth. His desire is that we cry out to him that he might intensify, expand, increase, and deepen the manifestation of this power through us in ever more demonstrative and tangible ways in our lives.

Understanding Spiritual Gifts is useful as a reference to address common questions about the gifts, but it also serves as a training manual for using and exercising the gifts in ministry. It is perfect for any individual or group who wants to grow in their understanding of the gifts for today.

The Zondervan Biblical and Theological Lectures series provides a unique audio learning experience. Unlike a traditional audiobook’s direct narration of a book’s text, Spiritual Gifts: Audio Lectures includes high quality live-recordings of college-level lectures that cover the important points from each subject as well as relevant material from other sources.

What are spiritual gifts?

Author and pastor Sam Storms has spent several decades teaching on the topic of the spiritual gifts and equipping believers in the faithful practice of God’s gifts. Yet there remains a great deal of confusion about the nature of the gifts and how they best function in the body of Christ.

In these audio lectures on the spiritual gifts, Storms addresses the many bizarre and misleading interpretations that abound and confronts the tendency to downplay the urgency of spiritual gifts for Christian living and ministry. He explains how spiritual gifts, both the more miraculous and the somewhat mundane, are given to build up the body of Christ. God has graciously provided these “manifestations of the Spirit” so that believers might encourage, edify, strengthen, instruct, and console one another, all with a view to an ever-increasing, incremental transformation into the image of Jesus Christ.

Storms unpacks the glorious truth that there is a supernatural and divine energy or power that fills and indwells the body and soul of every born-again believer. God does not call upon us to speculate about the nature of this power or to embrace it as a mere idea. His desire is that we avail ourselves of it to partner with him in his purposes on the earth. His desire is that we cry out to him that he might intensify, expand, increase, and deepen the manifestation of this power through us in ever more demonstrative and tangible ways in our lives.

Understanding Spiritual Gifts addresses common questions about the gifts and provides practical training for using and exercising the gifts in ministry. It is perfect for any individual or group who wants to grow in their understanding of the gifts for today.

The Bible frequently speaks of Satan and demons, and there is no mistaking the teaching of Scripture on this one point: as there is a kingdom of God, so too is there a kingdom of Satan. And the two are embroiled in open conflict. Yet many Christians today are unaware of this battle and are woefully ill equipped to engage in the work of spiritual warfare. Or they believe Satan and the demonic are part of a worldview that has long since lost its usefulness and cogency. This is the 21^st century, for heaven’s sake.

Sam Storms believes we cannot so easily dispense with the multitude of biblical assertions concerning the reality of Satan and his demonic hordes. The truth is that believers in Jesus are likely to encounter on a daily basis men and women of all ages who are sorely oppressed, tormented, and tempted by demonic powers. How do we respond to these people? Is there help we can offer them?

The good news is that Jesus offers deliverance and freedom from the influence of the enemy, and the resultant joy, peace, and spiritual flourishing that comes through the victory of Jesus dying and rising again. Understanding Spiritual Warfare explains the biblical teaching on spiritual warfare and also shares numerous personal accounts of personal victories over the demonic, together with practical guidance on how you, too, can extinguish the “flaming darts” (Eph. 6:16) of the “cosmic powers” and “spiritual forces of evil” (Eph. 6:12) that so often bombard your life. Scattered throughout the pages of this book are real-life testimonies of men and women who have experienced deliverance from demonic oppression and now walk in the joy and freedom of inner spiritual healing, and in the case of some, physical healing as well.

Understanding Spiritual Warfare is useful as a reference to address common questions about spiritual warfare, but it also serves as a training manual for a ministry of deliverance and inner healing. It is perfect for any individual or group who wants to grow in their understanding of spiritual warfare today.