Paul the apostle taught daily in the Hall of Tyrannus in Ephesus for two years. In this way, the whole of the province of Asia heard the gospel (see Acts 19).
These pages will present John Fergusson’s teaching at Father’s House.
Prophecy Course
Session 1 How to hear from God
Session 2 Why prophesy?
3rd December, 2025
The Power of Your Story
No one can deny your story
Revision
Did you ask three people if they know Jesus?
Testimonies
Jesus gave his testimony in John 4:10, 13, 26; Also John 16:28-30.
The Samaritan woman shared her testimony (John 4:20). Many believed because of it (verse 39). Her story stirred others to seek further (verse 40).
The Apostle Paul gave his testimony in Acts 22:1-21 and Acts 26:4-29.
Study Acts 26:4-29.
The four keys
- How I was before I met Jesus (Acts 26:4-11)
- How I met Jesus (Acts 26:12-18)
- How I am now after meeting Jesus (Acts 26:19-23)
- The challenge to change (Acts 26:27-29)
Keep the first three about the same length. The last can be a question.
Three stories
Have ready your story in three lengths.
- Elevator (20 seconds)
- Queue (2 minutes)
- Coffee (10 minutes)
Share your story with three others, at the different lengths.
The three Scriptures from last week
Did you learn:
- Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
- Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
- Romans 10:13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Homework
Write your testimony in three lengths. Remember to include a challenge.
26th Nov 2025
The Promise of the Father
Study Galatians 3:6-14
The Promise of the Father is the Baptism in the Holy Spirit (BHS)—see Acts 1:4-5; Acts 2:33; John 14:16, 26; Luke 24:49. BEFORE Pentecost (John 14:17), Jesus said the Spirit lives WITH you (the condition of believers before being baptized in the Spirit) and WILL BE in you, meaning the BHS.
One reason we are saved is to be baptized in the Holy Spirit (BHS) (Galatians 3:14). It was always God’s plan (see Isaiah 44:3; Ezekiel 36:26-27; Joel 2:28).
BHS is also called being poured out, receiving, coming on, and a gift (see Acts 10:44-47; 11:15-17)
The condition is obedience (John 14:15, 23) and faith in Jesus (John 7:38-39).
The command is to ask (Luke 11:9-13) and wait until it happens (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4). It is our ordination (see Leviticus 8:33).
The promise is power (Acts 1:8), courage (Acts 4:31), peace (John 14), wisdom (John 14:15, 26), relationship (John 14:18), truth (John 15:26; 16:12), prophecy (John 16:13), and gifts of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:11).
The purpose is outreach (Acts 1:8; John 16:8-11) and to glorify Jesus (John 16:14).
Unbelievers cannot be baptised in the Holy Spirit
The world cannot accept him (John 14:17).
The Holy Spirit is a discriminating fire (see Exodus 3:1-5; compare Leviticus 10:1-5 and Leviticus 8:30; Compare Leviticus 9:24 and 8:10 with 1 Kings 18:38. See also Numbers 16:35-38; Daniel 3:16-30). He destroys the unholy but glorifies the holy.
We have to be saved (deemed righteous by faith in Jesus—Galatians 3:6,14), before we can be BHS.
First the blood, then the fire, then the smoke (Acts 2:19).
Homework
Learn:
- Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
- Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
- Romans 10:13 for “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Ask three people this week, ‘Do you know Jesus?’
Next Week
Sharing our testimony
19th Nov 2025
The four types of tongues
The gift of speaking in tongues is a sign of the baptism in the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:4; 10:44-46, 11:15-16; 19:6). There is no record of anyone speaking in tongues before the baptism in the Holy Spirit.
I believe the Lord has chosen this strange gift because it was prophesied (Isaiah 28:11); because it requires humility (as we don’t understand it); and it needs faith because it’s supernatural, i.e. we can’t do it naturally. (When speaking in tongues, the language part of our brain is inactive.)
The gift can be used in four ways, two for public use, two for private use.
Public use:
Tongues as a sign
In Acts 2:1-13, the bystanders were amazed to hear the Jewish believers declaring the wonders of God in their own languages. As a result, three thousand became believers that same day (Acts 2:41).
When Peter heard the Gentiles speaking in tongues in Acts 10:45-46, he knew they must have been baptized in the Holy Spirit, and therefore saved (granted repentance unto life, Acts11:18). We cannot be baptized in the Spirit unless we are first saved:
He redeemed us [God saved us] in order that the blessing given to Abraham [righteousness] might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise [baptism] of the Spirit. (Galatians 3:14). We were saved IN ORDER TO be baptised in the Spirit!
Therefore, if you can speak in tongues, you MUST be saved. It’s a sign of your salvation (see Acts 15:8-9). Praise God! When the devil tells me I’m not a believer, I speak in tongues. That shuts him up.
Tongues for interpretation
Sometimes during a meeting, someone will sense the welling up of the Holy Spirit and speak in tongues loudly. As this is a public gathering, it should be interpreted. This can be by the same person: …anyone who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret what he says (1 Corinthians 14:13); or by others: If anyone speaks in a tongue, two–or at the most three–should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret (1 Corinthians 14:27).
This supernatural gift is a powerful encouragement, as it’s clear the Lord is speaking directly to the congregation.
However, the Corinthians were all shouting in tongues to each other, which Paul said was silly (1 Corinthians 14:6-12). He also said it was counterproductive. So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and some who do not understand or some unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind? (1 Corinthians 14:23).
Therefore, If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and God (1 Corinthians 14:28), which brings us to:
Private use:
Tongues for edification
In 1 Corinthians 13:1, Paul says we can speak in the tongues of either men (known languages) or angels (mysteries). He explains, for anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries with his spirit (1 Corinthians 14:2). If they are mysteries, no one understands them.
Speaking in tongues privately builds up our spirit. He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church (1 Corinthians 14:4). This is why we encourage everyone to receive and use this gift extensively. Paul said, ‘I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you’ (1 Corinthians 14:18).
We can also sing in the Spirit together. So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind (1 Corinthians 14:15).
Otherwise in the church, private use of tongues should be done quietly (see verse 28 above). But also do not forbid speaking in tongues (1 Corinthians 14:39).
Tongues for intercession
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will (Romans 8:26-27).
When we don’t know what to pray for we can pray in tongues, trusting the Holy Spirit to intercede for us—both on our behalf, and for our own needs. This is very powerful as we MUST be praying according to the Lord’s will!
The devil hates tongues, and will do all he can to stop it. But it’s a gift from the Lord. He gave it because we need it. So it is with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church (1 Corinthians 14:12).