Welcome to The Shaun Tabatt Show! In this episode I speak with Sam Storms about his latest book Practicing the Power: Welcoming the Gifts of the Holy Spirit in Your Life (Zondervan, 2017). Here are the questions Sam and I discuss in this interview:

1. Sam, would you mind starting us off by sharing about how you first got exposed to or encountered the power and gifts of the Holy Spirit? I know many of my listeners would be interested in hearing that part of your faith story. (00:38 - 07:57)
2. Next let’s get into the story behind the book. How did the idea and need for Practicing the Power first begin to take shape? (07:58 - 10:45)
3. Let’s pull together the ground you cover in chapters 2-4. How does having an earnest desire for spiritual gifts and practicing both prayer and fasting put somebody in the right posture to be ready to go deeper with the gifts of the Holy Spirit?  (10:46 - 15:08)
4. One of the gifts I see most commonly pursued is healing. Give us some guidelines on the dos and don’ts of pursuing this gift. (15:09 - 21:10)
5. Another thing I see often in Spirit-empowered church circles is people practicing the gift of prophecy, sharing what are sometimes referred to as words of knowledge. Give us some practical guidance and boundaries for the prophetic. (21:11 - 25:43)
6. I loved the title that was used for chapter 9. Talk to us about “User-Friendly Deliverance.” (25:44 - 28:49)
7. What does it mean to quench the Spirit and how can we avoid doing that? (28:50 - 31:03)
8. If we had the ability to put you in front of every reader as they finish the last page of Practicing the Power, what challenge or parting word of encouragement would you want to share with each of them? (31:04 - 33:16)
9. Sam, if the listeners want to connect with you and find out more about your books, where should they go on the web? (33:17 - 34:47)

About the Book:  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.

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

With examples drawn from his forty years of ministry as a pastor and teachers, Storms offers a guidebook that can help pastors, elders, and church members 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.

About the Author:  Sam Storms (PhD, University of Texas) is founder of Enjoying God Ministries, which provides biblical and theological resources to the body of Christ. He is also the senior pastor of Bridgeway Church in Oklahoma City and a former professor. Storms travels both in the United States and abroad, speaking at churches and conferences. He is the author of over two-dozen books and a contributor to the Zondervan Counterpoints volume Are the Miraculous Gifts for Today?

Connect with Sam:

• SamStorms.com
• BridgewayChurch.com
• Facebook
• Twitter (@Samuel_Storms)

For additional show notes, visit ShaunTabatt.com/154.