"Grace is power as well as pardon."—Gabriel Fackre
"I am one of those Baptist General Conference people who believes that 'signs and wonders' and all the spiritual gifts of 1 Corinthians 12:8-10 are valid for today and should be 'earnestly desired' (1 Corinthians 14:1) for the edification of the church and the spread of the gospel."—Dr. John Piper, desiringGod.org
Nine Supernatural Gifts of the Spirit
“The spirit is given in baptism and is realized in experience throughout life. Believers whose experience runs dry and who are unaware of charisms should seek renewal. Renewal will not remove our human weaknesses; it does not guarantee a perpetual high, but it will help us live for God. Each receives the Spirit in the shape of a particular charisma, which establishes the way we serve the Lord. ‘Each has a particular gift from God’ (1 Cor 7:7). Like DNA and fingerprints, it is uniquely ours. It is the gifting we need to be fruitful Christians. So let us not try to be what we are not, but allow the uniquely shaped gift that God has made… come to expression [in us.]” (From Flame of Love, by Dr. Clark Pinnock)
You Have A Unique Gift From God
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. (1 Cor 12:7-10 NIV)
The gifts of the Holy Spirit are manifestations of the Person of the Holy Spirit… the Comforter… the One Jesus said He’d sent to us to be in us to lead us and guide us… We should expect the gifts to operate through us in response to the needs of:
1. the person or persons to whom we are ministering
2. the person or persons we are counseling
3. the group of which we are a part—the gathering of
a. the church
b. the home fellowship
c. the Bible study group
d. an informal group
e. an inter-church group
f. the interdenominational group
g. even a secular gathering
4. Anyone, anywhere, anytime!
We have the right to choose not to allow these gifts of the Holy Spirit to operate through us. But we have the privilege of being a channel of His gifts and blessings… on “stand-by” at all times! We get the benefit of the joy of being that channel.
Because we are part and not the whole of the Body of Christ, we may not be the one the Holy Spirit chooses to use to manifest a gift in a given situation. He may use some other member of the Body. Or, He may use us to confirm what another says or does. But we need to be available at all times. Someone has aptly said, “It is not so much our ability but our availability that really counts.”
1. the person or persons to whom we are ministering
2. the person or persons we are counseling
3. the group of which we are a part—the gathering of
a. the church
b. the home fellowship
c. the Bible study group
d. an informal group
e. an inter-church group
f. the interdenominational group
g. even a secular gathering
4. Anyone, anywhere, anytime!
We have the right to choose not to allow these gifts of the Holy Spirit to operate through us. But we have the privilege of being a channel of His gifts and blessings… on “stand-by” at all times! We get the benefit of the joy of being that channel.
Because we are part and not the whole of the Body of Christ, we may not be the one the Holy Spirit chooses to use to manifest a gift in a given situation. He may use some other member of the Body. Or, He may use us to confirm what another says or does. But we need to be available at all times. Someone has aptly said, “It is not so much our ability but our availability that really counts.”
I. What is the purpose of these gifts?
A. Demonstration of power (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:8;
I Cor 2:4)
B. Signs and wonders (Mark 16:17, 18,20 Acts 2: 43, 5:12)
C. That people might believe (John 2:11, I Cor 14:22)
D. To establish believers (Rom 1:11, 12)
E. To edify Christians (many references; I Cor 12 to 14)
F. For spiritual good and profit (I Cor 12:17)
G. For instruction and encouragement (I Cor 14:31)
H. To enable bold ministry (Acts 4:29-31)
I. To bring healing and deliverance (Luke 9:1, 10:9, 19;
Acts 5:16, 8:6-7)
II. How should the gifts of the Holy Spirit be manifested?
A. In obedience to the Spirit’s leading (I Cor 12:7, 11)
B. In love (I Cor 13:1-3)
C. In humility (I Cor 13:4-5)
III. Who may manifest the gifts?
A. Every believer (I Cor 12: 7, 26)
B. No one is to lack in any gift (I Cor 1:7)
IV. Instructions regarding the gifts:
A. Do not be ignorant concerning them (I Cor 12:1)
B. Earnestly desire them (ICor 12:31, 14:1, 39)
C. Do not neglect them (I Tim 4:14)
D. Stir them up (II Tim 1:6)
E. Seek to excel in them (I Cor 14:12)
The manifestation gifts comprise three groups:A. The vocal gifts
1. Tongues (I Cor 12:10; 14:2, 4, 22, 26, 27)
2. Interpretation of tongues
(I Cor 12:10, 14:5, 13)
3. Prophesy (I Cor 12: 10; 14:3-6, 22, 24, 29, 39)
B. The revelation gifts
1. Word of knowledge
(I Cor 12:8)
2. Word of wisdom
(I Cor 12:8)
3. Discerning of spirits
(I Cor 12:10)
C. The power gifts
1. Wonder-working faith (I Cor 12:9)
2. Gifts of healings (I Cor 12:9)
3. Working of miracles (I Cor 12:10)
Descriptions of the Gifts
1. Speaking in Tongues
This is the public manifestation of tongues, a message from God given a spiritual language.
2. Interpretation of Tongues
The interpretation (not translation) of a message in tongues
3. Prophesy
A message from God given in the language of the hearers. It will edify, exhort or comfort.
4. Word of Knowledge
Supernatural knowing of facts revealed to the Christian, which he could not otherwise know.
5. Word of Wisdom
The divine application of supernatural knowledge. It gives the Christian wisdom for speaking, deciding and acting.
6. Discerning of Spirits
The supernatural insight into the realm of spirits to know what kind of spirit (God’s, man’s, or Satan’s) is motivating a given manifestation.
7. Wonder-working Faith
A special gift of faith given by God for a special time.
8. Gifts of Healings
The supernatural healing of diseases or infirmities without the aid of natural means or human skills.
9. Working of Miracles
The supernatural power of God intervening in the ordinary course of nature.
We have received the Giver of every good and perfect gift [Jesus Christ] and therefore the gifts of the Holy Spirit will operate through the life of every willing believer. Some gifts operate in conjunction with other gifts, and all operate for the benefit of the Body of Christ. All gifts should be operated in love as expressed in I Corinthians 13.
The excerpts above are quoted from the booklet, Flowing in Spiritual Gifts by Don & Katie Fortune and the pamphlet, Receive All God Has to Give by Katie Fortune. If you’re interested in some excellent biblical teaching on this topic, you can purchase both publications from Heart to Heart International Ministries.
Related
● Baptism of the Holy Spirit: Receive All God Has to Give
● Preparing For Pentecost: Beyond Babel
● Your God-Given Gifts Part 1 (Natural from birth)
● Your God-Given Gifts Part 2 (Natural from birth)
Have you considered contributing your Godly wisdom to the Carnival of Christian Women? Next edition is Feb. 15, 2008.
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About Love
If you’re a Christian, have you identified your supernatural spiritual gift?
17 COMMENTS:
God Bless you for your blog :)
It blows my mind that God gives us these gifts. Even more amazing is to see when a person uses them to the full potential for God's service.
Great post.
I found you again! I stopped regularly blogging and lost all the addresses of those blogs I like to visit. Hello again :-)
Hi E-mom,
This was sooooooo good!! Thank God for his gifts, and yes, we should earnestly desire them.
What would I do without them?
My life has been truly transformed because of them.
Blessings to you~
This always baffles my mind when I sit and think about it. God is so good to even use us to do His work here on earth. It amazes me so.
Blessings,
Angela
Wow! Another great post. I need more time to dig into this one.
Happy Valentine's Day-I'm sending big hugs your way.
Love,
Lori
I pray all is o.k. with the relative you were caring for this week.
A friend of mine often talks about how he's so sick of the, "Woe is me christianity." He always encourages any believer he talks with to earnestly desire spiritual gifts and to stir them up. This is a great post. It's easy to get bogged down in the temporary gravity of the world and start in with the "Woes." But when we walk in the Spirit and use the gifts He's given it's like...well, a bit of heaven on earth and we're lifted up. I needed this this morning as gravity was getting to me and I was starting to slip into, "Woe is me."
Thank you Lord for giving me the Holy Spirit and stiring me up to use what you've given!
bless you e-mom!
Sheila
Thanks for this post. It is so wonderful to see the gifts in action and the changed lives as a result. What gifts do you have e-mom? I can imagine you are blessed with many. You asked what gifts we have. The gifts God has generously given me for use in the church are prophesy, discernment, encouragement.
Not everyone has the type of gifts you mention in the post though do they...although we are to earnestly desire many of them. There are the other wonderful gifts mentioned in the scriptures: apostleship, teaching, helping, administration, evangelism faith, service (ministry), encouragement (exhorting), contributing to the needs of others, leadership, mercy.
I love that you posted this, I don't subscribe to the signs and wonders have ended theory. Who could possibly restrain the Holy Spirit's work in the church for the glory of Jesus? Why would Jesus have modelled a life that He then wouldn't enable us to live as a church? What a wonderful Lord!
Hugs.
Great post!
Christian: Nice to meet you.
Lynn: Yes, God gives us his gifts to give them away. :~D
q: Welcome back to blogland, Shasher! :~D
Susan: Sometime, I'd love to know which gifts you operate in.
Angela: I hear you! He's such a gracious, loving God.
Lori: You're so sweet to mention my sick relative. He's doing SO much better--nearly back to normal. (And to think, we almost had him dead and buried!) All I can do is thank the Lord. ((Hugs)) back to you!
Sheila: Yes, like you, when I stop to really ponder all the gifts that God has given me in the natural and the supernatural, it really lifts me up. "Woe is me" is out, and "Beloved" is in! Have a cheerful, joyful day Sheila. :~D
Sarah: So your gifts fall into the "vocal" gift category? No surprise! I might have guessed that. Do you have the gift of prophesy in operation in your life? :~D
As for me, my supernatural gifts are in the "revelation" category. On occasion, words of knowledge or wisdom come to me to help minister in counselling situations. I also seem to have the gift of discerning of spirits (which kind of spooks me.) However, my natural gifts of teaching/leading are more highly developed--mostly through use/practise.
Hugs!
I use all three gifts regularly in my church. My first vision and prophesy was given me in October 1999 but I didn't realise it was a gift to share until many years later. The first time I discerned was in 1996 when I discerned a wrongful spirit in an elder who was later discovered to be having an affair with someone from the church. I discerned an unclean spirit in a woman who visited our church - this was confirmed when she started talking about voices telling her things. I didn't realise that when I discerned these sort of things I should pray I just worried that I had bad feelings about people and that it must mean I was a bit mean, lol! I know now though - if I'd have known I would have certainly got my Pastor to deal with the lady with the unclean spirit as he has experience with that sort of thing. There is a lady in our village that I discern is a witch, she is so pleasant and I am so glad I can pray for her. The encouragement gift I have only recently recognised too - God gives me scriptures or words to share with people - like recently I gave a scripture and encouraging words to a sister, she was amazed because she had been praying over the scripture I gave her and it was confimation from God of what He had been telling her; this is a beautiful gift, my favourite I think...if I am supposed to have favourites!!
Hugs.
e-Mom, I was looking foward to this post. I've been fortunate (in my opinion) to have been part of several churches where I was taught about spiritual gifts and God's desire to give us, generously, all these things. However, our latest church, which we have left, had a pastor who was of the mind that that "dispensation" was over. So, we're wandering a bit right now, and have visited a church we like, but it's 45 minutes away.
We mostly home-church at the moment. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to find a church body that rejoices in the fullness of the gospel and the fullness of the Holy Spirit, yet doesn't idolize and miopically focus on certain gifts?
For myself, I do not like to go around and tell people what my spiritual gifts are! However, in this forum right here, I think it's appropriate, and I've so appreciated hearing from those who have been candid and explicit about their gifts.
So, I believe my own gifts are these (because I've operated in them at some level, some more than others), and I greatly desire all these and more that God has to offer me, His child: the gift of tongues, words of knowledge, discerning of spirits, the gift of faith, encouragement, and the gift of healing.
Thanks for sharing this!
Jennifer: I do understand your frustration about finding a church that is balanced in its teaching--includes acceptance of the gifts, but doesn't place undue emphasis on them.
Like you, we haven't completely resolved that dilemma to our satisfaction. We currently attend a good church that doesn't preach gifts from the pulpit, but is open to praying for healing--the most accepted gift, cross denominationally.
Your many and varied gifts are remarkable! Praise God you've earnestly desired to receive all that God has for you. Your attitude displays an openness to His Spirit and a childlike trust, which pleases Him greatly.
Thanks for sharing so openly today. Have a wonderful weekend! :~D
Sarah: It's wonderful to read about your varied experience with the gifts. My love of rationality (!) sometimes works against God's desire to use me supernaturally in people's lives. One has to be comfortable confronting evil powers to really be used in miraculous ways. I'm not sure I'm there yet. :~D
However, I flow so naturally in the words of wisdom and knowledge that sometimes I don't realize the Lord is working through me. You bring up a good point that prayer is our most powerful weapon against the forces of darkness.
One of my other (British) blog friends is going on a lengthy fast in order to pray earnestly for a breakthrough in her church. (Her husband is a pastor). I will be very interested to read about her experiences as she reveals them in time.
Thanks again for stopping by, Sarah. I value your input and friendship, and I pray you will be used mightily by God in the life of your church.
Have a wonderful weekend! :~D(((Hugs)))
Interesting, enjoyable post, my friend. Thinking over the list of gifts, I'm reminded that He seems to continually give me spiritual discernment (discerning of spirits), which I'm deeply grateful for, but at different times, He also gives different gifts as needed.
Thank you for your faithfulness to provide such edifying content!
Blessings & hugs,
Vicki
Vicki: Wonderful to have you stop by! Your gift of spiritual discernment is so needed-- and I see evidence of it in the subject matter you tackle on your blog. I appreciate the stand you take on certain issues, and how you encourage your readers to discern the truth from lies.
Blessings & Hugs back to you!
Thanks for your Blog
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