SUPERNATURAL ENDOWMENT FOR SPECTACULAR EXPLOITS
Study Text: 1 Corinthians 12: 1 – 11.
Introduction:
- God has given us many gifts for us to operate in the supernatural, but we are not fully benefitting from what has been freely given to us.
- Our failure in putting these gifts into action is seriously affecting the effectiveness of the gospel and consecration of members of the Church.
- In Acts 3, manifestation of spiritual gift led to the conversion of five thousand souls, and in Acts 5, it produces sincerity, seriousness and sanctification among believers.
- One major reason for our failure is ignorance, and ignorance becomes unpardonable after the opportunity to know has been given. The status of the ignorant person will change from sincerity to stupidity.
- For instance, certain disciples were sincerely ignorant concerning the baptism of the Holy Spirit, but when Paul taught them, they refused to be a foolish person by getting baptized. Acts 19: 1 – 6
- There are two ways a man can be ignorant of the gifts:
- First is ignorance which comes through a lack of knowledge about the existence, continuance or operation of the gifts.
- Second is an ignorance which comes through a misunderstanding about the gifts—in other words an abuse or improper operation of them which exceeds or contradicts that written in the scriptures.
- These two extremes reveal ignorance and both forms of ignorance are dealt with by a return to a clear biblical understanding of the gifts.
- We can also see that these gifts not only find their source in the Holy Spirit but are pure bestowments of the grace of God. They cannot be earned, bought or given by the will of man. Gifts are a result of God’s grace.
- We see also that these gifts are specifically given by the Holy Ghost—not men, ministries or churches. He gives these gifts to individual believers according to His own will.
- Their distribution it totally according to His mind for He knows all things, all hearts and every situation. He chooses what gifts to give, to whom they are to be given, and for what purpose they are to be given.
- We can also see that they are manifestations of the Spirit. If that be so then when the gifts are neglected, restricted, limited, abused, counterfeited or rejected it affects the true and real shinning forth of the Holy Spirit in the public gathering.
- We shall discuss this topic under three sub-headings:
1. The Description of The Spiritual Gifts
2. The Direction for use of The Spiritual Gifts
3. The Desirability of The Spiritual Gifts
1. The Description of The Spiritual Gifts
i) The word of wisdom:
- This is not natural, common or learnt biblical wisdom but wisdom that comes as a gift from the Holy Spirit.
- Every believer does not possess it. It is granted for ministry in the local body.
- It is a word of wisdom which is to be operated in the public gathering of believers for their edification.
- It is the Spirit’s wisdom suddenly and supernaturally revealed through any member of the body chosen by the Spirit on a particular occasion.
ii) The word of knowledge:
- Natural knowledge comes through the five senses but this gift brings forth knowledge which the Spirit alone knows.
- It is knowledge imparted through an utterance. It is facts and details which are not naturally known by the speaker but by this gift revealed through him for the good of all.
- It is an utterance of precise knowledge of past, present and future things that could only be known by God. it is not taught knowledge but imparted knowledge.
iii) Faith:
- Faith is both a gift and fruit. One grows as we walk with God; the other comes instantly at times of great impossibility when we need to believe to a greater degree than anything natural.
- One has to do with character, the other with power. Often this gift of faith will operate before miracles or healings take place.
- It is not worked up, it does not grow, it simply shines forth immediately so as to enable a person to edify the body.
iv) Gifts of healing:
- It is the one gift in this list that is not restrictive to a set pattern. Healing deals specifically with every manner and form of sickness or brokenness of the physical body.
- It also includes the healing of all manner of mental affliction and even demon possession.
- No person possesses the ability to heal every person. Each healing is a gift.
v) The working of miracles:
- This is a manifestation of the divine power of the Holy Spirit in accomplishing things which could never be accomplished by any power of man.
- By this gift the dead are raised, evil doers die, and extraordinary things happen which affect nature or the natural realm of mankind.
vi) Prophecy:
- We must immediately distinguish this gift of prophecy from the gifted ministry of prophet (Eph.4:11).
- A prophet is a gifted man given as a ministry by Christ into the body of Christ. But prophecy is a gift of the Holy Spirit granted to any member of the local body.
- A prophet’s ministry may entail future predictions, guidance and also a teaching and preaching ministry. But the gift of prophecy is restricted to edification, exhortation, and comfort (14:3).
vii) Discerning of spirits:
- This is a supernatural revealing of things by the Holy Spirit which could not otherwise be deduced.
- This is not just having a discerning opinion about ‘something’ but rather it is the shining forth of the Holy Spirit in granting the ability to accurately discern the spirit that is operating.
viii) Divers kinds of tongues:
- This is a manifestation whereby an individual is enabled to instantly speak in a language he has never been taught or known. He does not know what it means neither do the hearers.
- But when interpreted by another through the “interpretation of tongues” a message is brought forth to the edification of all.
- We must distinguish between this gift which is only for public gatherings for the edification of other believers and which must be interpreted each time from those tongues which are granted as an initial sign of the baptism in the Holy Spirit and used for personal edification and which are used in prayer and singing unto God in the public gathering.
ix) The interpretation of tongues:
- This gift always works in conjuction with the gift of “divers kinds of tongues” and always follows it.
- Without tongues there is no need for interpretation. Again this is not a learnt ability or knowledge of a known language.
2. The Direction for use of The Spiritual Gifts
- There are seven principles that should govern our use of spiritual gifts:
1. Remember that the Holy Spirit is the true dynamic behind the gifts. They must be exercised in dependence upon His power.
2. Spiritual gifts function best in the sphere of love. The most excellent way is the way of being used in these gifts with love as the motivating factor and the governing influence.
3. A spiritual gift is a supernatural endowment of motivation and ability for effective Christian service." Spiritual gifts are special God given abilities given by the Lord to accomplish His works. They are to be distinguished from material gifts or natural endowment.
4. The primary purpose why the Spirit gives these nine gifts to the church is “edification.” This means to build up.
- It is a building term meaning to raise up a structure to completeness for the purpose of dwelling in.
5. The gifts were not given to cause division, disruption, pride, arrogance, selfishness or competitiveness. All such things grieve and quench the Holy Spirit. We are even instructed to zealously covet and seek them with this intention and motive (1 Cor. 14:12).
6. Though we cannot choose the gifts or operate them by our own will, as it is the Spirit’s sovereign will that gives them, we are however instructed to “covet earnestly” and to “desire” the gifts (I Cor.12:31; 14:1; 14:39).
7. It is vital that we are in right relationship with the Giver of the gifts. He will not ignore disobedience of His written Word which He inspired.
- Sadly some place greater authority on so-called gifts than the written Word of God.
- Others live in a manner and attitude of sinfulness which the Holy Spirit will not ignore or excuse yet they think they can be used effectually in the operation of these spiritual supernatural gifts
3. The Desirability of The Spiritual Gifts
- When we accepted Christ as our Lord and Savior we were immersed into Christ and sovereignly placed into Christ’s body to serve a very specific function. 1 Cor. 12:13.
- This sovereign placement into Christ’s body requires that we possess certain capacities if we are going to function properly. Some of those capacities were given when we were born. But others may need to be added when we are spiritually reborn and placed into Christ’s body. These are supernatural endowments.
- So we are clearly instructed three times in Pauls teaching concerning the gifts that we are to have a real zeal and to burn in our seeking for these supernatural endowments. That is our responsibility the rest is His.
- It is important that every Christian discover and develop the spiritual gifts that have been bestowed on him or her by God. These gifts are desirable for three basic reasons:
1. FOR YOUR SATISFACTION
- Knowing and using your gifts will give you an understanding of the unique and indispensable ministry you have been called to accomplish in the body of Christ.
- You will discover a significant part of your purpose for being on this planet and realize that God has made you competent to produce something that will last for eternity.
- You will have a sense of fulfillment and joy in the service of others as you become an available instrument through which the Holy Spirit can work.
2. FOR OTHERS’ EDIFICATION
- Knowing and using your gifts will lead to the edification of other members of the body of Christ.
- As you exercise your spiritual gifts, you will play a substantial role in building up other Christians and leading them into maturity.
3. FOR GOD’S GLORIFICATION
- According to 1 Peter 4:10-11, your spiritual gifts are ultimately designed to bring glory to God.
- This is your highest calling, and it relates to all three Persons of the Godhead. As you use your spiritual gifts in conjunction with the power and fruit of the Holy Spirit and in the name and Lordship of Jesus Christ, the Father receives the glory.
Conclusion:
- A spiritual gift is whatever capacity that the Lord has graciously given us in order to minister to the church.
- These gifts have been given to each one. There is not a single individual that has entered into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ that has not received a certain capacity to effectively minister in the church.
- So a charismatic gift is a grace gift. These gifts are referred to in scripture as spiritual gifts. Every believer has at least one spiritual gift. It is important for believers to know what their spiritual gifts are and how God wants to use them to build up the body of Christ, the church.
