Intro: as a Pentecostal church we believe and teach in the working of the Holy Spirit. In our individual lives and within the framework of the church. I Corinthians chapter 12 gives us 9 particular ways in which the Spirit moves in the lives of believers. Over the next few weeks, I would like to discuss what these gifts are, how they function in the church and in the spirit filled believers, and how to open yourself for these manifestations to operate in your life.
Concerning Spiritual Gifts
I Corinthians 12:1-11
Before we look at these gifts or manifestations: let’s look at verses 1-6 as Paul gives some understanding about the operation of the spirit.
Verse 1—it is important for the church to have a working understanding of the important place of the Holy Spirit within the church.
Verse 3—the gifts, the manifestations, the working of the spirit is all to point toward Christ. There is a danger of a Christless Pentecost, where gifts, demonstrations or manifestations of the Spirit of God take precedence over people being drawn toward Christ. Basically, the Spirit doesn’t come to compete with Christ, but to point to Christ.
The ultimate goal in being used by the Holy Spirit is to point toward Jesus Christ, to profit others within the church, to build faith in the lives of others.
Verse 7—to profit withal—manifestations of the spirit of God are to benefit the body of Christ. This is very important—speaking in tongues in your prayer language is for personal edification, but the gift of tongues or prophecy is for the church.
These manifestations can be broken into three important groups:’
a. the speaking group--- tongues, interpretation of tongues, and prophecy.
b. The knowing group—discerning of spirits, word of knowledge, and word of wisdom.
c. The power group—supernatural faith, gifts of healing, and working of miracles.
Before we look at these verses: one other point is given in verse 11
These all are of the same spirit—meaning this is all through the working of the Holy Spirit.
Severally as he will—not that anyone possesses a gift—they are given by the Holy Spirit as he wills..
The Speaking Gifts—verse 10 I have chosen to start with these, because these are the most known within most Pentecostal churches.
Prophecy--- this is a strong word of the Spirit to the Church. There is no tongue that precedes this word—it is in a known language.
a. it is sometimes a word of a future event—prophetic—this can be a word of something that is going to take place in the churches future, or it may be a word that will impact certain within the church.
b. It is sometimes a word of confirmation—sometimes a prophetic word is a word that confirms something to the church or members of the body that God has been dealing with them about..
c. It is sometimes correction of sin or a warning to repent—sometimes the spirit will move with a word of admonishment, to get right with God or to turn from certain sin.
d. It can also be a word of encouragement. When God moves by the Holy Spirit with a strong word to keep the faith, to hold on, or that increase or blessings are on the way.
A guide for prophecy—
It must line up with the word of God.
It generally is a word that confirms something God is already doing.
It must make sense.
A word on personal prophecies—sometimes the realm of prophecy is moved from a church setting to an individual setting. There must be guards placed on this type of setting
a. what is the credible history of this person being used in prophecy.
b. Is there tangible fruit coming forth from these services
c. Personal prophecies should never take the place of consistent spiritual growth through personal bible study and prayer, and activity within the body of Christ.
Tongues—this is not your prayer language—this is a manifestation for the church.
Some have become confused not knowing this distinction.
This is a tongue that is corporate and there must be a proper interpretation given. The guidelines are found in chapter 14 on how the gifts operate.
If someone speaks out in tongues, with on interpretation given—it will not profit the church. If someone is used in tongues, they must also be open for the spirit to flow in their lives with the interpretation.
Praying in your personal tongue should be in private or in corporate worship.
Interpretation of tongues--- this is after a message in tongues is given, the English interpretation is given so that all will understand the message from God.
The Knowing Gifts—word of knowledge, word of wisdom, discerning of spirits. These are generally operational in the altar services and to individuals at certain settings.
A Word of Knowledge—this is the gift of the Spirit that helps reveal through a divine way the power of God.
a. a knowledge of some present situation---this is a confirming word—when someone is going through a present situation and the spirit reveals to someone else to go and offer a word of encouragement or comfort in that situation. This sometimes can be a warning of something upcoming or a revelation of something that has already taken place. In some instances it can be advisory in what to do in a certain situation, or a revelation of a particular area of a persons life.
b. A word of wisdom—this generally would be similar to knowledge, but this would be many times a revelation of what to do next, a door that will be coming open, a temptation that is approaching or spiritual wisdom from the spirit on how to handle a situation. This wisdom can reach backward, be for something present, or for future use.
c. Discerning of Spirits—I believe this is a wonderful gift but can be overused and abuse easily.
· This gift isn’t for the sole use of finding the devil in everyone you meet or some hidden sin. In some cases discernment of demonic oppression or possession will be manifested, but this is not the sole use of this gift.
· Discerning our own spirituality—the gift of discernment is to sensitize our own spirits to the voice of the Lord. It is a personal revelation of areas of our own heart and lives.
· This discerning is also for proper identification of gifts as to their validity to the church. This discernment can be a trying of the spirit to see if it be of God.
The Power Gifts—
Supernatural Faith—this is a great gift of God. It is the spirit given ability to believe God for things that are impossible. It is a realm of faith where someone has a knowing in their spirit that something is accomplished.
It isn’t just in the area of physical healings and miracles. It can be supernatural faith for finance, or for spiritual breakthroughs--- it is the faith of intercession—where prayer is offered—and no doubt, fear or unbelief will be able to stand.
Gifts of Healing—this is a spiritual gift where as one prays for individuals they are healed physically, mentally, emotionally or spiritually. It is a manifestation that reveals God’s power to heal.
Miracles—this is a wonderful gift or manifestation of the spirit—it is when the impossible happens and there is no denying the power of God.
A few examples of miracles would be these:
Years ago Oral Roberts instead of getting into his plane, walked to the end of a run way, across a field, and to the black quarters of a particular city. An old black lady came running to meet him, she said, are you the man of God who is going to pray for my boy. She had a son that was at the point of dying, She had a dream of a white preacher coming, laying hands on her point, and him standing up. When Oral Roberts prayed, the boy was instantly healed by the power of God.
That is a manifestation of the spirit called the working of miracles.
Buell Pitts was riding home from a camp meeting years ago, when the Spirit of car started telling him to take a turn left, then right, then down another street, and another turn, the spirit led him to a house. He walked up to the door, told the people God had led him there to pray for someone. A young man in the family had been in a terrible accident and was paralyzed and in a wheelchair. Brother Pitts prayed, the bones all snapped into place, and the boy got up and started walking, completely healed, that is a manifestation of working of miracles.
George Muller lived in a realm of faith in the Spirit that would be called miraculous. He ran an orphanage by faith, one morning, they had no food left in the house, he prayed then had all the children sit at the table, he said, the food is coming. Within minutes a man pulled up in a truck filled with groceries, he was from a town many miles away. He said, God woke me up last night and said, bring a truck load of food to this orphanage. That is the working of miracles.
Close: the bible says to desire spiritual gifts. But the key is that it is done for the building up of the saints, to profit everyone.
The gifts are not for:
Personal Glory
Personal Influence
Personal Gains
Here is the key test to being used of God.
· Do I want to be used so others will come to Jesus Christ, if the answer is no, you won’t be used.
· Do I want others to glorify Jesus or glorify me, if it is for me, I will not be used.
· Do I want this so that I can have a ministry, or that people will be ministered too, if it is for me to have a ministry, than I don’t need that ministry.
