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The Gifts of The Holy Spirit
Discipleship 2
Lesson 11
Begin by reading I Corinthians 12:1, 4-12, 18-20, 27-30
There is a variety of Spiritual gifts given to the body of Christ for our own blessing, and that we may bless and build up others. Think in terms of a super hero, how their gifts, talents and abilities are for the purpose of helping others. The gifts are to make the body of Christ strong and function properly. Without all of the gifts functioning, the body of Christ is crippled and ineffective.
Every born again believer has gifts from God. The purpose of this lesson is to help us become familiar with the gifts so that we might begin to evaluate which gifts God has given to us. It is important for us to recognize our gifts and use them for God's glory and to build His kingdom.
God's gifts fall into different classifications. Some are power gifts, others are talents and abilities, and others are callings. Some of these gifts work when and how we want them to. Others only work when and how God wants them to
In order to understand the spiritual gifts, it is very important to understand that these gifts do not always work the same all the time but have many different and varying uses. For example, the gifts of healing can be healing for the body or healing of the mind, or even healing of relationships. Healing can be an instant miracle (an exercise of a gift) or it can simply be a child of God exercising his covenant benefits of being a child of God. You do not have to have a gift of healing in order to receive healing as a child of God.Another example of the differences is that tongues can be used for a prayer language or it can be used in a way similar to prophecy when it is partnered with interpretation. The great diversity in the use and administration of the gifts is one reason the body of Christ is confused about God's gifts. Don't expect them to work the same way through all people in every circumstance.
But there are differences of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of ministries (of the gifts), but the same Lord. And there are differences of workings ( of the gifts), but it is the same God working all things in all. (1 Corinthians 12:4-6)
To help us get a better picture of the various gifts I am going to divide them up into categories of power gifts, talent or abilities gifts and calling gifts. These gifts cross over each others lines and one person may operate in one or many of them. This list is not complete and much more than what is discussed in this teaching should be learned about each one.
The first nine spiritual gifts are found in 1 Corinthians 12:4-11. These are the power gifts or in other words they are all supernatural manifestations of the Holy spirit's power. We cannot decide when to use them. They operate only at the will of the Holy Spirit. We are not forced to operate in them, but we are given opportunity by the Holy Spirit to bless others with God's supernatural power. The power gifts are very important and very much needed in the church and in the world today.
Power Gifts: Romans 12:4-8, I Corinthians chapter 12-14
Discernment: This gift discerns what the driving motive or spiritual force is behind something said or done. It is a heightened ability to discern between good and evil.
Healing: The gift of healing is a manifestation of a miraculous supernatural power to heal the sick in body, mind, emotions or relationships. The healing may occur instantly or gradually over a short time. This is different from the believer receiving God's healing power because of their faith in their covenant of healing with God. Healing of our body, soul and spirit is a part of salvation and is a part of our covenant with God.
Faith: The gift of faith is extraordinary, unshakable faith or confidence for a particular thing that God wants us to do. This is different from the normal faith we have, build and use to receive from God.
Word of Knowledge: This gift is in operation when we receive information supernaturally that we did not know or had no other way of knowing. It can be about a person, a situation or it may be spiritual understanding that we did not previously have.
Miracles: The gift of miracles operates with supernatural power to manifest the miraculous. God works all kinds of miracles in the Bible and still today. Healing in itself is a miracle, though some healings are more miraculous than others for example an organ growing back or a tumor disappearing. Other examples of miracles are Jesus turning the water in to wine, and feeding thousands with enough food for only one.
Prophecy: Prophecy is a very diverse gift. It has many uses and administrations. Prophecy is supernaturally receiving words from God then speaking them forth. The words can be for comfort, for building up, for warning, for correction, for rebuke or for direction. A preacher is not normally operating in the gift of prophecy but certainly can and should during his prepared sermon. You cannot study or prepare for a spiritual gifts operation but every preacher should study and prepare for his sermon. God can and will use any believer He chooses to prophecy. Because God uses you to prophecy does not mean you have the gifting or calling of a prophet.
Word of Wisdom: This gift is similar to prophecy and words of knowledge. It is supernaturally receiving God's wisdom in a particular instance or situation for guidance or direction. This is different from the wisdom all believers can walk in. God promises to give us wisdom if we ask. This is a continual, ongoing wisdom, however, the gift of wisdom is a specific word of wisdom that is needed in a particular instance.
Tongues: Tongues is supernaturally receiving an unknown language. Once we receive the message in tongues from God, we must speak it out by an act of our own faith and will. The Spirit will not force us to speak what He has given to us. Tongues is a very diverse gift in that it is used both as a prayer language to build up the individual speaking and also combined with interpretation to build up others that are around to hear the interpretation, similar to prophecy or the other word gifts. (1 Cor. 14:6) We can only speak in tongues to edify others as the Spirit wants enable us to. Tongues used as a prayer language is given to every believer when he receives the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and can be spoken anytime we want to once we have been baptized in the Holy Spirit. We should pray in tongues daily to make ourselves very strong in the Lord. This is done during our normal times of prayer. We can also sing prayers and praises to God in tongues. See 1 Corinthians chapter 14 to learn about the different workings of tongues in the church and in our private time.
Interpretation of tongues: Interpretation of tongues are words supernaturally given to us that interprets the message given in the unknown language. Like all the word gifts, we must speak these words out by an act of our own faith once the words have been given to us by God. He will never force us. If a message in an unknown language is given in a church setting in a loud fashion to command the attention of those present, an interpretation must follow or no other messages in tongues should be delivered during that service. In I Corinthians 14:13 Paul tells us we should pray not only for the message in tongues but also for the interpretation when it is addressed to people rather than to God so that the people also may be strengthened by the message.
Talent or ability gifts: Romans 12:4-8, I Corinthians 12:27-30 There are also diversities and much crossing over of these gifts with the others.
Administration: Someone with this gift has the ability to see the big picture but yet understand the individual components that makes a ministry work. They normally understand the totality of the ministry better than anyone else does. Someone with this gifting usually is a visionary. They normally have a strong ability to discern God's will, leading and direction. They handle many of the workings of a ministry but remain in the background.
Compassion: God has enabled some people to see and feel peoples pain and concerns more than normal. They not only feel others pain and distress but have a deep desire to do something about it and normally will move quickly to help. All Christians should have a love and concern for everyone but people with this gifting have a deeper, God given level of care and concern for others.
Exhortation: A person with this gifting has the ability to see when a person or a congregation needs comfort and encouragement and they feel a need to give comfort or encouragement. Sometimes this gift works in a natural way and sometimes it works more in a supernatural way like prophecy or the other word gifts. 1 Cor. 14:3 Words spoken by someone with this gifting can be their own words of encouragement or specific words directly from God.
Giving: Every child of God should give of their finances to support the work of God in the earth but some have been given the gift of giving. They are able to see the importance of funding the gospel and have a great desire to finance whatever it takes to bring souls into God's kingdom. Often they will have a special ability or anointing to make and give large sums of money to the body of Christ. They also may have leadership or other business skills. Their sole drive for wanting to earn large sums of money is to fund God's work. They know it is God who gives them the ability to get wealth. They have a keen ability to hear and obey God.
Helps or craftsman: God has given abilities or anointings to some to do certain skilled things in the body of Christ. It may be a musician or a seamstress or any number of skilled works. An example is the skilled labor it took to build the ark of the covenant and the temple in the Old Testament.
Leadership: To some God has given an ability to lead others. They are natural problem discerners and solvers. They are motivated and have the ability to motivate others. They lead by example. They are visionaries and often are prayer warriors, learning to hear accurately from God.
Serving: The desire to do whatever it takes to help others do the work of the ministry. They are comfortable and have a desire to serve God behind the scenes doing the menial tasks that have to be done. In this, they find fulfillment and purpose.
Hospitality: God has given some the ability to make others, even strangers feel comfortable and welcomed. They love entertaining others. They don't have a problem inviting even strangers into their home and do it as a service to God. They may like to serve God by providing food to their brothers and sisters in the Lord or others. They have very cheerful, giving and serving hearts.
Calling or Office Gifts: There are five calling or office giftings spoken of in Ephesians 4:7-12. They are also known as the five-fold ministry gifts. God gives certain selected people the many gifts needed in order to fill these offices in the body of Christ. These people are themselves gifts from God given to His people to build them up and equip them to do the various works of the ministry. Much responsibility goes along with these offices. Those chosen by God to fill them must spend much time in study, faithful service and getting to know God intimately in order to successfully fill their roles.
Apostle: Someone with the calling and giftings of an apostle will probably have a heart to plant churches. He will be mature and seasoned in the deeper things of God. He will have a heart for pastors and other ministry leaders. He will have a desire to "father" them, to watch over, protect and help them. He will walk close with God and live a life of God's miraculous power. He will be a visionary and probably will go to various places in order to do the things God has called Him to do to spread the gospel. Apostles are major building forces in the body of Christ. They forge the church forward, by cutting new paths of growth and advancement.
Pastor: He will have many giftings, and abilities in order to fill a role as a pastor. He may pastor a church or he may pastor another group of people. A pastor has a heart to shepherd or watch over the people God gives him to watch over. A pastor will endeavor to lead people into a close relationship with God, they will steer their flock from danger, they will fight off predators to protect their flock and they will bind up their wounds to bring healing: body, soul and spirit. They never should control or manipulate but always lead and protect.
Prophet: Someone that is gifted to fill the role or office of the prophet will be a very seasoned and mature servant of the Lord. They have many gifts from the Lord in order to fulfill this office. They are used regularly to hear and speak what God is saying to a particular person, church or to the body of Christ as a whole. They may speak to a government, or even to an entire nation of people. Their message could be a message of comfort or hope. It also can be a message of warning to repent of sins in order to avoid coming judgment.
Evangelist: Someone that is called to fill the role of evangelist has a burning desire to preach to and lead people to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord. They have an anointing to lead the lost to Christ. It is every Christian's responsibility to lead others to Christ, but the evangelist will give His entire life to this effort in service to God. An evangelist burns with the message of repentance.
Teacher: Someone that God has gifted and called to be a teacher has a profound love for God's word. They love to read it, study it and teach it. God has given the teacher a special ability to understand His word. They have more than a natural desire to disciple others. They could never be satisfied studying or teaching only one topic of the bible.
The gifts of God are wonderful without measure. They have the supernatural power to change lives. God gives us gifts so that our lives will be a gift to others. This world desperately needs God's people to receive and flow in God's marvelous gifts.
A body is made up of many parts, and each of them has its own use. That's how it is with us. There are many of us, but we each are part of the body of Christ, as well as part of one another. God has also given each of us different gifts to use. If we can prophesy, we should do it according to the amount of faith we have. If we can serve others, we should serve. If we can teach, we should teach. If we can encourage others, we should encourage them. If we can give, we should be generous. If we are leaders, we should do our best. If we are good to others, we should do it cheerfully. Be sincere in your love for others. Hate everything that is evil and hold tight to everything that is good. Love each other as brothers and sisters and honor others more than you do yourself. Never give up. Eagerly follow the Holy Spirit and serve the Lord. (Romans 12:4-11)
Weekly Challenges:
Memory Verse: Let no one make little of you because you are young, but be an example to the church in word, in behavior, in love, in faith, in holy living.
(1 Timothy 4:12)L.O.V.E Challenge.: Think about the gifts that God has given to you. Use one of your talents, abilities or gifts to be a blessing to someone this week and be prepared to tell us what gift and how you used it next week.
Continue to have a quiet time with God daily. Read God's word and pray everyday.