2/12/11
Greetings, Last week we left off with the thought that God wants the body of Christ to become a supernatural community that is energized by the power of His Spirit. This concept is at the center of the entire passage of 1 Corinthians 12. Christianity is not a club, and it is not just another religion to adhere to. It is the vehicle through which God wants to introduce the kingdom of heaven into the earth. There is nothing natural about this. Every aspect of the Christian’s life is capable of being reconciled, enhanced, energized, and empowered by the same God that created all that exists. Apart from this power working freely there will never be unity within Christianity.
In my last letter I explained that this week we would be going over the nine gifts or charismas of the Holy Spirit. They are described as follows:
“For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.” (1 Corinthians 12:8-11)
Below you will find a concise list of these nine gifts along with their respective definitions. Each of these gifts could be presented as their own subject. However, since our focus is not the gifts themselves but their relevance to the topic of unity, I am presenting them in this fashion.
The Charismas of the Holy Spirit
Ø Word of Wisdom: Supernatural knowledge of future events that are to occur should nothing change and should no one intercede
Ø Word of Knowledge: Supernatural knowledge of past or presently occurring events along with other facts in the mind of God
Ø Faith: Supernatural ability to receive a miracle from God. This gift takes us beyond our natural abiding state of faith
Ø Gifts of healing: Any number of methods through which the Holy Spirit working through an individual brings supernatural healing, apart from medicine or any other form of natural healing or recovery
Ø Working of Miracles: Supernatural ability to perform a miracle (ie. Walking on water, multiplying food, materialization of missing body parts, etc.)
Ø Prophecy: Supernatural ability to speak what God is saying in the present moment, specifically to bring edification, exhortation, and comfort
Ø Discerning of Spirits: Supernatural ability to interact with and obtain knowledge from the spirit realm regarding the various spirits in operation whether Godly, human, or demonic
Ø Tongues: Supernatural ability to speak in our heavenly prayer language, which at times can be in human languages unknown to the speaker
Each of these gifts is supernatural in operation. None of them can be utilized apart from the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit. The Bible is clear that these gifts are manifestations of the Holy Spirit. In other words, these gifts are open doorways through which the Holy Spirit can work among the members of the body of Christ in order to weave a supernatural community.
This list of gifts in 1 Corinthians 12 closes with the comment that the same Spirit works all these gifts and that He distributes them to men He chooses. It does not say he will give each person only one gift, but that He distributes “severally.” This is plural. The Holy Spirit will distribute several gifts to any given individual according to His will. This passage also carries the understanding that the Holy Spirit isn’t dumping the gifts in one person so that everyone follows them, but desires the entire body of Christ to operate in these gifts. We all have access, not just charismatic televangelists.
A second point draws from the fact that is that the word translated as “gifts” is the Greek word charisma. This word is etymologically related to the Greek word charis from which we derive our word grace. The gifts of God are a specific manifestation of His grace working through us to edify others in a specific manner. Grace is not only the unmerited love and favor of God, but it is also God’s ability at work in and through us. The gifts are given by His Spirit, but once given they always reside within us meaning that God does not take them away. We can release our faith to operate in our spiritual gifts whenever it is appropriate. This is what the Bible means when it says the gifts are given without repentance.
“For the gifts [charismas] and calling of God are without repentance.” (Romans 11:29)
There is a vast body of misunderstanding about the gifts of the Spirit and I am well aware of this. Unfortunately, most of the misunderstandings flow from sources that have little idea what they are talking about. They have either never witnessed the gifts of the Holy Spirit or have never operated according to them. For instance, it’s like a ballet instructor reading astrophysics and trying to teach a class based on the manual—having never actually solved astrophysics themselves. They would teach all types of illogical concepts, and it wouldn’t be entirely their fault. They might even give up and teach ballet.
In order to learn about gifts, we need to learn from people who flow in them. I made the choice to learn about the gifts of the Holy Spirit from these types of people years ago. In response to God’s leading in my life, I have stepped out in faith and received grace to operate in a degree of every gift. What is the result? I have seen an acceleration of the work of God through my life that is off the charts. This type of result, reproduced in thousands of believers, would lead to a supernaturally self-edifying community. As you can imagine, unity would manifest in ever-increasing degrees.
I rarely share personal testimony in these letters, but at this point I feel that it is fitting. Here is an example of the gift of discerning of spirits. I once prayed with someone who would periodically feel sharp pains in their body. They were saved. The first time we prayed for the issue the problem wasn’t solved. When we went to pray again, I released my faith to operate in the gift of discerning of spirits. I saw several things which included: blue light, barley, crystal, scourge and scythe. I saw these things in the spirit and broke their power in the name of Jesus. When I called them out, a ringing filled this persons head, and then left. The pain stopped after that. In effect, I broke the power of witchcraft that was still working in the person’s life from a situation pre-dating their salvation.
An example of working of miracles happened when I was praying for a friend. They had several medical issues including chronic pain in their elbow and knee. On this particular day I felt led to declare that every part of his body that I touched would be healed. When I obeyed this leading, I entered into the anointing for the working of miracles. It followed that when I touched his elbow, the pain left and never returned. When I put my hands on his knee, I felt the reconstruction occurring underneath the skin. In working miracles I was, in effect, enforcing another reality upon the one in place, and allowing God to replace the initial conditions with the truth that is present in heaven—total wholeness. This enforcing by faith is why this gift is described as the “working” of miracles and not “the believing for” miracles. Believing for miracles is related to the gift of faith.
These are just two examples among many. The fact of the matter is that gifts are redemptive, and when embraced in proper order and based upon proper teaching will permit a necessary dimension of the Holy Spirit’s work within the body of Christ. Without the Holy Spirit’s work within the body of Christ there will never be unity, and in order to achieve our mandate, we must cooperate with Him.
Discussion
1.) What is the primary message of the passage in 1 Corinthians 12?
2.) What are the nine gifts of the Holy Spirit?
3.) Of these gifts, which ones have you seen in operation if any?
4.) Is there a limit on the number of gifts that the Holy Spirit will give to any one person?
5.) How can the gifts of the Holy Spirit when embraced in proper order and based on proper teaching lead to unity in the church?
