Who doesn’t enjoy receiving gifts? The Holy Spirit knows how effective gift-giving is to encourage and uplift our hearts, so He generously gives believers His supernatural gifts.
None of His gifts come wrapped in paper and bows, and none can be accessed except through the Spirit. When believers in Christ are filled with the Holy Spirit, He starts distributing these marvelous gifts to be used at various times to bring glory to God. Nothing glorifies God more than a supernatural event interjected into life’s situations.
The Holy Spirit dispenses the gifts to us individually, as He chooses. 1 Corinthians 7:7 reminds us each one has his own gift from God, one in this manner and another in that. No one knows us better than the Lord—He had a purpose and destiny for us before we were even formed in our mother’s womb. As He works in our lives, particular strengths, skills, abilities, character traits, and personalities develop that “fit” with the giftings of the Holy Spirit. It is exciting and fulfilling to recognize what gift “fits” in your life, and exercise it as the Holy Spirit nudges you.
The nine gifts of the Holy Spirit are listed in 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 (NKJV). Notice the last sentence emphasizes that the Holy Spirit distributes the gifts to us. There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.
The following is a list of these nine gifts of the Holy Spirit. Prayerfully consider which gift might “fit,” and ask the Lord to develop whatever gift He might choose for you as you seek to further His work in your circle of family, friends, and community. Being baptized in the Holy Spirit will take you from a natural to a supernatural place of understanding and moving in the things of the Spirit, so ask the Lord for that, to launch you into your supernatural gift. In his book entitled, The Gifts of the Spirit, Derek Prince gives the following descriptions of each gift:
Word of Wisdom—a tiny portion of God’s total wisdom directly and supernaturally imparted by the Holy Spirit in a way we could not get by ourselves. Often it is coupled with a word of knowledge, and the Lord shows us how to apply or use the knowledge.
Word of Knowledge—a tiny portion of God’s total knowledge supernaturally imparted to us by the Holy Spirit. The knowledge doesn’t come by natural reasoning, education, or training; it comes by the Holy Spirit. We “know” something about a person or situation that, otherwise, we would have no way of knowing.
Faith—the gift of faith that comes from the Holy Spirit is a miraculous, divine faith that is a tiny portion of the faith of God. With God, all things are possible, and when this gift operates in a person, he is given faith by the Holy Spirit to believe in God for the impossible. It is a power gift, for it yields miracles.
Gifts of Healings--is a supernatural impartation of God’s power to heal and relieve the body of disease or injury. Often, a touch from someone with gifts of healing brings the Lord’s healing to a sick person. It is a God-controlled gift, as are all the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Working of Miracles--the Greek word for miracles is dunamis or power, so the gift is actually “working of powers.” When a disease instantly lifts from a person, it is a miracle, which often occurs with the release and expulsion of a demonic spirit. Many of Jesus’ healings occurred after a demonic spirit was cast out of the sick person.
Prophecy—a vocal gift of words inspired and given by the Holy Spirit. Such words can be fore-telling (predictive) or forth-telling (influential in advancing the spiritual welfare of a church body). Words of prophecy should edify, exhort, or comfort the hearer.
Discerning of Spirits—a supernatural ability to recognize and distinguish between good and evil spirits. It is a form of direct perception given by the Spirit.
Different Kinds of Tongues—the ability the Holy Spirit gives to speak in a language not understood by the speaker. This gift is given for the building up of the Body of Christ in a gathering of believers.
Interpretation of Tongues—the ability given by the Holy Spirit to speak in a language understood by the speaker, which is the interpretation of words previously spoken in an unknown tongue. Again, this gift is used in a gathering (2 or more) of believers to edify the group.
Life in the Spirit is neither dull nor boring. Each of these nine gifts is a study in and of itself. Why not begin today to seriously consider your place in the Body of Christ and the gifts He may want to develop in you? Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them” (Romans 12:6).
© 2023, Chris Werre
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