THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
Chapter 6
We have already seen that the Holy Spirit is a member of the heavenly family. He is the third Person of the Godhead (God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit).
God’s Spirit dwells or lives in you because you asked Him to forgive you of your sins. Your body becomes His temple.
“Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God
dwells in you?” (I Corinthians 3:16)
He is a gentleman and anything He does in you will build or edify you....never will He scare you or do anything contrary to God’s will and purpose. He is the Holy Spirit and all of His gifts are good and beneficial to you.
“But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all.”
(I Corinthians 12:7)
Since you are a believer, now you are a candidate to be baptized in the Holy Spirit as well. This experience is described in the next chapter, but first let us look at the gifts which are available to you through the Holy Spirit. You will find that there are at least 23 listed in the chapters and chart on the next page. Study them carefully and read the scriptural references.
The diagram of the gifts with arrows shows those which overlap. While it is true that some gifts may frequently overlap, it is not a dogmatic truth. Example....a prophet may prophecy yet have a motivational gift of mercy.
The gifts listed in Romans 12 are often referred to as “motivational gifts” meaning that every believer will manifest one of these gifts predominantly and it will be the gift which motivates his other ministry.
For example....a person may not have an Ephesians 4 ministry, but he may have the Gift of Mercy, which motivates him; and he may be used in any of the I Corinthians 12 gifts as the Spirit wills. An apostle may be motivated by teaching and have the Holy Spirit minister through them in the working of miracles.
Romans 12:3-8 Ephesians 4:11-12 I Corinthians 12:8-11
1. Word of Wisdom
2. Word of Knowledge
3. Faith
4. Gifts of Healing
1. Apostle 5. Working of Miracles
1. Prophecy 2. Prophet 6. Prophecy
3. Evangelist 7. Discerning of Spirits
4. Pastor 8. Tongues
2. Teaching 5. Teacher  9. Interpretation
3. Giving Aid (ministry) 10. Helps
4. Ruling 11. Governments
5. Exhorting & Encouragement
6. Giving
7. Mercy
Every man is instructed to wait on his gift or ministry. Abraham waited, Moses waited and the Apostle Paul waited. Some waited years, but then God said, “NOW” and they went forth in power and demonstration of the Holy Spirit, God working with them.
A. Is it wrong to desire spiritual gifts?
NO! In fact, the Bible encourages us to seek them.
“But earnestly desire the best gifts.” (I Corinthians 12:31)
“Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts.” (I Corinthians 14:1)
B. Who determines who receives what gift?
The Bible tells us that God’s Spirit determines this distribution.
“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.”
(I Corinthians 12:7-11)
Once you receive your gift or gifts, they are not to be used selfishly, nor are we to be lifted up in pride.
The Bible teaches that we become even more dependent on each other.
“For in fact the body is not one member but many.
If the foot should say, ‘Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,’ is it
therefore not of the body?
And if the ear should say, ‘Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,’ is it
therefore not of the body?
If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were
hearing, where would be the smelling?
But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased.
And if they were all one member, where would the body be?
But now indeed there are many members, yet one body.
And the eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you’; nor again the head to
the feet, ‘I have no need of you.’
No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary.”
(I Corinthians 12:14-22)
C. How do you receive the Gifts of the Holy Spirit?
Gifts are given freely! You do not beg, but it is “the Father’s good pleasure to give gifts to His children.”
When you were born you inherited the family name. You also inherited certain traits and characteristics of your family. You were given no choice at all as to whether you wanted to or not; by birth you received them.
You did not receive all the same natural abilities as your brothers or sisters, but neither did they receive all you did....good looks, musical talent, athletic ability, etc.
You have become a child of God. You further received a great inheritance, gifts and graces. You are unique in God’s sight and make up a part of His body that no one else can.
As a child of God, at birth, you received certain graces or gifts so that people can see and say, “He is a Christian”.
All of these are received at birth (inherited) while other graces or gifts are added as the
Spirit wills.
- The Spirit of Christ
- Various Gifts of the Spirit
- Authority
- Righteousness
- Faith
- The Love of God
- Hope
D. How does the Church profit from the Gifts of the Spirit?
These gifts function by the Holy Spirit to help mankind. They are from God and supernatural.
I know a lady that doctors performed surgery on. The doctors told her there was nothing they could do; she had cancer so bad the doctors said she would live only three weeks. Almost ten years have gone by and she is healthy. That is supernatural! That is when God does something we could not do.
The nine gifts listed in I Corinthians 12 may be divided into 3 categories:
1. Divine intelligence – wisdom, knowledge, discerning of spirits.
This supersedes anything that is innate in man.
2. Divine enablement – faith, working of miracles, healings.
No human power can match up to these.
3. Divine eloquence – languages or tongues, interpretation, prophecy.
Jesus had no manifestation of power until the Spirit came upon Him and neither will the church.
“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you
shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the
end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
E. How can we desire and develop the gifts in our lives?
In the most simple terms, spend time with the Giver of the gifts. Read His Word, pray, meditate on the Law of the Lord and exercise every gift He has already given you.
Be faithful in the Spirit’s prompting to use the gifts....according to Scripture we have a responsibility to stir up the gift or gifts which reside in us.
“Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy
with the laying on of the hands of the eldership.
Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress
may be evident to all.
Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing
this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.”
(I Timothy 4:14-16)
Volumes more could be written about each individual gift with explanations of each but
I hope that you will be encouraged to seek, search and desire them.
To help you remember them, write a list of the gifts from Romans 12, Ephesians 4 and
I Corinthians 12.
Make it a point to desire these gifts within your life.
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