THE SPIRIT & HIS GIFTS 2
1 Cor. 12:8-11
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR: WHAT DID YOU SAY?
1. A young man went up to an old man and said to his ear, “Hey, could you lend me $5.00?”
2. The old man said, “I’m deaf in that ear. Come around to the other one. Now what did you say?”
3. The young man plucked up his courage and said, “Hey, could you lend me $20.00?”
4. The old man said, “Lend you what?” “$20.00!”
5. The old man looked incredulous and said, “You better go back to the $5.00 ear!”
B. TEXT
“For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10 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. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.” 1 Cor. 12:8-11.
C. THESIS
1. We are having a continuing series on the Holy Spirit. We started in Genesis and have worked through the Books of the Bible, down to the Apostle’s Epistles.
2. Tonight we’re on our 2nd installment on the Spiritual Gifts. We’re looking at the “Gifts of Power,” three gifts associated by their powerful effects on the world and spiritual forces.
3. “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant” 1 Cor. 12:1. There are many people who don't understand the gifts of the Spirit and/or mistakenly teach that God has done away with the gifts. But they are real & vital for the Body of Christ today!
4. The title of this message is: "The Holy Spirit & His Gifts 2."
PART II. GIFTS OF POWER
A. FAITH
1. What this Gift if NOT:
a. Saving Faith
b. Faith, the FRUIT
c. General Faith
Instead we’re discussing a species of faith which is known to operate physically and visibly on the things around it.
2. A Definition of the Gift
The Gift of Faith is a supernatural endowment by the Spirit whereby that which is spoken or desired by man, or spoken by God, that shall eventually come to pass. This human or divine “miracle-utterance,” or “miracle- ASSURANCE” is different from the Working of Miracles and the Gifts of Healings in that often its operations are not immediately or even generally observable.
a. Defined:
1). The Power by which God works (Gen. 1:3, Heb. 11:3).
2). A divine certainty that triumphs.
3). A faith that dares and expects great things from God.
b. Is Twofold:
1). Assures the maintenance of unswerving BELIEF and trust in God in spite of circumstances.
2). The accomplishment of mighty WORKS of divine power (Heb. 11:33, 34).
3. Scriptural Examples of the Gift
a. Miracles especially associated with this gift (I Cor. 13:2 (move mountains), Mk. 11:20-23 (wither fig tree), Lk. 17:6 (mustard seed of, can uproot mulberry tree), Mt. 17:19-20, cast out demons).
b. Other Examples of this gift:
1). Spiritual blessing (Isaac, Jacob, Heb. 11:20-21)
2). Protection (Daniel, Lion’s den, Hebrews 11:33);
3). Sustenance in famine (Elijah);
4). Receiving great promises (Abraham, Rom. 4:20);
5). Admin. Spiritual Correction
6). Supernatural victory in the fight – Gideon, Hebrews 11:35;
7). Raising the dead, Hebrews 11:35;
8). Casting out demons (Mt. 17:19-20).
9). Faith over Viper’s Bite, Acts 28:5.
B. GIFTS OF HEALINGS
1. What Divine Healing is NOT:
a. Mind over matter,
b. Natural healing functions of the body,
b. Not Doctor or MEDICINE assisted.
2. These gifts are the supernatural healing of diseases and infirmities without natural means of any sort. They are the miraculous manifestation of the Spirit for the banishment of all human ills whether organic, functional, or NERVOUS; acute or chronic.
3. Biblical manners of its operation:
a. A touch (Mt. 8:15), a prayer, John 11:41-42; a declaration, Luke 7:9-10; a Word or Command (Mk. 8:8, 13); Touch or Command (Lk. 5:13); Someone touched Jesus (Mt. 14:34-36); using spittle or mud, Mark 7:33; By a shadow (Acts 5:15); aprons or clothes (Acts 19:12), etc.
4. Scriptural Uses of the Gift
a. To deliver the sick and destroy the works of the devil in the human body (Acts 10:38).
b. To establish Jesus’ astonishing CLAIMS (Mt. 9:2-7).
c. To confirm the gospel (Acts 4:29-30) and the resurrection of Jesus (Acts 3:15-16).
d. To turn people to God (Acts 9:35).
e. To bring glory to God (Mk. 2:12, Lk. 13:17).
f. To inspire faith and courage in God's people.
C. WORKINGS OF MIRACLES
1. Definition of a Miracle. A miracle is a sovereign act of the Spirit of God irrespective of LAWS or systems.
2. The Gift of the Working of Miracles
Many spiritual acts are miraculous, such as knowledge or wisdom, but this gift produces works of POWER. All healing of human bodies is excluded from this gift.
3. It includes only those miracles which concern the laws of inanimate nature or the miraculous manipulation of objects – turning water into wine, bringing fire from heaven, opening the sea, stilling the tempest, and so forth.
4. How the Gift operates. Miracles have 4 purposes: to meet needs, gain attention, confirm Christ is Lord, and to build faith.
5. EXAMPLES IN THE N.T. – Water to wine, miraculous catch of fishes, stilling the storm, feeding 5,000, walking on the water, possibly to miraculous transportation of Philip (Acts 8:39), etc.
6. OLD TESTAMENT EXAMPLES:
a. Ax head floats, 2 Kings 6:1-7;
b. Sun goes backward, Isaiah 38:7-8;
c. Aaron's rod becomes a SNAKE, Exodus 7:10;
d. Various plagues of judgment, Exodus 7ff;
e. Tree makes bitter waters sweet, Ex. 15:23-25.
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION: SOARING LIKE KITES
1. We’re a lot like kites. It seems to be human nature that as soon as we are experiencing any kind of soaring in the heights of the sky, we immediately are tempted to sever the line that keeps us tethered to the ground.
2. "We can do it by ourselves" we claim, only to discover over and over again that it’s not so, after we crash.
If we only took the time, we might realize one day that "soaring like eagles" is ONLY a reality for those who stay tethered to the Word.
3. It is that tethering that creates the resistance that pulls the kite upwards. We can fly like eagles, but only if we truly stay connected to God in all humility with the "umbilical" cord of total trust.
4. "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, 'From his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.'" But this He spoke of the Spirit. (NASB) John 7:38-39.
5. Psalm 63:1 – “O God, You are my God; early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water.” (NKJV) We just need to come to the fountain and drink.
B. THE CALL
1. Paul had some good advice for us; “Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit (14:1); “But covet earnestly the best gifts” (12:31).
2. Paul spent an entire chapter (13) making sure that he stressed that our gifts should operate out of a motivation of love and not selfishness or pride.
3. God said we need these gifts operating in the Body. Therefore we do, and should earnestly seek them and their use in the churches.
4. Let’s ask God to fill us with the Holy Spirit and use us in the Gifts of the Holy Spirit.
