The passage we are about to read can revolutionize your Spiritual life! We will talk about the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The Greek word used in this passage is “charisma” wish can be translated as “gift” or “manifestation”. The word just means “a gift from God’s grace”. These are supernatural manifestations of God that he manifests in the Church.
1 Corinthians 12:1–11
1Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed. 2 You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.
4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.
Introduction
The opening words of this chapter, ‘Now about spiritual gifts, brothers’, indicate that the abuse of spiritual gifts and misunderstanding about them was yet a further reason for Paul writing this letter to the Corinthians (see 7:1).
The whole of chapters 12, 13 and 14 are devoted to the question, indicating the extent of the problem and the importance of Paul’s answer. Similar problems and abuses tend to reoccur in the life of God’s people. Spiritual gifts are essential to the life of the church and the abuses must not be allowed to make us shy away from the benefits.
Today we are starting a series of messages about Spiritual Gifts. The letter to the Corinthians gives us knowledge about these gifts. As we start the series we will see that are three main aspects that are important to understand.
The different gifts Christians are given is the work of one and the same (Holy) Spirit (vv. 4–6)
1. ARE THESE GIFTS FOR US TODAY ?
It is important not to be ignorant about spiritual gifts (v. 1)
Paul writes about specific spiritual gifts in chapter 12. He speaks of the differences and diversities among the followers in Corinth, but with each phrase he hammers home the point: all the special, powerful gifts you Corinthians have been given came from the same Spirit, for the same purpose.
Is there any place in the Bible that tells us that God stopped being the same? Is there any Scripture that tell us that miracles stopped or that the experiences of the New Testament believers where just for Bible times? I don’t thing so.
Let me give you some foundational Scriptures.
Malachi 3:6 "For I am the LORD, I do not change;”
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
1 Corinthians 12:11 All these (Gifts) are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.
Of course the Gifts are for us today! Some people that are ignorant and uninformed can tell you that this was just for the early Church because they want to explain Spiritual things based on personal experiences but the things of God are not about our personal views. God is the same and He didn’t change. If we talk about personal experience I can tell you that the gifts are real because I flow and operate in them on a daily basis.
2. WHAT ARE THESE GIFTS FOR?
1 Corinthians 12: 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.
So we can see by the Scripture that God decided to give us these gifts for our own good. These are not given for the purpose of entertaining the folks or for show but God in his great love and mercy decided to empower the Church with the charismatic manifestations of the Spirit.
3. A DESCRIPTION OF THE GIFTS
THE MESSAGE (utterance) OF WISDOM (V. 8). ‘The message of wisdom’ and ‘the message of knowledge’ are similar. They both relate to special understanding of the revelation God gives his people in our Lord Jesus Christ, an understanding that can be conveyed to others as a contribution to ‘the common good’ (v. 7; cf. 1 Cor. 13:2). Some have a special gift of wisdom or insight and the ability to apply God’s unchanging truth to changing situations.
THE MESSAGE OF KNOWLEDGE (V. 8). Some have a particular gift for appreciating truths other Christians may easily miss and they are able to instruct them and share this understanding.
FAITH (V. 9). All Christians possess faith and are to exercise it. But to some, and perhaps at especially significant times, the gift is given of exceptional faith to understand God’s intentions and plans and to achieve them. This gift is manifested when a supernatural level of faith becomes necessary.
GIFTS OF HEALINGS (V. 9). ‘Healing’ is plural in the Greek, and may imply that healings for various kinds of illness and disease are in view.
MIRACULOUS POWERS (V. 10). Jesus promised miraculous powers and the early Church witnessed them (Mark 16:17f; Acts 5:1–11; 13:11).
PROPHECY (V. 10). The ability to deliver inspired words which conveyed God’s special message to the hearers—the ability of the prophet—seems in the New Testament period to have been either an occasional or an established office (Acts 19:6; Rom. 12:6; 1 Cor. 12:28 f). It was an especially important gift in the period before the New Testament letters and the four Gospels were readily available to the Church.
DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN SPIRITS (V. 10). Some have the ability to discern whether or not, for example, a particular teaching is from God or not.
SPEAKING IN DIFFERENT KINDS OF TONGUES (v. 10). To speak in ‘different kinds of tongues’ is ecstatic speech, when people are transported out of themselves to speak in an unknown language.
INTERPRETATION OF TONGUES (V. 10). By the gift of ‘interpretation of tongues’ the gift of tongues is made intelligible.
Categories of Gifts
For the sake of studying these gifts we can divide them in 3 different categories.
GIFTS OF REVELATION
These gifts embrace the message of wisdom, the message of knowledge, and the ability to distinguish between different spirits - all three involve special revelation knowledge straight from the Holy Spirit.
GIFTS OF POWER
The gifts of power include faith, gifts of healing, and miraculous powers - they are an expression through the Holy Spirit of the power and earthly ministry of Jesus.
GIFTS OF DIVINE COMMUNICATION
These three gifts include prophecy, the ability to speak in different kinds of tongues, and the interpretation of those tongues - these are all divinely inspired by the Holy Spirit and are an expression of Christ's will and direction.
Conclusion
We cannot understand the things of God without the Holy Spirit in our lives. Many people spend time studying the gifts but never operate in them. As Christians we need to be open to receive all that God has for us.
1 Corinthians 14:1 Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy.
1 Corinthians 12:31 " . . . eagerly desire the greater gifts . . . ''
How many of you would like to see these gifts in operation in our Church?
The question is...do you desire these gifts? What are you doing to receive them?
Appendix:
Word of wisdom (Gk logos sofias);
Word of knowledge (Gk logos gnoseos);
Faith (Gk pistis);
Healing (Gk iamaton);
Miracle-working (Gk energmata dunameon);
Prophecy (Gk profeteia);
Distinguishing of spirits (Gk diakriseis pneumaton);
Tongues;
Interpretation (Gk hermeneia) of tongues.
get the youtube video and extra notes at http://tonysilveira.com
