Know Your Tools Part 4: The Gifts of the Spirit

1 Corinthians 12:1–11 ESV

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. 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. Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 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. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.

We are given a toolbox from Jesus Christ when we are reconciled to God and join the family of God. This happens at the point of making Jesus Christ our Lord and Savor. This includes many items. It is important learn how and when to use them. Salvation does not equal proficiency with these spiritual tools.

These tools are divided into three categories.

The Armor of God

Belt of Truth

Breastplate of Righteousness

Shoes of the Preparation of the Gospel of Peace

Shield of Faith

Helmet of Salvation

Sword of the Spirit = Word of God

The Fruits of the Spirit

Love

Joy

Peace

Patience

Kindness

Goodness

Faithfulness

Gentleness

Self-Control

The Gifts of the Spirit.

We will put these all together at the end of this series for developing a divine nature.

Up to this point, ideally, our toolboxes should look exactly the same. Now they start to diverge into different looking toolboxes. Does this mean God likes someone more than another? No, definitely not.

Acts 10:34 ESV

So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality,

I have seen in the church where we associate spiritual astuteness with gifts. We evaluate incorrectly. We only see on the surface and not the full picture. We see the result, but not the journey.

While we begin to unpack the gift of the Spirit, we have to remember that without love, we can have multiple gifts, but with out love, it is pointless. Not just any love, but agape love.

1 Corinthians 13:1–10 ESV

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.

The Gifts of the Spirit are:

Word of Wisdom

discretion; insight, specialized knowledge

Genesis 41:33–36 ESV

Now therefore let Pharaoh select a discerning and wise man, and set him over the land of Egypt. Let Pharaoh proceed to appoint overseers over the land and take one-fifth of the produce of the land of Egypt during the seven plentiful years. And let them gather all the food of these good years that are coming and store up grain under the authority of Pharaoh for food in the cities, and let them keep it. That food shall be a reserve for the land against the seven years of famine that are to occur in the land of Egypt, so that the land may not perish through the famine.”

The ability to make wise decisions. The ability to problem solve.

Word of Knowledge

esoteric knowledge or knowledge divinely given

Daniel 2:26–28 ESV

The king declared to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to make known to me the dream that I have seen and its interpretation?” Daniel answered the king and said, “No wise men, enchanters, magicians, or astrologers can show to the king the mystery that the king has asked, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream and the visions of your head as you lay in bed are these:

Faith

Gifts of Healing

Does this mean on certain people can experience healing? No.

Some people have a direct gift of healing.

Working of Miracles

Prophecy

Discerning of Spirits

Divers Kinds of Tongues

Interpretation of Tongues

Conclusion:

It is God’s will for us to live an overcoming life. A life full of freedom from sin and fulfillment in the riches of God’s mercy and grace. We are meant to have a powerful mind and a servants heart just like Jesus. These things are not natural. You were not born with them. These come from utilizing the tools we have been given. Maybe you have not used the tools correctly or not at all. Maybe you have not made Jesus your Lord and Saviour so these have not been a part of your life. Great news. Today is your day.

Jesus has already done the hard part and He makes it as easy as knowing your A, B, C’s.

A - Acknowledge

Romans 3:23 ESV

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

B - Believe

Acts 16:31 (ESV)

And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.”

C - Confess

Romans 10:9–10 ESV

because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.