What are the gifts of the Holy Spirit

Knowing God (part 9)

Opening Prayer including Samuels family

This week our church hosted the memorial service for a 27 year old electrical engineer from Uganda.

He was a precious gift to this world and will be missed by many

His life was lost while hiking in Canmore. We know he is currently with the Lord

Let’s as a church lift His family up in prayer

pray

1 Corinthians 12:7–11 NASB95

7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.

Preamble

As we continue our series on knowing God. We want to explore one of my favorite subjects

I’ve mentioned this story before

Before I was a teenager I was baptized in the Holy Spirit at Sunnyside Camp at Sylvan lake

The next day after being filled with the Holy Spirit the speaker did a session on Spiritual gifts

after his talk He invited everyone up to be prayed for to receive Spiritual gifts

What kid doesn’t want gifts right

I went up for prayer and the person praying over me asked me what gift are you desiring

As a typical kid, my response was

“all of them”

Over the last 35 plus years I have seen How God has taken me through seasons developing different spiritual gifts

let me tell you its what brings the Spirit alive in me

It is impossible to be bored when you are operating in the Spiritual Gifts

When God is working through you its an amazing thing

Today we are going to do a broad overview of the gifts.

In the near future we will begin a series to take a deep dive in the indivdual gifts, that I beleive God is highlighting for the Church

Let me be clear.

I don’t know how to heal someone, but I know How to allow the Spirit to heal through me

I don’t know how to prophesy over someone, but I know How to allow the Spirit to speak words of Life through me

I don’t know how to cast out demons out of someone, but I know How to allow the Spirit to deliver them through me

I don’t know how to reveal hidden information about someone, but I know how to allow the Spirit to give me that knowledge

Some christians view Spiritual gifts as their badge of honour. Like its something they’ve earned

something that makes them special and better than everyone else

I am completely humbled when the Spirit chooses to operate through me

because I know I’m not capable of doing these things, that its the Spirit of God doing it through me!

Intro

What are Spiritual gifts?

Spiritual gifts are special abilities that are bestowed upon believers by the Holy Spirit for the purpose of serving God.

They empower the believer to serve within the Christian community and grown God's Kingdom on earth.

These gifts are not natural talents or skills, but rather supernatural endowments that empower individuals to carry out specific tasks and ministries in the body of Christ.

The New Testament provides various lists of spiritual gifts, including gifts such as prophecy, teaching, healing, wisdom, knowledge, faith, miracles, discernment, tongues, and interpretation of tongues.

1 Peter 4:10 NASB95

10 As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

1 Corinthians 12:7 NASB95

7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

Each believer is uniquely equipped with one or more spiritual gifts, which are intended to be used for the edification and growth of the church.

The purpose of spiritual gifts is to foster unity, promote the common good, and facilitate the work of God in the world.

They are given to believers as a means of expressing God's grace and love, and they operate through the empowerment and guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Understanding and discerning one's spiritual gifts is essential for effective ministry and service within the Christian community.

By discovering and utilizing their spiritual gifts, believers can contribute to the building up of the body of Christ, participate in the work of God's Kingdom, and bring glory to God through their unique roles and functions.

Gifts are not natural abilties

God gifts people with natural abilities to allow them to do somthing other people can’t

We have have natural abilties. Your are differnt than mine

but supernatural abilties deal with the spiritual aspect

When we talk about the gifts of the Spirit we are referring to supernatural abilities the Spirit give.

And its a heightened ability to carry it out

Every beleiver is called to make disciples

Every believer is called to share their faith

but not every believer has the gift of evangelism.

The person with the gift of evangelism has the heightened abilty to evangelize

but that doesn’t mean those without the gift aren’t called to do it as well

The one with the gift will see greater results

That’s why we’re called to seek the greater gift

Gifts are not earned but given

Although the Bible is clear it is the Holy Spirit that disperses the gifts as He chooses

1 Corinthians 12:11 NASB95

11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.

the Bible also tells us to earnestly desire the greater gifts

1 Corinthians 12:31 NASB95

31 But earnestly desire the greater gifts. And I show you a still more excellent way.

1 Corinthians 14:1 NASB95

1 Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.

It seems to me that the Holy Spirit working in and through us, causes us to desire the gift He wants to impart to us

I remember a number of years ago when I was preaching a sermon on Spiritual gifts

I bought 100’s of tiny gift boxes. Then I printed of 10 labels of each gift and radomly put one gift label into each box

I then had everyone come up and select a gift box and return to their seats and open them

I then asked people did the gift you receive in the box match the gift you feel God wants to develop in you

everyone said yes. Amazing right? Holy Spirit was at work.

but now for the really amazing part

even though i only printed of 10 copies of each gift.

When I asked How many people recieved the gift of prophesy

17-18 people stood up

How? I only made 10, but many more than 10 people opened up a box containing prophesy

Holy Spirt changed the writing on the labels to corespond with the Gift He wanted to impart

I fully convinced you could have taken any box and Holy Spirit would have corrected the label

How do you receive a Spiritual Gift?

Just like we have to ask to be filled with Holy Spirit, we have to seek after the Spiritual gift

you have to ask for the gift and then beleive God has given it to you.

Impartation

One of the primary ways Holy Spirit realease the gift is through impartation.

Impartation is simply when you have something that you can distribute to another.

In the natural you may know something about a specific topic

Maybe you knowing everything about Twinkies manufactured in the 1980’s

When you tell someone what you know. You are imparting your knowledge

The same can be done with Spiritual gifts.

A person with a Spiritual gift can impart that gift to another

Both through laying on of hands and training.

Training

Now in my experience, the usage of Gifts start out small,

and as you use them you become more effecient and powerful in their use.

Kind of like a muscle

The more you work your muscle the stronger you become

The same can be said about your spiritual gift.

The more you use it the stronger your gift will become.

I beleive God does this in order to protect us from our gift.

so we don’t get too full of ourselves

if Holy Spirit gives you the gift of evangelism. You won’t be speaking in front of crowds of 1000s the next day

rather God will reward you with increase as you develop your gifts

winning the 1s and 2s preparing you for whats ahead

If God gives your the gift of healings your 1st assignment probaby won’t be someone with stage 4 brain cancer

instead He will start you off with a less sever asignment to encourage you to build your faith

Luke 16:10 NASB95

10 “He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much.

Matthew 25:23 NASB95

23 “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’

This principle of small beginings is found throughout scripture

Moses lead sheep 40 years before He lead the children of Israel out of Egypt

David killed a lion and a bear before he face Goliath

Paul spent 10 years on the shelf after his conversion before he began preaching to the gentile

God has this gentle ability to start us off small, and build within us as we faithfully follow His lead.

So when we are talking about Spiritual gifts, there is an aspect of development within the individual

all being said........... I believe Holy Spirit is doing something extraordinary

Where when 1 person like myself took 30 years to develop a gift.

When I impart it to them they will be able to surpass my gifting in a very short period of time due to the Kiros moment we are in!

Having the gift doesn’t mean you fulfill the Office

1 Corinthians 12:28 NASB95

28 And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues.

Just because you can prophesy doesn’t mean you hold the office of a prophet

Just because you can teach doesn’t mean you hold the office of a Teacher

1 Corinthians 14:5 NASB95

5 Now I wish that you all spoke in tongues, but even more that you would prophesy; and greater is one who prophesies than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may receive edifying.

Paul wished everyone could prophesy, but he would nerver infer everyone is a prophet

We have to recognize the difference between the Gift and the Office.

One distinction is the Holy Spirit gives the gifts

and Jesus gives the offices

So to recap thusfar.

Every believer who is filled with the Holy Spirit gets at least 1 gift

They are not natural abilties, rather supernatural abilties worked by Holy Spirit through us

That gift is for the building up of the body of Christ not self promotion

That gift can be imparted, to spread the gift at an exponential rate throughout the Kingdom

Gifts start small and as they are faithfully administered, greater abilty to use them will be imparted.

Having the gift doesn’t mean you fulfill the office

What are the spiritual gifts?

One thing that is important to know is that nowhere does the Bible contain a complete list of all the gifts

rather each point of referrence gives a sample list of the gifts

1 Peter 4:9–11 NASB95

9 Be hospitable to one another without complaint. 10 As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 12:8–10 NASB95

8 For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues.

administration

1 Cor. 12:28 - to steer the body toward the accomplishment of God-given goals and directives by planning, organizing, and supervising others (Greek Word: kubernesis - to steer, guide, helmsmen)

discernment

1 Cor. 12:10 - to clearly distinguish truth from error by judging whether the behavior or teaching is from God, Satan, human error, or human power

faith

1 Cor. 12:8-10 - to be firmly persuaded of God's power and promises to accomplish His will and purpose and to display such a confidence in Him and His Word that circumstances and obstacles do not shake that conviction

healings

1 Cor. 12:9,28,30 - to be used as a means through which God makes people whole either physically, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually

helps

1 Cor. 12:28 - to render support or assistance to others in the body so as to free them up for ministry

knowledge

1 Cor. 12:8 - to know something about a person are situation that you have not learned through natural means

miracles

MIRACLES: 1 Cor. 12:10,28 - to be enabled by God to perform mighty deeds which witnesses acknowledge to be of supernatural origin and means

prophecy

Rom. 12:6; 1 Cor. 12:10; Eph. 4:11 - to speak forth the message of God to His people (Greek Word: prophetes - the forth-telling of the will of God; 'pro'=forth; 'phemi'=to speak)

teaching

Rom. 12:7; 1 Cor. 12:28; Eph. 4:11 - to instruct others in the Bible in a logical, systematic way so as to communicate pertinent information for true understanding and growth

tongues

1 Cor. 12:10; 14:27-28 - to speak in a language not previously learned either earthly or heavenly so unbelievers can hear God's message in their own language or the edification of the body or individual

tongues interpretation

1 Cor. 12:10; 14:27, 28 - to translate the message of someone who has spoken in tongues

wisdom

1 Cor. 12:8 - to apply knowledge to life in such a way as to make spiritual truths quite relevant and practical in proper decision-making and daily life situations

Romans

Romans 12:6–8 NASB95

6 Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; 7 if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; 8 or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

exhortation

Rom. 12:8 - to come along side of someone with words of encouragement, comfort, consolation, and counsel to help them be all God wants them to be (Greek Word: paraklesis - calling to one's side)

giving

Rom. 12:8 - to share what material resources you have with liberality and cheerfulness without thought of return

leadership

Rom. 12:8 - to stand before the people in such a way as to attend to the direction of the body with such care and diligence so as to motivate others to get involved in the accomplishment of these goals

mercy

Rom. 12:8 - to be sensitive toward those who are suffering, whether physically, mentally, or emotionally, so as to feel genuine sympathy with their misery, speaking words of compassion but moreso caring for them with deeds of love to help alleviate their distress

prophecy

Rom. 12:6; 1 Cor. 12:10; Eph. 4:11 - to speak forth the message of God to His people (Greek Word: prophetes - the forth-telling of the will of God; 'pro'=forth; 'phemi'=to speak)

service

Rom. 12:7 - to identify undone tasks in God's work, however menial, and use available resources to get the job done (Greek Word: diakonia - deacon, attendant 'diako'=to run errands)

teaching

Rom. 12:7; 1 Cor. 12:28; Eph. 4:11 - to instruct others in the Bible in a logical, systematic way so as to communicate pertinent information for true understanding and growth

Misc. Passages

celibacy

1 Cor 7:7-8 to voluntarily remain single without regret and with the ability to maintain controlled sexual impulses so as to serve the Lord without distraction

hospitality

1 Pet. 4:9,10 - to warmly welcome people, even strangers, into one's home or church as a means of serving those in need of food or lodging (Greek Word: philoxenos - love of strangers; 'philos'=love; 'xenos'=stranger)

martyrdom

1 Cor. 13:3 - to give over one's life to suffer or to be put to death for the cause of Christ

missionary

Eph. 3:6-8 - to be able to minister in another culture

voluntary poverty

1 Cor. 13:3 - to purposely live an impoverished lifestyle to serve and aid others with your material resources

Let’s pray