For the Common Good Pt. 6

II. The Spirit Gives Faith and Power (V9–10a)

1 Corinthians 12:9–10 NASB 2020

to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, and to another the effecting of miracles,

Faith:

When Paul says that the Spirit gives faith, he’s not talking about saving faith—the faith that leads us to salvation. That kind of faith, what we might call saving faith, is indeed the work of the Holy Spirit in regeneration. Without that initial work of the Spirit, we would never come to believe in Christ or be saved at all. But here in 1 Corinthians 12, Paul has something different in mind. This is not faith for salvation but faith for service—a supernatural kind of faith given by the Spirit for the building up of the body. It’s the kind of faith that believes God can and will act in extraordinary ways, faith that can, as Jesus said, move mountains. This gift is a Spirit-given conviction that God will reveal His power or mercy in a specific situation.

We see this kind of faith in real life. For example, many of us know Haley Reed, who at a young age felt called by God to leave everything familiar and move to Kenya to serve others. That wasn’t natural courage or optimism—that was the Spirit granting her supernatural faith to trust God with an impossible step. And God rewarded that faith through the ministry now known as Eden’s Hope. I can identify with that personally, too. When my wife and I moved to Honduras after a short mission trip, we sold everything and stepped into the unknown to care for children in the mountains—no electricity, no certainty, just the conviction that God had called us. That was the Spirit giving the faith to believe God could and would provide.

That’s what Paul’s describing here: a faith that dares to believe in the miraculous power and provision of God. And it makes sense that Paul begins here, because faith like this is the foundation for the next gifts he mentions—healings and the working of miracles. Before we can believe God will heal or can do the impossible, we must first have this Spirit-given faith that He is able.

Now, when we think about faith in the broader letter to the Corinthians, Paul’s already reminded them that their faith must not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God (2:5). Later, he’ll tell them to stand firm in the faith (16:13). So this faith we’re talking about—it’s not passive, it’s not just believing facts about God—it’s an active, living confidence in the power of God to do what only He can do.

And when the Holy Spirit gives this gift of supernatural faith, He gives it not just for personal encouragement but for the building up of the body. This kind of faith strengthens the church. It lifts the eyes of weary believers. It reminds the whole community that our God still moves mountains, still heals, still restores, still provides. When someone in the body has that kind of faith, it stirs up the rest of us to trust God in deeper ways.

Maybe you’ve seen that kind of faith before—the kind that makes you say, “Man, I needed to be around that person today.” You walk away believing a little more, hoping a little stronger, praying a little bolder. That’s the gift at work. It’s the Spirit saying to the church, “I’m still here. I still move.”

So let me ask you—where might God be calling you to trust Him like that? Maybe it’s believing that He can heal a wound that’s been festering in your family or even in our church. Maybe it’s trusting Him to provide when you can’t see a way. Maybe it’s stepping out in faith to serve, to give, or to go, when it doesn’t make sense on paper.

The Spirit gives this kind of faith so that the body of Christ would be strengthened. It’s faith that doesn’t just believe God can move—it expects Him to. And that kind of faith prepares the ground for what Paul mentions next: healings and miracles. Because before the church can see God’s power, someone has to believe that He still moves in power.

Andy Nassely “Working of miracles” is a more general term that includes the previous two gifts and also includes other sorts of miracles, such as exorcisms. “A miracle is an event (a) brought about by the power of God that is a (b) temporary (c) exception (d) to the ordinary course of nature (e) for the purpose of showing that God has acted in history.”

III. The Spirit Gives Revelation and Discernment (V10b)

1 Corinthians 12:10 NASB 2020

and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues.

Prophecy, distinguishing spirits, tongues, interpretation — all for building up the church.

IV. The Spirit Governs the Distribution of the Gifts (V11)

1 Corinthians 12:11 NASB 2020

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

The Spirit is sovereign; we are stewards.