SPIRITUAL GIFTS

We water and fertilize so apples grow on trees, corn to grow on stalks, and grapes grow on vines and produce a harvest, but also the harvest is for our benefit. We you become a Christian and the Holy Spirit resides in your heart and soul, not only does he grow and develop fruit to help you grow like water and fertilizer do for food, but He gives you spiritual gifts to bless and benefit others; so they can grow and mature in Christ and produce a harvest themselves. There are two different Scriptures that talk about Spiritual Gifts, 1 Corinthians 12 and Romans 12. According to 1 Corinthians 12, there are 3 types of gifts – each type has 3 individual gifts – 9 gifts in total; the three categories of gifts are gifts of revelation, gifts of inspiration, and gifts of power. This week we will look at the Purpose of the Gifts, the Power of the Gifts and what makes them different from other aspects of the Holy Spirit and Christians themselves. Then, we will look at 1 Corinthians 12 and take one category per week but The Holy Spirit delivers these nine gifts and grow them in believers, in the church to be used to bring the Gospel, bless others, and advance God’s kingdom. Finally, we will close out the Holy Spirit series with looking at the Romans 12 list of 7 spiritual gifts. As any blessing that God gives, if we are led by the Holy Spirit then we should not use to promote self or for selfish reasons. When the Holy Spirit gives one or more of these gifts to a person, and people receive different gifts it is not make anyone feel spiritually superior or inferior. Remember Romans 12:4-5, “For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.” We are all members of one body, each with a different function; not every part of the body tastes nor can every believer have the same gift.

Let Us Pray!

Introduction to the Gifts

1 Corinthians 12:1-7

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.

What are the Holy Spirit gifts? They are gifts given at the moment of salvation for performance of different kinds of service for God, we will see that when we get into our main Scripture today. They cannot be earned and not awarded by spiritual maturity but they empower the believer. [ I believe that they take the believer out of their comfort zone so the presence of God is more apparent.]. They provide the opportunity for the Holy Spirit to personalize His plan and purpose while accomplishing His will through and in your life. And finally, they provide an avenue, a means for you to Love Others as God loves you.

I. THE GIFTS PURPOSE

A. To edify. To equip, strengthen believers to build up the church.

Ephesians 4:11-16 – And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

Not for personal use, personal benefit or gain or profit! Verse 14 ends in by human cunning, craftiness and deceitful schemes

1 Corinthians 13:1-3 – 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.

Paul reminds us that love – God’s Message is what is most important and if I have these gifts and don’t love – don’t use them for God – they are useless, worthless

1 Peter 4:10 – As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace:

B. To encourage. We are to use the gifts the Holy Spirit gives us to our brothers and sisters in every phase of their lives, no matter what they may be going through. We need to encourage not just in trials but in successes as well.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 – Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

Hebrews 3:13 – But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

And 10:25 – Not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

C. To enlighten. The gifts of the Holy Spirit help us know right from wrong, truth from lies. Satan is supernatural being and has supernatural power to deceive, the Holy Spirit empowers us through His presence and gifts to understand fact from fiction, truth from lies.

Ephesians 3:9-10 – and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things, so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.

D. To educate. These gifts can educate even the illiterate, as they are used for God’s glory.

1 Corinthians 12:8 – For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit,

E. To expose. These gifts will help us expose false spirits and religions.

Romans 12:2 – Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Colossians 2:8 – See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.

1 John 4:1 – Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.

II. THE GIFTS PERSONA

A. Spiritual gifts vs. natural gifts. Natural gifts are born with, inherited from parents or developed for personal use and enjoyment; sports, music, math, Spiritual gifts are given, bestowed by the Holy Spirit to share with others, bless others, help others. Every human has natural gifts but only Christians receive Spiritual Gifts

1 Peter 4:10-11 – As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Exodus 31:1-5 – The Lord said to Moses, “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in every craft.

B. Spiritual gifts vs. fruit of the spirit.

Both indicate and are proof of the Holy Spirit active in a believer’s life

Fruit develops and grows while gifts are bestowed, granted, given.

Think of Spiritual Gifts as the tree and the Fruit of the Spirit the fruit that grows on it.

Fruit of the Spirit focuses more on or are considered more emotion and attitude based while Spiritual Gifts are more action based.

Jesus said we would be known by our fruit not our gifts – Matthew 7:16-20 – You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.

Love – the fruit – is proven by action – using our gift – not by emotion. Spiritual Gifts should only be used, controlled and directed by love.

Spiritual gifts are given and not asked for – given by God, through the Holy Spirit for His Work, His Kingdom – but can become ineffective or misused –

1 Samuel 19:20-24 – KING SAUL - Then Saul sent messengers to take David, and when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as head over them, the Spirit of God came upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied. When it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they also prophesied. And Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they also prophesied. Then he himself went to Ramah and came to the great well that is in Secu. And he asked, “Where are Samuel and David?” And one said, “Behold, they are at Naioth in Ramah.” And he went there to Naioth in Ramah. And the Spirit of God came upon him also, and as he went he prophesied until he came to Naioth in Ramah. And he too stripped off his clothes, and he too prophesied before Samuel and lay naked all that day and all that night. Thus it is said, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”

John 11:46-57 – CAIAPHAS – but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For this man performs many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation.” But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all. Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish.” He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad. So from that day on they made plans to put him to death. Jesus therefore no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there to the region near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim, and there he stayed with the disciples. Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover to purify themselves. They were looking for Jesus and saying to one another as they stood in the temple, “What do you think? That he will not come to the feast at all?” Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where he was, he should let them know, so that they might arrest him.

III. THE SPIRITUAL GIFTS POWER

A. Discernment. Spiritual gifts help us discern God’s Word, God’s Way. God’s Will. Spiritual Gifts give us the discernment to fully understand situations we are called to, the nature of the situation, as well as a way a solution to the situation.

Hebrews 5:14 – But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

1 Corinthians 2:14 – The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

We are called to test, discern – we do so through Spiritual Gifts.

1 Thessalonians 5:21 – But test everything; hold fast what is good.

1 Timothy 4:1 – Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons,

1 John 2:27 – But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him.

Philippians 1:9-11 – And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

A. Denounce and Destroy the enemy. Spiritual gifts give us the power to denounce the powers of sin and destroy the schemes of satan and his demons.

Test everything through Scripture, the Holy Spirit, His discernment, His spiritual gifts.

2 Corinthians 11:13-15 – For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So, it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.

Ephesians 6:10-12 – Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Romans 16:20a – The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.

Why are Spiritual Gifts so controversial? Some have misused and abused their gifts. Some have taught incorrectly about gifts. God desires to give us gifts, Spiritual Gifts to be that strong tree that bears the Fruit of the Spirit – to give us His gifts to give us a plan and purpose in our faith walk – in deepen our relationship with Him and through Him we can do His Will and attract those that don’t know Him, to Him, to His love. Love – the fruit – is proven by action – using our gift – not by emotion. Spiritual Gifts should only be used, controlled and directed by love.

Remember the tree analogy – not perfect but a visual – Spiritual Gifts are the tree trunk, roots and branches. The fruit is what grows from the gifts of the Spirit.

How do you see the Fruit of the Spirit and the Gifts of the Spirit related? How are the separate? How do they complement each other?

Why are Spiritual gifts given and not asked for?

How have you witnessed Spiritual Gifts abused, misused or wasted?

What is your spiritual gift?

How do you use your spiritual gift to edify, equip or strengthen other believers?

How do you encourage other believers through your spiritual gifts?

How do you enlighten by your spiritual gift?

How do your natural gifts complement your spiritual gifts?

Let Us Pray!

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