SPIRITUAL GIFTS - GIFTS OF POWER

In 2015 police arrived a car accident where an overturned car was submerged in water. All officers heard an adult female voice calming calling out, “Help me, help me.” The voice guided them to where the car was only to find a woman who had been deceased for 14 hrs. but an 18-month-old still alive in the car. John Smith was under water for 15 minutes after falling through ice. First responders try to revive him. He is pronounced dead in the emergency room but his mom grabs a hold of his feet and prays, “Holy Spirit bring my son back” and John revives. These stories and more you can find on the streaming platform PureFlix[1], but hopefully shows evidence of the spiritual gifts of faith, miracles and healings. As mentioned previously over the last 2 weeks, some of what Paul describes as Spiritual Gifts in 1 Corinthians 12, which are deep and unexplainable, some of them we all have personal responsibility for such as knowledge, wisdom, discernment from 2 weeks ago, prophecy from last week and faith this week. As Christians we are charged to make biblical knowledge, wisdom, discernment, proclaim prophecy over others and have faith; the spiritual gifts of these are deeper and unexplainable and all have biblical examples of each.

As we get ready to learn about the gifts of Power – let us pray!

Gifts of Power

1 Corinthians 12:9–10 – 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.

I. SPIRITUAL GIFT OF FAITH

A. Understanding. This is different from the faith the author of Hebrews speaks of in Hebrews 11:6. It is the faith that can work miracles which can make it difficult to distinguish between the gift of faith and the gift of miracles.

1 Corinthians 12:9 – to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,

1 Corinthians 13:2 – 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.

Ephesians 2:8 – For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

B. Uses in the Bible:

1. Personal protection—

Daniel 6:16–17 – Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. The king declared to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!” And a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet and with the signet of his lords, that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel.

20b–23 – As he came near to the den where Daniel was, he cried out in a tone of anguish. The king declared to Daniel, “O Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to deliver you from the lions?” Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever! My God sent his angel and shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.” Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.

2. Personal provision during a famine—

1 Kings 17 – Elijah, the widow and her son during the drought flour and oil never ran out, widow’s son was raised from the dead

19:4–8 – But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he asked that he might die, saying, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life, for I am no better than my fathers.” And he lay down and slept under a broom tree. And behold, an angel touched him and said to him, “Arise and eat.” And he looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. And he ate and drank and lay down again. And the angel of the Lord came again a second time and touched him and said, “Arise and eat, for the journey is too great for you.” And he arose and ate and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mount of God.

3. Believing God and His promises —

Genesis 21:5 – Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.

Romans 4:20-23 – (concerning Abraham) – No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.”

4. Faith Despite Circumstances —

Hebrews 11:32–40 – And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

5. Supernatural power—

Matthew 17:20 – He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.”

II. SPIRITUAL GIFT TO PERFORM MIRACLES

A. Understanding. A miracle as defined by Oxford Dictionary is a surprising and welcome event that is not explicable by natural or scientific laws and is therefore considered to be the work of a divine entity. Merriam-Webster defines a miracle as an extraordinary event manifesting divine intervention in human affairs as described in the Gospels. No matter what definition you adhere to we can agree that it defies natural laws and logic and is completely unexplainable.

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B. Uses in the Bible:

1. Moses performs miracles in Egypt—

Exodus 7–10 – water to blood, frog infestation, gnat invasion, fly infestation, all Egyptian livestock, boils on skin, burning hail, invasion of locust, complete darkness for 3 full days, the first born of every Egyptian.

2. Miracle of Dividing the Red Sea—

Exodus 14:16 – crossed the red sea on dry land

v. 21–22 – the Egyptian army that followed them were consumed by the Red Sea when the Lord released the water that was held back

3. God’s provision of the manna and the water—

Exodus 16–17 – Israelites complained about being hungry and how good the food was in Egypt, God sent manna from Heaven and broke open rocks from which water flowed

4. Elijah and the sacrifice with a pillar of fire—

1 Kings 18:25–46 – Elijah calls the prophets of Baal to offer a sacrifice – after several hours of nothing and Elijah takes what little water there is in Israel and pours 12 jars of water on the bull and wood and calls down a pillar of fire which consumed the wood, the bull, the water, the rocks, the dirt.

5. Elijah calls fire from heaven to 102 men—

2 Kings 1:9–11 – King Ahaziah falls and is about to die so he tells his people to inquire of the God Baal. Elijah calls down fire from heaven to consume the captain and his 50 men. Ahaziah sends another captain with 50 men and Elijah repeats the miracle.

6. Jesus feed 5,000 men plus women and children with 5 loaves and 2 fish—Matthew 14:15–21.

7. Paul Blind Elymas for leading people astray—

Acts 13:6–11 – When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they came upon a certain magician, a Jewish false prophet named Bar-Jesus. He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, a man of intelligence, who summoned Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God. But Elymas the magician (for that is the meaning of his name) opposed them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. But Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him and said, “You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord? And now, behold, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you will be blind and unable to see the sun for a time.” Immediately mist and darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking people to lead him by the hand. Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had occurred, for he was astonished at the teaching of the Lord.

8. Philip is Transported to Azotus—

Acts 8:38–39 – And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.

III. SPIRITUAL GIFTS OF HEALING

A. Understanding. This gift is done through the supernatural healing of diseases and infirmities without medicine, science, or other natural means. Spiritual Gift of Healing can be Instant or gradual and do not follow any norm or pattern

B. Uses in the Bible:

1. Laying on of hands—

Mark 16:18 – they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

Mark 1:31 – And he came and took her by the hand and lifted her up, and the fever left her, and she began to serve them.

v 41 – Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, “I will; be clean.”

7:33 – And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue.

2. Anointing oil and elders—

James 5:13–15 – Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.

3. Handkerchiefs and aprons—Acts 19:11–12 – And God was doing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons that had touched his skin were carried away to the sick, and their diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them.

4. Why Jesus didn’t / doesn’t heal everyone –

Luke 4:42–44 – And when it was day, he departed and went into a desolate place. And the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them, but he said to them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.” And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.

Physical Healing is nothing if there is not spiritual healing. God is more interested in the condition of our heart and soul then He is of our body. All disease and ailments will be healed – but not here – in heaven.

How do we as Christians deal with the answer “No” when we ask God to heal someone. The verse I hold onto is Romans 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

The NIV says in all things God works for the good of those who love Him. In the cancer diagnosis of inoperable God will work for you good. In the loss of child, if you allow God to, in that God works for the good of you. We can confuse it and think that God will make good but it says God will work good. With a death of loved one, the loss of a job or relationship – are you mad at God for not answering your prayer or are you allowing Him to work good in your life?

Is God still in control? Does He still work miracles? Does He still heal? Yes. Does He heal everyone or every believer? I don’t know, I guess it would be determined by you definition of healed. Will you allow God to work good in your life if the miracle or healing didn’t take place? If you received a miracle or healing, do you worship God at a deeper level and give Him credit?

As we close let us pray!

[1] https://insider.pureflix.com/prayer-faith/modern-day-miracles

How has your understanding of the gift of faith?

How is the responsibility of the faith different than the Spiritual Gift of Faith?

What is your definition of a miracle?

Have you witnessed any miracles?

How does your definition of healing align with the Spiritual Gift of Healing?

Have you witnessed the gift of healing?

What do you say to someone who prayed for healing but did not receive it?

How can you comfort them?