Christian Discipleship Course 37.

Question and answer: “What are these gifts for?”

The gifts of the Holy Spirit are given by Him to help build up and edify the body of Christ (the church). They also equip us for ministry to advance the kingdom of God (evangelism). Usually the gifts are manifested within a church meeting, but not exclusively. Someone could give a prophesy, or a tongue and then an interpretation should follow, 1 Corinthians 12:4-12, 14:26,32,33,39,40, Ephesians 4:12, 1 Peter 4:10. (Isaiah 11:1-2).

1 Corinthians 12:8-10 ‘For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, To another the gift of healing by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophesy, to another discerning of Spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues’

Wisdom: Desire & seek everything that is available to you as a believer!

All of these gifts are being manifested today and God wants you to have them! This short list describes some of their functions today.

1. Wisdom: Supernatural ability to apply knowledge in specific situations. The believer grasps a little divine insight regarding a specific situation. Genesis Ch 40 -41 (40:12, 41:25-38), 2 Kings 4:38-41, 20:7, Acts 8:9-23, 13:6-12.

2. Knowledge: The ability to receive specific information given as a direct revelation from God. 2 Kings 1:17, 6:8-12, 20:1-11, Mark 2:8, Acts 10:19, 11:12.

3. Faith: The ability to believe for something, which is naturally impossible. This extraordinary confidence in God is not shaken by situations, pain, apparent failure, or ridicule 1 Kings 18:21-40 and Acts 12:5-16

4. Healing: A special gifting to see divine restoration of a person back to health, 2 Kings 5:1-17, Acts 3:1-11.

5. Miracles: The ability to do supernatural works of power that glorify Jesus, Exodus 7-12, Acts 19:11,12.

6. Prophecy: Prophecy is the ability to receive direct revelation from God and then to communicate that revelation to men 1 Kings 17:1, Acts 11:28.

7. Discernment of spirits: The supernatural ability to discern what is true and what is false; this includes discerning the difference between God’s Spirit and individual evil spirits.1 Kings 22:19-23, Matthew 10:1, Mark 5:1-20, Luke 9:37-42, Acts 16:16-18.

8. Tongues: The ability to speak in a spiritual heavenly language, Acts 2:4, 10:46, 19:6.

9. Interpretation of Tongues: The ability to interpret tongues into a ‘known’ language. (Acts 2:1-11, this is not interpretation), 1 Corinthians 14:22-28, 39.

The gifts are only to be used for the glory of God. Sometimes they come for a season. Most Spirit-filled believers only have a few of the gifts.

Fact: God does not fill or empower dirty vessels. With great power comes great responsibilities, Isaiah 52:11, Matthew 12:18, Luke 3:22, 1 Peter 1:16.

Think: Will I seek God until I move in spiritual gifts? Am I living a holy life? Do I desire the greater gifts, as God wants me to? 1 Corinthians 12:31.

More Info: Romans 1:11,11:29,12:6, 1 Corinthians Ch 12-14, 2 Timothy 1:6,Hebrews 2:4.