The Gifts of the Spirit

“But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.”  I Corinthians 12:7

The Apostle Paul listed the major gifts and abilities which God has placed upon those whom He chooses to receive these gifts.  The first one that he mentions is the word of wisdom.  Solomon was known as the wisest human being who ever walked the earth.  When God asked him what he desired, rather than saying that he desired riches and fame, he asked for an understanding heart to judge the people, and God filled him with wisdom, that is, the ability to know how to apply the vast knowledge that God had also given him (I Kings 3:5-15).  (I wonder how many of the politicians in the U.S. ask God for wisdom in their time in office.  Either most of them don’t ask or God doesn’t grant them their request judging by the condition of our nation.  Of course, Solomon wasn’t perfect either.)  The word of wisdom is profitable in all areas of life.  It gives the possessor of this gift the ability to see things more like God sees things, to be able to give counsel to troubled hearts, to know when to say “no” and when to say “yes”, to know when to give advice and when to keep silent, and to know how to correctly discern any situation and act accordingly.  Having wisdom keeps one from walking into a trap or making a grave error.

The Spirit of God also bestows upon those He chooses the word of knowledge which goes hand in hand with the word of wisdom.  Knowledge is knowing facts which is not very profitable without the wisdom necessary to apply that knowledge.  Knowledge of God’s word comes by way of the diligent study of His word with the help of the Holy Spirit.  This gift can also refer to the ability to understand the prophecies and mysteries found in scripture to the extent that God allows it.  The third gift that Paul lists is the gift of faith.  Everyone who is born again must have faith.  But this faith that Paul is speaking of is a special faith.  Paul doesn’t elaborate, but I will try to speculate about this special faith.  It is a faith that doesn’t waiver even in the severest of storms and the darkest of nights.  It moves mountains, knows and believes that God has everything under control so there is no need for worry, and doesn’t fear the enemy.  How many folks do we know who have that kind of faith, the kind that never waivers, doubts, or loses perspective?

Two more of the gifts of the Spirit are healing and miracles.  These gifts are not widely distributed in our day.  The Apostle Peter was given these gifts because a crippled man was healed by Peter in the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 3:6).  There was a man healed of the palsy, and a widow named Dorcas was raised to life after she had died (Acts 9).  Paul brought a young man back to life after he had fallen out of a second story window (Acts 20:9-12), and he was also able to prevent a poisonous snake bite from harm to himself (Acts 28:4-5).  These types of instant healing are rare in our day.  They were utilized in Jesus’ day and in the first century as proofs that Jesus was indeed the Messiah.  Because we have the record of the New Testament and the witness of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers, miracles are very seldom used to convince folks of God’s sovereign power.  We are to rely on faith in the Lord.  I suppose we could identify such healers as the doctors, nurses, and the medical profession because of the talents, skills, and knowledge that God has given them.  Folks are living longer that in times past due to medical science which God has provided.

Prophecy was another gift that Paul listed.  It is the ability to foresee future events.  To be a true prophet, all that he or she foretells must come to pass (Deuteronomy 18:22).  A prophet is also seen today as a person who has the ability to discern truth from error which is known as the gift of a discerning of spirits.  Dividing truth from error can be enhanced through the diligent study of God’s word.  Two more gifts that Paul lists are speaking in languages that the person doesn’t know and the ability to interpret what is spoken so that all who hear the words can understand the message.  This was demonstrated in Acts 2:1-8 right after the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to preach the gospel in several different languages so that all the visitors to Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost could hear the gospel.  There are some folks who speak in an unknown tongue, but, to be useful to others,  there must be someone to interpret what is spoken.  Paul has much more to say about speaking in tongues in Chapter 14 of I Corinthians.

Paul repeated for emphasis that all of these gifts are given by the Holy Spirit to those whom He chooses to receive them.  He also listed other gifts in Romans 12:6-8 which added ministry, teaching, exhortation (urgent pleading), giving, ruling, and showing mercy.  The main criteria for being chosen to receive these gifts is love.  Love is the basis for any ability to be successful.  Paul wrote in I Corinthians 13:1-3 that even if he could speak in tongues, have the gift of prophecy, understand all mysteries, have all knowledge, all faith, give away everything he had to the poor, or sacrificed his body as a burnt offering, without love it would all be for nothing.  Love must always be the motive in serving others with our gifts.