The gifts of THE SPIRIT are vital to the Body of Christ!
In the past, I have seen many men operating in the gifts of The Holy Spirit, including myself.
Paul wrote of the nine gifts given by The Holy Spirit in 1st Corinthians chapter 12:
4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.
6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:
8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit,
9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.
The New Testament makes a clear distinction between the gifts of the Holy Spirit and the fruit (character) produced by the Holy Spirit. Both come from the Holy Spirit, but they serve different purposes.
The gifts of the Spirit are for ministry to others
The gifts of the Spirit are supernatural abilities God gives believers to build up the Church and accomplish His work.
Paul also wrote by The Holy Spirit in Ephesians chapter 4:
11 And He has appointed some with grace to be apostles, and some with grace to be prophets, and some with grace to be evangelists, and some with grace to be pastors, and some with grace to be teachers.
12 And their calling is to nurture and prepare all the Holy believers to do their own works of ministry, and as they do this they will enlarge and build up the body of Christ.
13 These grace ministries will function until we all attain oneness into the faith, until we all experience the fullness of what it means to know the Son of God, and finally we become one into a perfect man with the full dimensions of spiritual maturity and fully developed into the abundance of Christ.
14 And then our immaturity will end! And we will not be easily shaken by trouble, nor led astray by novel teachings or by the false doctrines of deceivers who teach clever lies.
And Peter wrote by The Holy Spirit in 1st Peter chapter 4:
10 Every believer has received grace gifts, so use them to serve one another as faithful stewards of the many-colored tapestry of God’s grace.
11 For example, if you have a speaking gift, speak as though God were speaking His Words through you. If you have the gift of serving, do it passionately with the strength God gives you, so that in everything God alone will be glorified through Jesus Christ. For to Him belong the power and the glory forever throughout all ages! Amen.
Why are the Gifts vital?
1. They reveal that Jesus is alive and working today.
Jesus ascended into Heaven, but He continues His ministry through His body, the Church.
He told His disciples:
“Whoever believes in Me will also do the works that I do.” (John 14:12)
The gifts are one of the primary ways Christ ministers through believers.
2. They demonstrate the Kingdom of God
Jesus rarely preached without demonstrating God’s power.
He:
- healed the sick
- cast out demons
- raised the dead
- performed miracles
- spoke prophetically
- revealed hidden knowledge
He said: “If I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you.” The gifts are evidence that God’s Kingdom is breaking into this world.
3. They confirm the Gospel
The apostles did not merely preach. They demonstrated God’s power.
The ending of Mark says:
“…the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs.”
Throughout Acts:
- thousands believed
- healings occurred
- demons were cast out
- miracles happened
- prophetic direction guided the Church
Power confirmed the message.
4. They build up the Church
Paul repeatedly says spiritual gifts are for edification.
They strengthen believers through:
- encouragement
- healing
- wisdom
- revelation
- comfort
- correction
- discernment
Without the gifts, the Church loses many of the means God has provided to minister to one another.
5. They equip believers for spiritual warfare
Paul reminds believers that our struggle is not merely against flesh and blood.
The gifts become spiritual tools.
Examples include:
- discerning spirits exposes deception
- faith overcomes impossible situations
- miracles break spiritual strongholds
- healing destroys works of sickness
- prophecy brings God’s direction
Jesus often confronted spiritual opposition through the power of the Spirit.
6. They reveal God’s Love
Healing is not merely power, it demonstrates compassion.
Prophecy is not merely prediction, it often strengthens, encourages, and comforts.
Miracles reveal that God is personally involved in people’s lives.
Jesus ministered through the Holy Spirit
In Acts 10:38, Luke summarizes His ministry:
“God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power… He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil.”
If Jesus ministered through the Spirit’s power, it follows that His disciples also depend on the Spirit’s empowering.
The early Church expected the gifts
Reading Acts, the gifts are woven throughout the Church’s life.
They experienced:
- prophecy
- healing
- miracles
- tongues
- discernment
- supernatural guidance
- angelic intervention
- deliverance
These were not portrayed as occasional curiosities but as normal aspects of the Spirit’s work among believers.
Paul instructed believers to desire them
Paul did not tell believers to ignore spiritual gifts.
Instead he wrote:
“Earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy.”
He also instructed:
“Do not quench the Spirit.”
and
“Do not despise prophecies, but test everything.”
His concern was not to eliminate spiritual gifts, but to ensure they were exercised with discernment and order.
However, the Gifts without character are dangerous!