(PART 3) It's a matter of life or death

What are the gifts of the Holy Spirit?

(PART 3) IT’S A MATTER OF LIFE OR DEATH

CHAPTER 7      

There Is More to the Purpose and Ministry of the Holy Spirit                      

Can you believe that there is more to the purpose and ministry of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer?

     Probably in most churches Jesus gets the most attention and rightfully so in the sense that without his work on the cross there would be no payment and forgiveness of sin, heaven would remain closed for humans to enter, and there would be no receiving of the indwelling Holy Spirit. But thank God, if we have repented of ours sins and believed in Jesus, then we will receive into our physical body the person of the Holy Spirit, who we desperately need to rely upon.

     What I wanted to get into more detail with you is in respect of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. What are they and where are they found in scripture?

     The mentioning of the various gifts of the Holy Spirit are found in Romans 12:6-8 and 1 Corinthians 12:1, 7-10, 28. Sometimes a gift is mentioned in both sections of scripture under a different name. The gifts of the Spirit are not natural talents. They are divine empowerments, extraordinary powers, and a favor which one receives without any merit of their own. Talents are received at birth. They are natural endowments. Gifts are not talents.

For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:13)

     As mentioned earlier in this study, when the Holy Spirit enters the believer at conversion, there is distributed at least one of these gifts and possibly more. Each of these gifts signifies the believer’s appropriate place in the body of Christ - the church. There are other gifts called the office gifts or leadership gifts of apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastor-teachers, which not every believer receives. It is important for you to know the functions of each of the non-office gifts of the Spirit so that as you grow spiritually you will be able to recognize which one or ones you have received from the Spirit.

     Without further adieu here are the names and functions of the non-office gifts of the Holy Spirit?

 

The Inspiration Gifts - These gifts say something.

�-�Prophecy

Is the anointed speaking forth of words of edification (to build up), exhortation (a call to encouragement), and comfort (consolation- includes the healing of distress, of sorrow, of persecution, and of suffering) for the church¹⁵.

Is a supernatural utterance that comes from a person who is anointed to speak the treasures of God to the body of Christ¹⁶.

Is designed to warn men and woman of sin or shortcomings¹⁷.

�-�Divers kinds of tongues - Is speaking in a foreign language that one has not learned, which is inspired by the Holy Spirit. 

�-�Interpretation of tongues - Is used to explain the meaning of the words that were spoken in a foreign tongue into the known language of the hearers.

The Power Gifts - These gifts involve supernatural ability and energy.

�-�Faith

A peculiar impulse, … that came upon the apostles when any difficult matter was to be performed, which inwardly assured them that God's power would assist them in the performance of it¹⁸.

Another way of describing this gift is to say that God brings about a supernatural change with no human effort involved.  

God does something on our behalf, but independent of us.

This gift can operate in areas of divine protection and divine provision¹⁹.

�-�Healing

Is the power to heal various kinds of illnesses or diseases.

Healing can come through:

A prayer of faith and the laying on of hands of the elders. James 5:14-15

By speaking a word from the Lord for a specific healing. Acts 3:6

By praying with the laying of hands on the sick by means of the prompting of the Holy Spirit. Acts 28:8

�-�The working of miracles

God entrusts a believer with strength or an energy, that they don’t normally have.

Another way of saying this is a believer does a supernatural act by the divine energy of the Holy Spirit²⁰.

Revelation Gifts - These gifts reveal God’s truth to mankind.

�-�The word of knowledge

Is the revealing of a fact in existence (of the present or past) that can only be supernaturally revealed²¹.

This is not something that could be known naturally - something one’s eyes have not seen and ears have not heard²².

The Holy Spirit transmits his specific knowledge to you on something that you would have no ability or means to be able to know about with your own limited intelligence and knowledge levels.

This knowledge could come in the form of:

A thought or an impression on your mind.

A vision or a picture in your mind’s eye.

A scripture for your-self.

A direct Word from the Lord to give to someone else - 2Kings 20:1²³.

This specific knowledge can also be referred to as a divinely given power to appropriate spiritual intuition in problem solving²⁴.

�-�The word of wisdom

Reveals the prophetic future.

God reveals something that has not come to pass.

�-�Discerning of spirits

Is the divine ability to the presence and activity of a spirit that motivates a human being, whether good or bad²⁵.

This enables a person to appraise motives.

You can know whether a person is telling the truth.

Their doctrine is subject to examination, and what they are saying is considered as to whether it proceeded from the Spirit of God.

Motivational Gifts - These gifts are practical.

�-�Teaches

This gift emphasizes accuracy of words and loves to study.

Delights in research to validate truth²⁶. 

�-�Exhorts - This gift encourages other believers and is motivated by a desire to see people grow and mature in the Lord²⁷.

�-�Gives with simplicity

The impartation of one’s earthly possessions without seeking any personal or selfish ends.

Being excited to bless others.

A desire to give in secret.

�-�He that rules with diligence/governments

Bestows not only organizational ability but efficient ways of getting work done.

�-�Shows mercy with cheerfulness

Is moved by the Spirit to:

Devote oneself to works of mercy (e.g. caring for the widows, sick, and the poor) with a happy temper.

Sense the joy or distress in other people and are sensitive to feelings and needs.

Desires to see people healed of hurts²⁸.

�-�Helps/ministry

Those with this gift are like the apostles' helpers, who:

Accompanied them, baptizing those who were converted by them.

Were sent by them to such places as they could not attend to.

Aided or rendered assistance in the church, and may refer to the temporal affairs of the church²⁹.

For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. And if they were all one member, where were the body? But now are they many members, yet but one body. (1 Corinthians 12:14-20)                                                                                                                                                                                                          

   Isn’t this exciting? God gives each member of the body of Christ at least one gift as shall manifest the work and nature of the Spirit’s operation on the mind which gives each believer some proof of the Spirit’s presence in order to promote harmony in the church³⁰. And because they are received and not earned a believer can’t take credit for them.                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

     Well, what do you think of the ministry and purpose of the Holy Spirit in a believer’s life?

     Isn’t this what we should aspire to?

     What I would like to introduce you to in the next chapter is an example of a Christian church, the church of Galatia, whose members were born-again, but somehow reverted back to a system of religion instead of going forward in relying on the ministry of the Holy Spirit. What was the apostle Paul’s instruction to them concerning this matter?