The Holy Spirit – Part 7
(1 Corinthians 12:1 BBE) But about the things of the spirit, my brothers, it is not right for you to be without teaching.
The Gifts of the Spirit
(1 Corinthians 12:4-11 NKJV) (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.
- When the Holy Spirit is moving, Jesus will be the only one being lifted up. (John 16:13-14)
- The Word and the Holy Spirit will always agree and never conflict with each other. (1 John 5:7)
- A perfect Holy Spirit desires to move though imperfect people.
The gifts of the Spirit can be categorized:
Three gifts that say something:
- Prophecy
- Divers kinds of tongues
- Interpretation of tongues
Three gifts that reveal something:
- The word of wisdom
- The word of knowledge
- The discerning of spirits
Three gifts that do something:
- The gift of faith
- The working of miracles
- The gifts of healings
The Gifts that Do Something:
- The Gift of Faith – a supernatural manifestation of the Holy Spirit whereby a believer is empowered with special faith and it is beyond simple saving faith.
1 Corinthians 12:9 AMP To another [wonder-working] faith by the same [Holy] Spirit…
- The gift of faith is given to the believer so that he can receive miracles.
Daniel 6:21-23 NKJV Then Daniel said to the king, “O king, live forever! (22) My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths, so that they have not hurt me, because I was found innocent before Him; and also, O king, I have done no wrong before you.” (23) Now the king was exceedingly glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no injury whatever was found on him, because he believed in his God.
- When special faith is in operation, the believer will believe God in such a way, that God honors their word as if it is His own and miraculously causes it to come to pass.
Joshua 10:12-14 NKJV Then Joshua spoke to the LORD in the day when the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel: “Sun, stand still over Gibeon; And Moon, in the Valley of Aijalon.” (13) So the sun stood still, And the moon stopped, Till the people had revenge Upon their enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Jasher? So the sun stood still in the midst of heaven, and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day. (14) And there has been no day like that, before it or after it, that the LORD heeded the voice of a man; for the LORD fought for Israel.
- This special faith cannot be increased by hearing the Word of God like simple saving faith can.
- Smith Wigglesworth said that if you will take a step of ordinary faith, when you come to the end of that faith, very often this supernatural gift of special faith will take over. One reason more folks don’t see the manifestation of special faith operating in their lives is that they don’t first use what faith they already have.
- The Gift of the Working of Miracles – a supernatural intervention by God in the ordinary course of nature, a temporary suspension of the normal order, operated by the power of the Holy Spirit.
- The gift of faith receives the miracle, where the working of miracles does the miracle.
- The Greek word for “miracles” in 1 Corinthians 12:10 means: acts of powers, explosions of almightiness, staggering wonders or astonishments.
John 2:5-11 NKJV His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” (6) Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece. (7) Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. (8) And He said to them, “Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.” And they took it. (9) When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom. (10) And he said to him, “Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!” (11) This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.
- Jesus fed the multitudes twice with not enough food and it was supernaturally multiplied; He walked on water; calmed the sea, etc.
In the New Testament we see more of the Gifts of healing then the working of miracles but there are some situations where it could have been both.
Acts 6:8 NKJV And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and signs among the people.
Acts 8:6 NKJV And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.
- Gifts of healings – supernatural manifestations for the healing of sickness and disease to deliver the sick and destroy the works of the devil in the human body.
The Gifts of Healings have nothing to do with medical science or natural learning.
Acts 19:11-12 NKJV Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, (12) so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them.
Acts 28:8 NKJV And it happened that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and dysentery. Paul went in to him and prayed, and he laid his hands on him and healed him.
Jesus operated in the Gifts of Healings and Working of Miracles in His ministry.
Jesus did not perform any miracles or heal anybody as the Son of God. He did it as a man anointed by the Holy Spirit and did none of these things until after He was anointed.
Jesus was just as much the Son of God when He was 25 as He was when the Holy Ghost came upon Him at 30 but He did not heal anyone when He was 25.
John 14:12 NKJV “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.