2 Corinthians 13:14 | MSG (14) The amazing grace of the Master, Jesus Christ, the extravagant love of God, the intimate friendship of the Holy Spirit, be with all of you.
1 Corinthians 12:1 | NKJV (1) Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant:
1 Corinthians 12:1 | BBE (1) But about the things of the spirit, my brothers, it is not right for you to be without teaching.
Introduction to the Gifts of the Spirit
A wise Minister said that if you want the gifts of the Spirit in manifestation in your church, you should hunger for and pray for them, but you must teach on them. You should always teach on what you desire to see in your church.
Ephesians 4:11-12 | TPT (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.
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 | NKJV (13) However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. (14) He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you.
- The Word and the Holy Spirit will always agree and never conflict with each other.
1 John 5:7 | NKJV (7) For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one.
- A perfect Holy Spirit desires to move though imperfect people.
- In the New Testament, the doorway into the Gifts of the Spirit is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
- Believers who have not received this experience can and should be used by God to minister to others. These manifestations add a different dimension to ministry to others.
The gifts of the Spirit can be categorized:
- Three gifts that say something (vocal):
- The Gift of Prophecy
- The Gift of Divers kinds of tongues
- The Gift of Interpretation of tongues
- Three gifts that reveal something (revelation):
- The Gift of the word of wisdom
- The Gift of the word of knowledge
- The Gift of discerning of spirits
- Three gifts that do something or action (power):
- The gift of faith (special faith)
- The working of miracles
- The gifts of healings
The Gifts that Say Something (Vocal):
- The Gift of Divers kinds of tongues is a supernatural utterance in an unknown tongue.
Divers Kinds of Tongues is supernatural utterance by the Holy Spirit in languages never learned by the speaker, nor understood by the speaker, nor necessarily understood by the hearer.
The Gifts of Tongues is the most prominent as it is often the most manifested gift in our services, it is the initial evidence of the baptism of the Holy Ghost, and it is only found in the Church Age.
Speaking in tongues has nothing to do with linguistic ability; it has nothing to do with the mind or intellect of man. It is a vocal miracle of the Holy Spirit.
- The Gift of Interpretation of tongues is a supernatural revealing of that which has been said in an unknown tongue.
Interpretation of tongues is not a translation of a message in tongues.
The purpose of this gift is simply to render the gift of tongues understandable to the hearers so the whole church congregation as well as the one who gave the utterance in an unknown tongue, may know what has been said and be edified.
1 Corinthians 14:13 | NKJV (13) Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret.
There is Interpretation of tongues in your private prayer times and interpretation of tongues in a corporate setting. In your private time, there could be revelation or insight that comes or it could, you could see something, or a thought rise up out of your spirit.
- The Gift of Prophecy is a supernatural utterance in a known tongue.
1 Corinthians 14:3 | NKJV (3) But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men.
In the simple gift of prophecy there is no revelation, only edification, exhortation and comfort.
The gift of prophecy is greatest of the utterance gifts because it takes the other two, divers kinds of tongues and interpretation of tongues to equal this one gift.
1 Corinthians 14:1 | NKJV (1) Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.
1 Corinthians 14:39 | NKJV (39) Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues.
- God desires for all present in the church to be blessed by this gift.
- With this gift there is a forthtelling but not a foretelling.
- The gift of prophecy goes beyond speaking by our own reasoning processes and intellect.
- It may be involved in preaching as some preaching may be an inspired utterance.
- It may be involved in witnessing or sharing because one may be inspired to share something with someone else. For instance, one may be led to share a scripture or encouraging word with someone. That can be the Gift of Prophecy in operation.
- There is a difference between this simple gift of prophesy and the office of the Prophet. Just because you might be used in this gift does not make you a Prophet.
- Simple gift of prophecy in private prayer along with the word of wisdom is available to every believer.
Ephesians 5:18-19 | NIV (18) Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, (19) speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord,
Psalms, hymns and spiritual songs are a form of prophecy as they are an inspired utterance given to us by the Spirit.