The third grouping of spiritual gifts is called “The Gifts of the Spirit”. We must recognize that the Holy Spirit is the one who gives these gifts. Also, these Gifts of the Spirit are totally supernatural, meaning they have their source in God and their power comes from God. The word supernatural is defined; 1) super, meaning above, and 2) natural, meaning “that which follows the ordinary course of nature”. It refers to the spiritual world of God.

The Gifts of the Holy Spirit are the Word of Wisdom, the Word of Knowledge, Faith, Gifts of Healing, Working of Miracles, Prophecy, Discerning of Spirits, Gift of Tongues, and Interpretation of Tongues. All are supernatural gifts. None of these gifts are possible through only human ability or talent. Becoming a good detective with the skills of deductive thinking does not give you the Gift of Knowledge, Word of Wisdom, or Discerning of Spirits, although some people try to judge people and make decisions this way. The Gifts of the Spirit are totally supernatural, the source being from God, the Giver being the Holy Spirit, the receiver being that vessel that has developed enough of an intimate relationship with God that now the knowledge of God can be manifested through them.

Paul’s introduction to the Gifts of the Spirit in I Corinthians 12:1; “Now, concerning what you wrote about the gifts from the Holy Spirit. I want you to know the truth about them, my brothers.” Paul understood the importance of knowledge. His strong desire was to help believers escape their ignorance... “brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant...” (I Cor. 10:1). Five times in his epistles he says that same knowledge in every area is necessary to grow in the Lord and to be used of God and also to be in a position to receive and use the Gifts of the Spirit properly (without carnal interference, both in the usage of the Gifts of the Spirit and the ministering in the other gifts of ministry to the saints.

Word of Wisdom

The term word is the key. It comes from the Greek word logos. Logos means “the matter of the subject of, the essences of”. Since the Gifts of the Spirit are strictly of the Spirit of God, we understand that the Word of Wisdom is an expression from God, thus comes directly from God. It is His wisdom. This Word is a bit of God’s wisdom for a special need. It is God’s wisdom spoken to man for a specific need at a specific time.

Acts 15:5-27 gives us an example of God imparting a Word of Wisdom. A serious problem arose in the early church. It concerned the new Gentile converts. Men were arguing back and forth, and the early church could have been split. Finally, James, one of the leaders spoke out. When he finished, “...the apostles and elders, together with the whole church, decided...” Note the stages; 1) a serious problem (vs. 5); 2) the body of believers came together (vs. 6); 3) the group struggled hard to solve the problem (vs. 7-12); 4) the Holy Spirit through James gave the answer in a Word of Wisdom (vs. 13-21); 5) the Word of Wisdom brought the entire group to a decision (vs. 22).

I know when God speaks to me personally, whether it is through his word, His servant, or by a vision, dream, discernment of spirits, Word of Knowledge, Word of Wisdom, or Prophecy. In the manifestation of the Word of Wisdom a word, a message, the answer to a situation flashes. I immediately feel God’s holy, divine, awesome presence, and I am conscious of the fact that the message came from God. I am deeply aware of His presence, His peace within me at the moment, and that God has just spoken to me supernaturally and given me His answer to the problem. I am also fully aware and strongly impressed that now I must be faithful and give the message that God has given. Again, there is a sense of the divine, a consciousness of an utterance transcending from God. And, I am deeply conscious that God has spoken! And, now nothing on earth will stop me from giving that message from God!

The purpose of the Word of Wisdom is the building up of the Body of Christ. It is spoken directly into man’s heart by the Spirit of God to give the answer from heaven.

Word of Knowledge

“The same Spirit gives a message full of knowledge.” (I Cor. 12:8) The King James Version says “to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit”.

Omniscient comes from two words, “omni” meaning “all”, and “scient” meaning “knowing”. Put the two words together and we have “all-knowing”. Thus, we say God is all-knowing. God is all-knowledgeable. Through the Word of Knowledge the Holy Spirit allows the believer to speak forth a bit of God’s unlimited knowledge. God gives the believer knowledge that He did not possess before concerning something. Some Scriptural examples: 1) Acts 5:1-10 – Peter knew Ananias and Sapphira had lied to the Holy Spirit. He also knew they had secretly agreed to lie. 2) Acts 8:23 – Peter knew Simon had bitter envy and sin in his heart. 3) Acts 9:1-18 – Ananias (not the Ananias in Acts 5) knew several things about Saul, by the Spirit. He knew where Saul was (vs. ll). He knew he was praying (vs. ll). He knew Saul had seen a vision (vs. 12). He knew Saul was a chosen vessel (vs. 15). He knew Saul would suffer for the Lord (vs. 16). 4) Acts 10:19 – Peter knew that three men had come to see him in behalf of Cornelius.

I have been used at different times by the Holy Spirit with a Word of Knowledge. During a time of prayer I saw a word appear before my eyes in bright colors.

Several times God has told me who people were (their positions in society). God has revealed to me people’s direct sin, which they had kept a secret. I have been awakened from sleep and given a direct statement word for word. For example, one night while visiting a country, God woke me up and revealed to me who was behind some troubles and gave me this direct statement: “You have plotted to destroy us; you have plotted to throw us out of the country”. The very next morning within approximately six hours from that Word of Knowledge somebody confirmed what God had just told me.

The purpose for both the Word of Wisdom and the Word of Knowledge is the same. It is to build up Christ’s Body. These two gifts often work together, but the Word of Knowledge may come before the Word of Wisdom. By the Word of Knowledge Jesus told the Samaritan woman about her past life. Then, by the Word of Wisdom He gave her the solution to her problem.

Faith

“One and the same Spirit gives faith to one person...” (I Cor. 12:9). The KJV says, “To another faith by the same spirit.” Faith is the ability to believe, or it is the choice to believe because the word tells us that all men have the ability to believe that Christ has put the awareness (knowledge) of the reality of God in their heart. But, the Gift of Faith is something beyond the ordinary (simple/child-like) faith, which all believers have. It is special (mature/developed through one’s receiving the knowledge of God) faith. It is faith given by the Holy Spirit to meet a special need. The gift is dropped into a person’s heart at a special time, and for a special need (again, it has been cultured both by the Holy Spirit and the personal study and faithfulness of the vessel). The gift is given. The need is met. The gift has accomplished its purpose. Usually three things are present when the Gift of Faith is manifested; 1) an impossible condition or situation exists; 2) a Gift of Faith is given (faith arises); 3) a solution is seen.

In Acts 3:1-11 the story of Peter and John going to the temple to pray is a good illustration. At the entrance of the Gate Beautiful sat a hopelessly crippled man who had been crippled for about forty years. Suddenly peter discovered special faith in his own heart and he spoke, “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth I order you to get up and walk!” The Holy Spirit wants to work like that today through our lives, but we stop Him because we do not spend enough time with God developing this gift. Thus, the spirit of fear, instead of the Spirit of God, stops us from walking in obedience when the Spirit of God prompts us to act. This Gift of Faith allows the other gifts (healing, miracles, wisdom, knowledge, prophecy) to manifest and come into operation, once again for the benefit of the Body.

Gifts of Healing

“...to another person he gives the power to heal...” (I Cor. 12:9). KJV says, “...to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit.” Gifts is plural, meaning more than one. It is the only gift of the nine of which the plural “gifts” is mentioned. God usually desires that we should be healed, and He can heal us from all types of sickness, disease, and infirmity! Many times the Gifts of Healing operate through the Gifts of Ministry because they should and need to be cultivating God’s knowledge, relationship, and Gifts of the Spirit more. Some examples of how God used people in the Gifts of Healing and the type of sickness, disease or infirmity they were healed from are;

1) Peter and John (apostles) – Acts 3:1-11 – Lameness (infirmity).

2) Peter (apostle) – Acts 5:15 – Illness (sickness).

3) Philip (evangelist) – Acts 8:5-7 – Palsy (paralysis), Lameness (infirmity).

4) Ananias (unknown believer) – Acts 9:17-18 – Blindness (disease or infirmity).

5) Peter (apostle) – Acts 9:32-34 – Palsy (paralysis).

6) Paul (apostle) – Acts 14:8-10 – (a cripple) the person who is to manifest the gift will sense it deeply in his own spirit, and if he has developed that relationship with God to develop and act upon that special, mature Gift of Faith...thus, allowing the Gifts of Healing to be manifested through him...then healings and miracles are the result. No believer has the Gifts of Healing at his own command. He has them only as the Spirit wills. Some may experience the operation of the gifts more often than others, but this is because they have learned to move by faith and under the Spirit’s direction because of their continuous (covetousness) earnest walk with the Lord and pliable heart (attitude, will). The Gifts of Healing are to benefit the Body by keeping their members healthy and well physically and to attract the unbeliever so he has an opportunity to receive the gospel.

Working of Miracles

“The Spirit gives one person the power to work miracles.” (I Cor. 12:10). KJV says, “...to another the working of miracles”. Again, since the Gifts of the Spirit are supernatural, then the Working of Miracles is supernatural power to do things which are otherwise impossible. Miracles, like all other Gifts of the Spirit, have one leading purpose. That is to build up Christ’s Body. One of the ways of doing this by miracles is by removing obstacles which hinder the gospel. Some examples are: 1) escape from prison (Acts 5:17-20); 2) dead raised (Acts 9:36-41); 3) escape from prison (Acts 12:5-17); 4) an enemy of God blinded (Acts 13:6-11); 5) no problem from snake bite (Acts 28:1-6); 6) Jesus turned water into wine (John 2:1-11); 7) Jesus calmed the stormy sea (Matt. 8:23-26); 8) Jesus and Peter walked upon the water (Matt. 14:22-31); 9) Moses brought water out of a rock (Exodus 17:1-6); 10) Israel crossed the Jordan on dry land (Joshua 3:15-17); 11) Joshua made the sun stand still (Joshua 10:12-13). The Gifts of the Spirit obviously worked through chosen men of God in the Old Testament also.

Prophecy

“...the gift of speaking God’s message...” (I Cor. 12:10). KJV says, “...to another prophecy...” Prophecy means “prediction” or foretelling. It also means “public exposition” or “forthtelling”. In other words, it is speaking in one’s own language in the power of the Holy Spirit, or divine ability to forthtell, as well as to foretell.

The Gift of a Prophet falls under the Gifts of Ministry (usually full time church leadership role), whereas the Gift of Prophecy falls under the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, which are available to the entire Body. Another difference is that all that have the Office of the Prophet will prophesy. But, all that prophesy do not have the Office of a Prophet.

Prophecy, because of its nature, is perhaps the greatest of the gifts mentioned in I Cor. 12:8-11. Paul says, “Set your hearts on spiritual gifts, especially the gift of proclaiming God’s message.” (I Cor. 14:1). KJV says, “Desire spiritual gifts, but rather (most of all) that ye may prophesy.” It is the greatest of all nine gifts for building up the Body, so Bible scholars state. Through it, believers are built up and sinners are moved toward God.

I have already discussed briefly this Gift of the Spirit in some of the description of the Office of the Prophet. The two aspects of the Gift of the Spirit called Prophecy which are foretelling and forthtelling are discussed there. God’s work is always to save. Sometimes, through the Gift of Prophecy, the Holy Spirit saves the Body of Christ from suffering (Acts 11:27-30). At other times, through the Gift of Prophecy, His Body is prepared for coming suffering (Acts 20:23; 2:10-13). A person in the Office of a Prophet uses this Gift of Prophecy in a much fuller and deeper way. He is also usually developed to a greater extent in the other Gifts of the Spirit, since he is ministering under the Gifts of Ministry in church spiritual leadership.

Discerning of Spirits

“...the ability to tell the difference between gifts that come from the Spirit and those that do not” (I Cor. 12:12). KJV says, “...to another discerning of spirits...” Discerning is looking beyond the outward appearance to the inward. That is why God will alone judge whether a person lives eternally with him or will be eternally separated. “Man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart.” It is not the thought that is sin and separates. The thought came from Satan as temptation, but to continue on the thought is your choice. The continuation of the thought is what turns to the sin of lust that will damn the soul if the thought process or your choice to dwell on the things of the devil continues. Like the sin of bitterness will damn you as quick as if you killed a person. It is a matter of choice to be angry and sin not, but follow through with the issue Scripturally, which includes confrontation for restoration or to continue to hate, which comes from the same evil spirit as a murderer.

The minister of God who tries to oversee the church without this gift is like the soldier going into battle without his gun. This weaponless minister is always being fooled by both the believer who wants to continue in his sin and the unbeliever. He also misjudges other ministers, thinking they are too insensitive, culturally not fitting in, et cetera, when in reality he is not capable of effectively developing the saints.

Discerning of Spirits is a special ability given by the Holy Spirit to look beyond what ordinary men see. It is the ability to know by which spirit a man is speaking. There is the evil spirit, the spirit of man, and the Spirit of God. Many times Christians will speak out of their own human spirit and pretend with religious lingo that they are doing it for the glory of God, like Ananias and Sapphira. They spoke from a wrong spirit, since they were supposedly believers. If Satan cannot give men an evil spirit, he tries to give them a wrong spirit (spirit of man in rebellion). In Acts 5:3, Peter, by the Gift of Discernment through the Holy Spirit, discerned that they were lying to the Holy Spirit. Again, God is all-knowing. He sees into the heart.

Paul, by the Gift of Discernment, discerned an evil spirit in a slave girl. An ordinary believer might have thought the girl was a servant of God. Listen to what was said. “These men are servants of the Most High God! They announce to you how you can be saved.” (Acts 16:17). That sounded good, but Paul knew by the Holy Spirit that it was an evil spirit who spoke. The Holy Spirit had spoken to Paul’s spirit (because he had developed that relationship with God), so Paul spoke to the evil spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I order you to come out of her!” (Acts 16:18). Then, “the spirit went out of her that very moment”. The supernatural power, given to the believer by the Holy Spirit, gave him the ability to cast out evil spirits in the same way. Non-believers do not have this power. (Acts 19:11-17)

One of the things evil spirits do is to try to get believers to accept false teaching. The Gift of Discerning of spirits makes the believer able to recognize what is the teaching of the Holy Spirit, and what is the teaching of evil spirits. “I am writing this to you about those who are trying to deceive you...as long as his spirit remains in you, you do not need anyone to teach you.” (I John 2:26-27). Example: I do not want to talk to him nor will I. God knows the truth and I am right with God. False doctrine. There is a complete wrong attitude/spirit in this statement that separates man from God and man from man. And, to face one another in the right spirit to truly seek restoration of the relationship between each other. That statement, mixed with religious lingo, goes directly against the teachings/ commandments/word of God.

Gift of Tongues

“To one person he gives the ability to speak in strange tongues.” (I Cor. 12:10). Tongues is, again, totally a supernatural, unlearned language. It may be some language of earth, or it may be a language of angels. It is the most common and easily received Gifts of the Spirit. That is because its primary use is for the individual believer himself who has the gift (I Cor. 14:4). This gift is primarily used for one’s personal benefit. It does not minister like the other gifts to the Body, which demands a higher degree of personal knowledge, faith and growth. Tongues helps us communicate/ pray to God. So, naturally God has made it easy for the believer to receive it. “The one who speaks in strange tongues helps...himself.” (I Cor. 14:4). KJV says, “He edifieth (builds up) himself.” “But you, my friends, keep on building yourselves up on your most sacred faith. Pray in the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Jude 20). This is a great help to the believer.

Interpretation of Tongues

When Tongues are interpreted in the public service, the experience builds up the whole Body. “Greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.” (I Cor. 14:5, KJV). Through the supernatural Gift of Tongues (interpreted) the Body is built up by sharing what is being communicated between God and man. Speaking in Tongues is also a sign to the unbeliever; “Tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not.” (I Cor. 14:22, KJV).

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The Gifts of Ministry, Other Gifts and Gifts of the Holy Spirit all come from God. They are all to be encouraged, sought after, and used until Jesus returns during the battle of Armageddon. As a true Christian, our character continues to change. This is called the Fruit of the Holy Spirit. This is also a gift of God from which some of the Other Gifts in Part 2 of this article are initiated. Read Ephesians chapters 4-5, 1 Corinthians chapters 12-13 and Galatians 5:22-26. Some people say some of these gifts were only to be used by the Apostles. Scripture tells us they are for today “for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. Till we all come in the unity of the faith...unto a perfect man...That we are henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried with every wind of doctrine...whereby they lie in wait to deceive.” It is very obvious that the church is not perfect, and we need all of the gifts of God. If we want to throw out miracles or prophets or apostles, we need to also throw out pastors and teachers, since they are all in the same sentence in Scripture. People, study the Bible...not some teaching from an arrogant Pharisee who only wants to control and use you. The way you receive and develop in the gifts of God is through spending time with Jesus in study and meditation on the Scriptures. Allow the Holy Spirit to convict you of sin, and then confess and repent of that sin. As you submit yourself under the Lord’s Word and Spirit, you will change into His character, and gifts will be given. Amen and amen!

World Ministries International (WMI) is The Church Without Walls
Read Jeremiah 14:11-16, Ezekiel 13:1-10, Ezekiel 14:13-20,
Ezekiel 22:1-31, Nahum 3:19, Jeremiah 30:12-15

Some people like to quote Daniel, suggesting that he stood in the gap, which is true. So did Jeremiah, Isaiah, Ezekiel, John the Baptist, Noah and many others, but the judgments fell anyway. The population was destroyed in Noah’s time, but Noah and his family were saved by obeying God. The nation of Israel was taken into slavery. Daniel himself went into slavery, being taken to Babylon. Even though they all stood in the gap, unless the people themselves repented as the people of Nineveh did, the nation fell. God honored Daniel, and he became a leader in Babylon, but Israel was in slavery. Standing in the gap means more than praying. These men did more than just pray. They sounded the alarm! They warned the people in the nation that they must repent or suffer the consequences of their continued disobedience. They prayed, fasted, preached and the Holy Spirit convicted, but if the people of the nation did not themselves repent, judgment fell anyway. Moses stood in the gap, but the people died in the wilderness, never receiving the promises of God because of their continued sins.

People, we must continue to stand in the gap, pray, fast, and warn people to repent. If they ignore us, judgment will fall, but God will honor the believers who are righteous. God be with you. God wants the Church in America to understand His holiness and righteousness so deep that when judgment falls on the Whore and America’s de-christianized nation, they will rejoice, for this is an act of mercy and grace for repentance to come. America’s economy will crash overnight and eventually will be led by the Whore and the Beast of Revelation. The Church will rejoice when Jesus judges them both and returns! (Rev. 19:19-20)

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