Thank you for joining me for the second lesson of our Holy Spirit study. As I mentioned in lesson one, I will open and close each discussion with a song about the Holy Spirit. Today, I would like you to hear “Sweet, Sweet Spirit” by the Gaither Vocal Band and friends.
Spiritual Gifts
If you were asked, how would you explain what a spiritual gift is?
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines. (1 Corinthians 12:4-11)
While there are multiple places in scripture that mention gifts of the spirit, this text from Paul is one of the most prominent. Similar lists can be found in Ephesians 4 and Romans 12.
Since the beginning of time, the Holy Spirit has given gifts to women and men in order to accomplish the plans and purposes of God. But what are spiritual gifts? Spiritual gifts are literally called charisma which means grace gifts in the Bible. Grace is a gift to us by the Spirit. Professor Wayne Grudem defines a spiritual gift as any ability that’s empowered by the Holy Spirit and used in any ministry of the church.
It is important to note that spiritual gifts are not a natural ability. They aren’t hobbies, interests, or even a profession. Just because someone has a talent for playing basketball or golf doesn’t mean that it is supernaturally given by the Lord. However, we can and should use our talents and abilities for the glory of God and the sake of the Gospel.
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. (1 Corinthians 12:7) Gifts of the Spirit are available to all believers.
So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors, and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. (Ephesians 4:11-13) The purpose of the gifts is to build up the body of Christ.
Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 4:10-11) The purpose of the gifts is also to praise and glorify God.
We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. (Romans 12:6-8) Gifts are also given by the Holy Spirit to empower and enable believers to serve others.
Let’s take a few moments now to look at some of the spiritual gifts and their functions.
The gift of wisdom means to speak to the life of an individual or to a specific situation with great understanding and a righteous perspective, with the goal of guiding others toward a life of holiness and worship.
Those with the gift of wisdom are able to take from their own life experiences and share what God has taught them through those things. They can recognize where a decision or action may lead and can warn against those that may be harmful or unfruitful. They can often see through the confusion of a situation and can give direction that would help an individual or group obtain a God-glorifying goal. The church needs those with the spiritual gift of wisdom to guide them through uncertain or difficult times.
The gift of knowledge is an understanding of the things in this world and in our lives that are founded in the Gospel and rooted in the Scriptures. The Holy Spirit gives this spiritual gift to some believers to bring about understanding and to inform the church or individual believers. The person with this gift is usually well-versed in the Scriptures. They can retain the truth and communicate it effectively at the appropriate times. The gift of knowledge allows a believer to relate the Scriptures, and particularly the Gospel of Jesus Christ, to all aspects of life in this world.
The gift of faith is not to be confused with saving faith. Those with this gift have a trust and confidence in God that allows them to live boldly for Him and manifest that faith in mighty ways. Those with the gift of faith trust that God is sovereign and He is good. They take Him at His Word and put the full weight of their lives in His hands. They expect God to move and aren’t surprised when He answers a prayer or performs a miracle.
The gift of healing is the miraculous ability to use God’s healing power to restore a person who is sick, injured, or suffering. Those who have this gift are compassionate toward the sick and pray over them regularly. They have great faith and trust that God can and will heal some and are not deterred when He chooses not to. They are motivated knowing that God’s revealed power will draw people to faith in Jesus. Their ultimate concern is the spiritual well-being of those being healed and their relationship with Jesus.
The gift of miracles is being able to perform signs and wonders that give authenticity to God’s Word and the Gospel message. These gifts are subject to the divine will of God and aren’t decided by the one who performs the miraculous works. This gift is often accompanied by prayer and strong petition by these individuals for God to reveal His glory to people. They don’t claim power themselves, but always give credit and glory to God for His mighty works.
The gift of prophecy is an extraordinary and unique gift. The Holy Spirit gives the gift of prophecy to some believers to make God’s heart known and to edify the church. This gift is for the benefit of both believers and unbelievers and is a sign that God is truly among His church. Those with this gift are sensitive to both the prompting of the Holy Spirit and the needs of the church body. They should be humble and continually study the Scriptures in order to test these revelations before speaking them. When they do speak, they should allow and even expect others to weigh what’s said against the Scriptures and interpret the message accordingly. In this way, the church may be continually built up together in unity.
The gift of discernment is the ability to determine whether or not a message, person, or event is truly from God. The Holy Spirit gives the gift of discernment to enable certain Christians to clearly recognize and distinguish between the influence of God, Satan, the world, and the flesh in a given situation. The church needs those with this gift to warn believers in times of danger or keep them from being led astray by false teaching.
The gift of tongues is more accurately called the gift of languages. Speaking in tongues is the utterance of prayer or message glorifying God, typically spoken in a language that is unknown to the one speaking it.
The Holy Spirit gives some believers the spiritual gift of tongues to glorify God and, with the help of an interpreter, to edify the church. This gift is dealt with extensively in the Scriptures. That being said, it should be used properly with pure motives and intentions, of course in the power and prompting of the Holy Spirit.
The gift of interpreting tongues is the supernatural ability to understand and explain messages uttered in an unknown language. This gift is given by the Holy Spirit to certain individuals to reveal messages spoken in an unknown tongue to God for the building up of the church. Like the gift of prophecy, tongues that are interpreted have the effect of encouraging and blessing the church to love and serve God more deeply and effectively.
The gift of administration carries the idea of someone who guides and directs a group of people toward a goal or destination. With this gift, the Holy Spirit enables certain Christians to organize, direct, and implement plans to lead others in the various ministries of the Church. This gift is closely related to the gift of leadership, but is more goal or task oriented and is also more concerned with details and organization.
The gift of service is always having the desire and ability to help and serve others. Those with this gift don’t seek recognition or a position in the spotlight; they just love to help out. They are content with serving in the background knowing that their contribution will bless the church, display the love of Christ to the world, and bring glory to God.
(Please watch this video from 21:05 to 25:45.)
There are people who argue that some spiritual gifts are no longer valid today—that they were canonical—meant for those in biblical times. But I’m not here to argue for or against the continuation of certain gifts. While some may disagree on what spiritual gifts are still valid, we should all agree that the Holy Spirit still gives gifts to God’s people for service.
Now that we’ve discussed some of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, let’s hear what Dr. Bobby Conway has to say about how to discover what your spiritual gifts are.
Understanding the purpose of spiritual gifts goes a long way in helping us think clearly about their use. Spiritual gifts aren’t given for self-promotion or personal agendas, but for the service of others and the mission of God. The benefit to us is the joy and freedom of living our purpose and calling.
The Holy Spirit and Revival
What do you think of when you hear the word revival?
There are many definitions of revival. Some people think it’s where an evangelist preaches at special church meetings. Others may think revival is a style of worship or preaching. But revival isn’t something we do at all; it’s what God does in and through us. Revival is that strange and sovereign work of God where He visits His own people, restoring, reanimating, and releasing them into the fullness of His blessing.
There is both personal and corporate revival. Personal revival happens when the Holy Spirit renews the hearts and minds of individuals. The Spirit renews and revives us when we pray and seek His face. Corporate revival is when the Holy Spirit brings renewal to a church or movement. The end results in a church revival are that Jesus is Lord, the Holy Spirit is unleashed, and the Father is glorified, the church is edified, and the lost are evangelized.
Throughout church history, the Holy Spirit has always been present in the Church through revival. In fact, the Spirit has been in continuous operation since the time of the Old and New Testaments. Many great Christian leaders experienced revival in their lives and ministries.
The renewal of the Spirit is both theological and experiential. A robust theology of the Holy Spirit will give us a fresh hunger for the Spirit’s presence and power in our life. I firmly believe that the Lord is calling the church back to a deeper and fuller understanding of the person and work of the Holy Spirit. Some need to be vived while others need to be revived. That rings true for us individually as well.
The Holy Spirit and You
The Holy Spirit has been moving in the lives of individuals since the world began. Great people of the faith have done extraordinary things when they were anointed by the power of the Holy Ghost. This leads us to the question, is the Holy Spirit still active today? Does the Spirit still anoint people who seek Him? The answer is yes!
The Holy Spirit wants to bring you into a deeper more intimate relationship with Christ. The Spirit wants to use you more than you will ever know. Here are a couple of ways you can receive the Spirit in your everyday life.
The Spirit Will Guide You
The Holy Spirit wants to give us wisdom, guidance, and direction in everything we do. The Spirit becomes our guide, leading us in the way that we should go. You should never make a major decision in your life without asking the Spirit to lead you. The Spirit will lead you into the place that you should be.
But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. (John 16:13)
How do we know when the Holy Spirit is speaking to us? Well, there are several ways. The Spirit speaks through the Word of God using the Bible to reveal God’s will. The Spirit also speaks through our circumstances. Be aware of what God is trying to tell you in your everyday life. Sometimes it is through the ordinary. Sometimes it’s through a still small voice in prayer. If we will be quiet long enough to listen, the Spirit will speak. The Spirit might use somebody else to speak to you. Finally, God speaks through dreams, visions, and other gifts of the Spirit.
Power to Be a Witness
Sharing our faith is the duty of every believer. This is commonly called evangelism. The word evangelism comes from the Greek word evangelion which means gospel or good news. We are all called to share the good news of Jesus’ love and forgiveness with the world. It is not as important how we share our faith, but that we share our faith. There are many different ways that Christians can share their faith with others.
God has given us the gift of the Holy Spirit to empower us to be witnesses for Jesus Christ. Don’t be afraid to ask for the Holy Spirit to give you power to be a witness because it is a biblical promise. In Acts 4:29-31, the church prayed, “grant to your servants that with all boldness they may speak your word.” When they finished praying, “they were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.” Ask the Lord for boldness, open your heart, and let the Holy Spirit give you power to be a witness.
Well, that about wraps up our second study on the Holy Spirit. Below you will find some questions to reflect on this week. I hope you will join me for our final session where we will talk about how the Holy Spirit convicts us, and the Holy Spirit and prayer.
I would like to close this session with a video of Meredith Andrews singing “Spirit of the Living God.”
For Further Study
Read Ephesians 4:11-13 and Romans 12:6-8.
What gifts of the Spirit are mentioned in these passages that weren’t discussed in week two?
Can you think of other Spiritual gifts?
What Spiritual gifts have you seen in operation in your life or the church?
Which gifts do you think are most important today?
What are some ways that the Holy Spirit wants to move in your life today?
How can the Holy Spirit guide you in your everyday life?
**Thank you for joining in on this study. Feel free to “like” or leave a comment.**
Theology at Your Fingertips 