Gifts of the Holy Spirit Part 1 by Phil Kinney
1 Corinthians 12
Spiritual Gifts is an area that has been misunderstood and contentious in parts of the church. Some people have left churches because they talk about and move in spiritual gifts. Over last weekend we had an introduction (or a reintroduction) to them with Russell Sage. I want us to continue the journey so that they are a part of our everyday lives – both when we are at church, in our home life, our work life – in every part of our lives.
The best way to understand spiritual gifts is to see what the Bible has to say, and then to actually start to move in them. So today we have become a big classroom on spiritual gifts.
1. We are instructed to be informed about spiritual gifts – not ignorant.
We need to have Jesus first and foremost in our lives, not following after our own wants and desires but rather looking to glorify Jesus through our lives
" Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant: You know that you were Gentiles, carried away to these dumb idols, however you were led. Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit." Corinthians 12:1-3
2. There are different types of gifts, different styles of ministries, different activities and methods of moving in the gifts – but one Spirit, one Lord, one God!
"There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:"1 Corinthians 12:4-7
Wagner lists 27 gifts, others contend the list of gifts is endless. 1 Corinthians gives us 9, Romans 12 adds a few more, we get another set in Ephesians 4, as well as a few dropped in the letters to Timothy. It doesn’t really matter what the exact list is – what is important is that there are gifts – and that their focus is the living God, they come through the Holy Spirit, and they are given for the profit or benefit of the church.
3. The gifts are given to help the body of Christ (the church) function in unity, and to be more effective in its ministry
"But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills. For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body— whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit, in fact the body is not one member but many 1 Corinthians 12:11-20
It is the one Holy Spirit who works these gifts in the individuals within the church. The Spirit of God would not work against himself. He also would not work against the head of the Church – Jesus Christ. The gifts therefore must build up and encourage the individuals of the church as well as the church as a whole.
It doesn’t matter what our background is we are all baptised into one body – that is Jesus. So we should be glorifying Jesus in our use of the gifts. We are one body with many members.
If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. And if they were all one member, where would the body be? But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually." 1 Corinthians 12:11-27
We are one body – and so when God moves and uses one of us we rejoice together. When one among us suffers the whole of the church suffers together. We are called to use the gifts to care for one another so there is no schism in the body. A body broken in one point suffers as a whole. We need to put aside our pride and humble ourselves before God, and seek to serve. The gifts are not given so we can feel good – they are given so we can serve each other in humility and love, putting aside our petty differences toward a unified and effective body sharing the good news of the gospel and ministering in power. An army that is divided within itself does not work together for the greater cause. Rather it loses energy and power through infighting and division.
We are the army of God, called to battle for the building of the Kingdom of God. In fighting, bitterness, nasty and critical comments do not build up the body but rather wound us all. Thus we need to display the fruits of the Spirit as well as the gifts.
"I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another." Galatians 5:16-26
We are called to walk not according to the flesh fulfilling our own desires, but in the power of the Spirit. We are called to put aside contentions, uncleanness, selfish ambitions, dissensions, envy etc.... These things are of the flesh – we are called to be led by the Spirit of God
"Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them." Matthew 7:16-20
What sort of fruit are we producing? Is it fruit of unity? Is it fruit for the building up of the church? If we seek to have the power of the Spirit moving in our lives we need to ensure we are in the right place with God. Are we being led by the Spirit into all unity? It doesn’t mean we all become robots – but rather we understand that we each see things a little differently because that is how God has made us. And that we are all ministers, called to serve – and I challenge you, if you are not serving in the church, what kind of fruit are you producing? We are told it is by their fruit we shall know them? What is your fruit within the body of Christ?
So down to what the spiritual gifts are:
"But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 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. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills." 1 Corinthians 12:7-11
This is quite a list of gifts.
I want us to look at these over the next few weeks in groups.
1. The Revelation Gifts deal with supernatural communication revealed through the Holy Spirit to the believer, giving insight into other people’s experiences and situations.
2. The Vocal Gifts deal with supernatural communication that the Holy Spirit reveals through the human voice.
3. The Power Gifts is when the power of God appears so as to manifest a miraculous answer through a supernatural, creative intervention.
An important part of moving in the gifts is knowing the leading and voice of God.
So before we look at the gifts in detail in the weeks to come, I want us to get use to hearing God’s voice. Some of you have done exercises with Russell which foster this ability to know the leading of the Holy Spirit. I want us to be moving in this area as a church together. I am not here to force this upon you, however knowing the voice and leading of the Spirit in your life will help you in your everyday walk. You will find God wants to guide us in all we do, and that God speaking to us by the Holy Spirit is invaluable in everyday life. God can provide warnings about upcoming danger; He can provide supernatural wisdom in your workplace, insights and revelations as to the best way to handle problems and situations.
Talk About
Have you heard God speak to you? How (images, thoughts, Bible, sense / feeling)?
Take time as a group to pray for each other, and ask God for something to share with each other or the group. This could be an image, an impression, a Scripture verse, a word. Take a chance and share these - this all about learning to hear God's voice.
Remember - Prayer Service - Friday 7th September - 7pm to 8pm. Not to be missed
