Gifts of the Spirit/part 8/The Utterance Gifts

The utterance gifts being Tongues, Interpretation of tongues and Prophecy. Thus the gift of Prophecy seems to trump the utterances gifts. I say this because ... it takes both Tongues with interpretation to equal prophecy. How do we know this? I Cor. 14:5 says: " ... greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret..."

Prophecy is a supernatural utterance in a known tongue. Where tongues and interpretations is when a person speaks in an unknown tongue ... which can be the tongue of men (other language or the tongue of angels).

Now this is not a practiced or learned tongue such as someone who spoke English being taught Spanish speaks, or someone who is Chinese being taught Arabic speaks. No ... it is supernatural from a person who has not be taught the language. If not how then do you speak with Angel tongue? I have never heard of anyone give a class in the language of angels, have you? When divers tongues are spoken it is by the Spirit from which all things come and are known. Then by a supernatural understanding of that tongue a person then interprets what was spoken.

Either way ... to prophecy in a known tongue or through divers tongues with interpretations prophesy is a flow of words that bubble forth like a fountain, that drop out to lift up another. And although the utterance gifts speak out the heart of God ... the Gifts in any degree are to edify the body of Christ.

An error that people often get into is to confuse the gift of prophecy with the office of the profit. The Gift of prophecy is to be coveted by any/all believers as we can read at the end of I Corinthians Chapter fourteen.

The simple gift of prophesy is to speak to men for edification, exhortation and comfort. It has not revelation connected to it. Whereas the office of the profit when speaking will move in line toward revelation knowledge and/or foretelling.

If one stands in the office of a profit, they will prophesy, but also operate in at least two of revelation gifts, and possible at times all three. In Acts Chapter twenty-one we find Paul with Phillip and his daughters and each of the daughters prophesied, yet there is no reference to them standing in the office of a profit. Prophecy again is to be coveted by any/all believers for the edification, exhortation and comfort of others.

This is this brief series of nugget teaching on the Gifts of the Spirit. I trust they have blessed you and that you will seek God and covet the gifts ... especially to prophesy.

Gifts of the Spirit/Part 7 The Gift of Healings

I Cor. 12:28-30

The gifts of healing are given by God as a means of supernatural healing of sickness and or disease without natural medicinal or surgical means.

In the gospels we find that Jesus healed the sick. According to Luke 4:18 that was even partial reason for the anointing on his life. In Matthew 10:8 we find that Jesus also gave authority over to the disciples to also heal the sick. Matter of fact we find in the gospels that not only would the disciples do the works that Jesus was doing here on earth, but they would actually do more.

Luke himself was a physician who followed Jesus. He also was with Paul on many missionary journeys. Now even though Luke was a physician it does not say that Luke acted in that profession on these journeys, rather he penned the accounts of what was happening medically among the people. In Acts we find that while Paul was shipwrecked on the Isle of Melita that Luke wrote that Paul laid hands on a sick man and he was healed. Then people brought the sick to Paul and they too were healed in the same manner.

We are not opposed to medical science and are thankful that God has given men and women wisdom in these areas. However, the Gift of Healings is not of the medical science arena, it is beyond it, above it, over it ... it is not natural, it is SUPER-natural.

Supernatural healing is not from medicine nor mere man alone. It is not a diagnosis or by prescribing treatment; it is by the laying on of hands, anointing with oil, by speaking God's Word and obeying the direction of the Holy Ghost that aligns with the Written Word of God.

Any time someone is healed it is wonderful, but when God supernaturally heals a person it remains amazing. It is a sign and wonder to the earth, to men and women of God's wonderful working power and love.

Acts 10:38 ... tells us that Jesus healed those oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
And although many would like to disclose supernatural gifts of healings as well as the other gifts of the Spirit, it just can not be Biblical sealed. Peter and John went about healing and yes, they were of the twelve original disciples, however, Paul was not and he too healed with Jesus working with him. I Cor. 12:28-30 we find that the gifts were set in the Church (The Body of Christ is the Earth), and the church has not passed away, therefore, the gifts are still available to the Body of Christ (Church), and according to the Word should be coveted.

Now we must understand that there is a difference in the manifestations of the gifts of healings and in receiving healing by simple faith in God's Word. When supernatural gifts are flowing, a person may come to the believe who is operating in the gifts and receiving healing without even knowing anything about the Word of God concerning healing, but healing that comes from simple faith is different, it comes as one believes God and what He has promised through his written Word.

The Word of God speaks of how Jesus healed us. The Word can be sent to heal by prayer, and the Word that we put in front of our eyes ... reading and speaking is also healing. The Word is health to all of our flesh. When we receive health through our faith which comes by the Word it would be considered healing simply through our faith in God.

No matter the means, God wants people healed. We thank God for medical science, we receive God's Word which is truth of how by the stripes on Jesus back we were healed, and we thank him for the wonderful supernatural gifts of the Spirit.

The Gifts of the Spirit / Part 6 The Working of Miralces

I Cor. 12:8, 10

A Miracle in the sense of Working of miracles is defined as: A supernatural intervention in the ordinary course of nature; a temporary suspension of the accustomed order through the Spirit of God.

Many people use the word miracle loosely, as in a figure of speech. Haven't you ever heard someone call a medication a miracle drug? You can hear people talk about miracle fabrics, or cleaning products. This is using the word miracle loosely.

Then you have people speak of a miracle when a baby is born. Many times people speak of sunsets or sunrises as miraculous. And in a general sense these are miracles, but not specifically speaking. A child is born according to the natural laws of reproduction. And a sun rises and sets according to the laws of nature as we understand it. None of these thing actually require no extra ordinary supernatural intervention in a natural course, as would be required for something to be considered as a miracle according to the Gift of the Spirit of The Working of Miracles.

In II Kings 2:9-14 we read the story of Elijah and Elisha and the sweeping back of waters by the dashing of a mantle. Now that is not a natural course of nature ... for water to be swept back and held as it was for Moses and the Red Sea and how it was here in II Kings for Elisha required supernatural intervention. This sweeping back of waters and them being held, would be considered a working of miracles ... but not only the working of miracles, but also a secondary gift would be involved, that being the gift of faith, for it would take special faith to keep the waters held back once they were parted.

II Kings 17: 12-16 is the story of the Widow whom Elijah was sent. This Widow had only a small bit of oil and meal left in her home ... oil and meal which she used to make Elijah a cake to eat. Even though she used the oil and meal ... the oil vat and meal barrel did not run dry. That was supernatural intervention.

John 6:5-14 ... Here Jesus takes a little boys lunch and feeds multitudes. That is naturally impossible, but with supernatural intervention it is possible. Gift of the Working of Miracles in action! Some may say, well they all had food to eat and shared it once the little boy gave up his food. But if that was the case, Jesus would never had said, these people are hungry, we need to feed them. He would have knew that they had food to eat. This was the supernatural hand of God in action!

The Gifts of the Spirit / Part 5 The Gift of Faith

I Cor. 12:9 ... to another faith by the same spirit...

The Gift of Faith works along side The Gifts of Healing and The Working of Miracles. These are the three power gifts that do something. When a person is operating with The Gift of Faith normally they are doing so in order to receive a manifestation of Healing or a Miracle that otherwise would not be obtained.

The Gift of Faith is a special faith ~ a supernatural manifestation of the Holy Spirit, which is imparted after the baptism of the Holy Spirit as the Spirit wills. It is not the general faith that each person has been dealt in a measure.

The Gift of Faith does not cause a healing or miracle, but aides us in the ability to receive. It will cause you to stand when it seems you should fold. It is a supernatural endowment by the Spirit which when in operations will assure the thing that God has said will come to pass.

The Gift of Faith is valuable in other areas as well as the receiving of healing or miracles. It can be in operation for Supernatural blessing (provision), protection, aiding in casting out of evil spirits, and of the raising the dead to life.

The Gifts of the Spirit part 4 / Discerning of Spirits

Discerning of Spirits is one of the three revelation gifts (revealing something). It gives us insights into the Spirit realm. Some people believe this gift to work like a devil radar. But to believe that discerning of spirits has to do only with devils is an error.

Discerning of spirits has to do with both good and evil. Moses was allowed a glimpse into the spirit realm as he was hidden in the cleft of the rock [Ex.33]. Here Moses was allowed to see into the spirit realm and see the likeness of God.

Isaiah also had a glimpse into the spirit realm as he saw the Lord high and lifted up in Isaiah 6:1. While John was on the Isle of Patmos, he was caught up in the Spirit realm discerning the Spirit World, and spirits therein, angels and aspects of the church.

The gift of discerning of spirits also allow us to know what spirit is behind a matter brought before us. In Acts 16:16-18 Paul through a gift of the spirit / discerning of spirits recognized the evil spirit of divination involved in the damsel who walked about chanting out "These men are the servants of the most high God..."

Just because someone is saying, Praise the Lord or commending us, does not mean that they are of God or a right spirit. But through the gift of discerning of spirits one knows whether of good or evil. Let me give you an example from my own life.

I was doing street Ministry some years ago, and a lady that walked among us was constantly on my heels. Although she would Praise the Lord in the Morning, Noon and Night. She was hindering the spreading of the gospel. As soon as I met her, I knew she was carrying a wrong spirit and it wasn't long until she was causing all kinds of problems between people. She tried to stop the gospel from being spread by lying to people and so forth. By prayer and confrontation the spirit was dealt with, and the Word of God went forth, but had we simply went by her Praises ... we would have been in big trouble.

Many times people have came into the church, saying all the right things. They put in the tithe and give. But by the gift of discerning of spirits I would know that they were not of the right spirit and soon it would come out, and have to be dealt with.

What discerning of spirits is not, discerning of spirits is not:
Mind reading
E.S.P. (extrasensory perception)
General discernment
Fault finding.

Discerning of spirits is ~ a gift that comes from God to aide in the ministry of the gospel and well being of people. And it is not a gift that you can operate in at your well anymore than the rest of The Gifts of the Spirit.

Gifts of the Spirit Part 3 / Word of Wisdom

This is the third message from The Gifts of the Spirit, and we have been drawing from I Cor. 12:1-11.

When we talk about the Gifts we do not say Gift of Knowledge or Gift of Wisdom. The Word says The Word of ... . This talks the notion of a fragment. These two gifts have to do with God offering us (in part) information that from His understanding (from His mind).

The word of wisdom is often confused with simple wisdom used to deal with daily life affairs. But wisdom that comes to us for life applications is not the same as the Word of Wisdom, which is a Gift of the Spirit and not just Word principles. When James tells us to ask for Wisdom and God will give it to us in generous supply, that is speaking of simple wisdom that applies to the affairs of life, not the Spiritual Gifts. We are not to confuse Simple Wisdom with The Word of Wisdom.

The Word of Wisdom, like The Word of Knowledge can come in audible voice, vision, dream, even through vocal gift of prophecy or through tongues and interpretation. It can be from a seeing and knowing on the inside that is released audibly. At times the Word of Wisdom can be offered with other Gifts of the Spirit.

Moses received the law as God spoke to him in an audible voice. This was God's mind and purpose for the people at this time. Also during the Old Testament days the prophets often ministered the Word through prophesy and the Word of Wisdom and Word of Knowledge would flow together from the prophets as they spake.

Some New Testament examples are found in Acts 11:28-30; Acts 21:10-11; Acts 9:15; Acts 27:10.

These are encounters with Agabus who spoke of a coming drought. He spoke of Paul's coming sufferings. Then we have Annania who God spoke to concerning Saul. And then we find Paul gaining a word of wisdom concerning the end results of a bad situation at hand.

Some believe the gifts to have been done away with, but we are living the the Acts generation. The Word of God plainly expresses to us that we are not to be ignorant concerning Spirituals (Gifts of the Spirit). And we can easily see the gifts at work in Paul's day.

The Gifts are available and should be coveted and operated in as the Lord wills ... yes even in this day!

The Gifts of the Spirit Part 2 / The Word of Knowledge

Central Text:
I Cor. 12:1-11 The Word of Knowledge is the supernatural revelation by the Holy Spirit of certain facts, which comes from the mind of God. God is all knowing, He knows everything, but to no one man does He reveal everything that He knows. However, The Word of Knowledge is a small portion of that knowledge coming from God through a believer. Some people are deceived believing that this text speaks of knowledge as intellectual information gained from studies. But that is not the truth concerning this passage. The Word of Knowledge is a supernatural impartation concerning a person, place, or thing. It is supernatural information that is dropped into the Spirit of believer and delivered for the purpose of profiting the Body.

Examples of the Word of knowledge are offered to us in the written Word of God:

• Acts 9:10-12 used to get a people in position for ministry.
• Acts 10:9-20 used to aid in reaching unreached people.
• I Kings 19:2-4, 14, 18 used to enlighten a discouraged servant.
• II Kings 5:25, 26 used to expose a hypocrite.
• II Kings 6:9-12 used to warn of an enemy plan.
• I Samuel 9:3, 4, 6, 19-20 used to get back lost property.
• I Samuel 10:21-23 used to locate a man in hiding.