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Spiritual Gifts - Notes 2 (manifestations of the Holy Spirit)

In 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 Paul lists nine spiritual gifts and calls them manifestations of the Holy Spirit. These gifts empower believers with supernatural ability to minister. They include receiving supernatural words of wisdom and knowledge, discerning spiritual entities, performing miraculous signs, healing all types of sickness and disease, having extraordinary faith and confidence regarding the outcome of a particular issue or circumstance, prophesying words directly from God, speaking in languages that have not been learned, and understanding languages or words that have not been studied or heard before.

The purpose of this class section is to explore why the Holy Spirit gives us spiritual gifts, understand how they are supposed to operate in the church, and learn how to effectively move out in them. Paul summarizes these nine spiritual gifts in this way: "To each one a manifestation (spiritual gift) of the Spirit is given for the common good." (1 Cor. 12:7)

To each one...

Everyone who has been baptized in the Holy Spirit should expect to receive one or more spiritual gifts. Being filled with the Holy Spirit means being endowed with supernatural power. Many Spirit-filled believers speak in tongues but are not moving in any of the other type of spiritual gift. This misses the point of being Spirit-filled. Speaking in tongues is the initial evidence of being baptized in the Holy Spirit, but it is not the primary reason for receiving the baptism. The Lord baptizes us in the Holy Spirit so we become people who minister the supernatural power of God to the world around us.

Many people struggle in the knowing how to move in spiritual gifts. This is due in part to a false perception about how spiritual gifts operate. Because these gifts are supernatural, people expect to experience them in a completely supernatural manner. That doesn't always happen. Moving in spiritual gifts involves much the same process as receiving our prayer language (speaking in tongues). Some people seeking to speak in tongues wait for God to open their mouth and move their tongue for them. Speaking in tongues, however, only occurs when we open our own mouths and in faith participate with the Holy Spirit to fill our speech with His words (...and they began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them - Acts 2:4). Moving in spiritual gifts requires faith and active participation on our part!

Spiritual gifts usually come to us without much sensationalism. Someone receives a word of wisdom, not from an audible voice in the sky, but simply as a thought. There is uncertainty as to whether it is their own thought or a revelation of the Holy Spirit. The answer isn't known until the gift is given. One must exercise faith and move on what they feel God is giving them, living with the possibility of being wrong. Moving in the supernatural requires a willingness to live with a certain amount of ambiguity and uncertainty. Our sensitivity to the Holy Spirit improves as we practice listening to Him and actively participate in what we believe He is giving us.

Spiritually dynamics occur in a church when everyone is encouraged to exercise spiritual gifts, not just a few people. This can happen as individuals are challenged to take responsibility for their part in the process. In order to move in spiritual gifts, we must be prepared to listen for the prompting of the Holy Spirit and faithfully exercise any gift that is imparted to us.

A manifestation of the Spirit...

Paul calls spiritual gifts manifestations or demonstrations of power. The Greek word he uses for manifestation is phanerosis, which denotes an expression or exhibition that is immediate and temporary in nature. Spiritual gifts are not ongoing ministries in the church. They are specific acts of power, given to specific believers, at a specific point in time, for a specific purpose.

Spiritual gifts are demonstrated through individuals, but it is the Holy Spirit within them that is prompting their actual expression. He is the source of the gift and the enabling force behind it. Spiritual gifts are always supernatural demonstrations of God's power. They are never the result of human talent or ability. Nor are they given to enhance someone's abilities. Their purpose is to enhance and confirm what God is trying to accomplish in a given situation.

Spiritual gifts can be demonstrated through someone regardless of their background, education, experience, or level of maturity. One's personal makeup may or may not correlate to the type of gift they receive from the Holy Spirit. Those who are intellectually trained and gifted may not receive supernatural words of wisdom or knowledge. Those who are strong communicators may not experience gifts of prophecy or tongues. Doctors and nurses may not receive gifts of healing. The Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts to people according to His will and purpose.

Spiritual gifts are not permanent or continuously possessions of an individual. Paul states that a gift "is given", a present tense verb indicating the present activity of the Holy Spirit. Spiritual gifts are not a resident talent that a person carries along with them. Its demonstration in the individual is solely dependent on the immediacy of the Holy Spirit's activity in them and their responding faith.

Given for the common good...

There are a diversity of gifts, a variety of ministries and wide number of ministry applications, but there is only one Spirit, one Lord, one baptism and one Body. This is the essential unity we have with each other. We have all been immersed into one Spirit for the purpose of ministry to one body. The Holy Spirit distributes different spiritual gifts to us so that we can build up the body of Christ together. They are given for the common good of the church.

That is why a spiritual gift is always for the person receiving it, not for the one who giving it. When a prophecy is spoken, it is not for the prophet but for the person(s) to which the prophecy is directed. If a healing takes place, it is for the benefit of the one being healed, not for the person through whom the healing comes. These are gifts that the Holy Spirit gives to people using other people to accomplish it. It demonstrates our need for each other and builds up our unity in Christ.

Key to maintaining spiritual unity is not to compare each other in regards to the distribution of spiritual gifts. Everyone is used differently in the body of Christ. The point of receiving a spiritual gift is not to make someone more important but to make the church more capable of ministry.

Classification of Spiritual Gifts

The nine gifts mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12 can be loosely classified into three basic groupings. They are gifts of revelation, gifts of speech and gifts of power. The following lists the nine spiritual gifts in their respective groups:

1. Gifts of revelation
   1. Word of Wisdom
   2. Word of Knowledge
   3. Discernment of Spirits
2. Gifts of speech
   1. Prophecy
   2. Tongues
   3. Interpretation of Tongues
3. Gifts of power
   1. Healings
   2. Working of Miracles
   3. Special Faith