C-Continued from 7 Gifts Of The Holy Spirit
6. Prophecy: This isn't just telling the
future…it's the Holy Spirit using you to proclaim God's truth. This gift is
more evident among humble people who usually aren't aware of it, than it is
among proud people who want to make a show of how God speaks through them.
7. Distinguishing between spirits: Ever had a
strong "connection" with someone for no reason…or a strong aversion
for no reason? You're either mentally ill or the Holy Spirit
is using you to distinguish spirits.
8. & 9. Speaking in Tongues and
Interpretation of Tongues: "Tongues" means miraculously speaking other
languages. There's so much controversy over these, the least of the gifts, that
they get their own section in g. below. I wanted to cover things like
"maturity" first.
Tip: Most people combine 1&2 and 8&9 to say there are 7 Spiritual Gifts (our Title). Let's not sweat the small stuff. As you'll see from our next lesson, there are many more than nine spiritual gifts.
d. Gifts And Maturity: The Christians at Corinth were known for their expression of Spiritual Gifts. It's clear from reading Paul's first letter to them that they exercised their gifts in complete disregard for the needs and desires of each other or of any visitors among them. Paul tells them they can't all talk at once, to stop arguing doctrine, to pay attention to visitors…not to get drunk. 1 Co 3:1-3 "Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly-mere _______ in Christ…" Even though they had all kinds of Spiritual Gifts, the Bible called them infants, unspiritual. Here's the point…the fact that the Holy Spirit gives us gifts is not cause to think we've "arrived", spiritually. The Bible teaches the opposite. The reason Spiritual Gifts is a topic in the letter to the Corinthians is because the people were out of control in their expression of the gifts. If they were something for us to copy, why don't we see the Bible encouraging Christians in other areas to use their gifts more, or to be like Corinth? They lacked the Fruit of the Spirit, covered in the last session. If we want a spiritual experience to brag about, it's the experience of having the Fruit of the Spirit fully operative in our lives. Of course, then we won't have any need to brag.
e. Seeking The Gifts: In seeking the gifts, let's start with the understanding that every Christian gets Spiritual gifts. 1 Cor 12:7 "Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good." The second thing to understand is the Holy Spirit is the one who decides who gets what. 1 Cor 12:11 "All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines." Paul didn't change subjects in 1 Co 12 when he started said that each of us, though different, has a necessary and important function in the body of Christ. No one is more important than you!!! Seeking the gifts of the Spirit isn't seeking what somebody else has or what will make us more important…
That's important for us to know, because it means we don't have to beg Him for them or try to force ourselves to do something He isn't leading us to. We also don't have to feel like we're getting something out of God He doesn't want us to have…He told us to want the gifts. 1Co 12:31 "But eagerly ______ the greater gifts." 1 Co 14:1 "…eagerly desire spiritual gifts…" Of course, the gifts are to be used for something.
Conclusion at Gifts Of The Holy Spirit-3
