Romans 12: 6-86We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his[]faith. 7If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; 8if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

Ephesians 4: 11-1211It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up

1 Corinthians 12:1 and 4-111Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant. 4There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.
7Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10to 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.[]11All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.

Proverbs 1: 88 Listen, my son, to your father's instruction
and do not forsake your mother's teaching.

James 1:55If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

Acts 18: 9-119One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: "Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. 10For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city." 11So Paul stayed for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God.

2 Timothy 2:1515Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

2 Peter 3:1818But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

John 4:7-31 7When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, "Will you give me a drink?" 8(His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)

9The Samaritan woman said to him, "You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?" (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.[]

10Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water."

11"Sir," the woman said, "you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? 12Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his flocks and herds?"

13Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."

15The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water so that I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water."

16He told her, "Go, call your husband and come back."

17"I have no husband," she replied.

Jesus said to her, "You are right when you say you have no husband. 18The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true."

19"Sir," the woman said, "I can see that you are a prophet. 20Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem."

21Jesus declared, "Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."

25The woman said, "I know that Messiah" (called Christ) "is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us."

26Then Jesus declared, "I who speak to you am he."

The Disciples Rejoin Jesus
27Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, "What do you want?" or "Why are you talking with her?"

28Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, 29"Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ[]?" 30They came out of the town and made their way toward him.

31Meanwhile his disciples urged him, "Rabbi, eat something."

John 1:4747When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, "Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false."

Acts 16: 16-1816Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. 17This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved." 18She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so troubled that he turned around and said to the spirit, "In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!" At that moment the spirit left her.

1Thes 5:19-2219Do not put out the Spirit's fire; 20do not treat prophecies with contempt. 21Test everything. Hold on to the good. 22Avoid every kind of evil.

1 Corinthians 14:1 1Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy.

1 Corinthians 14:3 3But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort.

1 Corinthians 14:27-33 27If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. 28If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and God.

29Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. 30And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. 31For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged. 32The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. 33For God is not a God of disorder but of peace.

John 14:12 12I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

1 Corinthians 2:4-5 4My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, 5so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power.

1 Corinthians 14: 2626What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church.

1 Peter 4: 10-1110Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. 11If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it 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 for ever and ever. Amen.

The Holy Spirit is a Counselor - A paraclete. That word paraclete is a transliteration of the Greek work parakletos - it means one who is called along side to help. The Holy Spirit is a Comforter, Counselor, Helper

Motive Gifts - Romans 12:6-8

Office Gifts - Ephesians 4: 11-12

Charismatic Gifts 1 Corinthians 12: 1-11

Charismatic Gifts described in 1 Corinthians 12:1 and 4-11

My listing and categorization of the different types of spiritual gifts: motive gifts, office gifts and the charismatic gifts is not meant to be exhaustive or even to be rigidly definitive. I am not attempting to cover every possible manifestation of spiritual gifts or to define them too narrowly.

Nevertheless, we can describe the Charismatic Gifts listed in 1 Cor 12 in terms of three broad groupings: Knowledge/Revelation Gifts: Word of Wisdom, Word of Knowledge, Discerning of Spirits, Speaking Gifts: Gifts of Prophesy and Gifts of Tongues and Interpretation and Power Gifts: Gift of Faith, Gift of Healing and Gift of Miracles

Knowledge/Revelation Gifts

Word of Wisdom

Distinct from human wisdom - which we should all seek

Distinct from the wisdom that we can all ask for as believers

A person with the gift is prompted often regularly to give Holy Spirit inspired advise and wisdom to deal with a range of circumstances. The wisdom may be revealed in a vision. Acts 18: 9-11

Word of Knowledge

Distinct from human knowledge - which we should all strive for

Distinct from general spiritual knowledge

When the Word of Knowlege is present the Holy Spirit can give information about a person - their thoughts, actions, attitudes about a place or situation about things present or past. John 4:7-31

Some like Pastor Joel Comisky believe that the Gift of Knowledge refers to a Holy Spirit inspired ability to acquire a vast store house of knowledge and then impart that knowledge through writing and teaching and preaching.

Discerning of Sprits

The Gift of Discerning of Spirits gives the ability to distinguish between motives that are pure and motives that are evil, to differentiate between behaviors that have their origins in the human spirit

Again not street smarts in which people, based in part on their personality and acquired experience, can spot a fake or a phony or someone with ill intent - its a spiritual gift.

Jesus recognized the pure heart of Nathanael John 1:47

Paul recognized when an evil spirit was at the root of a given behavior even when it wasn't obvious. This provides great protection for the church. Acts 16: 16-18

Speaking Gifts

Gift of Prophecy

Prophecy involves representing God to people. Receiving a message from God and delivering that message to people.

People are fallible. People sometimes make mistakes. Prophecy has to be tested not avoided. We're instructed to not put out the Spirit's fire, to not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil.1Thes 5:19-22

Prophecy is vitally important. We're told in the Word to follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, ESPECIALLY the gift of prophecy. 1 Corinthians 14:1

Prophecy builds us up. 1 Corinthians 14:3
Everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort.

Prophecy can provide a specific revelation of God's will for a person in an area. Again it is to build us up. Not tear us down or cause confusion. Not a bunch of craziness.

Prophecy has been invaluable in the lives of the Pastors and the formation of Life Church

Gifts of Tongues and Interpretation

With both Tongues and Interpretation and prophecy there is an order. 1 Corinthians 14:27-33

Tongues can function as a prayer language

When spoken forth and proclaimed in a public setting, perhaps one person's voice rising above the others in tongues, there should always be an interpretation.

Tongues and interpretation together in a public setting function a lot like prophecy.

Power Gifts

Gift of Faith

Supernatural ability to believe God to do what seems impossible

We need gifts of faith in operation to encourage the body to believe God despite what appear to be dire circumstances. In our troubled neighborhoods, in the midst of violence, widespread unbelief and lack.

Gift of Miracles

Ability to believe God to do things that defy the laws of nature

May have witnessed gift of faith and/ or miracles at our fellowship meals when there didn't appear to be enough food but everyone got fed and there was food left over.

Jesus said anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing and will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. Greater works! John 14:12

Gift of Healing

God can choose many different ways to heal us.

Skill and expertise he gives to doctors, nurses and medical professionals

Prompting us to exercise wisdom and discipline in our lifestyle choices. Healthy food, exercise and adequate rest. As well as forgiving, letting go of anger, rage and bitterness - these can lead to healing

Gift of healing supernatural healing from laying hands and/or praying for the sick

Important to remember - GOD is the healer - example Pastor Barbara Garlington

Gifts are meant to focus the attention on God not on Man.

The apostle Paul said My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power. 1 Corinthians 2:4-5

If we hear reports of gifts of healing or miracles in operation and it's accompanied by a lot of hoopla and fanfare and focus on a charismatic individual rather than God, we should be very wary.

ALL believers have Spiritual Gifts

It is in the small group settings in homes that EVERYONE can have a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everyone can't be used in that way in corporate worship - that would bring confusion. But in our small groups we can minister to one another with the gifts God has given us. 1 Corinthians 14: 26

I just want to end with this passage of scripture in 1 Peter 4: 10-11 Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. 11If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it 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 for ever and ever. Amen.

The Holy Spirit (Part 3)

Pastor Eva L. Clarke - Sunday July 9, 2006