By Titto Thomas
Therefore it says, “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.” (Ephesians 4:8 ESV)
As New Testament believers, we have realities that far exceed our present experiences. Once we are baptized in the Holy Spirit, we are open to His service. And one of the key ways He uses us is by enabling us with gifts. Therefore, in the next few posts, Justin and I will be looking at the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Gifts
Throughout the Bible, there are a multitude of things that God has given freely. In this series, we will only be looking at the gifts mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12. These are often called the “charismatic gifts”, or the “manifestation gifts”. The word charismatic comes from the Greek word for gift “charismata”, and it means a gift that is given with grace. We must not confuse them with empowerment, because we can be empowered anytime or for any occasion. Spiritual gifts are permanent (in this current life) and are given freely for us to use (Romans 11:29).
Why gifts?
God gave us gifts for a purpose. And the act of God giving us spiritual gifts is not something to be taken lightly. If God is offering something then it only means one thing – you and I need it!
The gifts are manifestations of the work that the Lord does through His people. Our calling is to be like Jesus, just as Jesus imitated Abba (John 5:19). But since Jesus is not walking among us on earth, He sent us a helper–the Holy Spirit who supernaturally helps us to walk just like Jesus walked. The primary objective of the Holy Spirit’s gifts is to edify the church–not only for the edification of the corporate body–but also for personal edification, thus enabling the body as a whole for war with the evil one.
The Ultimate Gift
Before we elaborate on the gifts, it is imperative that we understand that the greatest gift given us was Jesus and the gift of the Holy Spirit, the source of all our spiritual gifts. You are not gifted by some power or thing, but rather the precious Holy Spirit gifted to you by Jesus to guide, help and counsel you.
I remember once when I was a small boy, my father gifted me a toy car. A few minutes later, the car was smashed into a million pieces! Similarly, we can all misuse the gifts that God has given us, unless we use them in conjunction with the Holy Spirit.
Let us look at some aspects of God’s “charismata” gifts:
1. Spiritual gifts are a reality – They exist and are given to you by the grace of God. They should not be ignored. (Romans 12:6; 1 Corinthians 12:1)
2. Covet the gifts – We are encouraged to earnestly desire and covet spiritual gifts, meaning you can look at somebody’s spiritual gift and say “Lord, I want that in my life!”
3. Spiritual gifts are personal – Bible teaches us that the Holy Spirit dispenses the gifts according to His own free will. The type of gifts He chooses to give you is His choice, but I believe that your desire for a particular gift and your needs are not ignored. Now, you may ask – “How do I know what gifts the Lord has given me?” I personally believe that if the Lord has given you something, He will let you know. However, if you are ignorant or apathetic to God’s gifts, you will most likely miss them.
4. The gifts are not meant to be showcased – The gifts that God gives you are powerful signs both to the believers and unbelievers, but they are not meant for showing off! You don’t raise the dead or heal the sick or speak in tongues for bragging rights, but rather as a testimony to Christ.
5. Gifts need to used maturely-I believe that we can grow in our spiritual gifts the more we use them. And we need not worry, because the Giver of our gifts is right by our side, enabling us to use them effectively. But, if someone is unfaithful with their present gifts, do you think that they will be made responsible for more?
The emphasis again – do not be ignorant of the gifts. I encourage you to prepare your minds and your hearts for the gifts that God has (and will) give you. In the next post, Justin will start talking about the gifts from 1 Corinthians 12.
We are encouraged to earnestly desire and covet spiritual gifts . . . I believe this part is usually forgotten by believers and most times it brings in Jealousy in Ministry so am glad the Holy Spirit made you add this point Tito.
If God is offering something then it only means one thing – you and I need it! excellent! nothing is wasted with God.
You are not gifted by some power or thing, but rather the precious Holy Spirit gifted to you by Jesus to guide, help and counsel you. . . people need to read this part and not expect any pastor to give them the gift of the Holy Ghost, like many churches do even in my Country.
Godbless Imrah Team in Jesus Mighty Name Amen
Amen, COH. Isn’t it so exciting to know our God. He is just so good and his ways are marvelous. We are not yet perfected and till then we need his gifts. Even more we need the giver- now and forever.