SPIRITUAL GIFTS

Are you using your spiritual gifts? More importantly are you operating in your spiritual gifts in the Body of Christ or as led by Holy Spirit?

Do you know what your spiritual gift is and please know that you may operate in more than one.

The Apostle Paul in speaking with the Church at Corinth outlines some of the gifts of the Spirit.

4 There are [d]diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works [e]all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by [f]the same Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills. (1 Corinthians 12).

Paul further speaks to the Roman Church about spiritual gifts that should be in operation by declaring….6 differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; 7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; 8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. (Romans 12)

The above gifts did not go away with the 1^st Century Church but should be fully operational in the 21^st Century in every church. Spirit-filled born again believers should be using and ministering in their spiritual gifts based upon what Holy Spirit has endowed them with! I say spirit-filled, because even Jesus himself did not perform the first miracle until after a dove descended upon Him (Baptism in the Holy Spirit).

Yes, the Holy Spirit dwells in you once you confess and repent of your sins and receive Christ Jesus and accept Him as Your Savior. But there is more! To be endued with the power of the Holy Spirit, to operate in the gifts of the Spirit, you must pray to receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.

This blog is not written to convince you, but the proof is in the pudding so to speak, and below are a few scriptures as evidence of the need for the baptism in the Holy Spirit.

He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said to him, “No, we have not even heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.” And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking with tongues and prophesying. It happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the upper country and came to Ephesus, and found some disciples. (Acts 19:1-6)

And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high. (Luke 24:49)

And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit (John 20:22)

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth (Acts 1:8)

And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance. And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them  (Acts 2:1-4)

“As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire (Matt 3:11)

And guess what, people of God, the Holy Spirit baptism is not only for select people, but Apostle Peter asserts that the promise of the Gift of the Holy Spirit is for you and your children. (Acts 2:38-29)

All you have to do is to ask God to fill you with His precious Holy Spirit. Luke 11:13 says “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?”

It is important to establish the foundation that as a born again believer, we must be spirit-filled and baptized in the Holy Spirit to be able to effectively function in the gifts of Holy Spirit.

Then and only then will the church be effective in advancing Kingdom of God!  And don’t take my word for it. The Word of God in Ephesians with the 4 chapter speaks on this wise….

11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the [e]edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. (Ephesians 4:11

So, if you have been like…its gotta be more…I’m reading my Bible on a regular basis, I’m attending church on a regular basis, I’m spending time with God on a regular basis…or I feel dry and I’m not seeing any healings, miracles, signs and wonders as the Bible outlines, then my friend, you have come to the right place and this word is for you.

PRAYER: Father God, in Heaven, I thank you for Your Son, Jesus Christ, who sent the Comforter, the Enabler, the Dunamis (Dynamite power), the Teacher, the Gifter, and last but not least, the Helper in the Person of precious Holy Spirit. Lord, fill us with Your precious Holy Spirit so that we can get busy doing Your business in Jesus name, Amen!

If you do not know Jesus as your Savior, and you want to accept Him now, you can click on the Menu button under PRAYER, and pray the prayer of Salvation on the website.