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Save the World Community Pentecostal Church

The Nine Gifts of the Holy Spirit

God has given His people nine mighty gifts of the Holy Spirit to enable them to mature spiritually, edify others, and do the work of the ministry. Although these gifts of God are perfect, the manifestation of these gifts are sometimes not so perfect because they are manifested through an imperfect channel: men and women.

However, perfect or imperfect, it is still God's will that the Church have all of the gifts of the Holy Spirit in operation and that every believer be open to the working of these gifts in their life. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the Apostle Paul confirms this statement when he exhorted God's people by writing: "That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance, and in all knowledge; Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: 'So that ye come behind in no gift;' waiting for the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ." (I Corinthians 1:5-7). Therefore, these gifts are not only essential for spiritual maturity and ministry, but they also prepare you for Christ's return.

The gifts are the spiritual senses of the Church. Just as we have five physical senses that allow us to function in the natural realm (world), so we also have nine gifts of the Holy Spirit (the "spiritual senses") that enable us to function properly in the spiritual realm.

These gifts are identified in I Corinthians 12:8-11:

  "For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will."

These nine gifts can be broken down into three categories:

  Revelation Gifts - gifts that reveal something

     * Word of Wisdom

    * Word of Knowledge

    * Discerning of Spirits

 Power Gifts - gifts that do something

     * Faith

    * Healings

    * Miracles

  Inspiration Gifts - gifts that say something

     * Prophecy

    * Diverse Tongues

    * Interpretation of Tongues

 Purposes of the Gifts  

      * Spiritual maturity

  You cannot strengthen someone who is weak unless you are mature yourself. Spiritual gifts help you mature so you can edify the Church and strengthen others.  (I Corinthians 14:12).  

        * Edification

Spiritual gifts are used for the edification of the Church and are tools that bring us into spiritual maturity: "Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church." (I Corinthians 14;12)  

      * Credentials

A credential is having evidence or testimony concerning your authority. When the gifts are displayed, it publicly confirms that you are a true believer, an ambassador of God:

"And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover ... And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen." (Mark 16:17-18,20)

We are identified as believers through the gifts of the Spirit: "God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost..." (Hebrews 2:4)  

      * Spiritual Prosperity

  I Corinthians 12:7 declares, "But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal." The gift of the Holy Spirit can be compared to a precious stone which brings prosperity. Proverbs17:8 says that "A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it: whithersoever it turneth, it prospereth."

Can We Have All of The Gifts?

The revelation, power, and inspiration gifts were all operative in the ministry of the Apostle Paul. God wants you to have these gifts of the Spirit; that is why the Bible encourages us to "covet earnestly the best gifts..." (I Corinthians 12:31).

How to Receive These Gifts?

These nine spiritual gifts come by prayer, so ask for them, desire them, pray to receive them, and covet earnestly the best gifts (I Corinthians 12:31).

Personal Rewards of Spiritual Gifts

Knowing we have a gift that is an asset to the body of Christ, we are able to achieve a deeper level of self-acceptance and purpose in life. As we exercise our gifts, we experience personal fulfillment and a deep sense of joy. By concentrating on our gifts, we achieve maximum fruitfulness with minimum weariness.

Source: http://www.christcenteredmall.com/teachings/gifts/index.htm

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