On Spiritual Gifts

What does the Bible say about spiritual gifts?


I am doing another Bible study at my church.  This one is on "The Purple Book."  It makes you look again at basic theology.  It's good to have a reminder.  I jumped ahead to the section on the baptism of the Holy Spirit.  I found it interesting that not everyone who received the Holy Spirit is recorded as speaking in tongues right away.  For example when Paul is saved he does not.  Acts 9, "Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” ¹⁸ Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.
¹⁹ So when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus."


Given discussions with my husband I am very curious about the phenomenon of praying in tongues.  So I've been looking into it a lot.   

I will say also, my husband told me about an experience he had when was only 19 or so when he first started going to church.  He said he was at an Assembly of God church and the pastor waved his hand over the congregation and Ben felt something powerful.  He felt like he couldn't stand anymore but he resisted it.  He had the thought, "Woah was that God?"  But it scared him so he never went back there and started going to Baptist churches. 

The question I have really had for the past 14 years since I got saved almost is why don't I pray in tongues.  I first heard it when I was on a missions trip to Taiwan when I was 16.  I was like, "Huh that is interesting."  I always somewhat wondered why I did not seem to have this special power lol. :) 

There are some in the extreme Pentecostal camp that would say if you don't pray in tongues you aren't saved.  I know for a fact that can't be true because I have known countless Christians who are obviously saved, because we shall know by their fruit, but did not pray in tongues. 

So what is the right answer?  All receive the Holy Spirit when they are saved, but not all pray in tongues.  Therefore it must mean that different believers simply receive different spiritual gifts.

I still have the question why I cannot "feel" God in the way that my husband does.  Sometimes I can feel him more in worship I suppose but it is not a huge realization of his presence.  Maybe I'm just not looking for it hard enough or expecting God to show up enough, who knows.   

So what does the Bible say about Spiritual Gifts?
         

Romans 12:6-8                    

"Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness." 

I like that it says clearly, "having gifts that differ" meaning we all have different gifts.  Of these I would say I have teaching, thus why I write so much.  I have worked with and taught kids for the last 14 years so it would seem that is my primary spiritual gift.  :)        

         

1 Corinthians 12:4-11                    

"Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit...."        

My understanding is that a word of knowledge is when God tells someone else something about you that you needed to hear in that moment.  This happened to me in church once.  A woman told me when we were just shaking everyone's hand that God wanted her to tell me that I was beautiful.  I did need that then, as I have always been somewhat insecure about how I compare in appearances to other women.  I think all women somewhat worry about this if they are honest with themselves. 

I would like to think I have the "utterance of wisdom" gift but who knows. lol :)

         

1 Peter 4:10-11                    

"As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen."

Amen! :)        

         

Ephesians 4:11-16                    

"And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, ..."

Great verse! :)

I think the apostles were just the men who walked with Jesus.  I don't think there can be apostles today as some might say. 

There are still prophets today, but you have to be careful if someone thinks that they are a prophet. :)  Sometimes people just say things to say things or to make themselves look great.  Test everything someone says with Scripture.  And you can generally tell by their demeanor if what they are saying is inspired or not.          

Evangelists would be anyone who has the gift of sharing the gospel with unbelievers.  I believe this is one of my gifts.  When I have tried to street evangelize it came pretty easy to me.  I find it best to evangelize by asking questions rather than trying to preach at someone.  Asking people things like "What do you believe about Jesus?"  "Do you go to church?" etc. helps them to open up.  And a good rule of thumb, "People won't care what you know until they know that you care."  So if you try to evangelize, make sure you make it clear that you care about them before you get preachy lol.  Cause if you don't really care, they will be able to tell. 

Shepherds would be like people who like to lead small groups and help people more one on one.  They like the more intimate settings.  They like to build relationships with people.  I also think I have this gift, as I have shepherded and mentored many kids over the years. :)

Teaching is of course the gift of pastors and others who teach in the church.  I have heard once that preaching is different than teaching though.  Teaching is more cerebral.  It is getting information across.  With preaching you can feel the Holy Spirit moving more.  It seems more inspired.  Like when a pastor yells and shouts and gets really passionate, that is more preaching than teaching.  :)

         

1 Corinthians 12:1-31                    

"Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit. Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; ..."

Amen :)        

         

2 Timothy 1:6-7                    

 "For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control."

Gifts do not always have to be imparted by the laying on of hands.  Often times they just happen and are born in us through the Spirit randomly.  The more we serve and the more we use the gifts we already have, I have found, the more God gives us.  It is like the verse, "He who has, more will be given."          

         

1 Corinthians 12:7                    

"To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good."

The purpose of spiritual gifts is to build up believers in the church and to add to the numbers of those getting saved.  These gifts are not merely for ourselves.  God wants us to use them to serve and inspire others as much as we can. :)

         

Romans 12:3-8                    

"For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; ... "

In having gifts we are to humble about them.  We are not to think we are better than other believers based on what type of gift we have.  We all have different gifts and all are needed.  Gifts were not given to puff us up but to help us help others.          

 

1 Corinthians 12:27-28                    

"Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues."

 I have a cool story to share about the gift of healing.  A few years ago my husband was at a friends house.  His friend's daughter got a coat hanger stuck in her hand.  My husband's friend pulled the coat hanger out and then Ben prayed that her hand would be healed.  As he was praying his eyes were open and he could see the skin healing over the wound and the blood disappearing.  True story.  Things like this totally happen today. 

However you need to be weary of things like Benny Hinn obviously and people saying they cured people in front of huge audiences.  Often times they are doing these things just to make themselves look great or they are fake healings.  Test the spirits and God will show you when things are real or not.  If they are asking for money after a healing, it probably isn't real but jut a way to get money out of people.  Jesus never healed in front of large crowds, at least not on purpose.  So keep that in mind also. 

And the gifts of various kinds of tongues; I believe this has to be a known language, like someone speaks French all of a sudden but never learned French.  I believe my husband also has this gift and he seems to speak an African tongue like Swahili or something.  That is what it sounds like to me.  Here is what happened on the day of Pentecost:

Acts 2, "Suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³ Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. ⁴ And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
⁵ And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. ⁶ And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language."

The gift of miracles would be something like if someone now turned water into wine or fed several people with a small amount of food.  This also still happens, though it is rare in America.  Miracles seem to happen more in third world countries where the Bible is not already in their language.  It seems to be a way that God preaches to people who do not have his word to read. 

The gift of helping is serving, like someone who likes to help set up for meetings at church.  It is more of a behind the scenes type of gift.  It does not really get recognized often, but it is needed just as much as any other gift.  I like to help in any way I can so perhaps I have this gift also.  :)

The administrative gift would be those in the church who like to keep track of the money, so accounting.  It is those who like to follow the schedule and make sure things get done.  This is also needed obviously. 

         

Romans 12:4-5                    

     "For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another."

Amen!  We are united in our spiritual gifts because we need each other.  No man is an island and no Christian is an island.  We may try to be but we will not really grow in our walk unless we come together and help each other as often as we can.  Like the Redwood trees that stand more firm because their roots are interlinked and they support each other, so we as the body are supposed to support each other and hold each other up.  "Carry each others burdens."  The best way to do that is to get in a small group where church can actually happen and people can really live out there gifts and help others.  That is what we are called to do.       

Other gifts would be faith, where someone believes no matter what that God is working.  Also the gift of discerning of spirits.  I had a friend who had this and he could see evil on a person or he could see if their heart was black or not.  My brother has the ability to see auras around people, with his spiritual eyes in a sense.  This might the gift of discerning of spirits possibly.

And there is the gift of interpretation of tongues.  When someone does speak in a tongue in church it is supposed to be interpreted.  This is when those who have the gift of interpreting come in.  God would supernaturally given them the ability to understand the person speaking in tongues and so tell the church what was said. 


Some of these gifts are not seen in churches as much today for whatever reason.  Often Baptist denominations, or more conservative ones, do not encourage certain gifts because they can get out of hand or misused. 

But all gifts are real, still in existence, and can be used for the building up of the church. 

May God increase our gifts so that we can help others and build others up more.  Amen! :)

May God bless you!