On Spiritual Gifts

　



This morning I was actually really getting into some preaching by Joseph Prince on TV. He is on every morning at 4am on ABC Family. I happen to be awake then with my daughter so I've been checking it out lately. He talked today about the verse 2 Timothy 1:6-7, which I love, "For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline and a sound mind." Other translations say "stir up the gift." Of course Joseph Prince said this was always tongues, but on that I disagree.

I think the "gift" is whatever gift you received when you were saved. Everyone received a gift upon salvation, initial salvation, not an extra baptism of the Holy Spirit. I believe this baptism happens to us all when we are really and truly saved. My gift is teaching I think, which I have had since I got saved at 14. I used my gift immediately on missions trips and in my church and at my school. Some get the gift of tongues, but not all. Others get gifts of serving others or giving etc. There are many gifts. But I did very much like his point that the only way to walk in victory in your faith, to have "not a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind" is to stir up your gift. Amen! He said you may have received the extra baptism of the Holy Spirit, which I would just call an extra DOSE of the Holy Spirit, or an extra filling, but you may not be walking in victory because you are not stirring up your gift. Amen! God gave us our gifts of the Spirit for a reason. The more we use our gifts, like the more I write like this and use my gift of teaching, the more I feel connected to God. It is the same with any gift. It is the same with tongues, or helping others, or administration etc.

There is a wonderful poem by Gerard Manly Hopkins called "Kingfishers Catch Fire." It is about the beauty of each being alive doing what God created it to do. We reflect God most when we are doing whatever he created us to do. Each person is unique and each person was created to do something special. Each Christian has a gift. Just because your gift is not tongues that does not mean you don't have a gift. You just need to figure out what your gift is. EVERY Christian has a gift that can take their fear away and fill them with power, love and a sound mind. It doesn't have to be tongues. Amen. smile emoticon

What I don't like about some charismatic teaching is they always talk about tongues, but there are many other gifts. The odds that tongues is your gift is really about one in 19 because there are 19 different gifts. They are prophecy, serving, teaching, exhortation, giving, leadership, mercy, words of wisdom, words of knowledge, faith, gifts of healing, miracles, discernment, tongues, interpretation of tongues, helping others or service, administration, pastor, and evangelist. So figure out what your gift is and STIR IT UP! Fan your gift into flame! And you will have love, power and a sound mind. Amen. God bless!