Part two in our series, Power For Living, we discuss the gifts of the Spirit.

The gifts come in three categories, if you will… sign gifts, support or helping gifts, and the people who are gifts.

  1. People Gifts; specific “job titles” that Holy Spirit has given to the Church to lead it…
  • Apostle: Individuals gifted with the ability to plant and administer new churches Ephesians 4:11
  • Prophet also prophecy: boldly and fearlessly proclaiming God’s truth, Ephesians 4:11, Romans 12:6, 1 Corinthians 12:10, 28
  • Evangelist: passionately leading others to the saving knowledge of Christ, Ephesians 4:11
  • Shepherd, Pastor, Overseer: overseeing, training, feeding, coaching/leading, Ephesians 4:11
  • Teacher also teaching: making clear the truth of God’s Word with simplicity & accuracy, Romans 12:7; 1 Corinthians 12:28; Ephesians 4:11
  1. Miraculous Gifts; also called sign gifts are given to authenticate the message of Christ
  • Tongues. Ability to (a) speak to God in a language never learned, and/or (b) to receive and communicate an immediate message of God to His people through a divinely anointed utterance in a language never learned. (1 Cor 12:10,28; 14:13-19; Acts 2:1-13; 19:1-7; 10:44-46)
  • Interpretation. Ability to make known in the vernacular the message of one who speaks in tongues. (1 Cor 12:20,30; 14:13, 26-28)
  • Miracles: 1 Corinthians 12:10, 28
  • Healing: 1 Corinthians 12:9, 28
  1. Support, team, or helping Gifts; They are activity-, ministry- or task-oriented gifts. They are functional.
  • Faith: Ability to discern with extraordinary confidence the will and purposes of God for the future of His work. (1 Cor 12:9; Acts 27:21-25; Acts 11:22-24; Rom 4:18-21; Heb 11)
  • Discernment and discerning of spirits: Ability to know with assurance whether certain behavior or message or feeling purported to be of God is in reality divine, human, or satanic. 1 Corinthians 12:10, Acts 16:16-18; 1 Jn 4:1-6
  • Wisdom. Ability to know the mind of the Holy Spirit in such a way as to receive insight into how given knowledge may best be applied to specific needs arising in the body of Christ. (1 Cor 12:8; Acts 6:3, 10; 2 Pet 3:15; 1 Cor 2:1-13; Jas 1:5,6)
  • Knowledge and Word of Knowledge. Ability to discover, accumulate, analyze and clarify information and ideas which are pertinent to the growth and well-being of the body. The Word of Knowledge is the revelation of a fact in existence which cannot be seen, heard or revealed naturally. It is in existence, it is a fact, it is knowledge
  • Intercession. Ability to pray for extended periods of time on a regular basis and see frequent and specific answers to prayers to a degree much greater than that which is expected of the average Christian. (Jas 5:14-16; 1 Tim 2:2,2; Col 1:9-12)
  • Martyrdom. Ability to undergo suffering for the faith even to the point of death, while consistently displaying a joyous and victorious attitude which brings glory to God. (1 Cor 13:3; Acts 7:54-60; 12:1-5; 8:1-4)
  • Service. Ability to identify the unmet needs involved in a task related to God’s work, and to make use of available resources to meet
  • Helps. Ability to invest the talents you have in the life and ministry of other members of the body, thus enabling them to increase the effectiveness of their own spiritual gifts. (1 Cor 12:28; Rom 16:1,2; Acts 9:36)
  • Exhortation: motivating others to action, application and purpose, Romans 12:8
  • Mercy-showing: Ability to feel genuine empathy and compassion for individuals, both Christian and non-Christian, who suffer distressing physical, mental or emotional problems, and to translate that compassion into cheerfully done deeds which reflect Christ’s love and alleviate the suffering. (Rom 12:8; Acts 16:33,34; Lk 10:33-35; Acts 8:4; Rom 10:15)
  • Giving: releasing material resources to further the work of the Church, Romans 12:8
  • Administration: organizing, administering, promoting, leading, Romans 12:8; 1 Corinthians 12:28
  • Singleness: someone who, like Paul himself, is without the attachment of family or spouse can go places and do things in ministry that others with the attachments should not likely do…  1 Corinthians 7:7

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