Lesson 7
God equips every believer with spiritual gifts to build up the Body of Christ. This lesson explores the difference between the Holy Spirit’s promise and His gifts, helping you discover and use your unique abilities for God’s glory. Learn how to operate in these gifts effectively, strengthen your faith, and serve others with power and purpose.
Gifts of the Holy Spirit
There is a difference between, THE PROMISE OF THE FATHER in Acts 1:4-8 and 2:38-39 and THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT, in I Corinthians chapter 12. Every Born-Again Christian is instructed, by Jesus Himself, to pursue and receive the Promise.
​
The PROMISE PACKAGE, includes the heavenly language of tongues to develop your
(our) personal relationship with your (our) Heavenly Father and to give us (you) the strength we need to live an overcoming Christian life.
The GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT in I Corinthians 12:8-11 are to DEVELOP the BODY of CHRIST into a BALANCED BODY MINISTRY and a TEAM to spread the gospel.
THE CLASSIFICATION OF GIFTS
The Gifts Of Revelation Or Instruction
Word of Wisdom The For divine guidance I Corinthians 12:8
The Word of Knowledge For revealing hidden facts I Corinthians 12:8
Discerning of Spirits For exposing an evil spirit I Corinthians 12:10
The Gifts Of Power Or Gifts Of Importation
The Gift of Faith Faith beyond human ability I Corinthians 12:9
The Gift of Healing Physical needs, etc. I Corinthians 12:9
The Gift of Miracles Acts beyond the law of nature I Corinthians 12:10
The Gifts Of Inspiration Or Gifts Of Utterance
The Gift of Prophecy For edifying the Church I Corinthians 12:10
The Gift of Tongues A message to the church I Corinthians 12:10
The Gift of Interpretation of Tongues I Corinthians 12:10
THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT in I CORINTHIANS 12:1-11.
​
To each believer there is given a spiritual ennoblement and capacity for specific service. No believer is destitute of such a gift according to verses 7 and 11, but in their distribution the Holy Spirit acts in free sovereignty.
1. THE WORD OF WISDOM
This gift comes by revelation and is used in preaching and teaching the gospel of Christ, as well as being manifested in counseling and administration.
Problems will occur, delicate situations will arise, and God’s revealed wisdom is needed.
When a word of wisdom is spoken, a person is deeply conscious that the supremely right thing has been said and the true course of action indicated (I Corinthians 2:1-4, 7, 9-11).
2. THE WORD OF KNOWLEDGE
God has all knowledge; therefore, a revelation springing from that all-embracing knowledge can justly be described as a word of knowledge.
It is reasonable to believe that the Holy Spirit can impart a manifestation of any part of divine knowledge at any time, as He wills. The Lord reveals matters to His servants and in this way induces them with a supernatural knowledge of facts that prove most helpful.
Scriptural examples:
​
John 4:16-19 Jesus and the Samaritan woman.
Acts 11:28 Agabus foretells world famine.
Acts 21:11 Agabus warns Paul.
3. DISCERNING OF SPIRITS
​
This is a gift of spiritual insight into the spirit realm given by the Holy Spirit to the believer.
This gift reveals the true source of any supernatural manifestation.
This gift has to do with discerning of "spirits," not of men in their natural course of action (I Corinthians 2:14).
God did not leave His children defenseless. He gave us the gift of discerning of spirits (I John 4:1-3).
We are to judge the spirits that are in operation to be sure if they are of God. What they say will always line up with God’s Word if they are of Him.
Our warfare is against principalities, powers, and rulers of darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in the "spirit realm". Refer to Ephesians 6
4. THE GIFT OF FAITH
​
This faith is a particular manifestation of the Holy Spirit, which is granted only to certain individuals for a certain crisis or a certain opportunity.
This gift is DIFFERENT than faith one receives to be saved (saving faith, Ephesians 2:8). No man can come to Jesus except the Father draws him (John 6:44).
Scriptural examples:
I Kings 18:24-39 Elijah challenges the prophets of Baal.
Acts 3:1-6, 16 Peter at the Gate Beautiful.
5. THE GIFT OF HEALING
​
It is the energy of God at work in and through the believer that brings the healing.
No reference is made to magnetic, psychic, or mental powers being at work; the glory is given directly to God.
This gift appears to be a spiritual gift especially connected with the ministry of an evangelist and often gave the apostles an open door in their evangelistic work.
Its exercise attracts the attention of people to the gospel of Christ.
Some believers seem to have faith for the healing of certain illnesses. This may be why the word "gifts" (Diversities) is used (Mark 16:17-18).
6. WORKING OF MIRACLES
The thought here is the great power of God operating by the Spirit at a given time for a particular need.
Scriptural examples:
John 2:1-11 Jesus at the marriage in Cana turns water into wine.
Acts 8:5-8 Phillip at Samaria casts out unclean spirits and healed the sick.
Acts 9:40 Peter raises Tabitha from the dead.
7. THE GIFT OF PROPHECY
​
This is an inspired utterance speaking from an immediate revelation as it relates to future events or as it relates to the mind of the Spirit at a given moment.
In the New Testament it appears that the gift of prophecy operated in a man and enabled him to speak "to edification and exhortation and comfort" (I Thessalonians 2:11-13 and Acts 21:8-14).
It can sweep the church assembly up into heights of glory and enthusiasm; it can melt with tenderness and can make the church tremble with awe.
It truly ministers to the believer, and in the unbeliever it can produce deep conviction.
In its fullest purity, the gift demands a very high order of fellowship between the believer and his God.
8. THE GIFT OF TONGUES
The gift of tongues consists of a power of more or less ecstatic speech in languages with which the speaker is not naturally familiar.
It is a logical outcome from an intense fullness of emotion to the spirit "within." This deep spiritual emotion is manifested through prayer and the moving of the Holy Spirit.
(I Corinthians 14:2-4, 14:12-19 and Romans 8:26-39).
The revealed purpose of the gift of tongues is God’s resource to speak directly to the church, to warn, to uplift, to encourage, and for any other communication He would like to impart for the building up of the body.
NOTE: Building up your faith praying in the Holy Ghost, (tongues) is connected to THE PROMISE OF THE FATHER for your personal edification and fellowship with the Father (Jude 1:20 and I Corinthians 14:4). It is through this fellowship with the Father that He can give a message and interpretation in tongues and or a word of prophecy to the body.
9. THE GIFT OF INTERPRETATION OF TONGUES
All those who speak publicly in tongues are directed to pray for the gift of interpretati in I Corinthians 14:13.
These two gifts working together in the congregation build up and edify the church and are equal with the gift of prophecy.
NOTE: The interpretation of tongues is received through a close concentration to the leading of the HOLY SPIRIT, not by hearing the message given in tongues by another person.
The words are given by revelation and follow the rules of all inspired utterance, coming either by vision, by burden, or by suggestion, just as the Spirit may choose.
OTHER GIFTS OF MINISTRY
Apostles, prophets, teachers, miracles, gifts of healing, helps, governments, diversities of tongues, interpretation of tongues. I Corinthians 12:28-30
God sets these gifts in the church for the perfecting of the saints.
He gave some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and some teachers. Ephesians 4:11-13
In this scripture it is indicated that certain Spirit-induced men were "gifts" to the church.
THE CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH THE GIFTS ARE MOST LIKELY TO OPERATE
​
Where the GIVER of the gifts is not QUENCHED. I Thes. 5:19
Where the GIVER of the gifts is not GRIEVED. Ephesians 4:30
Where the GIVER of the gifts is not RESISTED. Hebrews 3:7-19
Where the CHURCH is always FILLED with the Spirit. Ephesians 5:18-19
Where the Holy Spirit is ALLOWED to LEAD. Acts 13:2
When the WORD OF FAITH is BEING PREACHED. Acts 14:9-10
Where there is a NEED. For example, an evil spirit is discerned by the gift of discerning of spirits and is cast out by the POWER AND AUTHORITY given us over evil spirits in the NAME OF JESUS, Acts 16:16-18. In Mark 6:7-13, the DISCIPLES WERE SENT TWO-BY-TWO. Review Lesson 12, for the Authority of the Believer.
A SPECIAL NOTE: Look at Romans 10:8-14 and compare it to what Jesus said in Mark 11:22-26 -- believe with the heart and confess with the mouth.
THE ATTITUDE A BELIEVER SHOULD HAVE TO RECEIVE GIFTS. Hebrews 4:12 and Psalm 119:1-16
​
Where there is a DESIRE for the gifts. I Corinthians 12:31
Where there is FAITH. Romans. 12:6-7
Where there is a HEART THAT SEEKS AFTER GOD. Acts 13:1-2
Where there is a WILLINGNESS to use the gift or ministry for the benefit of others. Romans 12:6-7
THE PURPOSE OF THE GIFTS
To Perfect The Saints Ephesians 4:11-13
To BUILD up the church. I Corinthians 14:12
To PROTECT the church from sin. Acts 5:8-9
To give WARNINGS to Christians. Acts 21:11
To give DIRECTION to believers. Acts 13:1-2
THE GIFTS ARE TO BE CONTROLLED
​
The gifts should never DISTRACT, but always ADD to a service. I Corinthians 14:40
God is a not a God of confusion, but of peace. I Corinthians 14:27
The gifts can be CONTROLLED. I Corinthians 14:32
ALL OF THE GIFTS SHOULD MAKE ONE CONSCIOUS OF THE PRESENCE OF GOD.
The Holy Spirit always moves according to God’s purpose in the meeting and never brings confusion
(I Corinthians 14:33).
Each believer should wait on the Lord and be fully edified before coming to church in order to be prepared for whatever the Holy Spirit wants them (you/us) to do in any service.
JESUS CHRIST IS THE SAME
YESTERDAY, TODAY, AND FOREVER,
Hebrews 13:8.
​
LET Jesus USE YOUR LIFE,
TO GLORIFY The Father,
John 15.
​
YIELD YOUR SPIRIT TO HIM NOW,
Romans 12:1-2.
THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
- REVIEW -
​
1. According to I Corinthians 12:11, who distributes the gifts of the Spirit?
2. Generally, how is the gift of the word of wisdom used?
a.
b.
c.
d.
3. Read and then explain in your own words what the gift of the word of knowledge is according to
John 4:16-19, Acts 11:28, and Acts 21:11.
4. Is the gift of faith the same as the faith that saved you? Give scripture.
5. What is the gift of healing, and who gets the glory?
6. What is the gift of the working of miracles? Give scriptures.
a.
b.
c.
7. Give the definition for the gift of discerning of spirits.
8. Briefly explain the gift of tongues and explain its purpose.
​
9. What does the gift of interpretation of tongues do for the church, and what is it equal to?
​
10. Name the gifts of ministry mentioned in I Corinthians 12:28-30 and Ephesians 4:11-13 and explain
the purpose of these gifts to the church.