The Weapons of our Warfare

GIFTS

"Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you to be ignorant." I Cor. 12:1.

The spiritual gifts were an integral part of the supernatural operation of the New Testament Church, "God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will." Hebrews 2:4.

I. Basic principles necessary to the understanding of spiritual gifts.

A. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are for today. I Cor. 13:8.

B. The gifts of the Spirit are available to all. I Cor. 12:7.

C. The gifts of the Spirit are intended to develop and, in operation, to profit and improve. I Cor. 12:7.

D. The gifts of the Spirit are given without repentance. Rom. 11 :29.

E. They may be given plurally, in the will of God. I Cor. 12:31, 14:1.

F. The gifts of the Spirit are not to be demanded. I Cor. 12: 11.

G. The gifts of the Spirit are to be coveted earnestly. I Cor. 12:31.

H. Prophecy is the most desirable gift. I Cor. 14:1.

I. Not all speak with tongues. I Cor. 12:29,30 (The Greek negative m follows each question in the original.)

J. The gifts of the Spirit are a New Testament necessity. Heb. 2:4.

K. All four passages on the subject of spiritual gifts have a context relating to the body of Christ. Rom. 12:6-8; Eph. 4: 11, 12; I Cor. 12:7-11; I Cor. 12:28.

L. All four passages also have a context relating to love.

M. Love is not a gift; rather it is the lubricating oil of the Spirit by whcich the spiritual gifts operate. (Observe that it is not listed in any of the lists of spiritual gifts.)

II. The list of spiritual gifts we observe in the word of God.

A. The gift of ministering. Romans 12:6-8.
This gift is that of rendering practical service. It is the ability to lead peaple through to experience that which has been preached.

B. The gift of giving. Rom. 12:6-8.
Paul's desire to come and impart some spiritual gift to the Romans (1: 11) may indicate that he had this gift. While many will associate this gift with liberality with financial resources, it is larger. It must encompass other areas besides money and goods.

C. The gift of exhorting. Romans 12:8.
Peter may have been using this gift in Acts 2:40. Paul also was given t0 exhortation. Acts 20:2.

D. The gift of showing mercy. Romans 12:8.
The ANT says, "does acts of mercy with cheerfulness."

E. The gift of ruling or presiding. Romans 12:8.
Some persons lead a meeting very capably and acceptably with this ability.

F. The gift of evangelist. Eph. 4: 11.

1. Phillip was an evangelist. Acts 8, 21 :8.
2. Timothy was told to do the work of an evangelist. II Tim. 4:5. Note that verse 12, Eph. 4, says "For." In the ANT verse 12 comes this way; "His intention was the perfecting and full equipping of the saints, (His consecrated people) (that they should do) the work of ministering toward building up Christ's body (the church)."

G. The gift of pastor-teacher. Eph. 4: 11. (These two are linked in the Greek.) The duties of the pastor-teacher are explained in I Peter 5:2, 3.

H. The gift of apostle. Eph. 4: 11.

1. Apostle means special messenger.
2. Peter stands up with the eleven, suggesting the acceptance of Matthias. Acts 2:14.
3. T'he original twelve were a special group of apostles. They alone have their names on the twelve foundations of the heavenly City. Rev. 21:14.
4. Barnabas was an apostle. Acts 14: 14.
5. Andronicus and Junia were apostles. (Junia is a woman's name!) Romans 16:7.
6. Paul, Timothy, and Silvanus were apostles. I Thess. 2:6; cf. 1: 1.
7. "The Twelve" and "all the apostles," are distinguished. I Cor. 15:5-7.
8. "Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds." II Cor. 12:12.

I. The gift of teaching. I Cor. 12:28.
This gift is mentioned in three of the four lists and is second in importance only to prophecy.

J. The gift of helps. I Cor. 12:28.
This gift is self explanatory, but most necessary in the operation of the church. Today we have "too many chiefs and not enough Indians."

K. The gift of administration. I Cor. 12:28.

1. The presence of this gift in these lists implies that God intends that His work be efficiently organized.
2. Note that this gift is nearly at the bottom of the list and not nearly so important as apostles, prophecy, or teaching. We should not honor our administrators less, but we should count those who labor in the word as worthy of double honor.

L. The gift of the word of wisdom. I Cor. 12:8.

1. Note that it is a gift and not the product of human effort.
2. Note that it is a word and not a condition. The word of wisdom may occasionally be found in a very simple person.
3. Wisdom means the correct application of knowledge.
4. Stephen may have possessed this gift. Acts 6: 10.
5. Paul may also have possessed this gift. I Cor. 2:6.
6. T'his gift is certainly not worldly wisdom. I Cor. 1: 19, 20.

M. The gift of the word of knowledge.

1. Note that this gift is a gift and not the product of human effort. (We are not here speaking against study nor knowledge gained by effort. The Bible exhorts us to study and to be diligent.)
2. Note that this gift is a word only, and not a condition of total knowledge.
3. Note that it is the word of knowledge and not knowledge of the word.
4. Samuel exercises this gift with regard to Saul's asses. I Samuel 9:19, 20.
5. Elisha exercises this gift in revealing the location of the Syrian army. II Kings 6:9.
6. Peter exercises this gift in dealing with Ananias and Sapphira. Acts 5:1-6.
7. Paul exercises this gift in the case of the lame man at Lystra. Acts 14:9-11.

(Note: In John 4: 18, 19 and 29 Jesus manifests the same powers in dealing with the Samaritan woman. He was given the Spirit without measure. Lest some misunderstand us and say we reflect on His deity by the observation of spiritual gifts, we choose to use the lives of others as illustrations.)

N. The gift of faith. I Cor. 12:9.

1. This is not the faith that all men have to place in one thing or another. Romans 12:3.
2. This is not saving faith. It is a gift.
3. Faith speaks to the mountain. Matt. 17:20; Mark 11 :23.
4. Peter spoke to the mountain of lameness. Acts 3: 1-6.
5. Peter spoke to the mountain of palsy in Aeneas. Acts 9:32-34.
6. Peter spoke to the mountain of death in Dorcas. Acts 9:40.

O. The gifts of healings. I Cor. 12:9.

1. This is a doubly pluralized gift.
2. There are many classifications of sickness. Matt. 4:23, 24.
3. Not every gift of healing will be the same as every other gift.
4. In addition, many healings involve other gifts besides those of healing.

a. In Acts 3: 1-7 Peter not only manifests the gift of healing; faith and miracles are also manifested.
b. In Acts 8 Phillip not only manifests the gift of healing; faith and miracles are manifested as well.
c. In Acts 28:8 Paul manifests only a gift of healing.
d. No one should presume than only those with a gift of healing may pray for the sick. This is the privilege of every believer. Mark 16: 18.

P. The gift of miracles. I Cor. 12: 10.
"He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?" Gal. 3:5.

1. Miracles are recorded in the lives of many biblical characters. (Moses, Samson, Elijah, Elisha, the man of God in Judah, Isaiah, Peter, Paul).
2. Stephen manifested this gift. Acts 6:8.
3. Phillip manifested this gift. Acts 8:6.
4. Miracles are not only healings. Jesus turned the water into wine (John 2).

Q. The gift of prophecy. I Cor. 12: 10.

1. Prophecy means to tell forth, to forth tell, and even to foretell
2. The definition of prophecy," . . . he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort." I Cor. 14:3.
3. Prophecy is not intended to be added to the Bible. Rev. 22:18
4. Prophecy is not teaching, though it can be a source of learning. I Cor. 14:31.
Also I Cor. 12:28 distinguishes between prophecy and teaching.
5. There are three kinds of prophecy.

a. Preaching is intended to be prophecy as indicated by the very meaning of the word - to tell forth.
b. Prophecy may be an utterance, similar to tongues. II Tim. 1:6 ANT, "Do not neglect the gift which is in you, (that special inward endowment which was directly imparted to you), (by the Holy Spirit) by prophetic utterance when the elders laid their hands upon you (at your ordination)."
c. Prophecy may spillover into the future. Acts 21: 11.

6. Prophecy is equated with tongues and interpretation. I Cor. 14:5.
7. Prophecy edifies the church. I Cor. 14:4.
8. Prophecy is for them that believe. I Cor. 14:22.
9. Prophecy reveals the secrets of the heart. I Cor. 14:25.
10. Prophecy is for all to participate in if they wish. I Cor. 14:31 This is in contrast to tongues which allows only three.
11. Prophecy is subject to the prophets. I Cor. 14:32.
12. Despise not prophesyings. I Thess. 5:20.

R. The gift of discerning of spirits. I Cor. 12: 10.

1. There is no such gift as discernment; it is discernment of spirits.
2. Phillip had this gift. Acts 8:7.
3. Paul had this gift. Acts 16: 16-18.
(Note: It is not necessary to have this gift to have the ministry of exorcism. This ministry is the privilege of every believer. Mark 16: 17.)
4. This gift is helpful in the ministry of healing as some sicknesses are demonic in nature. Lk. 8:36.
5. There quite certainly are other spirits besides evil ones. Angelic spirits, Hebrews 1 :7; the human spirit, Hebrews 4: 12, and of course the Holy Spirit are examples.
6. In addition there are intricacies of satanic working that are generally little understood among Christian workers.

a. Oppression is exterior and may be physical or spiritual. Acts 10:38.
b. Obsession is in the mind and it begins when the oppressed person believes the devil's lie.
c. Possession is satanic control of the body.
d. Both obsession and possession are expressions of the Greek word that literally means "demonized." Both situations must be dealt with similarly.

S. The gift of tongues. I Cor. 12: 10.

1. There are three kinds of tongues that may be utterances.

a. There are divine tongues.
b. There are carnal, soul ish tongues.
c. There are demonic tongues.

2. There are three kinds of divine tongues.

a. There are tongues for those that believe not. I Cor. 14:22; Acts 2. No interpretation was needed at Pentecost.
b. There are tongues for personal and private use. I Cor. 14:2, 4.
c. There are tongues for the church assembly. I Cor. 14:13. These are to be by interpretation and three at the most are to participate. I Cor. 14:27.

T. The gift of interpretation of tongues. I Cor. 12: 10.

1. This gift comes into operation especially when tongues are in the assembly. I Cor. 14:27.
2. If no one is able to interpret, then there are to be no tongues in the assembly. I Cor. 14:28.
3. This gift is to be sought if one has the gift of tongues. I Cor. 14:13.

III. There are ways in which these gifts may be received.

A. They may be directly bestowed upon the believer when he is filled with the Holy Spirit. Acts 2: 1-4.

B. They may be imparted by prophecy. I Tim. 4: 14.

C. They may be imparted by the laying on of hands. I Tim. 4: 14.

D. They may come into the life through contact with and the sharing of another brother. I Peter 4: 10.

E. They may come in answer to prayer and faith. I Cor. 14: 13.

IV. The gifts of the Spirit are manifestations of the body of Christ. I Cor. 12:12-27; Eph. 4:16.

If the body of Christ were effective today, then the ministry of Christ would be effective today.

Gifts are no mark of spirituality. You can hang gifts on a dead tree, but only a live tree can bring forth fruit. These gifts are our spiritual weapons, our tools to do the work of Christ. They are very simply manifestations of Him.

Finally, love is more powerful, more effective, and more important than all of these gifts. If God had said that we must choose love or gifts, our choice would be love beyond question. However, God does not say that. Instead He says, "Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy." I Cor. 14: 1.

Next: Love