The Gifts of the Holy Spirit

Part 4

of our study of the Person & Work of the Holy Spirit

Welcome!

Would you open your Bibles to...

1Co 12:1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant:

Intro

√ It’s God desire, as expressed in our opening scripture that Christians be not ignorant regarding spiritual gifts.

Yet, unfortunately most Christians are!

Denying their existence

Making them the focus

The Biblical pattern for the gifts and their use is a wonderful balance between these two doctrinal extremes.

So, the purpose of this section of our study of the Person & Work of the Holy Spirit will seek to find that Biblical position concerning the gifts so that we will…

…not be ignorant!

What are the gifts?

√ Before we study the subject of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, we must have an understanding of what they are.

There is no Biblical definition…

“Spiritual gifts are…” = ???

Rather, the Bible gives us plenty of information about their nature and use in the Church.

The word translated “gift” is the Greek = charismata

Which literally means….

“gifts of grace”

…and refers to the gifts or special abilities God the Holy Spirit has given to believers for serving one another in the Body of Christ.

√ It might be helpful to define what spiritual gifts are not.

Spiritual gifts are not

They are not the Holy Spirit.

The gifts of the Holy Spirit, or spiritual gifts, are not the same as the Person of the Holy Spirit. There are many gifts, but only One Holy Spirit.

The gift of the Holy Spirit is given to each one of us when we get saved.

Acts 2:38 Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Note: not the same as the Baptism of the Holy Spirit – which we’ll get to later.

Not human talent

Spiritual gifts are abilities God the Holy Spirit gives the believer for the purpose of service. They are not human talents. Human talents are inadequate to do the work of God.

Ex. You can go to medical school and become a doctor – but the work you do with your leaned talent is not the same as God’s gifts of healing.

Luk 8:43 Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any,

Luk 8:44 came from behind and touched the border of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped.

Not the fruit of the Spirit

The gifts of the Holy Spirit are not the same as the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

Gal. 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

Gal. 5:23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

The gifts of the Spirit have to do with service, while the fruit of the Spirit has to do with the character of the believer.

Think of it this way:

Gifts are the means – fruit is the end product.

Gifts are what the believer possesses – the fruit of the Spirit is what the believer becomes.

Spiritual gifts will someday cease – spiritual fruits are forever!

Gifts are not offices

The gifts of the Holy Spirit are not the same as the various offices mentioned in the New Testament.

Ex. The leadership of the Church

Eph. 4:11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,

Eph. 4:12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,

Those who have been called to the offices mentioned in Ephesians should have the gift of teaching (as well as other gifts!)…

…but a person can have the gift of teaching without being called to the office of pastor, or teacher.

Ex. Saul – prophesying

I Sa. 10:10 When they came there to the hill, there was a group of prophets to meet him; then the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied among them.

I Sa. 10:11 And it happened, when all who knew him formerly saw that he indeed prophesied among the prophets, that the people said to one another, "What is this that has come upon the son of Kish? Is Saul also among the prophets?"

I Sa. 10:12 Then a man from there answered and said, "But who is their father?" Therefore it became a proverb: "Is Saul also among the prophets?"

I Sa. 10:13 And when he had finished prophesying, he went to the high place.

√ So, what are spiritual gifts

The Gifts of the Spirit are

√ Spiritual gifts are either supernatural abilities that God has given to a person, or God-given natural abilities that function through the direction of the Holy Spirit.

Supernatural gifts:

Miracles

Tongues

Healing

Prophecy

Natural abilities under the direction of the Holy Spirit:

Teaching

Administration

Helps

Hospitality

Which brings up a good observation, unbelievers can have these same natural abilities, what defines them as spiritual gifts is that in the Christian’s life they function under the direction and empowerment of the Holy Spirit.

√ Classification of the Spiritual Gifts

The Bible speaks about 20 or so different gifts which we’ll examine together in our study. These gifts break down roughly into 3 types of gifts:

Ministering gifts:

Apostle

Evangelist

Pastor

Teacher

Exhorter

Discernment of spirits

Word of wisdom

Word of knowledge

Serving gifts:

Giving

Ruling

Mercy

Faith

Sign gifts:

Prophecy

Healing

Miracles

Tongues

Interpreting tongues

Note: this is important – don’t fall into the trap of ranking the gifts by what you think is important.

The best gift is that gift which meets the immediate need!

Ex. If you show up at an accident and find a mother holding her dead child – the best gift is not prophecy! It’s miracles!

What’s the big deal?

√ Depending on your Christian experience you may be thinking one of two things regarding spiritual gifts…

Let’s go for it!

What’s the big deal?

So, what is the point of us spending so much time in our study of the gifts?

Because we have a Biblical mandate to seek and use the gifts of the Spirit.

1Co 14:1 Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.

Friends let’s face it – we’ve been given an overwhelming task to accomplish – the proclamation of the Gospel to the entire planet and the edification of the Church – the Body of Christ!

That task cannot be completed by mere human effort!

Ex. How do you reach 6 billion people with the Gospel?

Not even taking into account that those 6 billion people don’t even speak the same language!

Don’t have the same cultural and social mindset!

Are blinded by the Devil himself with false ideas about God!

Many live in places where it’s against the law of the land to proclaim the Gospel!

Friends, we need every weapon in heaven’s arsenal to effectively war against the kingdom of Darkness and rescue the people of this world from Satan’s lie.

To do that God has given us Spiritual gifts to use for the work of His Kingdom.

So, it’s our privileged and responsibility to do as Paul admonishes and seek spiritual gifts.

Conclusion

√ In closing let’s review what we’ve learned tonight.

1) Spiritual gifts are a supernatural ability given by God to the believer for the purpose of serving.

Or…

2) A spiritual gift may be a God-given talent that is directed by the Holy Spirit.

3) A spiritual gift is not the same as the gift of the Holy Spirit.

4) Spiritual gifts are not the same as the fruit of the Spirit.

5) The offices of the Holy Spirit are different from the gifts of the Holy Spirit. A person may possess a gift without holding the corresponding office.

6) The Bible lists about 20 different spiritual gifts but there may be many more that go unnoticed and unlisted.

7) Every believer has at least one spiritual gift!

1Pe. 4:10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

Homework

√ Read and study…

Romans 12:6-8

I Cor. 12:4-11

I Cor. 12:28

Eph. 4:11-12