The Gifts of the Holy Spirit

Part 12

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

Welcome!

√ Let’s begin with I Cor. 12

I Cor. 12:7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:

I Cor. 12:8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit,

I Cor. 12:9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit,

I Cor. 12:10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.

I Cor. 12:11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

Intro

√ Gift of Miracles

√ Gifts of Discerning of Spirits

The Gift of Miracles

√ Our text tells us that the spiritual gifts include the gift of miracles.

I Cor. 12:10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.

And…

I Cor. 12:28 And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues.

√ Definition of the gift

The gift of miracles is a supernatural, God-given ability to perform special signs that testify of God for the confirmation of the Gospel message.

Note:

The gift of miracles consists of more than just healings.

Ex. Paul dealing with a sorcerer who was attempting to hinder the Gospel.

Acts 13:6 Now when they had gone through the island to Paphos, they found a certain sorcerer, a false prophet, a Jew whose name was Bar-Jesus,

Acts 13:7 who was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man. This man called for Barnabas and Saul and sought to hear the word of God.

Acts 13:8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for so his name is translated) withstood them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith.

Acts 13:9 Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him

Acts 13:10 and said, "O full of all deceit and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord?

Acts 13:11 "And now, indeed, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a time." And immediately a dark mist fell on him, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand.

Acts 13:12 Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had been done, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord.

√ The purpose & use of the gift

Perfect example of the purpose of the gift, and how it is used.

1) Demonstrated the power of God

Paul preached forgiveness of sins, salvation and eternal life in the Name of Jesus Christ.

Elymas, an ambassador of Satan, wanted to keep Sergius Paulus from the Truth.

It’s kind of an “OK Corral” situation – or a Elijah vs. the prophets of Baal scene.

The question – who’s telling the Truth about God?

This miracle demonstrated that God was with Paul and working through him as he proclaimed salvation through Jesus Christ.

√ Other examples in the New Testament

In Ephesus…

Acts 19:11 Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul,

Acts 19:12 so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them.

Once again God used the gift of miracles to show that He was greater than all of the false gods and occult powers that the Ephesians worshiped and honored.

The result of these miracles was that the Name of Jesus became highly esteemed by the Ephesians so that…

Many repented

The Gospel was received

A church founded

Peter in Joppa

Acts 9:40 But Peter put them all out, and knelt down and prayed. And turning to the body he said, "Tabitha, arise." And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up.

Acts 9:41 Then he gave her his hand and lifted her up; and when he had called the saints and widows, he presented her alive.

Acts 9:42 And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed on the Lord.

Once again we see the result of this great miracle…

Many believed in Jesus!

√ Why miracles so scarce today?

Actually, I believe that God is working miracles today – but often we either miss them or give credit to someone, or something else.

Ex. Baby Wade – spinal cord outside of his body – prayed – next sonogram showed it was fine. Doctors said they made a mistake.

Also, we need to recognize that even in the apostles day miracles were not the norm.

Acts 19:11 Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul,

So, we need to recognize that we won’t see or hear of miracles on a daily basis.

Another reason may be that the spiritual condition of the Church is such that we aren’t ready for God’s power to be used through us!?

Ex. John Wesley

“The cause of their decline (spiritual gifts) was not as has been vulgarly supposed because there was no need for them, because the world were become Christians…the real cause was: the love of many, almost all Christians so called was waxed cold…this was the real cause why the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit were no longer to be found in the Christian Church; because the Christians were turned heathen again and had only a dead form left.”

Ap. Think for a moment what type of person could the Lord entrust with such power?

A life motivated by pure agape love! Lest that person use the power of God for their own ends and make a name not for Christ but for themselves!

√ Pray for God to raise us people with this gift and use it for His glory that many might be saved.

Gift of Discerning of Spirits

I Cor. 12:10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.

√ Definition of the gift

The God-given ability to determine between genuine revelation from God and that which is false.

Ex. When someone says…

“Thus says the Lord…”

…we need to know whether or not the Lord really said it!

The person with the gift of Discerning of Spirits is able to discern whether a message is from…

God

Satan (demons)

Their own imagination

Obviously a very important gift!

Many claim to speak for God today…

The Watch Tower

David Koresh

The lord Matraya

Dali Lama

Elizabeth Claire Prophet

…it is vital to a person’s eternity to know who is really speaking for God!

√ The purpose of the gift

To protect God’s people – His Church – from false doctrine which will hinder the work of God and destroy the faith of Christians.

The Bible is filled with warnings against Satan’s attacks in which he uses deceit to destroy or distract Christians.

Ex. Satan

2Cor. 11:13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ.

2Cor. 11:14 And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.

Demon inspired people

I Tim. 4:1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,

I Tim. 4:2 speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron,

I Tim. 4:3 forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.

Note; that a rise in false doctrines opposed to the Christian faith is a characteristic of the “latter times”.

We’re there!

√ Using the gift

Ex. We find Paul exercising the gift in the city of Philippi.

Acts 16:16 Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling.

Acts 16:17 This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, "These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation."

Acts 16:18 And this she did for many days. But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, "I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." And he came out that very hour.

Interesting because the girl spoke the Truth, yet, she did so by a demon spirit.

Paul discerned that she was not speaking for God, therefore, cast the demon out.

No alliance with Satan or his workers – even if they speak the truth!

Ap. Whether or not we have the gift of Discerning of Spirits, we can still protect ourselves from being deceived!

How?

Test every word by the Bible!

Ex. Who’s telling the Truth about Jesus?

1Jo.4:1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

1Jo.4:2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God,

1Jo.4:3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.

Anyone who says that Jesus is not God – “Jesus Christ has come in the flesh” – we can discern is not speaking for God.

John also says…

1Jo. 2:22 Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.

1Jo .2:23 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

The point is that God has given us the first line of protection through the knowledge of His Word.

Which means…

You have to read the Bible!

Inspect the fruit of their lives

Mat. 7:15 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.

Mat. 7:16 "You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?

Mat. 7:17 "Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.

The point is that we must judge not only by what we hear, but also, by what we see.

Ex. Someone who truly speaks for God will have a life that is marked by Godly character.

If the fruit is bad – reject the message!

√ The Lord has given all of us the basic equipment needed to protect ourselves from the lies of Satan through His Word and by the testing of fruit.

The gift of Discernment of Spirits is most valuable when the enemy comes in the form of a believer and his message is not so easily discerned through the testing of scripture.

Close

√ Tackle tongues and helps next week!