The gifts of the Holy Spirit, also called spiritual gifts, are capacities with a high spiritual dimension with which the Eternal has invested us for His work.
1 Corinthians 12:7-11: Now to each the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. For to one is given by the Spirit a word of Wisdom; to another a word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another, faith, by the same Spirit; to another, the gift of healings, by the same Spirit; to another, the gift of working miracles; to another, prophecy; to another, the discernment of spirits; to another, the diversity of languages; to another, the interpretation of tongues. One and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing them to each one in particular as he wills.
There are 9 gifts, and “All this is the work of one and the same Spirit who distributes His activity to each in a particular way as He wills (1 Corinthians 12:11)”.
We, therefore, cannot claim that the Eternal, the God is, just has been more generous with others to our detriment.
“For God does not repent of His gifts and His calling (Romans 11:29). to help us experience the best of the gift we have received from Him, but some do not realize this or hold themselves back because they either do not show love or develop a superiority complex. What are these 9 gifts of the Holy Spirit?
The 9 gifts of the Holy Spirit
In order to possess what the Lord has invested in us, it is important to know and aspire to these gifts, which are classified according to the character of revelation, power, and inspiration.
1. The gifts of revelation.
They include;
I. Word of Wisdom.
Colossians 2:2-3: “…. and enriched with a full intelligence to know the mystery of God, to know Christ, mystery in which are hidden all the treasures of Wisdom and science.
The gift of Wisdom is a skill beyond human understanding because it is not based on the reasonings of this world.
The gift of Wisdom is a portion of divine Wisdom that expresses itself at the right time. He grants us discernment.
It is a supernatural discovery of God’s plan and mind imparted by the Holy Spirit. This gift is closely linked with divine revelation because it carries indisputable truth.
By the gift of Wisdom, the Lord revealed to King Solomon who was the true mother of the Infant.
II. Word of knowledge.
The Word of knowledge is a blessing that surpasses knowledge by learning. The gift of the Word of knowledge which is a manifestation of the gift of Wisdom which takes us from human intelligence to an enlightened spiritual dimension in which the Holy Spirit communicates to us the orders or plan of God: revelation.
One cannot be invested with the Word of knowledge if one does not experience divine Wisdom. Thus, it is written in Ephesians 1:17: “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in his knowledge.” It was remaining in divine Wisdom and invested with the Word of knowledge that Joseph, son of Jacob, was able to explain Pharaoh’s dreams in order to explain to men God’s design for Egypt: The 7 fat years and the famine years.
III. Discernment of spirits.
1 John 4:1-4 “Beloved, believe not every Spirit; but try the spirits, whether they are of God, for many false prophets have come into the world. Recognize by this the Spirit of God: every Spirit that confesses Jesus Christ come in the flesh is of God; and any spirit that does not confess Jesus is not of God, it is that of the antichrist, whose coming you have learned, and who is already in the world now. You, little children, you are of God, and you have conquered them, because he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world”.
Therefore, the discernment of spirits allows us to distinguish between the manifestation of the Holy Spirit and that of unclean spirits.
The discernment of spirits is a gift that reveals our blockages in our spiritual walk so that we stop being under the domination of the spirits that roam around us. Any manifested spirit other than the Holy Spirit bequeathed by Jesus.
CHECKOUT:
- 6 Ways to Recognize Spiritual Immaturity
- What does it mean to blaspheme the holy spirit
- How to pray in the holy spirit effectively
2. Gifts of power.
They include;
I. The gift of healings.
The gift of healing is not about the scientific advances of this world. It is not a question of finding the remedy for a disease but of using Christ and the Holy Scriptures as a remedy to materialize the healing. The purpose of the healing gifts is to deliver the sick and destroy the works of the devil in the human body.
God gives the gifts of healing for supernatural healing without any recourse to natural remedies. Healing is the consequence of the mutual faith of the one who proclaims the Word and the one who receives it.
For it is faith that saves. This is how the cripple of Lystra was cured. He had faith, and Paul boldly declared healing in his life. And he began to walk (Acts 14:8-10).
II. The gift of miracles.
The miracle comes to authenticate the power of God. The gift of miracles justifies our quality as sent by God.
And it cannot be exercised if we do not cultivate the fruit of love within us. The miracle is a prodigy that testifies to the goodness of God.
Only true disciples in the spiritual journey can be blessed by it, like the apostle Paul for example.
III. The gift of faith.
The gift of faith is the highest dimension of faith. It goes beyond trusting faith. Those who possess the gift of faith believe God to the point that He honors their Word as His, and fulfills it in a miraculous way.
One could say that general faith grasps the promises of God contained in Scripture, while the gift of faith manifests the Spirit in our hearts so as to materialize the impossible. Obviously, the gift of faith is not given to everyone, but only according to the will of the Spirit of God.
It is not a question of accomplishing a miracle but of receiving it passively. An example of the gift of faith is Daniel, who in the lion’s den achieved a spiritual dimension of faith that triggered God’s intervention and brought the lions under his authority.
3. The gifts of inspiration.
I. The gift of prophecy.
Corinthians 14:29-31: “As for the prophets, let two or three speak, and let the others judge; and if another who is seated has a revelation, let the first be silent. For you can all prophesy successively, that all may be instructed and all may be exhorted”.
Prophecy is revelation always in accordance with the Word of God. “He who prophesies, on the contrary, speaks to men, edifies them, exhorts them, consoles them.”
To have the gift of prophecy is to experience the supernatural unveiling of facts and events.
Everyone can have access to this gift, but not everyone gives themselves the means (sanctification, a meditation on the Bible, prayer, investment, consecration, etc.).
II. The diversity of languages.
Jude 1:20: “For you, beloved, building up yourselves in your most holy faith, and praying in the Holy Spirit.
The diversity of tongues can manifest differently, whether it is speaking in unknown tongues to communicate the gospel or speaking in tongues addressing God under the full and profound covering of the Holy Spirit.
The gift of tongues makes it possible to strengthen oneself and develop a close relationship with God.
The message in tongues emanating from the diversity of languages, is to be differentiated from the speaking in sign language initial of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and which must always be followed by an interpretation.
III. The interpretation of languages.
The interpretation of tongues refers to the explanation of the messages released in tongues.
1 Corinthians 14:27-28: “There are some who speak in tongues, let two or three at the most speak, each in turn, and someone interprets if there is no interpreter, We are silent in the Church, and we talk to ourselves and to God. “.
The gift of interpretation of tongues is complementary to that of the diversity of tongues insofar as some are invested in transcribing the words released when we manifest the Spirit.
The interpretation of tongues helps to edify the people, especially those who have not surrendered to divine control. The diversity of tongues and the interpretation of tongues together form the components of the gift of prophecy.
In short, remember that we have done nothing to deserve grace, but God has granted it to us because He loves us. This grace is not limited to the fact that we are saved and redeemed by Christ, and it accompanies us all throughout our spiritual life.
Spiritual gifts allow us to experience a closer connection with the Lord, who is waiting for us to become aware of our abilities.
But without love, sharing and edification, we can limit our potential because the gifts of the Spirit are only fruitful through the fruits of the Spirit.
The gift is not a question of merit because God loves us all and has placed in us a particular potential. It’s a question of availability.
In the Bible, going from the old covenant to the new covenant, the gifts have never ceased to be revealed among the elect of God.
However, the manifestation of the diversity of tongues and the interpretation of tongues is present only in the new testament fruit of the passage of Jesus and inheritance of the Holy Spirit who had been promised, to guide us.
