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The Gifts of the Holy Spirit:
“Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed.” Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.” (1 Corinthians 12:1 & 7-11)
So, the very first thing to understand is that the Apostle Paul didn’t want Christians to be uniformed, (that is ignorant), about the gifts of the Holy Spirit. In other words, we are to understand the gifts and their uses.
There are nine specific “gifts of the Holy Spirit” just as there are nine specific “fruit of the Holy Spirit”.
The fruit of the Spirit is the character of Jesus; the gifts of the Spirit are the power of Jesus. Both go in balance.
We, as Christians are meant to grow more Christ-like in character, and we are meant to exhibit the power and authority of Jesus in ministry situations – for example: witnessing, healing, edifying and encouraging one another as the Body of Christ, etc.
Before we go any further it is vitally important to note that the “gifts of the Holy Spirit” are gifts!
We don’t earn them, they are not ours to keep, we don’t own them – therefore there is no room for pride.
They are “gifts”. They belong to God. The Holy Spirit manifests them as needed for each distinct ministry situation.
That great man of God, healing-evangelist preacher Smith Wigglesworth put it this way:
“As a calling, God has allowed every one of the nine gifts of the Spirit to be ministered through me. There is not a single gift that has not been ministered through me. What I mean is this. You won’t hear me say that I have these gifts. But, living in the Holy Spirit, I am in a place where God can manifest any gift at any moment that it is needed. You also may live in this glorious place. Then it is heaven to live, it is heaven to eat, it is heaven to sleep—it is heaven all the time. And when heaven comes, it will only be more fullness, for the kingdom of heaven is already within.” (p176 “Smith Wigglesworth On The Holy Spirit” by Smith Wigglesworth)
So understand that pride has no place in a Christian’s life or in Christian ministry. The Holy Spirit “gifts” are precisely that, “gifts”.
You don’t earn them with brownie points.
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