Understanding the Gifts of the Holy Spirit
I. DEFINING THE GIFTS
A. The Holy Spirit wants the Church to understand the spiritual gifts.
1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant… (1 Cor. 12:1)
17 In the last days…I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see
visions, your old men shall dream dreams. 18 And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; and
they shall prophesy…20 before the coming of the great…day of the Lord. (Acts 2:17-21)
B. There are diversities of gifts, ministries and activities.
4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of
activities… (1 Cor. 12:4-6)
7 The manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to
another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit,
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. (1 Cor. 12:7-10)
C. The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every one. The Spirit will not use us in the same way. Stay open to being used in different
ways. The gifts are both residential and situational.
D. All these gifts are supernatural not natural. There are three recognized categories of the gifts.
Gifts of revelation reveal something: word of wisdom, word of knowledge, discerning of spirits.
Gifts of power do something: the gift of faith, working of miracles, and gifts of healings.
Gifts of inspiration say something: prophecy, tongues, and interpretation of tongues.
II. GIFTS OF REVELATION: GIFTS THAT REVEAL SOMETHING
A. Word of wisdom (Acts 9:10-16; 8:26-29; 11:28-30; 21:10-11): revelation of the future. It is not called to the gift of wisdom. God has
all wisdom and knowledge. He reveals a word or “fragment” of information related to people, places, or things. It can be manifested through
a vision, angel, dream, or gift of prophecy. The gifts often operate together.
B. Word of Knowledge (Jn. 4:18; Acts 5:1-10; 9:10-12; 10:9-20; Rev. 2-3): revelation of facts about the past or present. It is not called
the gift of knowledge.
C. Discerning of spirits (Acts 9:3-8; 16:16-18): insight into the spirit world. It is to discern or perceive a spirit or the spirit realm both
good and bad. It is not called the gift of discernment and it is more than psychological insight into people, especially to see their tendencies
and faults.
III. GIFTS OF POWER: GIFTS THAT DO SOMETHING
A. Gift of faith: It is a supernatural manifestation of the Spirit to passively receive a miracle. This gift allows us to receive protection as
Daniel received it in the lion’s den (Dan. 6:16-23). Daniel's faith was passive as he received this miracle. Paul was calm in storms because
he expected a miracle by the gift of faith (Acts 27). Elijah expected to be fed by ravens (1 Kg. 17:2-6).
B. Working of miracles: It is a manifestation of the Spirit to work an instantaneous miracle. A miracle is a supernatural intervention in
the ordinary course of nature. This gift works actively instead of being received passively like the gift of faith. Jesus turned the water into
wine (Jn. 2) and fed the 5,000 (Jn. 6:6-14). Paul struck a sorcerer blind (Acts 13:4-12). Moses was used to release the ten plagues (Ex. 7-
12). The gift of faith will carry a person through the danger without being hurt. The working of miracles changes the circumstances causing
the danger.
C. Gifts of healings: In the original Greek, both words "gifts" and "healings" are in the plural. It is the only gift of the Spirit in the plural.
Healing is a process, whereas miracles are instantaneous.
IV. GIFTS OF INSPIRATION: GIFTS THAT SAY SOMETHING
A. Gift of prophecy: inspiration to edify, exhort and comfort people (1 Cor. 14:3)
B. Different kinds of tongues: tongues of men and angels (1 Cor. 13:1). There is a difference between the gift of tongues for the body
and for private devotion (1 Cor. 12:30; 14:2-4).
2 For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks
mysteries…4 He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. (1 Cor. 14:2-4)
C. Interpretation of tongues: an interpretation of God’s burden, not only a translation of a language
V. PRACTICAL POINTS
A. We must have a right paradigm of the Spirit as being very patient. He is not fragile, but resilient. He is grieved by rebellion, not by
our inability to navigate or lead a meeting.
B. A principle of the kingdom: The demonstration of the Spirit follows a declaration of a believer. The Spirit moves as the Word is
spoken. We must give expression to impressions. I encourage people to dial down to be more sensitive to subtle impressions. Pay attention
to the impressions of the Holy Spirit. Words of knowledge can come as symptomatic pains, re-occurring mental pictures or the presence of
the Spirit touching a specific area of our body (heat or energy).
C. Salvation and healing are often a process that happens in stages. We must value instead of wrongly interpreting the small measure
of the Spirit’s work.