1 Corinthians 12:8 “for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit.”
In this section we want to discuss how to operate in spiritual gifts. And so in order for one to operate in the gifts of the Spirit, one must first know which gift he or she has received from the Holy Spirit. There are some who would teach that all believers can operate in all of the gifts of the Spirit, because the Holy Spirit dwells in each saint. And so while there is a certain degree of logic to that argument, there is no scriptural evidence to support that view. In fact all scriptural evidence points to the contrary, i.e. that spiritual gifts are given to the individual, and that the individual is then held to account to minister that gift to the body of Christ (1 Peter 4:10). In the above quoted passage of scripture the apostle Paul, in teaching on the subject of spiritual gifts, tells us that “to one is given”, thereby clearly indicating to us that the Holy Spirit does give the individual their gift. In another passage of scripture the apostle Paul again confirmed the same truth to us when he taught on the different gifts given to the saints, for he stated that each one has received a different gift, and in that passage he specifically mentioned the spiritual gift of prophecy as an example (Romans 12:6).
1 Timothy 4:14 “Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership.”
In the above quoted passage of scripture we once again see this truth confirmed to us, i.e. that specific spiritual gifts are given to each saint, for in this passage the apostle Paul clearly states that Timothy had received a gift of the Spirit through prophecy. As we have already mentioned, the prophetic word spoken over Timothy at the time obviously named the gift that was given to him, so that Timothy knew what gift he had received. In this passage Paul goes on to admonish Timothy not to neglect the gift that he had received. It is impossible to neglect a gift that one has not received, and so this is just further evidence to show that spiritual gifts are specifically given to each saint. So why is it important to know which gift we have received? It is important because one can only exercise faith to operate in a gift that they know they have, and one can only be a good steward of a gift that they know they have received.
Romans 12:3-6 “For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. … (6) Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith.”
In the above quoted passage of scripture the Holy Spirit through the apostle Paul teaches us that God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. In context Paul is teaching on the various gifts that the Lord gives to His saints, and the fact that each one of us receives the correct measure of faith in order to operate in that gift. The faith given, only pertains to our ministry gift however, and is not to be confused with our daily living faith. And so when an individual receives their gift, they will simultaneously receive the confidence they need to operate in that particular gift. One, who has received the gift of giving for example, is able to give freely with complete confidence and cheerfulness, whereas others who may attempt to give at that same level will always find themselves giving with a certain degree of reservation and not nearly in the same level of confidence (faith) as the one who has received that particular gift. The reason for that is simple, they have not received the gift of giving and therefore do not have the faith required to give freely at that same level. That does not mean that saints who do not have the gift of giving cannot give, for they certainly can. Nevertheless they cannot give at the same level as one who has the gift, simply because their faith will not allow them to do so. And so in the same manner, when the Holy Spirit gives us a spiritual gift He also gives us the faith that we need in order to operate in the gift that He has given to us.
1 Peter 4:10-11 “As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. (11) If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
The Holy Spirit through the apostle Peter confirms this same truth to us in the above quoted passage of scripture, for He says that we are to minister our gifts, not with our own ability but with the ability which God supplies. And so that ability would include the faith that we require to operate in our gifts. This is not daily living faith which is developed over time however, but rather this is faith freely given to the saint to operate in their gift at the level that God has called them to operate. It is for this reason why it is so important for saints to find out what their gift is, because they already have the faith to operate in that gift and it is therefore the most natural thing in the world for them to operate in their gift. Whereas others who would try operate in gifts they have not received will always fail, simply because they do not have the required faith for that gift. In other words they would try minister in their own ability and not in the ability which God supplies.
1 Corinthians 14:3 “But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men.”
Although the principle of gifting faith pertains to all the gifts, i.e. ministry, function and spiritual gifts, it is really the spiritual gifts that we want to concentrate on in this section. It is therefore in that light that I want you to notice in the passage of scripture quoted earlier, that the apostle Paul teaches us that the one who has received the spiritual gift of prophecy for example, should prophesy in proportion to the faith that they have received from the Lord. So what does Paul mean when he says that? As we mentioned earlier, there are different levels of anointing that goes with each one of the spiritual gifts, which would include the gift of prophecy. In other words, although two saints may both receive the same spiritual gift of prophecy, one saint may receive a greater degree of anointing to operate in that gift than the other saint. For example, the average saint who has received the gift of prophecy will prophesy in the local church in accordance with the above quoted passage of scripture, i.e. their prophecies will be simple words of edification, exhortation and comfort to the church. And so even though their prophecies will still be divine utterance given to them by the Holy Spirit, they will only have faith to speak the word of the Lord at that level.
Acts 11:27-28 “And in these days prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch. (28) Then one of them, named Agabus, stood up and showed by the Spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world, which also happened in the days of Claudius Caesar.”
When we compare the average saint who operates in the gift of prophecy and one who is called to stand in the ministry gift of prophet, it highlights the difference in anointing and therefore difference in the level of faith given. For example, when the prophet prophesies there will be times when they will prophesy with a stronger anointing. In the above quoted passage of scripture we see an example of a prophecy given by the prophet Agabus in that stronger anointing, for the Holy Spirit gave him a prophecy of a future event that would affect the whole world. Clearly the average saint who has received the gift of prophecy is unable to prophesy in this degree of anointing, simply because they have not received that same measure of faith for their gift. And so believers must learn to recognize the level of faith that they have received from the Lord, in order to operate in the gift that God has given them. In other words, as Paul said, the saints are not to think of themselves more highly than they ought to think, but rather they should think soberly, as God has dealt to each one their own measure of faith for their gift. When believers do that, they will find that they will operate almost effortlessly in the gifting that they have received from the Holy Spirit.
Michael E.B. Maher
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