20/05/2020
Gifts of inspiration
Good evening family
A gift is something that is given as a present. So when we talk of the gifts of the Spirit, we are referring to some unique abilities that the Holy Spirit has given us, which equips us to hear more explicitly from God. In the twelfth chapter of the Epistle of Paul to the Romans and to the Corinthians, the Bible enumerates certain gifts that the spirit has given to the apostles, prophets, teachers, and other categories of Christian workers. [Rom.12:6-8; 1Cor.12:4-11, 28].
These gifts of the Spirit are potent channels through which God speaks to us. For instance, the Bible is replete with instances of God frequently warning His people ahead of major events or calamities, through His servants, who had the gift of prophecy.
In this chapter, we shall look at eight such gifts of the Spirit, through which God speaks to man [or through which we can hear from God]. They are: faith, prophecy, word of wisdom, Word of Knowledge, Tonguing, Tongue Interpretation, Area of Grace, and Area of Weakness.
4.1 Gift of Faith
God speaks to us through the gift of faith. This is the supernatural ability to believe God without hesitation [1Cor.12:9]. This type of faith goes beyond natural faith or saving faith. It is a special kind of faith that can move mountains [Mt.17:19-20; 21:21; 1Cor.13:2b]. It trusts supernaturally, and does not even doubt any specific matters involved.
The gift of faith is actually a special gift of the Holy Spirit. It enables the gifted person to walk by faith and not by sight – to believe in God’s word above the evidence of the senses, knowing that natural circumstances can be shaped or modified by the word of God.[2Cor.5:7].
People operating in this gift usually live according to the truth of God’s word and the testimony of His Spirit. They do not accept any distortion of the word of God, and regard as evil anyone perverting the truth of the Gospel. They are therefore able to fight unbelief, and face unfavorable situations with complete trust in God’s message and words.
The message of God is deemed to be transmitted when the gifted person activates the gift in combination with the word of God, so that the word becomes operative and effectual [comp. 1Ki.13:1-3, 5]. In the Acts of Apostles, the gift was activated when the congregation of disciples counted on the written word in their fervent prayer of agreement. Instantly, the building where they were meeting shook and the disciples were further emboldened to preach the Gospel [Ac.4:23-31].
4.2 Prophecy
God also speaks to His children through the gift of prophecy. A prophecy is a prediction by divine inspiration, of something that would happen in the future. It is a revelation of the mind of God concerning the future state.
Although all prophets prophesy, not everyone who prophesies is a prophet. A believer should have crossed the 21-day marathon fasting to be able to operate in the ministry of a prophet. Even so, God sometimes sends His prophetic messages through ordinary men who never trained as prophets. For instance, Amos, one of the Minor Prophets, was a layman to the core, yet God called him into the prophetic ministry and gave him visions to Israel [Am.7:14-15].
Of course, there are many ways through which God reveals His message to His prophets. For instance, Ezekiel received his prophecies through visions [Eze.8], but Elisha could in the spirit watch events as they unfold faraway [2Ki.5: n26]. Sometimes, he simply knew or heard what was being done or said far off [2Ki.6:8-9, 12]. Daniel received his own prophecies through dreams [Dan.7]; and there are several references to the work of the Holy Spirit in inspiring prophets [1Chr.12:18; Mic.3:8; Eph.4:11]. In any case, no prophetic person knows a thing beyond what God has revealed to him!
4.3 Word of Wisdom
One peculiar way that God speaks to His children is through the word of wisdom [1Cor.12:8]. A word of wisdow is a message given through the Holy Spirit, supernaturally disclosing the mind, the purpose, and the way of God on a specific situation. It is a counsel deep in understanding and judgment, or guidance acute in prudence and foresight.
In the Scriptures, Deborah gave Barak a word of wisdom when he declined to go to war expect she accompanied him. Said Deborah: “very well, I will go with you. But since you have made this choice, you will receive no honor. For the Lord’s victory over Sisera will be at the of a woman.” [Judge.4:9 NLT]. And so it was that Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, received greater military glory than Barak, when she hacked Sisera to death [Judg.4:17-22].
Another Biblical example is that of Caiaphas, the high priest, who pronounced a word of wisdom on how Jesus should die. He said Jesus should be made to die for the people – precisely the way God wanted it [Jn.11:49-52]. Gamaliel too released a word of wisdom before the Jewish Council, guiding his colleagues on how to handle preachers of new ideas –a wise counsel that changed the anti-Christ tendencies of the Sanherdrin,and saved the lives of the apostles [Ac.5:33-40].
By and large, God allows the word of wisdom to be given through the agency of a counselor, mentor, or someone who has been meditating over an issue. But there have been instance where words of wisdom have been furnished by agencies other than sages and advisors. [See chapter 7].
4.4 Word of Knowledge
Another peculiar way that God speaks to His children is through the word of knowledge [1Cor.12:8]. A word of knowledge is a supernatural revelation of facts or disclosure of confidential information on a particular person, matter, or event, for the purpose of enlightenment. Also by word of knowledge, the divine will or plan is released without the assistance of any human investigation or resource.
When a word of knowledge is released, and the facts are found to be accurate and genuine, it stirs up conviction and conversion among unbelievers. They accept God automatically because they realize that such confidential information could not have been revealed without the intervention of a superior power. The word of knowledge also imparts greater faith to believers. As the facts stare them in the face, their level of faith is bolstered and their commitment receives a boost.
Let us look at some Biblical examples. In the book of John, Jesus released a word of knowledge to the Samaritan woman besides Jacob’s well: you have well said, ‘I have no husband,’ for you have five husbands, and the one whom you have is not your husband;in that you spoke truly. And the woman rushed back to her people, saying,’ Come; see a man who told me all things that Iever did. Could this be the Christ?’ [Jn4:17, 18, 19]
In Acts 9, the Lord revealed to Ananias by the word of knowledge that Paul of Tarsus had arrived Damascus blind and penitent, and was lodging at the house of one Judas on straight street. He was to go there and lay his hands on him so that he could regain his sight! [Ac.9:11-12].
In Acts 10,Peter received a word of knowledge from the Holy Spirit,saying, Behold,three men are seeking you.Arise therefore, go down and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them. And Peter went down,found the visitors,and followed them to Caesarea without complaining [Ac.10:19-20,23].
For many years till date, receiving and releasing the word of knowledge have characterized my ministrations. Time and again, I have made some strange altar calls by the word of knowledge,which have uplifted the temper of the audience and elevated the solemnity of the service altogether.
4.5 Tonguing
Oftentimes, God uses the channels of tonguing [or speaking in mystery language] to communicate directly to His children or to receive word from them,without allowing the Devil to understand the particulars of the message or discussion [Isa.28:11;Ac.2:4;1Cor.12:10].
Thus, tonguing is the gift of speaking supernaturally in a language unknown to the speaker. Through this gift, a believer can receive message from God or communicate with Him spiritually –in prayer, praise and private worship-without allowing the Devil to understand the details of the message.
By and large, tonguing is a classified language of communication unknown to man and devils [1Cor.14:2]. The language uttered by the speaker is usually unpredictable. At times,the utterance may be in an existing language;it may be in the language of some ancient culture;and it may even be in the tongue of angels [1Cor.13:1].
Tonguing is one of the special gifts that the Holy Spirit imparts to believers [Mk.16:17; Ac.10:44-45; 19:6]. It is given to them as a means of intimate and intercessory communication with their heavenly Father [1cor.14:2-4; Jude 20]. Tonguing is also a sign gift indicating the fullness of the Holy Spirit in the believer [Mk16:17; 1cor.14:22; 15:7-9].
Sometimes the Holy Spirit imparts the gift of tonguing for public exhortation in the gathering of saints, where no unbelievers are present. It is also imparted for the guidance and spiritual edification of the church. In such cases, tonguing is usually accompanied by the gift of interpretation of tongues so that all present might benefit from the message [1Cor.14:5].
4.6 Interpretation of Tongues
If tonguing is speaking in a classified language unknown even to the speaker,then how does one receive message from God through this medium? Answer: God’s message through tonguing become intelligible through interpretation of tongues [1Cor.12:10]. Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret [1Cor.14:13].
Ironically, interpretation of tongue is not the same as translating a foreign language. In language translation, the interpreter translates word for word. But in interpretation of tongues, even the interpreter may never understand the tongue, let alone translate it! What he does is deeper: he interprets the meaning by declaring the mind of the Spirit!
The gift of interpretation of tongues is therefore the supernatural ability of declaring the meaning of tongues as revealed by the mind of the Spirit. In other words, it is the spiritual power of rendering the tongued message of the spirit meaningful to others in a public gathering. Rather than translating the mysterious tongue, what the interpreter does is to work out the puzzle,like a mother making sensible meaning of the gabbles of her toddler.
Like tonguing, interpretation of tongues is a sign-gift, which serves as a proof of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the interpreter.
4.7 Areas of Grace
The purpose of God for a person’s life is commonly revealed through his grace or areas of best performance. Thus God’s conventional way of telling people what their areas of grace.
Areas of grace consist of special abilities, skills, virtues and talents proceeding from divine influence. A person’s area of grace [like Joseph’s gift of interpretation of dreams, or Heman’s gift of music] will usually make a way for him, enabling him to stand before kings [Gen.41:1-46; 1Chro.25:1,6].
Experience has shown that a person’s areas of grace can be recognized early in life as he manifests unusual abilities in specific areas of endeavor. This is the approach that guidance counselors use in guiding youngsters to select their future careers. They observe the divine gifts [or areas of best performance] of the youngsters, and match the gifts to cognate professions. Great athletes, engineers, lawyers, physicians, singers, etc., have been discovered in this way.
In the Bible, there are many examples of people who became great because of their areas of grace. Among them Bezalel son of Uri, for his of craftsmanship [Ex.31:1]; Samson,for his graet physical strength [Judg.15: 15; 16: 29-30]; Jashobeam the Hacmonite,for his military prowess [2Sam.23:8];and Daniel, for his matchless gift of interpretation of dreams [Dan.2:46-48; 5:5, 25-29], just to mention a few.
4.8 Areas of Weakness
If areas of grace reveal God’s promise to us in certain fields, areas of weakness is God’s way of warning us that there are risky or no-go areas to avoid. Thus God alerts people to be watchful and vigilant in their areas of weakness.
An area of weakness is one’s area of lowest competence or least performance. Sometimes, God makes us weak in certain areas in order to keep us from getting puffed up because of the unusual grace He gives us in other areas.
Paul, the most brilliant apostle, had a thorn in his flesh [his area of weakness] and often pleaded with God to take it away. But God told him, “my grace is sufficient for you:for my strength is made perfect in weaknes” [ 2Cor.12: 9]. Thus, Paul’s area of weakness made him depend completely on God. As Paul himself admitted, “…when I am waek,then I am strong,”[2Cor.12: 10b] for “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”[Phi.4:13].
Thus,God normally uses our areas of weakness to warn or humble us. For instance, one area that the Holy Spirit often warns deliverance ministers is in deliverance ministrations involving the opposite s*x. For hell attemts to feed our weaknesses by their agents,but heaven seeks to wither them by its helpers.so,beware of your vulnerable areas.
