Holy Spirit

Theme: Holy Spirit gifts

Key Scriptures 1 Cor 12 &13, Rom 12, Eph 4

Steph Hewitt 30 Oct

This was the last session on the Holy Spirit, the week before that Dale T spoke on the issue of tongues, There are 9 distinct gifts mentioned in the passage; Word of Wisdom, Word of knowledge, Special faith, healing, working of miracles, prophecy, discernment of spirits, tongues & interpretation of tongues (See also Romans 12 & Ephesians 4)

[ For an excellent analysis and detailed explanation of the Gifts see chapter 2 'Three Colours of Ministry' by Christian Schwarz, Church Smart Resources 2001, this also has an excellent gift analysis tool for you to assess and develop your gifts also see http://bible.org/article/gifts-spirit article for a detailed study ]

Steph pointed out that they are 'gifts' not 'rewards' and therefore are bestowed not earned. We must always seek the Giver before the gifts, God must be worshipped first and foremost before any blessing or gift. Another facet is how may times Paul mentions the diversity of gifts with diversity of recipients! No one individual, family, local church or denomination has all the gifts! God has seen to it that his gifts are distributed across the body of Christ, as He wills, for his purposes.

Love must be the ultimate motive and reason for the exercise of Spiritual gifts as summed up in 1 Cor 13

Gifts and there demonstration must be subject to scripture (esp the gift of prophecy) as the spirit of God will never contradict the word of God. i.e. if a 'prophets' revelation or prediction is in clear contradiction or God's word or claims a superiority over God's word, they are not ministering in subjection to the Holy Spirit. Believers would do well to judge prophecy both corporate & private in this way.

The Gifts of the Holy Spirit are to glorify God, not self and to serve others not self.

This concludes our series on the Holy Spirit.

Ps Rhett