"For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom;
to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
to another faith by the same Spirit;
to another the gifts of healing by the same spirit;
to another the working of miracles;
to another prophecy;
to another discerning of spirits;
to another diverse kinds of tongues;
to another the interpretation of tongues." (1 Corinthians 12:8-10)
These manifestations of the Spirit (meaning "made readily clear or evident to the eye or understanding") are just that: something the Spirit does in a way that you, and everyone else around you, KNOWS it was a manifestation of GOD! It isn't, therefore, an enablement as much as it is an instantaneous evidence or display of the Holy Spirit given for that moment in time. Now, it might happen to you more than once, or even often, but it is the Holy Spirit working directly through us, rather than enabling us. It's sort of like the difference between playing in a baseball game, or being a bystander who happens to catch a ball that suddenly comes out of the field into the stands right where they are sitting. Sometimes we catch a ball that we didn't even know was heading our way, because the Holy Spirit didn't necessarily let us in on His plans until the last second. It's not about faith or lack of faith; it's just about His timing and His purposes towards each of us.
Word of Wisdom – Have you ever had someone come up to you with a need, perhaps distraught at something happening in their lives at that moment, and you suddenly have THE scripture or the biblical answer to the problem? It is so right on that the person you are talking to sees something immediately that they never saw before. They have had a word of wisdom change their life. And afterwards, you stand there wondering "Where did I pull that from?" You didn't. The Holy Spirit did and He did it through you. Many folks know scripture, but the gift of wisdom is applying that scripture in a specific way that changes someone's thinking instantly and therefore changes their life. In James 1:5 we are asked to pray for wisdom, but this gift is a special wisdom meant for a specific moment and a specific purpose. The wisdom Solomon had with the two women who were both claiming to be the mother of the same infant (1 Kings 3:16-28) is an example of the wisdom of God on display, even though Solomon's time was long before the promise of the Spirit was given to believers, still God blessed him "full-time" with the same wisdom that works in us through this gift. "And all Israel…saw that the wisdom of God was in him…" God displaying Himself to man His own glory.
Word of Knowledge – Peter was given a word of knowledge regarding Ananias and Sapphira when they lied about the sale price of their lands (Acts 5:1-11). A word of knowledge is when you suddenly know something that you would have no way to know other than God just revealed it to you through this gift. I have experienced this one time in my life when the Lord revealed instantaneously to me directly into my thought processes, not through any other person, knowledge about a tragic event in my family; and I thank Him that along with it came that supernatural peace I was going to need to help get me and my family through it. I've never experienced it before nor since; it was just what God wanted me to know at that moment, for His purposes towards us. Just as it says, the word of knowledge is when you suddenly "know" facts about a person or a situation that you have no way of knowing other than through God. There were a few times when Jesus or the disciples are said to have "perceived" something, which means "to know." Because of the situations in which this word is used, I suspect that is a Word of Knowledge in action. Jesus "perceived" the thoughts of the Scribes and Pharisees in Luke 5:22. When Paul "perceived" that he was speaking to a group that was part Pharisees and part Saducees, he was able to use that knowledge to his immediate advantage (Acts 23:6).
Faith – I feel a George Muller moment coming on. I have read his diaries. He struggled with faith just like you and I do. Yet, at really critical moments (critical to him and a thousand orphans – that's pretty critical!) he had faith that sustained them all; faith that God responded to, even though it was the eleventh hour. This gift of faith believes that something will be accomplished in spite of the circumstances. And the circumstance are monumentally enormous! But they don't waver for a moment! That's the gift of faith that comes suddenly and results in extraordinary events. The next day, however, with something small, faith might become an issue again. That's because in that instance, you have not been gifted with Faith. This gift is a special manifestation given for a special purpose that leaves you wondering where that particular strength of faith came from.... and then you realize…. it was just God being God!
Healing –After Pentecost, the disciples were given such gifts that people were healed even by Peter's shadow falling on them (Acts 5:15) or by touching Paul's handkerchief (Acts 19:11-12). That's different than this gift. Those healings were meant to be "signs and wonders" that authenticated and verified that Peter, Paul and the disciples were sent by God to an unbelieving world that had never heard the Good News before. But that doesn't mean God doesn't heal today. He still does. And in foreign countries that have been devoid of Christianity for centuries, missionaries report "signs and wonders" happening still at times. But you, yourself, might not necessarily have folks lining up for you to lay hands on them. This gift of healing is a special display of the Spirit that God chooses to do (through us) in response to what he is doing in other folks' lives. And that is what causes this to happen sometimes, but not all times. It's God's choice. He can manifest Himself through our weaknesses as well, so sometimes, no matter how great our faith, He chooses not to heal someone….just then. I have experienced this only one time to my knowledge; but believe me, when you experience this gift, you will have no doubt about what just happened. I had just left my daughter's house and was on my way out of town to where I live, and the Lord just told me as clear as day to turn around and go back 15 miles and lay hands on her and pray for her healing. I had left her in terrible pain from a neck issue of some sort. There were terrible spasms. I had gone to help her however I could, but I had not actually prayed for her. But I did as God instructed, turned back to her house, went in and told her what God had told me to do, and then I layed hands on her and prayed. And in an instant she KNEW she had been healed as the spasms were gone and she began jumping up and down with absolute glee, praising the Lord! And after my momentary shock, so was I! Neither of us had ever experienced such a display of the working of the Holy Spirit, at least not since that time of the Word of Knowledge I told you about earlier. Since then I've prayed for others for their healing; but I've not seen a manifestation like that since. God's timing and God's purposes.
Tomorrow we'll pick up with Miracles.
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