Words to live by for Wednesday 17th March 2010 as we categorise our gifts

There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but they all come from the same Spirit. There are different ways to serve the same Lord, and we can each do different things. Yet the same God works in all of us and helps us in everything we do (1Corinthians 12:4-6 CEV).

The gifts listed in this passage roughly falls into three categories. There are the cerebral gifts which are predicated on knowledge and wisdom. They are ‘words of wisdom’ which are supernaturally revealed to an individual from God which may or may not be revealed. As the definition of wisdom is the sensible use of knowledge then an individual given a word of wisdom must determine when to release it.  Knowledge is facts that are revealed to an individual and again may or may not be shared. And finally in this category we have discernment of spirits. This is a supernatural ability to know what is of God and what is from the devil.  These supernatural cerebral gifts of knowledge are given to an individual to build up and edify those who put their trust in Jesus.

The next category is the gifts of utterances or the intuitive gifts. These are spoken at a particular time. The speaker may not remember them but the recipient will mark this moment as a turning point in their lives. They include prophecy, which is the ability to receive messages from God to edify, comfort and direct the body of Christ. And speaking in other tongues, which is a sign that you have been baptised by Jesus with or in the Holy Spirit. The technical term for this is Glossolalia. And finally there is the interpreting of tongues which is the supernatural ability to interpret a tongue and edify the body of Christ about what God is saying through the utterances.

The final category is the power or demonstrable gifts which include:- Healing, which is the ability to bring supernatural release of pain and suffering to an individual. This can be the physical healing of the body or the metaphysical healing of the soul [mind, will and emotion] of the individual.  The second is the working of miracles, these are supernatural acts performed by the Holy Spirit of God; such as the raising of the dead, opening of blinded eyes and so on. And finally there is the gift of faith; this is the belief in God for the impossible, irrespective of the prevailing conditions.

The gifts from God are not restricted to these nine listed here. Others listed in Romans 12 include acts of Mercy, Giving, Teaching and so on.

So today understand that all of us have gifts which can be placed in a particular category, but even if you don’t understand the gifting inside you yet, ask Jesus to reveal it to you.

Read 1Corinthians 12