The Gifts of the Holy Spirit. * Introduction:
I am primarily going to refer to the gifts of the Spirit as spoken in 1 Corinthians 12-14. Would be cool to work through these three chapters verse for verse, but time will not allow this. Before I am even going to touch on the gifts of the Spirit, I do think its important that we look at the context of the book. Why did Paul find it necessary to discuss these gifts with this specific church. So important context pointers (which we read about in Acts and 1 and 2 Corinthians): * It was rebuild by Julius Caesar in 44 BC, after being a waste for about 100 years. * It had a lot of economic advantages, because of where the city was build. (BETWEEN TWO TRADING ROOTS; one land route and one sea route; NOT NECESSARY RICH GROUND; also had unlimited supply of water). Strategic place for a city – the wealth attracted people from all over. * Also known as a place where free slaves came to live, after they received their freedom, and many of them worked their way up into society. Roman soldiers also settled their – less Gentiles, Jews also immigrated to that place. * Temple of Aphrodite (goddess of love) was a famous temple in the city – had over 1000 cult temple prostitutes. * Greeks had a famous proverb in that time, namely, “to act like a corinthian” – referred to the moral decay in the city. * The situation in Corinth have been viewed as a hopeless situation – you do not want to go there as a minister of the word. * Purpose of writing: 1 Corinthians 5:9-13. It is clear that the way of Corinthians infiltrated the church and the way church was done in that time and in that city. He wrote this letter after hearing some disturbing reports: He heard of divisions occurring amongst the Corinthian saints, he was also informed of a gross sexual immoral act (man had his father’s wife) that happenened in the church – and the church did not do anything about it – they actually boasted about the tolerance that they showed in the situation (Chapter 5). He also heard about Christians taking their brother to court, having pagan people judging over their spiritual matters (chapter 6). Wrong conduct when it comes to the Lord’s Supper (chapter 11) and of doctrinal errors concerning the resurrection (chapter15). * Another reason for writing the letter was seen in a three-man delegation that arrived from Corinth bringing a letter which asked questions about marriage (7:1), virgins (7:25), food sacrificed to idols (8:1), spiritual gifts (12:1), the collection of the saints (16:1), and Apollos (16:12). * We can also see this in how the book was structured: chapters 1-4 – focused on giving an introduction, explain the situation, thanks giving, etc. Chapter 5-6 focused on the disorder in the church and then chapter 7-16 – certain issues in the church was addressed and also includes a conclusion.

I am speaking about spiritual gifts, but it is so important that we do understand the context in what Paul said these things. It is easily to get freaky about certain things, and we are not just called to be strong in the spiritual, but also be strong in word.
It is also IMPORTANT to mention that the fact that they asked questions about spiritual gifts, one gets the impression that it was a natural thing for the church to function in these different gifts. It was not seen as abnormal, it was not seen as weird, but rather as a necessary aspect of church.

* What are the gifts of the Holy Spirit?
Lets make a list – without reading from 1 Corinthians 12, can you tell me how many gifts of the Holy Spirit there is and then I want you to identify them. * Gift Categories
The gifts can be subcategorized into three. 1. Power a. Faith b. Miracles c. Gifts of Healing 2. Inspiration d. Tongues e. Interpretation of tongues f. Prophecy 3. Knowledge g. Word of Wisdom h. Word of Knowledge i. Discernment of spirits
Some important info on the gifts: * The Gifts never indicate maturity. One can operate in them, the day after one gets saved – I have seen this a lot especially with tongues and the gift of healing. One can be 20 years saved and also struggle to operate in them. You cannot look at someone and judge their maturity by how many people they have healed, etc. * These gifts can operate where there is a lack of intimacy with the Lord.
Mat 7:21 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
Mat 7:22 On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?'
A gift is a gift – it is given by a God that is generous, I have actually experienced people walking in their gifting – without experiencing intimacy with the father – or being in an awful place with Him. Gifts are not an assurance of salvation. I believe we have a choice in how we receive the gifts of the Spirit – it can be either be with an attitude of: I want to be powerful, I want to be strong – and sometimes the Lord still gives the gifts, or it can be with an attitude that speaks of intimacy – the meaning of a gift changes in an atmosphere of intimacy then an atmosphere without intimacy. * The gifts is not the end in its self. When you walk in these gifts you cannot think “that you have arrived”. It is about loving God, and loving people. The gifts are primarily hearing His voice and empowers and equips us to love people. So we can say that the gifts is an extension of His love. It helps us to love. (1 Corinthians 13 – if we do not have love we do not have anything.).

* Criteria in which the gifts must function: * The gifts of the Holy Spirit (their purpose) when used skilfully and accurately in its original function, will promote the love of God. Its about loving God with all that we are and then loving people – it’s the substance to the gifts – it gives meaning to it (NB 1 Corinthians 13). * It needs to promote unity in the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12). Different functions together forms one body. One part of the body cannot go on its own – that will cause dysfunctional conduct. * It also needs to lead to divine order and the peace of God (1 Corinthians 14:33). * It has been given for the common good (1 Corinthians 12:7).

* Gifts are given at the will of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:11) and differs from the life-purpose/calling of saints, which prepares them for a specific style, class or realm of ministry. * These gifts are general and usually available to believers who have been baptized in the Holy Spirit.

Definition of the gifts:
Tongues
Definition
Speaking of a language that is unknown by the natural mind. An unlearnt language that is spoken. New Testament believers gift.
Examples
1. Paul speaks in tongues (1 Corinthians 14:18) 2. Believers speak in tongues as they receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:46)

Tell my story of how I got tongues.

Interpretation of Tongues
Definition
Interpretation, not translation of tongues that was spoken.
Example
Everyone heard the meaning of the tongues being spoken (Acts 2:4).

Word of Wisdom
Definition
An instruction of wisdom concerning the future.
Examples
Peter told to go with his visitors and thus spreading the Gospel (Acts 10:20)

Word of Knowledge
Definition
Knowledge of a current situation or past events or situations. It can also be any knowledge that has not been gathered or deducted naturally, but received in the Spirit.
Example
Peter told that he has visitors (Acts 10:19)
Jesus and the woman at the well (husbands).

Faith
Definition
That supernatural faith that is granted in certain situations that is above the person’s grown faith.
Working of Miracles
Definition
Any event that cannot be naturally explained.
Gifts of Healing
Definition
This is a gift category as there are various gifts to be paired with the various sicknesses and diseases. These gifts manifest as supernatural healing without explanation.

Prophecy
Definition
Speaking of the heart and mind of God for a person or situation. This gift operates in conjunction with the faith of the minister (Romans 12:6).

Discernment of Spirits Definition
The supernatural knowledge to know what spirit is the motivator of a specific action, event or effect.
DISCUSSION:
* God wants us to desire the gifts of the Spirit – we sometimes think its humble to say that we focus on God and not on the gifts – it is true – but it is clear in 1 Corinthians 14:1 – that we must earnestly desire the gifts especially that we may prophecy.
Why? We cannot do this on our own – we need these gifts to reach the world. We need to realize it. * BUT ESPECIALLY THAT YOU MAY PROPHECY. * Why must we desire the gifts? It part in loving people – the church and the lost. 1 Corinthians 14:12.
Discuss 1 Corinthians 14:26-
Discuss the difference between prophecy and the prophet
Eph 4:11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers,
Eph 4:12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,