The Apostle Paul said: Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. 1 Corinthians 12:1

9 out of 10 Christians are ignorant about the Gifts of the Holy Spirit!

4 Questions: 1. Where in the Bible are the gifts listed? 2. How many gifts are there? 3. Can you name them all? 4. Can you give a definition and/or example of each gift?

Answers 1. Where in the Bible are the gifts listed? 1 Corinthians 12: 8-10

Answers 2. How many gifts are there? 9

Answers 3. Can you name them all? 8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; 9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; 10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:

Answers 4. Can you give a definition and/or example of each gift? YES

The Gifts of Revelation (The gifts of revelation are the three gifts that reveal something)  The word of knowledge  The word of wisdom  Discerning of spirits

The Gifts of Power (The gifts of power are the three gifts that do something)  The gift of faith  The gifts of healing  The working of miracles

The Gifts of Utterance (The gifts of utterance are the three gifts that say something)  Prophecy  Divers kinds of tongues  Interpretation of tongues

God has all knowledge (Colossians 2:3) but does not give us all of His knowledge at one time. “The word of knowledge is a supernatural revelation by the Holy Spirit of information that refers to the past or present.”

Jesus operated in the gift of the word of knowledge: In John 4:17-18 Jesus received a word of knowledge about a woman’s marital situation, past and present.

God has all wisdom (Colossians 2:3) but does not give us all of His wisdom at one time. “The word of wisdom is a supernatural revelation by the Holy Spirit concerning the divine purpose of God.”

The wisdom of God helps us to apply the knowledge of God. Supernatural wisdom from the Holy Spirit is knowing what to do when you don’t know what to do.

“The gift of discerning of spirits gives us insight into the spirit world – good and bad.” Elisha discerned the presence of angels (2 Kings 6:16-17)

“The gift of faith is a supernatural sudden infilling of faith from God, usually in a difficult situation, to enable us to confidently believe God that as we act or speak for Him, it shall come to pass.”

The gift of faith enables you to use your faith to receive an immediate miracle or to wait for a miracle. Elijah used the gift of faith on many occasions:  Calling for a drought (1 Kings 17:1).  Believing God for supernatural provision of food (1 Kings 17:2-6).

“The gifts of healing are given by the Holy Spirit for the supernatural curing of all sickness and disease without the help of human medical skill.”

In the Greek this statement is in the plural and reads gifts of healings showing there are many ways of healing that God gives us. And there are…

Laying on of hands (Mark 16:20) Transferable anointing (Acts 19:11-12) Divine instruction (John 5:8-9) The Name of Jesus (Acts 3:6)

“The working of miracles is a supernatural intervention or temporary suspension of the natural order of things through the power of the Holy Spirit.”

The working of miracles is similar to the gifts of healings but not limited to healing.  Multiplication of food (John 6:5-14)  Raising the dead (John 11:43-44)  Stilling a storm (Mark 4:39)  Walking on water (Mark 6:48)

“The gift of prophecy is speaking the mind of God under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.”

The Apostle Paul taught that this gift of prophecy is for the building up and the comfort of the church. He also encourages us to seek after this gift (1 Corinthians 14:3-5).

“Tongues is the supernatural utterance by a person under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in an unknown language.”

As we have seen in 1 Corinthians 12:10 there are different kind of tongues. Essentially although rather simplistically we can say that there are private tongues (our own supernatural prayer language) and public tongues (for the benefit of others).

“Interpretation of tongues is the supernatural revelation of the meaning of what has been said through a public tongue to the church.”

The Apostle Paul tells us that speaking in tongues in a public meeting and the interpretation of the tongues are equivalent to prophecy which edifies the church (1 Corinthians 14:5).

Yes, the Holy Spirit gives these gifts as He wills (1 Corinthians 12:11) but can we know why He chooses some people? The Apostle Paul tells us to desire the spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 14:1).

As we have seen these gifts are to benefit others, not ourselves. So if we are asking for the gifts of the Holy Spirit, are we asking with the right motives (James 4:3)?