Pastor Francois van Niekerk

THEME: Power applied – God’s power through God’s people today

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TEXT : 1 Corinthians 12:1 (NIV)

‘Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant.’

INTRODUCTION

• Let us not be ignorant but activated!
• Every believer is gifted. The Holy Spirit gives and oversees these gifts. They are manifestations of the Spirit and the power tools of the believer.
• The true Christian life is a supernatural life!
• The gifts of the Spirit are applied for the common good and to build up the body of Christ. Through these gifts we truly see the power of God applied in everyday life. (Recommended reading: The gifts of the Spirit by Derek Prince.)
• Following on last week’s introduction, let us specifically look at the revelation gifts. These gifts can be likened to the intelligence division of the army and are strategic by nature.
• Knowing the Word of God (Scripture) is vital to operate in the revelation gifts.

MAIN POINTS
1. Word of wisdom

• The dictionary defines wisdom as a deep understanding and realizing of people, things, events or situations resulting in the ability to choose or act to produce the optimum results with minimum time and energy. More simply put, it is good sense and judgment based on your experience of life.
• The gift of wisdom is a small part of God’s wisdom supernaturally revealed to the recipient. For example:
  
  • King Solomon’s resolution for two women with one baby – 1 Kings 3.
  • Jesus’ reply to the question regarding taxes – Matthew 22:15-22).
  • The temptation of Jesus – Luke 4:1-14.
  • James’ word during a dispute in the early church – Acts 15.
  • I have a friend who moves in high educational circles and receives peculiar wisdom from God during important meetings.
• Who would benefit from words of wisdom? Parents, teachers, political and other leaders, strategists and managers, and everyone in decision making roles.
• In summary this gift has the following results:
  
  • Direction at crucial crossroads in life; insight and strategy and a sense of divine timing. (The God thing at the God place at the God time!)
  • Solves disputes and problems and brings unanimity.
  • It brings success and progress.

2. Word of knowledge

• The dictionary defines knowledge as the state or fact of knowing. Information, skill and understanding that you have gained through learning or experience.
• The gift of knowledge is information and facts about people and events which God supernaturally reveals from His all-knowing position. Whereas the word of wisdom is directive, the word of knowledge is informative. This knowledge is not attained by normal methods of research and learning but comes by revelation from God. This gift often functions closely with the gift of prophecy, differing in the sense that it does not foretell the future as is the case with some prophetic words. A word of knowledge often gives detailed information about strangers and their circumstances. For example:
  
  • Jesus and the Samaritan woman – John 4.
  • Peter and Ananias – Acts 5
  • Ananias and Saul – Acts 9
  • Who would benefit from receiving words of knowledge? Doctors, nurses and others in the medical profession, counsellors and parents.
• The results of the word of knowledge include:
  
  • Conviction; confirmation and preparation of the heart for things to come. (Paul to be bound and taken to Jerusalem – Acts 21)
  • It also produces faith – if God knows about something He can also do something about it!

3. Discerning(s) of spirits

• The dictionary defines discerning as to be perceptive, exhibiting keen insight and good judgment. It is having the ability to evaluate something accurately.
• The gift of discerning(s) of spirits is the ability to distinguish between different spirits – the supernatural ability to know what is from God and what is not and to distinguish the false from the true. It is not the gift of suspicion!
• This gift helps us to differentiate between the different types of spirits:
  
  • The Holy Spirit
  • Angels (ministering spirits)
  • Demons or evil spirits
  • Human spirits
• Let us look at examples in line with the four types of spirits:
  
  • The Holy Spirit – the outpouring of the Spirit in the form of tongues of fire (Acts 2). It is important that we discern the moving of the Holy Spirit. We need to be willing to set our agendas aside to make room for Him to move.
  • Angels – Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22). After Jesus’ resurrection Peter and John only saw the folded grave clothes in the empty tomb, but Mary saw the angel (John 20).
  • Evil spirits – used often in connection with healing:
    
    • Mute and deaf spirit (Matthew 9).
    • Blind and mute spirit (Matthew 12:22).
    • Deaf and mute spirit (Mark 9:17-27).
    • Spirit of infirmity which caused a woman to be bent over (Luke 13).
    • Spirit of divination – Paul and the slave girl (Acts 16:16).
    It is important to note that not all mute, deaf or blind people have an evil spirit causing the symptoms! This is why discernment is so vital.
  • Human spirit (heart of man) – Jesus and Nathanael (John1: 47). Paul recognized the spirit of faith in the crippled man (Acts 14).
• The gift of discernment can be cultivated and Scripture encourages us to do so. Hebrews 5:14 refers to this and makes it clear that discernment is linked to maturity. Maturity requires us to be skilled by continuous training in God’s Word and the application thereof. Mature people are non-reactive, proficient in the basic Christian disciplines, self-correcting, settled in their godly identity and dedicated to a life of learning.
• Who would benefit from discerning of spirits? Employers and employees; investigators; detectives and other police and security officials; those in legal professions and psychiatrists.
• This gift has some powerful results:
  
  • It helps us to recognize the move and ministry of the Holy Spirit.
  • It reveals the character and motivation in human hearts.
  • It helps us to identify whether evil spirits are the cause of sickness and strife.
  • It helps us to recognize the ministry and help of angels and be encouraged.

CONCLUSION

• Although the gifts are given to us, they are still under the supervision of the Holy Spirit. This means that we cannot practise them at will. They are only applied as the Spirit releases them through us.
• Yet Paul encourages us to ‘desire spiritual gifts’ (1 Corinthians 14:1) and to ‘desire the best gifts’ (1 Corinthians 12:31). Whichever gift addresses your situation at the time is the best gift!
• Which of these gifts do you desire? Have the boldness to ask the Holy Spirit to manifest these gifts through your life as and when it is needed.
• Now yield and commit yourself to God’s Spirit with this prayer:

  Holy Spirit, I desire (name gift). I yield myself and give myself to You. Will You please manifest these gifts through my life as often as You wish.

The power of God is applied to people and situations when the awesome gifts of the Spirit are manifested through you!