Video / Discussion
Teachings about the 9 gifts of the Holy Spirit listed in first Corinthians 12 are readily available. The study I handed out or linked to on the website is a good basic teaching on the gifts, but it appears to speak from a position that while it agrees the Holy Spirit and his gifts are still functioning in the church they’re not noticeable in that church, as it didn’t provide any current examples or testimonies. It’s easy to produce a good teaching, but a little more challenging to live a life of “faith in action” producing testimonies.
Testimonies?
Are we any different? Can we provide real life examples or testimonies? It’s easy to recall the “glory days” of our own past when we saw the Lord move in mighty ways, but I’m hungry for more, now! Are you?
Q: Do you have a current testimony of God working through any of these gifts?
Q: Why do we not have more testimonies?
See: Testimony Journal / discuss.
When I was younger in the Lord and we had an opportunity to minister in small groups, it was very common for us to try to analyze what gift we had used in ministry, or what gift we wanted to use. We were all looking for the proper tool for the job. That was a mindset I understood. Which was the best one? And looking back, I think our tendency was to pick the ones that we thought would be the most fun, or the most exciting, or the one that made us look the best, etc.
We all wanted to be used by in some way. It was a season of discovery.
We had a lot of raw zeal, but not a lot of wisdom. Remember those days?
And while I think teaching is important and developing knowledge and wisdom is essential, could it be that we’ve walked away from our first love ?
This is why my heart for the last five years has been to return to that first love, but with greater wisdom and greater knowledge and a deeper understanding of how the Holy Spirit works among his people!
Our entire Kingdom journey is relational.
When I began this year, 2025, the Lord impressed upon me the importance of understanding our inheritance. I believe we’re in a season of walking into our inheritance in the Lord. Some will walk into the promised land because they have a vision of where we’re going, and some will walk into the promised land because they’re going with the crowd, and some will walk into the promised land because they are told where to go, and some will choose to go somewhere else.
One of the profound lessons I’ve learned recently has been that while God will give us the tools we need, if that’s what we seek, his desire is for so much more. The Father is not a tool shed. He offers himself without measure and without limit, as long as we receive his lordship over us. Once that’s settled, we receive the Holy Spirit without condition, without boundaries. And yet, he will work in our lives and through our lives to the degree that we allow him to.
He works within the boundaries we set.
This amazing reality is a reflection of God’s sovereignty. While he could do everything better without us, his desire is fellowship. He enjoys the journey with us!
The Creator places himself inside his creation. Think about that. The all-powerful Creator of the universe places himself inside his human creation, by the indwelling Holy Spirit, and limits his workings to whatever we individually or corporately allow, all the time honoring our free will. He will continually draw us deeper and reveal our greater potential, to the degree we embrace. He is ready to take us into greater supernatural awareness and understanding, but he allows us to move at our own pace.
And yet, he is still able to accomplish his eternal purpose throughout the earth on schedule.
If you desire a deeper spiritual experience, that desire itself is evidence that the father is already drawing you closer to him and aligning you with his purposes.
Q: Have you ever asked, “How can I know if I’m in God’s will?”
Let me answer a question with a question….. Q: Where is the Kingdom of God?
A: Wherever God is king. Is he your king? Yes? Then you’re in the kingdom Of God.
Or….
Q: When the disciples were walking with Jesus / Yeshua, were they in God’s will? Yes. Did they make mistakes? Yes.
Do we do anything perfectly? No. But, we’re not right with God because of what we do, were made right with God because of who he has made us to be.
A servant is approved of because he does what’s asked of him. A son or a daughter, or a friend is approved of because of their standing, their position, their relationship.
Romans 8:15
For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”
John 15:15
No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.
More God…..
Individuals often ask how to receive more of the Holy Spirit. “More Lord…”. And God often does respond to this cry of faith and desire, so we think we’re getting “more” of the Holy Spirit. In fact, I think the Father enjoys watching us develop and mature, even though our attempts are a bit awkward or clumsy.
Imagine a new father watching his child learn to walk for the first time. There’s no criticism or discipline or chastisement for failure, just encouragement, excitement, and joy. This is what the heavenly Father is like with us.
With all that in mind, I’ve learned to ask to become more aware of his presence.
In light of that, what’s the best spiritual gift……..? Hunger for the presence of the Holy Spirit.
Concerning spiritual gifts
1 Corinthians 12:4-11
4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.
