Spiritual Gifts #7

Spiritual Gifts ~ #7

Text: 1 Corinthians 12:7-11, 1 Corinthians 14:27-29

Q – Ver.27 Two or three what?
A - Ver.27 “speaks in a tongue” is referring to the two step process God can use to give a message to the body. The first step is a “message in tongues,” followed by the interpretation of tongues.
Paul put some guidelines here to keep balance.
G.W.’s experience - Sometime when a person gives a message in tongues, no one interprets for various reasons. If and when that happens, the person giving the message feels prompted to speak in tongues again. Paul says, let this happen two or at the most three times, then if there is no interpretation, then keep silent – don’t keep going which would be an interruption to the service.

Q – If someone speaks in tongues and keeps it between themselves & God, does he know what language?
A- No.
G.W’s experience – seldom does the speaker know what they are saying when they speak in tongues.

Q – With the gift of healing, does someone need to have this gift, or know they have this gift before they pray for someone for healing?
A - No.
GW’s experience – Throughout the four gospels, we see Jesus instructing His followers to pray for the sick. To me, implying it is not just for “those with this gift” that should pray for people for healing.
People who tend to operate with this Spiritual Gift (in my opinion) tend to experience more success of healing when they pray for the sick.

Q – 1Cor.12:7-11 When ver.8- says “to one is given ___. To another ___.
Doesn’t this mean each person only has access to only one gift?

G.W.’s explanation – This letter was written to the church of Corinth to address some issues. Chapter 12, 13, 14 individual deal with different problems.
Go to the context.
In my opinion, chapter 12 starts to address a problem this church was having feeling that speaking in tongues was the ultimate. That it was a way to measure your spirituality, having prideful attitudes around this “ultimate” gift.
Right after telling us some of the different ways the Holy Spirit can manifest Himself, (v.7-11) Paul uses the illustration of how important different body parts are to the body. Each part has a functional difference and purpose. They are all important, but their individual contribution is what the body needs.

To me, Paul was not saying the Holy Spirit uses only one manifestation through each person. They don’t all just speak in tongues, but ver.11 the Spirit distributes to each one individually as He wills.

1Cor.12:31 “earnestly desire the best gifts.”
14:1 “desire spiritual gifts.”
14:12 since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, desire gifts that edify the church.” (my paraphrase)
14:13 let him who speaks in a tongue (a message to the body in tongues) pray that he may interpret.
To me - all these verses imply that I can have access to more than one gift.
Otherwise I think Paul would have instructed “one gift per person.”
If I can only have one, then why earnestly desire or pray for more than one?

G.W’s musing – the Holy Spirit is given to “empower” us to minister in places where God puts us. NOT JUST AT CHURCH. So I feel if I only had access to one gift, Jesus would be sending me out ill equipped to deal with the changing situations we face. If there were only one per person, we would need at least 9 different people to travel together to minister.

Q – How do you know what you are prompted to speak is from God?
A - We always measure a word with the Word of God.
- Does it align itself to Scripture?
- Is this for me to share with the person, or to pray?
- Is this for now or later?
- Does it edify?
Don’t try to interpret or apply the word given unless you know God has given you that as well.

Q – How do you receive a word from someone else?
A - Again, measure it with the Word of God.
- Does it align itself with Scripture?
- Does it confirm something in your heart or does it clash?
- Is it for now, or to be put on a shelf for later?

When God gives a word to give someone, or to be received from someone, it will NEVER contradict the Word of God – the Bible.