THE SPIRITUAL GIFTS (2)
In addition, there are other eight spiritual gifts, or functions, listed in 1 Corinthians 12:28, God never intended to leave His people, He is always present and in a way people seems to think He is faraway, He sends His ministers to provide solutions to whatever challenges they may face. Have you been called? Do you really know your calling? Disaster is when a man is in another’s man vision. The eight spiritual gifts are as follows and your ministry is in one of them:
1. Apostles—probably the original twelve, plus Paul, who had many gifts and played a special role in the early church.
2. Prophets—those who spoke from God; according to 1 Corinthians 14:22, their special role was delivering God’s word to believers.
3. Teachers—“the gift of conveying instruction,” especially to teach the church (see Ephesians 4:11; James 3:1).
4. Miracles (“deeds of power”; NRSV)— “the power to perform miracles” (12:10; NLT).
5. Gifts of healings—power to heal people miraculously.
6. Helps—“the general function of assisting those in need”; “people whose duty it was to succour the poor, the orphan, the widow and the stranger.” This is surely similar to the gift of service in Romans 12:7.
7. Administrations (“forms of leadership”; NRSV)—the ability needed by the one who “leads” (“rules”; Romans 12:8; WEB). The elders who led individual congregations no doubt possessed this gift.
8. Speaking in tongues—talking in or interpreting languages without first learning them. In these lists Paul emphasized (1) the origin of the gifts, all of which were from God; (2) the wide variety of the gifts; and (3) the relative importance of some of the gifts—or at least the relative unimportance of the gift of speaking in tongues.
You are saved to function in one or several of these offices. What are you doing presently? Are you in your assignment? Are you ready for the work of God? Pray to God to open your eyes to your calling and grant you strength to function in your office.
Word Affirmation: “ And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper." - Psalm 1:3 (Don't just say it, mean it!)
“ You are saved to function in one or several of these offices. "
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