faith

Spiritual Gifts Listed in the New Testament

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In the Acts of the Apostles, believers who perform miracles and healings are said to be full of the Holy Spirit; the implication is that the ability to do such things is a direct result of Spirit baptism.

Paul includes these abilities in the “spiritual gifts” (1 Cor. 14:1), that is, gifts that draw upon the power given a believer when the Holy Spirit comes upon the worshiper. Stephen (Acts 6:5, 8), Philip (8:7), Paul (19:12), and all the apostles (2:43) cast out demons, healed illnesses, and did mighty works too numerous to mention. Frequently these demonstrations of the power of the Spirit resulted in conversions, and for this reason, miracles, and especially healings, are thought by some Christians to be intended for use in evangelizing unbelievers.

However effective they may be for that purpose, the Bible also gives instructions concerning the healing of Christians. The sick person is to call for the elders of the church to anoint him with oil and pray for him, with the result that he is both healed and forgiven. This text seems to link sickness with sin since the instruction is followed by the admonition “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other, so that you may be healed” (James 5:13–16).

Miracles and healings often take place in the course of everyday life and are not specifically related to worship. However, because they bring glory to God (Matt. 9:1–8; John 11:4) they are valid activities for inclusion in the worship of the church.

Other Gifts and Fruit of the Spirit

Other gifts of the Holy Spirit include such things as faith, discernment of spirits, serving, giving, leading, showing mercy, helps, and administrations (Rom. 12:6–8; 1 Cor. 12:8–10). All of these can operate within the context of the body of Christ, although they are not usually observable in the worship itself.

Paul describes the fruit (karpos), or inevitable result of the working of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer, as being love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal. 5:22). While all believers receive the Holy Spirit at conversion, the Scripture seems to teach that a subsequent baptism in the Holy Spirit produces both the fruit of the Spirit and his gifts in an increased abundance. For this reason, Christians are exhorted to be continually filled with God’s Spirit (Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16).

TAKE GOD AT HIS WORD

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If someone were to ask you “What is faith?” how would you respond? I asked someone this question and they said, “Eating at McDonald’s!”

Hebrews 11:1 says: “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”

Simply put, Biblical faith is taking God at His Word. In other words:

  • Faith is a firm conviction that results in personal surrender.
  • Faith commits itself.
  • Faith is living as if what we’re asked to believe is actually true.
  • Faith is living as if we already have the answer we need.
  • Faith is simply doing things God’s way whether it seems right or not.

We exercise faith every day of our life: we do eat out; we trust that people are going to drive responsibly; we’re confident that our pharmacist has filled our prescription with the right pills. So, why not trust the One who still does what He says He will do? He’s the same God we read about in the Bible — the compassionate, almighty, loving Lord who has proved His love and power times innumerable.

“To trust God in the light is nothing, but trust Him in the dark — that is faith.” C. H. Spurgeon

THE OVERFLOW FROM FAITH

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In Luke chapter 5, we read a great lesson about the blessing of simple trust when God instructs us to do something, especially when it goes counter to our way of thinking!

Peter and his fishing partners had been out all night, casting their nets into the Lake of Gennesaret (another name for the Sea of Galilee) in vain. Fishing was their profession, their livelihood — but their skill, their lifetime of experience, and their tools-of-the-trade didn’t work. So, they simply called it a night and dragged in their nets for a cleaning in preparation for their next time out.

In the meantime, Jesus came along, followed by a massive crowd of people who’d come to hear Him teach. Seeing Peter’s empty boat tied to the shore, He climbed aboard and asked Peter to give the boat a shove that He might be able to teach the crowd from the boat.

Luke records what happened next in verses 4-7: “When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, ‘Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.’ ‘Master,’ Simon replied, ‘we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if You say so, I’ll let the nets down again.’ And this time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear! A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking.”

The application for us is a simple one: If we will merely listen to God’s instructions to us and then follow through on them, the overflow of His answer(s) will astound us!

A LESSON ON FAITH

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In Mark’s gospel, the first conflict for Jesus was over His claimed authority to forgive sin; the first important lesson for us that emerges out of this conflict concerns faith. Mark 2:1-5 reads: “A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that He had come home. So many gathered that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the Word to them. Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven.’”

Here’s the background to this story: Jesus had been ministering throughout Galilee (1:39) and came back to Capernaum, His headquarters (Matthew 9:11), possibly staying at the home of Peter and Andrew. The phrase “A few days later” in common Jewish phraseology meant a considerable interval of time.

Word got out He was back — and the crowds came, packing out the house. The fact they were inside may imply it was winter. So many came they were even backed up outside! Luke 5:17 informs us that among the audience sat Scribes and Pharisees who had come from the villages in Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem (75 miles away!).

Jesus begins preaching the Word, no doubt the good news of God’s Kingdom. As He’s preaching, His message is suddenly interrupted by a strange noise overhead. Everyone looks up and then someone cries out, “Look, up in the sky, it’s a bird, it’s a plane, no… it’s a paralytic?”

Can you imagine the shock of that scene? All of the sudden, there’s a gaping hole in the roof — which you could only see after removing the dirt and straw from your eyes (that is what roofs were made of in that time and place: tree branches covered with mud or clay mixed with chopped straw, with tiles on top). Right in the middle of the sermon this mat is lowered from the ceiling, inch by inch, and comes to rest right in front of Jesus. On the mat is a paralyzed man.

Jesus’ response to this is in verse 5: “When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven.’”

“When Jesus saw their faith…” I’ll say they had faith — gall might be a better word! First they tear some poor guy’s roof off in the dead of winter — possibly Peter’s and Andrew’s. Then, with the unbridled presumption of a child they interrupt the teaching of the King — assuming Jesus will drop everything and respond to the need of their friend. And guess what? He does!

Far from incensed or enraged, Jesus is impressed! They did what they did because they had faith — faith in what Jesus could do, a confidence in His compassion. They knew Jesus could heal their friend — and there was literally no stopping them!

There is a simple lesson for us here: God honors the step of faith; He honors vulnerability. To say we believe God is not the same as living as we believe. These men in Mark put their faith in Jesus on the line; they were counting on Him, utterly. That’s Biblical faith.

BEING FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT

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Being filled with the Spirit doesn’t mean God is going to change our personality! It means He empowers the obedient Christian to tell others about Jesus as He provides the opportunity — and He does it through the personality and gifts He created us with!

How do we receive this filling of the Spirit? Surrender our will to the Lordship of Christ! That’s all it is! The filling of the Spirit is nothing more than saying, “Jesus, take control of my life, empowering me with your Spirit to live and work for You.”

Then step out in faith and begin ministering. When you sin, confess it then ask Jesus to resume control of your life — and carry on.