1 Cor. 12:8, 9a
What Now?
You’ve taken
inventory, prayed about it, & sought the counsel of others; now let's look at some of the gifts found in I Corinthians. Today we will only look at three.
Wisdom (verse 8)
Utterance or message of wisdom. This is the God given gift to understand and as a
result act wisely. This could mean you
have the ability to speak wisdom and give divine insight or to speak or
disclose the mind of God in specific situations. A person with this gift has an ability (given
by God) to give wise counsel, spiritual insight, revelation (the mind of God)
and to problem solve (including conflict resolution) within the body of Christ.
- Example:
A person faces situations where decisions must be made and there is
no possible way, in the natural, to receive all the facts or information
needed to make the right decision or to give the proper advice. The Holy Spirit exercises this gift
through anointed individuals to give them special insights into the
situation. [1]
- Scriptural example Luke 21:1- 19
- Does not mean you are an intellectual,
have various degrees, and have keen insights as to how things should be
done (without consulting God).
- Caution – look out for individuals who
claim this gift and use it to push through their agenda. An individual with this gift will have a
humble and a servants heart. He/she
will desire God’s will to be done over his/her will.
Knowledge (verse 8)
Utterance or message of knowledge. This is the God given gift to reveal information
about someone/thing that could not be naturally known. This could be a situation where someone is
able to reveal something about you that someone could not know unless it was divinely
given by God himself. These individuals
use this gift sometimes to convict or encourage a believer.
- Scriptural example 2 Samuel 12:7 – 9
- Caution – Sometimes individuals who claim
to have this gift use it to spiritually abuse others as a means of
control. Sometimes a person will
see something someone else is doing that he/she does not like and they will
try and tell someone God told them to tell you to stop doing it.
Faith (Verse 9a)
A God-given unswerving confidence in God
especially in situations where one would not have the ability in their own
strength to believe things will be OK.
It is basically a divine given trust in God for His provisions in all
aspects of life. It is not necessary
just in financial matters but also in believing God will accomplish his will
regardless of the circumstances.
- Example: A person with this gift has a faith that
is unshakable. He/she has no
problem believing God for healing, provisions, & protection.
- Scriptural
Example the Apostle Paul (in prison)
- Caution – It is important for us to recognize that every Christian has been given a portion of faith. We are saved by grace through faith. Every believer has faith. The Spiritual gift of faith goes beyond having a saving faith in Jesus. We must also note the Spiritual gift of faith is not the same as positive thinking or having a positive attitude. Just because someone is always positive and sees the silver lining in all situations does not constitute the gift of faith. As humans we can mentally change our attitude in how we respond in times of crisis and difficulty. The gift of the faith is a portion of faith that is given by God. One may not be able to explain why they have a positive outlook in a negative situation and they can only attribute it to God.
Continue
to pray as you are on your journey to discover your Spiritual gift(s). How can you use your gift(s) for the common
good of the Body of Christ? Are there
ways you can use your gift(s) to help build up and encourage the Body?
[1] Hayford,
J. W., & Rosenberger, H. (1994). Appointed
to Leadership: God's Principles for Spiritual Leaders. Spirit-Filled Life
Kingdom Dynamics Study Guides. Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
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