Gifts of the Holy Spirit
The church is made up of a group of people from different backgrounds all with different roles and talents. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 12 that we are all part of the same body but have different functions to perform. Spiritual gifts are supernatural gifts given to us by the Holy Spirit to glorify God and edify the church.1 Billy Graham explains that all believers should have the same fruits of the Spirit but will most likely have different gifts of the Spirit.2
There are a total of 18 different gifts and every believer will receive at least one.3 The first set of gifts are the sign gifts. These were first given to authenticate the authority of the disciples and lay out new revelation and information. The gift of apostleship falls into this category, which was given by Jesus to the men He called, as was the gift of prophecy, which is the ability to receive knowledge about future events from God. Also in this grouping is the gift of miracles. This is where the Holy Spirit gives the receiver the ability to perform supernatural acts, such as raising someone from the dead. Others are the gift of healing, the gift of knowledge, and the gift of tongues. There is much debate as to whether these sign gifts are still given to believers today.
The second set of gifts, which are unarguable available for believers today, are the stationary gifts. These include the gifts of wisdom, spiritual discernment, mercy-showing, ruling, giving, and ministering. Using these gifts to benefit others allows them to see God through us. Jesus told us in Matthew 5:16 that others should see our good deeds so our Father in Heaven can be glorified. Sometimes the Holy Spirit will give out the gift of evangelism, teaching, or pastor-teacher. These are so important to grow the body of believers and help them build their knowledge of Jesus Christ. One of the greatest gifts you could receive is the gift of faith. Having the ability to demonstrate supernatural confidence in God’s promises and power would certainly be a powerful example to the church. The gifts are wonderful, and Paul tells us that we should desire the greatest of these gifts (1 Corinthians 12:31), but they are nothing if we do not have love. Love is the only way to share our gifts in a meaningful, exalting way. Prophecies will cease, tongues will be stilled, knowledge will pass away, but faith, hope, and love remain; and the greatest of these is love (1 Corinthians 8-13).
1. Willmington, Willmington’s Guide to the Bible, 325
2. Billy Graham, “Answers,” June 1, 2004, accessed June 25, 2019, https://billygraham.org/answer/are-the-gifts-of-the-spirit-valid-for-today/
3. Willmington, Willmington’s Guide to the Bible, 325
