The BattleSample

The Gifts of the Spirit

By Amy Cook

During World War II, soldiers from the Army Corps of Engineers and the Seabees—the Construction Battalions of the United States Navy—used their abilities to build roads, construct bridges, bring supplies to the battle under enemy fire and lay down airstrips so that fighter planes could land safely for refueling. In short, they used their skills to do everything possible to help win the war.

The gifts of the Spirit function in the same way. It takes courage and stamina to face enemy fire while helping to build and repair others, and the Holy Spirit desires to give renewed vision and strength for those who are battle-weary. His gifts give you an advantage over the enemy, because they bring fresh supplies of power and grace to help you complete the task to which He has called you and to help you refuel others who are discouraged and weary.

The Greek word for a spiritual gift is “charisma.” It refers to a spiritual endowment or miraculous faculty God uses to deliver His children from danger. In the twelfth chapter of Romans, Paul said that he didn’t want believers to remain ignorant about spiritual gifts. Then in 1 Corinthians 12:7–11, he listed the nine gifts of the Spirit: 1) the word of wisdom—God’s perspective of a situation and what He expects you to do about it; 2) the word of knowledge—information the Holy Spirit speaks to someone that wasn’t previously known and that authenticates that God is really speaking; 3) the gift of faith—a special ability to see what God is doing or has provided in the realm of the spirit and to bring it into the tangible realm by faith; 4) gifts of healing; 5) working of miracles; 6) prophecy—a word from God that builds up, exhorts and comforts the recipient or foretells God’s future plans; 7) discerning of spirits—the ability to discern what demonic spirits are operating through a person or situation; 8) different kinds of tongues; and 9) interpretation of tongues.

In 1 Timothy 1:18, Paul instructed Timothy to take the prophecies which had been spoken over him and use them to wage a good fight. All the gifts of the Spirit are meant to bless people and restore to them what the kingdom of darkness has tried to steal in their lives. They are tools God uses to break years of oppression off a person and repair broken hearts and broken bodies. These tools also build up the Church as people are drawn to Christ by demonstrations of His power and love through the lives of believers.

The gifts of the Holy Spirit are given to each one as He wills. The Apostle Paul said that if you stir up the gift of God within you, if you desire spiritual gifts and if you follow after love, you will undoubtedly see more manifestations of the Holy Spirit’s gifts (1 Corinthians 14:1; 2 Timothy 1:6). How often are you willing to use what God has given you?

Quotation Citation: Andrew Murray

Memory Verse

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. Romans 12:21 (NIV)