"Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone." (1 Corinthians 12:4-6 ESV)
Tongues of fire? Working of miracles? Service? Mercy?
This will be a brief summary of how I personally try to grow in the gifts of the Spirit. I say “grow” with caution, because as I understand 1 Cor 12, and Heb 2:4 to say is that the Spirit is sovereign and distributes gifts as He wills. In that light, there’s an understanding that I can’t manipulate the Spirit, but there is also an appreciation that the Spirit is willing to give gifts for the edification of the body.
I didn’t grow up this way, thinking that the gifts of the Spirit are around today, or even good for us! I had the assumption that if there were “signs and wonders” it was demonic activity. I had a huge transformation that centered on the authority of Scripture and my experience as a believer. But that’s another story for another day.
***Gifts: charismata: “gifts of grace”. As mentioned in Rom 12, 1 Cor 12, and briefly mentioned in 1 Peter 4:10. I am not referring to the offices or roles in the church in Eph 4. Also this is not a post about the theology of the Spirit as a whole.
As I write this post I have two people in mind. People who operate in one of two ways when it comes to gifts(there are many other viewpoints, but I am specefically adressing these two):
One view is that of curious disenchantment. I say curious because these people’s curiosity is aroused when they hear teaching, or stories on the gifts of the Spirit;there is still a desire in their heart to see what Scripture describes in their own life. However, they are disenchanted because of their negative experience with churches who embrace a more charismatic approach to the gifts of the Spirit.
The other let’s call cautious benfactors. I say benefactors, because they have personally experience the edification and blessing from the gifts of the Spirit operating in their faith community. I say cautious because there is a timidity when it comes to practicing themselves.
I understand there are people in between and outside these two types. Plus there is so much grace for all of us as we pursue these good gifts of grace. I hope this post will be encouraging for all of us no matter where we find ourselves in relation to this topic.
The Orientation of my Heart
1)Towards the Spirit and His gifts: In 1 Cor. 14 and 12: Paul exhorts the Corinthian church to earnestly desire the gifts. I think at times since we are afraid to “desire the gifts over the giver” we diminish our desire for His gifts, thinking that by doing this, we are in fact, desiring the Giver more. I’m not convinced that the Spirit is honored by this. I believe that as I have an increased desire for the Spirit himself, that will enlarge my desire for His gracious gifts. How is your heart in relations to the gifts? Scared? Do you have the attitude that you don’t need the gifts, that the Bible is enough? The apostles didn’t preach this way.
2)Towards my place in the body: It’s important not to be jealous, but be thankful for the gifts God gives you, and the part you place in the body. A good reading for this, for me, is 1 Cor 12:12-26. That passage is broken up into two parts that are helpful for us, vs 12-20 is “how do I view myself”, and vs.20-26 is “how do I view others”. A repeated idea in all of chapter 12 is the idea of “variety”. We are all different.
3)Towards the edification of the body, common good for all: Paul tells us to earnestly desire the higher gifts in 12:31. This word in Greek actually means ,the best” more useful/more serviceable! How many of us have been abused by people you thought they had superior spirituality? How many people in the church have abused people with their gifts than built up? Paul’s point in this section is that the gifts are meant to build up the church, not create a hierarchy within the church.
Remember 1 Cor 12 and 14 are bookends to 1 Cor 13, the “love” chapter.
A Posture of Listening to the Spirit.
Honestly a lot of talk about the gifts of the Spirit and growing in them, is rooted in a posture of listening to Him.
This is takes time and attention. Sometimes it’s just me waiting on Him to direct, inspire me, in my living room. Other times it’s me asking Him what to say, who to pray for, in a situation.
This may be a stretch for some of you, but I ask God regularly to speak to me and my wife in our dreams. Many times He has and does.
Taking Risks, Exercising Faith
1)Exercise faith in walking in the gifts: acting out on the Spirit's leading. I don’t always bat 100%, and that’s ok. This is all a process in listening and being obedient to the Spirit. The results are God’s not our own. I would begin in prayer. Asking the Spirit is there is a word or encouragement that He would like to share with someone through you. If someone is sick, pray for them. This is all through the authority that has been given to us through Christ.
2)Study 1 Cor 12, Romans 12. Very practical. Gain a richer understanding of the Spirit’s gifts in these two texts. I would like to note that 1 Cor 12, in particular, is such a good reading for the community. As beginning in Cor 11, Paul begins to instruct on public worship times, so 1 Cor 12 falls into this context.
4)Create a servant framework for corporate worship.Iinstead if thinking "what am I going to get out of this" to "who can I give to today". Seriously, ask the Spirit on the way to church, who He might use you to bless/edify. I do this often, and have also been the beneficiary of this so many times.
5) Ask others who practice them, to affirm and shepherd you through the process.
A Posture of Listening to the Spirit.
Honestly a lot of talk about the gifts of the Spirit and growing in them, is rooted in a posture of listening to Him.
This may be a stretch for some of you, but I ask God regularly to speak to me and my wife in our dreams. Many times He has and does.
Responsibility:
I want to make a quick note on the responsibility in all of this.
1) It's easy to go from word of knowledge, or discernment of spirits, to accuser and fault finder. There is a responsibility of grace as we practice these gifts as a community. The context for 1 Cor 12, is a bookend for 1 Cor 13(the love chapter). This must define all that we do. So be careful as you do encounter the power of the Spirit and His appropriation of His gifts in your life.
2) In all things we want an openness to the Sovereign will of the Spirit as explained in 1 Cor 12, and Heb 2:4. Both of these texts echo each other in proclaiming that the Spirit is the One who decides where and when He endowes us with gifts.There is no manipulation of the Spirit.
In all of this there is humility, because it is the Spirit who empowers us, for the good of everyone, and not for our self-glorification.
I have just described an invidual respons to the Spirit and His gifts. However, I want to encourage us to think together as a community in light of these things. The gifts are not just for the individual, but for the community. I've seen and experienced this edification, and how much of a grace it is for us as a church.
How as a community are you “fanning into flame the gift of God”? Are we as a community affirming, and shepherding people through this?
Also as an individual, don’t just look at your life as a witness of the activity of the Spirit look around at your community and the church world-wide, and be encouraged, for in fact, the Spirit is on the move!
Good books on this topic that I've read: 1 Cor as a whole. Gordon Fee's "Paul, the Spirit, and the People of God". Also Jackson's "Search for the Radical Middle: The Vineyard movement's story". Sam Storms "Journey of a Charismatic Calvanist.
These are all worth the time to read.
How do you grow in the gifts? What books have you read on the topic?
Tongues of fire? Working of miracles? Service? Mercy?
This will be a brief summary of how I personally try to grow in the gifts of the Spirit. I say “grow” with caution, because as I understand 1 Cor 12, and Heb 2:4 to say is that the Spirit is sovereign and distributes gifts as He wills. In that light, there’s an understanding that I can’t manipulate the Spirit, but there is also an appreciation that the Spirit is willing to give gifts for the edification of the body.
I didn’t grow up this way, thinking that the gifts of the Spirit are around today, or even good for us! I had the assumption that if there were “signs and wonders” it was demonic activity. I had a huge transformation that centered on the authority of Scripture and my experience as a believer. But that’s another story for another day.
***Gifts: charismata: “gifts of grace”. As mentioned in Rom 12, 1 Cor 12, and briefly mentioned in 1 Peter 4:10. I am not referring to the offices or roles in the church in Eph 4. Also this is not a post about the theology of the Spirit as a whole.
As I write this post I have two people in mind. People who operate in one of two ways when it comes to gifts(there are many other viewpoints, but I am specefically adressing these two):
One view is that of curious disenchantment. I say curious because these people’s curiosity is aroused when they hear teaching, or stories on the gifts of the Spirit;there is still a desire in their heart to see what Scripture describes in their own life. However, they are disenchanted because of their negative experience with churches who embrace a more charismatic approach to the gifts of the Spirit.
The other let’s call cautious benfactors. I say benefactors, because they have personally experience the edification and blessing from the gifts of the Spirit operating in their faith community. I say cautious because there is a timidity when it comes to practicing themselves.
I understand there are people in between and outside these two types. Plus there is so much grace for all of us as we pursue these good gifts of grace. I hope this post will be encouraging for all of us no matter where we find ourselves in relation to this topic.
The Orientation of my Heart
1)Towards the Spirit and His gifts: In 1 Cor. 14 and 12: Paul exhorts the Corinthian church to earnestly desire the gifts. I think at times since we are afraid to “desire the gifts over the giver” we diminish our desire for His gifts, thinking that by doing this, we are in fact, desiring the Giver more. I’m not convinced that the Spirit is honored by this. I believe that as I have an increased desire for the Spirit himself, that will enlarge my desire for His gracious gifts. How is your heart in relations to the gifts? Scared? Do you have the attitude that you don’t need the gifts, that the Bible is enough? The apostles didn’t preach this way.
2)Towards my place in the body: It’s important not to be jealous, but be thankful for the gifts God gives you, and the part you place in the body. A good reading for this, for me, is 1 Cor 12:12-26. That passage is broken up into two parts that are helpful for us, vs 12-20 is “how do I view myself”, and vs.20-26 is “how do I view others”. A repeated idea in all of chapter 12 is the idea of “variety”. We are all different.
3)Towards the edification of the body, common good for all: Paul tells us to earnestly desire the higher gifts in 12:31. This word in Greek actually means ,the best” more useful/more serviceable! How many of us have been abused by people you thought they had superior spirituality? How many people in the church have abused people with their gifts than built up? Paul’s point in this section is that the gifts are meant to build up the church, not create a hierarchy within the church.
Remember 1 Cor 12 and 14 are bookends to 1 Cor 13, the “love” chapter.
A Posture of Listening to the Spirit.
Honestly a lot of talk about the gifts of the Spirit and growing in them, is rooted in a posture of listening to Him.
This is takes time and attention. Sometimes it’s just me waiting on Him to direct, inspire me, in my living room. Other times it’s me asking Him what to say, who to pray for, in a situation.
This may be a stretch for some of you, but I ask God regularly to speak to me and my wife in our dreams. Many times He has and does.
Taking Risks, Exercising Faith
1)Exercise faith in walking in the gifts: acting out on the Spirit's leading. I don’t always bat 100%, and that’s ok. This is all a process in listening and being obedient to the Spirit. The results are God’s not our own. I would begin in prayer. Asking the Spirit is there is a word or encouragement that He would like to share with someone through you. If someone is sick, pray for them. This is all through the authority that has been given to us through Christ.
2)Study 1 Cor 12, Romans 12. Very practical. Gain a richer understanding of the Spirit’s gifts in these two texts. I would like to note that 1 Cor 12, in particular, is such a good reading for the community. As beginning in Cor 11, Paul begins to instruct on public worship times, so 1 Cor 12 falls into this context.
4)Create a servant framework for corporate worship.Iinstead if thinking "what am I going to get out of this" to "who can I give to today". Seriously, ask the Spirit on the way to church, who He might use you to bless/edify. I do this often, and have also been the beneficiary of this so many times.
5) Ask others who practice them, to affirm and shepherd you through the process.
A Posture of Listening to the Spirit.
Honestly a lot of talk about the gifts of the Spirit and growing in them, is rooted in a posture of listening to Him.
This may be a stretch for some of you, but I ask God regularly to speak to me and my wife in our dreams. Many times He has and does.
Responsibility:
I want to make a quick note on the responsibility in all of this.
1) It's easy to go from word of knowledge, or discernment of spirits, to accuser and fault finder. There is a responsibility of grace as we practice these gifts as a community. The context for 1 Cor 12, is a bookend for 1 Cor 13(the love chapter). This must define all that we do. So be careful as you do encounter the power of the Spirit and His appropriation of His gifts in your life.
2) In all things we want an openness to the Sovereign will of the Spirit as explained in 1 Cor 12, and Heb 2:4. Both of these texts echo each other in proclaiming that the Spirit is the One who decides where and when He endowes us with gifts.There is no manipulation of the Spirit.
In all of this there is humility, because it is the Spirit who empowers us, for the good of everyone, and not for our self-glorification.
I have just described an invidual respons to the Spirit and His gifts. However, I want to encourage us to think together as a community in light of these things. The gifts are not just for the individual, but for the community. I've seen and experienced this edification, and how much of a grace it is for us as a church.
How as a community are you “fanning into flame the gift of God”? Are we as a community affirming, and shepherding people through this?
Also as an individual, don’t just look at your life as a witness of the activity of the Spirit look around at your community and the church world-wide, and be encouraged, for in fact, the Spirit is on the move!
Good books on this topic that I've read: 1 Cor as a whole. Gordon Fee's "Paul, the Spirit, and the People of God". Also Jackson's "Search for the Radical Middle: The Vineyard movement's story". Sam Storms "Journey of a Charismatic Calvanist.
These are all worth the time to read.
How do you grow in the gifts? What books have you read on the topic?