Power Gifts – Don’t Be Ignorant about Spiritual Gifts – part three
Power Gifts – Don’t Be Ignorant
This is the third of our four part series – “Don’t Being Ignorant about Spiritual Gifts”. There are 9 spiritual or charismatic gifts listed in 1 Corinthians 12. To help better explain and understand each gift we are putting them in 3 categories; Revelation Gifts, Power Gifts, and Vocal Gifts. Last time we explained the 3 Revelation Gifts. (you can click here to read that teaching) This time we are teaching on the 3 Power gifts which are; 1) the gift of faith, the gifts of healings, and the working of miracles.
Gift of Faith (special faith)
The gift of faith is a supernatural manifestation of the Holy Spirit whereby a believer is empowered with special faith to be able to believe to receive a miracle. The Gift of Faith is not the same as “Saving faith” or faith that we have by hearing the Word of God. (Rom. 10:17) Every believer has a measurer of faith. (Roman 12:3)
The faith we are talking about in this lesson is — special faith — it is different than general faith or saving faith. It is a supernatural special faith. This gift of special faith is not the faith we use to believe God to answer our prayers or to receive the promises of God or to believe God for our needs to be met. The gift of faith is given as a gift by the Holy Spirit in special times of need for a miracle as He wills
Examples of Special Faith
There are a number of examples of the gift of faith in the Bible. Daniel, when he was thrown in the lions’ den. Daniel needed a miracle of deliverance from danger. Why didn’t the lions devour Daniel? Daniel 6:23 says, “. . . So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no injury whatever was found on him, because he believed in his God.” There is no doubt that God gave Daniel special faith.
Peter, when he was in prison, condemned to die, was able to sleep and believe for a miracle to be delivered from death (Acts 12:6-11). Elijah received a supernatural miracle of bread and water out of no where. (1 Kings 19:4,6). Moses believed God would sustain him supernaturally for 40 days without food or water on Mount Sinai. (Exod. 34:28)
Working of Miracles
First, let’s define what is meant by miracles. There are a lot of things we call miracles, like the beauty of a flower or the sun rising, a baby being born or someone getting saved. While all of these are amazing and miraculous in a sense they are not a miracle in the specific sense, because they are events occurring in the normal or ordinary course of nature none the less a miracle. However, when the working of miracles is in manifestation, there is a divine intervention in the ordinary course of nature. Something unexplainable and out of the ordinary
Examples of Working of Miracles
The working of miracles is the release of God’s power through a person to perform some kind of unbelievable wonder or astonishing feat or supernatural act. There are hundreds of examples of the working of miracles throughout the Bible.
We see this gift used in Egypt when God convinced Pharaoh to let Israel go with all of the plagues. (Exodus 7-14). The parting of the Red Sea. (Exodus 14:15ff) Jesus feeding the 5000. (John 6:5-14) Peter raising Tabitha from the dead. (Acts 9:40). Acts 19:11 says, “God did extraordinary miracles through Paul,…”. Miracles still happen today whenever the Holy Spirit decides.
Special Faith Compared to the Working of Miracles
Both of these power gifts produce miracles. One is active the other is passive. The working of miracles is active; it actively works a miracle – the name says -”Working of Miracles”. The gift of faith doesn’t work a miracle, it passively receives a miracle. The Holy Spirit gives a person special faith to believe.
Gifts of Healings
The gifts of healings are given by the Holy Spirit for the supernatural healing of sickness and disease without any natural source or means. Most people, when they think of God’s healing power are thinking of the gifts of healings, however the gifts of healings is NOT the only way to receive healing. There are many ways God has provided for a person to be healed. Remember God’s will is for healing and health not sickness.
Healing Received by Faith
The number one way God heals is through a person’s faith. Many times, when Jesus prayed for someone to be healed he would say, “your faith has made you whole or healed you”. Every believer can receive healing by their faith, faith that comes by hearing the Word of God. While the gifts of healings is limited only to when the Holy Spirit wills.
The gift of faith, the gifts of healings, and the working of miracles — will very often work together. These are the power gifts – they do something. They are given as the Spirit wills and are used to help believers and to help build the church.
Next time we will cover the vocal gifts