GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT

  • Welcome to Christian Forums, a Christian Forum that recognizes that all Christians are a work in progress.

    You will need to register to be able to join in fellowship with Christians all over the world.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless!

marksman

My eldest granddaughter showing the result of her
Feb 27, 2008
5,578
2,446
113
82
Melbourne Australia
Faith
Christian
Country
Australia
Can I ask something- do the gifts change ?
I mean if a person experiences the gift of knowledge, do they always have that gift or does the Holy Spirit give and take back , or perhaps give different gifts to people at different times.
I realise that there can be seasons within a Christians life, so are their seasons with the gifts ?
Or, can our own lives numb the gifts , they are still there but if circumstances affect your walk with God then the gifts are affected
Rita

A good question Rita. My experience is that one can be given a gift and have the use of it for a defined period of time because that is the area that the Holy Spirit wants you to minister in so he brings to your attention situations where the gift is needed.

At one stage I was praying for people that had legs that were a different length. I would pray and the short leg would grow. Then I had a period when I was given the gift of discernment which seemed to be as much for my benefit as other people as it meant I had to get to the core of a matter before I prayed for people.

To give you an example. I spoke at a Full Gospel Businessman's Breakfast and when I got to praying for people, the Lord said don't ask them, I will tell you. That is what I did and as I knelt beside the first couple the word 'incest' came to me. I let the wife speak and she didn't use that word and when I prayed for them I prayed for a marriage that was born in sorrow and she burst into tears.

Afterward, when I had the chance to talk to them I said to her "It was incest wasn't it." She said it was.

Sometimes God moves us on because we get familiar with the gift and it becomes too easy for us so we step up by using another gift.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Helen

marksman

My eldest granddaughter showing the result of her
Feb 27, 2008
5,578
2,446
113
82
Melbourne Australia
Faith
Christian
Country
Australia
If I did not make this clear I apologize but this thread is for the learning about and discussion of the nine gifts of the Holy Spirit as described in 1 Cor 12. If you want to canvas thoughts about other gifts, can you start an appropriate thread? Many thanks. OP.
 

Pearl

Well-Known Member
Staff member
Encounter Team
Apr 9, 2019
11,344
17,180
113
Lancashire
Faith
Christian
Country
United Kingdom
Tongs is the least of the gifts.

No single gift is given to everyone.

There is no such thing as one gift that opens the door to other gifts.
Tongues is the ONLY gift given to everyone
 

Pearl

Well-Known Member
Staff member
Encounter Team
Apr 9, 2019
11,344
17,180
113
Lancashire
Faith
Christian
Country
United Kingdom

7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

Verse 7 is quite clear ."The manifestation of the Spirit" refers back to verse 4 which says that there are "diversities of gifts". So the Spirit gives at least one spiritual gift to the one who proclaims sincerely that "Jesus is the Lord".

There are four main manifestations of the gift of tongues and not all of these manifestations are for everybody - i.e. speaking in meeting, interpretation, for the benefit of non-believers - but the gift of tongues for personal edification is available to all who want it. Sadly a lot of people have been put off using tongues in this way because of wrong teaching. We are not free to choose which of the other gifts of the Spirit we are given, that is up to God, but we can choose to use this one which is given to all of us when we are baptised in the Spirit. The gift is given but some people never manage to unwrap it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: marksman

Pearl

Well-Known Member
Staff member
Encounter Team
Apr 9, 2019
11,344
17,180
113
Lancashire
Faith
Christian
Country
United Kingdom
Can You just clarify something pearl, are you saying that if we do not speak in tongues we cannot experience power or reach our full potential as Christians ?
Rita
Personally I have found that the more I use tongues in my prayer time the stronger I feel and the more focused I become. So I have come to believe that using tongues this way builds me up and I suspect would do the same for anybody else who uses it.

I think that probably very few of us reaches our full potential as Christians because we are restricted by wrong teachings and our own fears. But I do believe that using tongues if we can, will help us.

I used to speak in tongues quite naturally at one point and then I started reading stuff on sites like this that said it was wrong and I became wary of using the gift. But when I started using it again I was blessed.

I do believe that God gives us all the gift of tongues for personal edification, to build us up spiritually, but I know plenty of people who can’t do it. It’s like they have the gift but haven’t unwrapped it yet.
 

Pearl

Well-Known Member
Staff member
Encounter Team
Apr 9, 2019
11,344
17,180
113
Lancashire
Faith
Christian
Country
United Kingdom
I'm like Titus, I don't speak in tongues.

Much love!
I know plenty of people who don't. Perhaps you have the gift but haven't unwrapped it yet.
 
B

Butterfly

Guest
Personally I have found that the more I use tongues in my prayer time the stronger I feel and the more focused I become. So I have come to believe that using tongues this way builds me up and I suspect would do the same for anybody else who uses it.

I think that probably very few of us reaches our full potential as Christians because we are restricted by wrong teachings and our own fears. But I do believe that using tongues if we can, will help us.

I used to speak in tongues quite naturally at one point and then I started reading stuff on sites like this that said it was wrong and I became wary of using the gift. But when I started using it again I was blessed.

I do believe that God gives us all the gift of tongues for personal edification, to build us up spiritually, but I know plenty of people who can’t do it. It’s like they have the gift but haven’t unwrapped it yet.
Oh boy, that just makes me feel second rated all over again - in others words it's a failing on my part that I cannot unwrap the gift, which means that I am ' not as good ' as everyone that can.
I know that was not your intention Pearl I know you well enough to know that, but that is exactly how it makes me feel. It's not a major problem as I cannot just ' make 'my self unwrap it , if it is there( which I am not sure about as I see it as ' a gift ' like any of the gifts and believe that the Holy Spirit is in control of the gifts - but on a human level it's always those with the gift that think it is open to everyone - and yet not all the other gifts are for everyone.
So I will have to keep an open mind on what you have conveyed, it's others in my past that sowed the seeds of being ' in the elite group ' if you had tongues - your words just played into what they conveyed many years ago xxx
 

Pearl

Well-Known Member
Staff member
Encounter Team
Apr 9, 2019
11,344
17,180
113
Lancashire
Faith
Christian
Country
United Kingdom
it's others in my past that sowed the seeds of being ' in the elite group ' if you had tongues - your words just played into what they conveyed many years ago xxx
There are no 'elite groups' on Christ Jesus. Yet so many Christians seem to think there are. And they just trap us and make us afraid or demoralised. I've known you for a long time now and know you are a wise and godly woman so don't let this bring you down. You are a woman of faith too and I love you. <))))<
 
  • Like
Reactions: Butterfly

farouk

Well-Known Member
Jan 21, 2009
30,790
19,230
113
North America
There are no 'elite groups' on Christ Jesus. Yet so many Christians seem to think there are. And they just trap us and make us afraid or demoralised. I've known you for a long time now and know you are a wise and godly woman so don't let this bring you down. You are a woman of faith too and I love you. <))))<
I do love the opening of Ephesians, which shows just how privileged all true believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are by His grace.
 
  • Like
Reactions: marksman and Pearl

Pearl

Well-Known Member
Staff member
Encounter Team
Apr 9, 2019
11,344
17,180
113
Lancashire
Faith
Christian
Country
United Kingdom
I do love the opening of Ephesians, which shows just how privileged all true believers in the Lord Jesus Christ are by His grace.
We are. He loves us equally, he doesn't have favourites. We were well blessed. <))))<
 

farouk

Well-Known Member
Jan 21, 2009
30,790
19,230
113
North America
Oh boy, that just makes me feel second rated all over again - in others words it's a failing on my part that I cannot unwrap the gift, which means that I am ' not as good ' as everyone that can.
I know that was not your intention Pearl I know you well enough to know that, but that is exactly how it makes me feel. It's not a major problem as I cannot just ' make 'my self unwrap it , if it is there( which I am not sure about as I see it as ' a gift ' like any of the gifts and believe that the Holy Spirit is in control of the gifts - but on a human level it's always those with the gift that think it is open to everyone - and yet not all the other gifts are for everyone.
So I will have to keep an open mind on what you have conveyed, it's others in my past that sowed the seeds of being ' in the elite group ' if you had tongues - your words just played into what they conveyed many years ago xxx
I've looked at some of the recent posts and it's good to remember just how rich and edifying the Scriptures are; while in Apostolic times, before the Scriptures were complete, the sign gifts operated to confirm the recent and rapidly spreading message of the Gospel, we now look to the Spirit through the Word in edification and guidance, rather than to extra-Biblical experiences and revelation.
 

Pearl

Well-Known Member
Staff member
Encounter Team
Apr 9, 2019
11,344
17,180
113
Lancashire
Faith
Christian
Country
United Kingdom
I've looked at some of the recent posts and it's good to remember just how rich and edifying the Scriptures are; while in Apostolic times, before the Scriptures were complete, the sign gifts operated to confirm the recent and rapidly spreading message of the Gospel, we now look to the Spirit through the Word in edification and guidance, rather than to extra-Biblical experiences and revelation.
There are a lot of people seeking supernatural experiences and signs and wonders but they need to seek God first.
 
  • Like
Reactions: marksman
B

Butterfly

Guest
I've looked at some of the recent posts and it's good to remember just how rich and edifying the Scriptures are; while in Apostolic times, before the Scriptures were complete, the sign gifts operated to confirm the recent and rapidly spreading message of the Gospel, we now look to the Spirit through the Word in edification and guidance, rather than to extra-Biblical experiences and revelation.
If you are in line with those who believe the gifts stopped, then I am afraid I do not agree with you ' in the last days your daughters will dream dreams and your son will have visions ' ect I believe the last days started when Jesus died on the cross - I also have experienced the gifts, just never experienced the gift of tongues.
This isn't to bring about yet another debate on the subject and different view points, but just to make you aware of where I stand xx
( if you meant something other than that, then just ignore my post !!! Lol
Rita
 
  • Like
Reactions: Pearl

farouk

Well-Known Member
Jan 21, 2009
30,790
19,230
113
North America
If you are in line with those who believe the gifts stopped, then I am afraid I do not agree with you ' in the last days your daughters will dream dreams and your son will have visions ' ect I believe the last days started when Jesus died on the cross - I also have experienced the gifts, just never experienced the gift of tongues.
This isn't to bring about yet another debate on the subject and different view points, but just to make you aware of where I stand xx
( if you meant something other than that, then just ignore my post !!! Lol
Rita
I think the quote there is from Joel. :)

(As a dispensationalist, I don't see the church in view in Joel - or anywhere in the Old Testament.)
 
B

Butterfly

Guest
I think the quote there is from Joel. :)

(As a dispensationalist, I don't see the church in view in Joel - or anywhere in the Old Testament.)
That's fine Farouk, we just have different views - I can live with that xx
Rita
 

CoreIssue

Well-Known Member
Oct 15, 2018
10,032
2,023
113
USA
christiantalkzone.net
Faith
Christian
Country
United States
I am not saying you are wrong. I am saying I am not addressing the other gifts just the nine in 1Cor 12,


Two things. In an attempt to keep this going in the right direction, if I am given a car for my birthday I am so grateful. If I am given a shirt for my birthday I am so grateful. What is important is that both are a gift, not what they are worth.

As the OP, I have not said as yet, that a gift is given to everyone.
The Bible talks about gifts many times, but only nine gifts of the Holy Spirit. There are no others.

I'm saying you have to distinguish between the different types of gifts and their purpose.

It doesn't matter if you have expressed an opinion or not. Others have on this thread.

Your OP set the Subject as being gifts of the Holy Spirit. Not all gifts.