Spirit Gifts Today.  Are spiritual gifts operating in the church today?  Are there no longer prophets, apostles, or speaking in other tongues?   I often wonder what it was like when our Lord walked this earth.  What was it like to see Jesus heal the sick, or raising the dead?  Can you imagine the day of Pentecost when they were all assembled in the upper room, waiting in expectation for the promise of the Father?   

Where they frightened when they heard the rushing winds that filled the room or saw the cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them?  Where they shocked with they all began to speak in a language they didn’t know?   But that was then.

Have the Gifts of the Spirit Ended?

Have you ever wondered why your church, has Pastors, Teachers, and the occasional Evangelist, but no Prophets or Apostles?  Why is it that we will accept the Pastor, Teacher, and Evangelist, are of God but we reject Apostle and Prophet?

It’s because that is what you have been taught.  If anyone dare announces God has called them to be a Prophet or speaks in tongues, they are ridiculed or chased out of the church.  “No tongue talking prophesying nuts in this church!”

Jesus Christ, is the same yesterday, today and forever.  Hebrews 13:8 KJV.  And whether they are operating in your church or not, they have not passed away!   The gifts of the spirit are not a badge of honor, that one wears to claim spirituality or superiority.  They are tools for ministry, they are an extension of the hand of God, to build His house!

And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.  Ephesians 4:12

Do you Believe you have Spiritual Gifts?

Do you have a knack for always knowing the right thing to say to someone who is discouraged, or a strong desire to pray for those who are suffering?  Many Christians have a spiritual gift and use them every day, but don’t know what they are called.

Don’t worry, God will lead you to the fulfillment of the gifts He has given you, so you bless others.  1 Corinthians 12:7  But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.  You may have spiritual abilities that manifested when you were young in the Lord.   Be patient, growth takes time, practice and surrender to God.

Just like a muscle, the gifts of the spirit must be exercised and develop over time.  Spend time in the word, and in prayer, and look for opportunities to minister hope and encouragement to others.  I Timothy 3:6 An elder must not be a new believer, because he might become proud, and the devil would cause him to fall.

You have to stir up your spiritual gifts and talents God has given you God will not do it for you!  It is like when you are baking a cake…you mix your ingredients together, and, at first, the batter is lumpy and inconsistent.  You continue to beat and stir the batter until it becomes smooth and ready to be poured into pans and baked.

A Work in Progress

When I was a younger Christian, I had a burden for sick people.  I am sure that compassion is the result of my life my Mother always being sick.  I often asked people if I could pray for them.  I also visited the hospitals as often as I could. People began to get healed, those in pain received relief and people came to the Lord!   As you step out in faith, God will begin to show you, your gifts and abilities.   Mark 16:17-18.

When you discover God wants to use you, the road can get a little bumpy until you get understanding and training.  Do not get discouraged, if you do not get the support of your Church or friends.  When God is finished with you, his spirit, his anointing will pour out of you.  Take a ministry course about the Holy Spirit and the gifts.  If your church doesn’t offer one, look online for someone reputable.  You can also find a church, who is offering this training. You will learn a lot, about yourself and about your calling.  2 Timothy 2:15.

Check out  How to Stir up your Holy Spirit Gift 

Holy Spirit Gifts as Tools for Ministry

I love the scripture, Ephesians 4:13:  Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: How cool is that?  We are the body and the gifts are given to us are to help the body, prepare for the Work of His kingdom. The ultimate goal for spiritual gifts is to help bring us to maturity, as one new man!  As believers as we are to grow as we take on the likeness of God.  We have to prepare ourselves to be vessels of honor, that will bring honor and glory to God!

Praying in the Spirit Fine Tunes the Spirit

Praying in the spirit is the act of praying in your prayer language of tongues.  It is a very effective way to stir up your gifts.  It helps you to tap into the spirit and become more sensitive to the voice of God.    As you pray 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes, you will find your mind and spirit become quite.  Distractions will lessen, and you will sense a shift in the spirit.  Be still, quietly worshiping the Lord.

God will speak a word to you, or bring someone to your heart to pray for or give you a song of worship.  Prayer is not one-dimensional, it has many sides to it!  Explore God and let him stretch you.  You will become, keener and more alive in the spirit than ever before.  God speaks to each one of us differently, so try not to compare your experience with that of others.  With time and experience, you will develop a very specific relationship with the Lord.