THE POWER GIFTS
The power gifts of the Holy Spirit do something. The most important of these three gifts is the gift of faith. Each of these gifts releases an aspect of the power of God. As in the revelation gifts, all these power gifts operate only as of the Spirit wills and when the anointing upon is manifested.
The Gift of Faith
The gift of faith is the supernatural ability imparted by God to receive a miracle. The gift of faith operates in three areas: preservation, provision, proclamation, and transportation. This supernatural faith is instantaneously infused into a person to receive a miracle that would be impossible by natural means. Except for the area of proclamation, the person who exercises this gift is at rest.
Daniel through the gift of faith was preserved from lions (Dan. 6:16; Heb. 11:33). Daniel was at rest while he received his miraculous deliverance. He did not even have to fight with the lions. Samson had to tear the lion apart through the working of miracles (Judg. 14:6). Daniel could comfortably enjoy a good night’s rest with genuine lion fur as his pillow. It was the gift of faith in Jesus’ life that preserved him from being thrown down the hill in his own hometown (Lk. 4:28, 29). The townsfolk had already taken him to the top of the hill. Suddenly the gift of faith must have manifested and nobody dared to touch Him as He walked through their midst (Lk. 4:30).
Elijah through the gift of faith was supernaturally sustained and fed by ravens during the first part of the famine (1 Kgs. 17:4). Ravens are the stingiest of birds yet through the miracle of God, they were made to bring food for Elijah. The gift of faith brings about the supernatural provision in miraculous ways.
The gift of faith in operation imparts supernatural power to the spoken word uttered during its manifestations. This is the operation of the gift of faith in the proclamation. It is through the gift of faith that demons are cast out. It is also through the gift of faith that the spirits of those who have died can be called back.
In the resurrection of the dead three gifts are in operation: the working of miracles to resurrect the dead cells, the gifts of healings to heal the body of whatever disease it died from, and the gift of faith to call back the spirit of one who has died. Through the gift of faith, Jesus cast out spirits with one word (Matt. 8:16). Through the gift of faith, Peter called Dorcas to arise from the dead (Acts 9:40).
It is the gift of faith that transports people supernaturally. Elijah was a man who operated much by the gift of faith. It must be quite common for him to be carried by the Holy Spirit from one place to another. Upon his departure to heaven, the sons of the prophets thought that this was one of those times that the Spirit had carried him to the mountains and they sent out a search party for him (2 Kgs. 2:16). By the gift of faith, he was transported supernaturally past the galloping horses of the king of Israel (1 Kgs. 18:46). Enoch through the gift of faith was translated (Gen. 5:24; Heb. 11:5).
Growing in Faith
Growing in faith is the direct result of spiritual growth whereas the gift of faith is an instantaneous impartation and infusion of faith. When we were born again, we received the same measure of faith (Eph. 2:8). Thenceforth, we are to develop and grow in faith. Faith comes by hearing the Word of God (Rom. 10:17). The Thessalonians grew exceedingly in faith (2 Thess. 1:3).
It takes time to grow in faith. The laws of sowing and reaping apply when we want to receive something through our faith. We need to take time in meditating on the Word of God. However, when the gift of faith is imparted, we would have the supernatural faith to perform a task. The gift of faith is a supernatural impartation of faith to a specific person for a specific task at a specific time. Once the task is completed, the person is back to his normal spiritual level of faith that he has developed.
If God has to wait until we develop the faith to do some of the things that He wants doing, it may take an eternity for some work to get done. For that reason, when He has a special work to be done, He imparts the gift of faith to the vessel who is chosen to perform the task. If a person is lazy and does not develop their own level of faith by growing, he will not be able to utilize the gift of faith because it is only for a specific task and not for all tasks.
We need to differentiate between the gift of faith and growing in faith. One is a gift; the other is a growth. The former operates only when the anointing is in manifestation; the latter operates as a development of the anointing within. We need to operate in the gift of faith as the Spirit wills and keep growing in faith to achieve success in spirit, soul, and body during our Christian life.
The Working of Miracles
The gift of the working of miracles is the supernatural ability imparted by God to work a miracle. It is different from the gift of faith because the recipient has to be actively involved in working the miracle. The reason why the Bible uses the plural word ‘miracles’ is that this gift operates in five areas of miracles: the transcending of natural laws, instantaneous healings, creative miracles, special demonstrations of the anointing, and the working of signs and wonders.
When a natural law is broken, it is not just the illegal breaking of natural laws. More correctly speaking, it is the transcending of natural law through the higher spiritual law. Through the working of miracles, all-natural laws can be transcended. Moses through the working of miracles was able to go without food and water for forty days and forty nights (Deut. 9:9). He also probably went without sleep during this period.
When Jesus walked on the water, He operated two gifts of the Holy Spirit. He operated the gift of faith because He merely continued walking on water as if it were solid ground, and He operated the working of miracles because the law of gravity was transcended (Matt. 14:25).
The second area of the working of miracles is instantaneous miracles. Healing by the gifts of healings would normally take some time for complete normal function. This does not mean that the person who receives healing is healed gradually (that would have been healing by personal faith). Rather, when a person is healed by the gifts of healings, they are healed instantly of whatever sickness but their body takes time to go back to normal strength.
For example, if a person is bedfast for many years, even if the person is instantly healed, it may still take time for his body to recover the normal strength. Healing by the gifts of healings is also instantaneous but not as dramatic as healing wrought by the working of miracles. If the same person is healed by the working of miracles, two things would happen instead of one (the instantaneous healing). The person would have received instantaneous healing and a supernatural restoration of normal strength. The lame man at the temple in Jerusalem was healed by working of miracles because he received both a healing and an instant ability to walk and leap even though he has never walked before (Acts 3:8).
All creative miracles are classified under the working of miracles. This is the third area of the working of miracles. When Elijah stayed in the widow’s house, the bin of flour and the jar of oil was multiplied through the working of miracles (1 Kgs. 17:14-16). Jesus multiplied the five loaves and two fish through the working of miracles (Matt. 14:19, 20).
Jesus in His ministry performed many creative miracles. Many who were maimed were made whole (Matt. 15:30, 31). The maimed refers to those who have lost their arms, legs, or other body parts. Jesus through the working of miracles restored their bodily parts. In this last great move of the Holy Spirit, I believe that God will grant a special manifestation of this gift to work creative miracles.
The fourth area of the working of miracles is in special demonstrations of the anointing. Powerful demonstrations of the anointing result in miraculous healings. The presence of God in such meetings can be very strong and thick with the glory of God. Peter through the working of miracles brought miracles by means of his shadow (Acts 5:15). Miracles resulted wherever the shadow of Peter fell. In Ephesus, God worked special miracles through the hands of Paul. Handkerchiefs and aprons that Paul touched were charged with the power of God (Acts 19:11,12). This special demonstration of the power of the Holy Spirit was brought by the working of miracles.
The fifth and final area of the working of miracles is in the performance of special signs and wonders. In the last days, God will demonstrate special signs and wonders through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:18, 19). Paul demonstrated the power of the Holy Spirit against Elymas the sorcerer
(Acts 13:8, 11). Elymas was not able to see for a season. When Ananias and
Sapphira died, it was a special demonstration of the judgment of God (Acts 5:1-10). It was a sign that brought great esteem to the Name of Christ (Acts 5:13).
Believing God for Miracles
The working of miracles operates only as of the Holy Spirit wills. However, we can develop our faith to believe God for miracles by meditating upon the promises in God’s Word. Abraham and Sarah needed a creative miracle in their lives. Abraham was sterile and Sarah’s womb was barren (Rom. 4:19). Sarah was probably well past her menopause. There was no natural way by which they could have children. They did not just need healing; they needed a creative miracle.
By calling those things which be not as though they were, Abraham and Sarah exercised their faith for a creative miracle. Abraham was strong in faith giving glory to God (Rom. 4:17, 20). There are many Bible promises that we can meditate upon if we want to exercise our faith for a miracle. Jesus said that all things are possible to those who believe (Mk. 9:23).
Nothing shall be impossible to those who have faith (Matt. 17:20).
Exercising our faith for miracles is a development of the spiritual man. Faith grows from level to level. As we meditate on God’s Word we can believe in God for miracles in our lives. Believing God for miracles taps on the believer’s anointing that God has given to all those who are born again. The quality and essence of the miracles produced by exercising our faith are equal to that of the working of miracles. However, usually, the miracles come gradually as we hold fast to the Word of God whereas, in the working of miracles, it is instantaneous.
The Gifts of Healings
The gifts of healings are the supernatural ability imparted by God to work healing on a human being. Man is a tripartite being. He is a spirit being, has a soul, and lives in a body. The spirit man does not need healing but it needs to be born again. It is the soul and the body of a man that needs healing. There is the healing of the soul and the healing of the body. The plural words for ‘gifts’ and for ‘healings’ are used because of three operations of the gifts of healings.
The first operation is in the two realms of healings. There are healings of the soul and healings of the body. The spirit man does not need healing but rather needs to be born again. Jesus said that the Holy Spirit is upon Him to heal the brokenhearted (Lk. 4:18). There are many people with wounded souls that need healing. Unless they are healed in their souls, they may never ever receive healing in their physical bodies. People need to be made whole both in their souls and in their bodies.
The second operation of the gifts of healings is in the application of God’s power to the three different causes of physical sickness. Physical sickness can be caused either organically, by microscopic invasions - that is by germs, viruses, bacteria, etc. - or by demonic oppression. Sicknesses caused organically are those that result out of a deformity in the physical organs or by a chemical imbalance. A host of other sicknesses is caused by microscopic invasions. Some sickness is caused directly by demons. Each type of sickness needs a different application of the healing gifts of the Holy Spirit.
The third operation of the gifts of healings is in the specialization that God grants to different ministers. Some ministers are gifted in ministering to those who are deaf and dumb while others are more successful in praying for those with cancerous growths. Others may be good at ministering to those with bone and back problems. Philip the evangelist seems to be especially gifted in ministering to those are paralyzed and lame (Acts 8:7).
The gifts of healings flow like many rivers from the same source. Each river brings about a particular type of anointing to meet the specific but varied needs of healing of suffering humanity. Great compassion is usually released through this special gift of the Holy Spirit.
Believing God for Healing
God has placed in the church avenues for receiving healing. James said that if anyone is sick, he should call for the elders of the church and they shall anoint him with oil in the Name of Jesus for his healing (Jam. 5:14). Furthermore, believers have the command to go forth and lay hands on the sick so that they shall recover (Mk. 16:18). Those who are sick can claim on the healing promises of God and exercise personal faith for their healing. All these are not the special demonstration of the gifts of healings.
The gifts of healings operate only as of the Spirit wills but anytime, day or night, a believer can claim on the promises of God for healing. When the anointing upon is not manifest, believers can always tap upon the anointing within. Faith for healing can increase gradually through the development of the spirit man.
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Article from: © Copyright 2008 Peter Tan Evangelism.
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