Spiritual Gifts
NKJV Notes by Pastor Bob Caldwell
Introduction
The life and ministry of the Holy Spirit opens up to the believer in Jesus Christ a whole new world of spiritual resources. It is the Holy Spirit that implants within our inner being the life of God. This is a life characterized above all else by the fruit of love as described in Galatians 5:16-25.
The Holy Spirit also imparts to the believer spiritual gifts that empower a person to be an effective expression of Jesus Christ and His Kingdom in a fallen world. In this booklet you will discover an outline for a better understanding of the gifts of the Holy Spirit as listed in 1 Corinthians 12:1-11. I pray that this simple outline will open your heart and mind to what the Holy Spirit can do in your life to enable you to be an effective disciple of Jesus Christ.
For further study I would encourage you to thoroughly read all of 1 Corinthians 12-14 as well as Romans 12:1-8 so you can develop a balanced understanding of the basic place the gifts of the Holy Spirit should have in the Body of Christ. In addition to this I would encourage you to then read through the exciting accounts in the Book of Acts to discover the essential role the Holy Spirit played in the establishment and outworking of the Church of Jesus Christ.
If your hunger is deepened for further study into the ministry of the Holy Spirit I would encourage you to order a copy of Chuck Smith’s excellent study on the Holy Spirit entitled Living Water published by The Word for Today. May your study of this vital truth result in your life making a lasting impact to God’s glory and this world’s benefit.
In His Grace,
Bob
Before Jesus ascended to heaven He commanded His disciples to wait in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit came upon them. Jesus assured them when this occurred, then and only then, would they have the spiritual power necessary to be effective in proclaiming the things that Jesus Christ was sending them into the world to teach and to do. In calling them to wait for this power He encouraged them by reminding them that this coming experience with the Holy Spirit would be the fulfillment of John the Baptist's words. "He (Jesus) will baptize you with the Holy Spirit" (Mt. 3:11; Acts 1:4-8).
I. As we look at this aspect of our relationship to the Holy Spirit it's important to keep a few things in mind. First, there seems to be a less technical approach to this event in the life of the believer than how many approach it today. The same event is referred to with different terms.
1. Acts 1:5 - “Baptism with the Holy Spirit”
2. Acts 8:15, 19:2-6 - "Receiving the Holy Spirit"
3. Acts 8:16 - "Fallen Upon"
4. Acts 2:4, 9:19 - "Filled in the Holy Spirit"
5. Acts 10:44, 11:15-16 - "Fell Upon"
II. Secondly, it is important to keep in mind that this same basic experience with the Holy Spirit occurred under different circumstances.
1. Acts 2:1-4 - The first disciples, after an extended time of united prayer with no direct human instrumentality were baptized in the Holy Spirit.
2. Acts 8:14-17 - These were new believers in Jesus who had been baptized in water. Peter and John subsequently were sent to them and laid hands on them to receive the Holy Spirit.
3. Acts 9:17-18l - Here, as a new believer, Saul (Paul) is prayed for to be healed from having been made blind by the light he saw at his conversion (Acts 9:3-9) and is then filled with the Holy Spirit, this is followed by being baptized in water.
4. Acts 10: 44-47 - This retells the experience of Cornelius and his household who, while listening to Peter's sermon about Jesus Christ, make an internal decision of faith in Jesus and are filled with the Holy Spirit without anyone praying for them, or yet being baptized in water.
5. Acts 19:1-6 - These people were considered disciples. However, Paul discerns that the Holy Spirit is not an evident force in their lives. After questioning them if they had received the Holy Spirit when they believed he discovers they had not even put faith in Christ yet. After their relationship to Jesus is made clear he lays hands on them and they are prayed for to receive the Holy Spirit.
1. Acts 1:4 - They spoke in tongues (Acts 9:44-46).
2. Acts 8:14-17 - There is no reference to them speaking in tongues. However, something
happened that in some way confirmed that they had in fact received the Holy Spirit (Acts 9:17).
3. Acts 19:6 - They spoke in tongues and prophesied. IV. In conclusion this experience with the Holy Spirit was as common to the early believers as putting faith in Jesus as their Savior and being baptized in water. It therefore should still be pursued as an essential aspect of every believer’s spiritual life if we are going to fulfill the purpose of God for our own generation.
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