Understanding The Gifts Of The Spirit - Three Essentials (Daily Devotional)

Welcome to Living Supernaturally. We're so glad that you could be here even as we study God's word. God wants us to live life in a higher plane and He wants us to live supernatural lives and the word of God and the Spirit of God empowers us to do just that. We've been studying about the gifts of the Spirit and to get a better understanding of the gifts of the Spirit. Today, we look at three essentials which are required for us in order to manifest or in order to allow the Spirit of God to move in and through us. Now what are these three essentials? When we look at scripture, we see three things that are mentioned here and we're going to look at that verse. But those three things are this, one to walk in love, two to desire the gifts and three, we are called to step out in faith. When we look at this scripture 1 Corinthians chapter 12 and verse 11, it says, ‘but one and the same Spirit works all these things distributing to each one individually as He wills.’ It talks about what the Holy Spirit, He works all these things, the gifts know they belong to Him, He works these things. He distributes which means He gives to every believer as He wills, meaning as He decides. And so many times when we read this verse, we leave it to His will and His desire which is the right heart posture. But we need to look at the other scriptures or other instructions regarding the gifts as well. So many times, we focus on this, as He wills and we excuse ourselves of our responsibility, we excuse ourselves from other instructions that pertain to us, what we need to do when it comes to ministering and moving and flowing in the gifts of the Spirit. So, let's look at some of the other instructions. We need to understand that the Holy Spirit is always willing, it is His desire, the gifts of the Spirit are his and it is His desire for us as His representatives to walk in love and to walk in power. Otherwise, He would not have instituted this or put this in the church. So first of all, He is willing. The question we need to ask ourselves is: are we willing? Are we as believers desiring for God to work through us, through the gift specifically? The second thing is that there are instructions given to the believer on what he or she must do in order to allow the Holy Spirit to manifest the gifts of the Spirit. So, that is what we have summarized in those three statements: to walk in love. 1 Corinthians chapter 14 and verse 1, ‘pursue love and desire spiritual gifts.’ So, to walk in love means a motive for ministering in the gifts should be love. Love for God's people and love for God and no other motive. It should be to serve people with the love that He has given us, the agape love that He has poured out into our hearts. 1 Corinthians chapter 13 is very clear, the whole chapter that if we minister in the gifts or if we display the gifts of the Spirit but if we do not have love then it is an utter waste, it's a futile exercise, we become like a sounding gong or a clashing symbol and even if we are martyr ourselves but if we do not have love then it is futile. So, 1 Corinthians chapter 13 is very clear and that is why it is placed in in that exact position between chapter 12 and chapter 14 which talk about the gifts. So, walk in love! Second thing we are to desire the gifts. The verse that we read just now, pursue love, desire. To desire is to intentionally and on purpose be zealous. It also means that it is a continuous exertion towards uh the gifts, continuously reminding ourselves and positioning ourselves moving towards the gifts. So, it's not something that is casual. It is not something that we are negligent about but we are focused and intentional and we are pursuing. So, we need to earnestly desire the gifts. So, that's another question to ask ourselves: are we or am I desiring the gifts of the Spirit every day in whatever realm of influence or sphere of influence that God has placed me in? Third one is to step out in faith. Now these gifts of the Spirit are released through faith, faith in God. Now it's not a set of rules or do’s and don'ts that we do but it is through faith in Him. Galatians chapter 3, Paul writes in many places and he challenges the Galatian church and he asks them did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith? In verse 5 he says, He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith? The answer of course is by faith. So, we release these gifts by faith. So, maybe God is giving you a word, a word of knowledge and asking you to go and share it with another person. Now how is that released? It's released through faith. We receive it by faith and we obey God's word by faith. Now it is taking a risk and we are all learning to hear accurately from God and we're on that journey, but it is a risk that we take and we need to do that, we need to take that risk and we need to walk by faith. So, three things: we pursue love, we walk in love. Secondly, we desire the gifts of the Spirit. And thirdly, we step out in faith. Now these are the three essentials. Shall we pray? Father, we thank you Lord for these instructions that you have laid out for us as believers in your word. Father, we thank you that this is our responsibility and we pray that we will not excuse ourselves, that we will not be negligent, that we will not be complacent, but we will pursue you, we will walk in love, and we pray that we would step out in faith, in obedience to your voice, we thank you, in Jesus' name we pray, Amen.
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Daily devotions to strengthen your faith each day. Daily Devotional for Spirit filled living. Each daily devotion is about five minutes in duration. These daily devotionals are centered around a weekly theme. So there are seven daily devotions that focus on the theme and bring you insight, understanding and revelation from the Bible. Each week's theme is listed as a series. So you can listen to the current week's devotions or go to any previous theme/series that speaks to your present need (https://apcwo.org/resources/daily-devotions ). Also available free sermons (https://apcwo.org/sermons), and free Christian books (https://apcwo.org/books) to nourish and strengthen your faith.