EACH AND EVERY BELIEVER IS GIVEN A SPIRITUAL GIFT

Proclamation:

“Now to each one the manifestation of The Spirit is given for the common good.  To one there is given through The Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.  All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and He distributes them to each one, just as He determines.”  1 Corinthians 12:7-11 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written by the apostle Paul, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God, to the believers in the church at Corinth.  In this chapter Paul wrote to them concerning Spiritual Gifts so that they would not be uninformed. (1 Corinthians 12:1)  His point here was that there are different gifts but they all come from the same Holy Spirit of God. (1 Corinthians 12:4)  He then proceeds to list the gifts of The Spirit: wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discernment, speaking in tongues, and the interpretation of tongues.  He states that The Holy Spirit distributes these Spiritual gifts to believers as He chooses.

Application:

The Holy Spirit of God gives Spiritual gifts to each believer as He determines is appropriate.  Every believer has been blessed to get at least one, some get more than one of them, but no believer gets all of them.  The gifts allow the believer the capacity to perform a service for the glory of God to benefit the body of Christ.  These Spiritual gifts are different from natural physical gifts like singing or playing an instrument.  Natural gifts can be used for the glory of God but they can also be used for self glorification.  Spiritual gifts are to be used for the advantage, benefit, and salvation of others.  We all have Spiritual gifts, physical talents, and natural abilities which we could use for the glory of God, and all of us could do more than we are doing.  In fact, in all that we do, we should do it to the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31)