Thursday: The Gifts of the Spirit
WEEK 51
THURSDAY
THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT
Romans 12:3-8
We have been studying about receiving the Holy Spirit. But the receiving of the Holy Spirit is not an end in itself; it is a receiving in order to live out life under the direction of the Spirit. The Spirit comes in and takes control and direction of the life forces within and the life activities without. Life is lived now in the Spirit.
According to Paul, the Spirit brings certain gifts: “There are different spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; and there different ministries and the same Lord; and there are different activities, but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. A demonstration of the Spirit is given to each person for the common good” (1 Cor 12:4-7). There are mentioned these gifts: wisdom, faith, healing, performance of miracles, prophecy, the ability to tell spirits apart, different kinds of tongues, interpretation of the tongues. He ends by saying, “All these things are produced by one and the same Spirit who gives what he wants to each person” (v. 11). To the list he adds helpers and administrators (see v. 28).
From this it is clear that there are many gifts but one Spirit, and Paul urges that we seek the highest gifts: love and prophesying (which is not foretelling but forthtelling the good news). The Holy Spirit is the gift for all, but divides the gifts according to the Spirit’s will, for the collective good. To pick out one of these gifts and say, if we do not have this gift, we do not have the Holy Spirit, is to cut across this passage. Paul urges that we “earnestly desire” (v. 31 RSV) the two highest gifts: love and prophesying, the power to witness effectively. They are the safest and most needed gifts.
But the greatest work of the Holy Spirit is not merely to introduce new gifts but to cleanse, heighten, and use many of our old inherent powers. The person who has executive ability can now use that ability for the kingdom, and that ability will be heightened by the Spirit. The person who can sing will now sing with a new quality. “Mary” said, “The one thing I can do is love. It is the easiest thing I do. So now Jesus just takes hold of my capacity to love and heightens it. I love everybody and everything.” And how!
O Holy Spirit, I place at your disposal every power and every faculty. Take hold of each and cleanse and control and use all I have, all the time and in all possible ways. Amen.
AFFIRMATION FOR THE DAY: All my capacities shall be controlled capacities, and they shall be heightened capacities.