How To Activate Spiritual Gifts

Going back to Acts 13, the example of Paul and Barnabas being set apart and dispatched from the church in Antioch demonstrates remarkable wisdom. There are no prescriptive requirements, yet we can discern five remarkable qualities at work in these three verses:

1st “The spiritual authority for identifying, activating, and sending leaders was discovered inside the local church. Antioch's local government did not need approval from Jerusalem or any other governmental body. The authority to affirm and dispatch was in the hands of the local church authorities.

2. Holy Spirit Guidance—The local body recognized the significance of the Holy Spirit's guidance “Leaders are being “set apart” and their abilities are being activated. Those in positions of spiritual power looked to the Holy Spirit for direction, wisdom, and direction.

3. Confirmation of calling—Paul and Barnabas had recognized the Lord's call on their lives. The local church in Antioch then officially acknowledged their calling by setting them aside.

5. Laying on of hands—While this is frequently a symbol of the Holy Spirit being imparted, the context in Antioch is more akin to a visible, public gesture of commissioning and sending; a sort of celebration.

What are the 11 spiritual gifts?

A spiritual gift or charism (plural: charisms or charismata; in Greek singular: charisma, plural: charismata) is an idea in which the Holy Spirit bestows remarkable power. Followers think that these are supernatural graces that individual Christians require (and that were required in the days of the Apostles) in order to fulfill the Church's mission. In the strictest sense, it is a theological word for the special graces bestowed on individual Christians for the benefit of others, as opposed to personal sanctification graces such as the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit and the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

The word of knowledge, enhanced faith, healing gifts, miraculous gifts, prophecy, spirit discernment, various kinds of tongues, and tongue interpretation are examples of these skills, which are often referred to as “charismatic gifts.” The gifts of apostles, prophets, teachers, aids (associated with service to the destitute and sick), and governments (or leadership abilities) are also associated with various Church ministries. Individuals are given these gifts by the Holy Spirit, but their mission is to build up the entire Church. They're mentioned in the New Testament, namely in 1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12, and Ephesians 4. Spiritual gifts are also mentioned in 1 Peter 4.

The gifts are tied to both “natural” and “miraculous” abilities, both of which are empowered by the Holy Spirit. The two primary theological viewpoints on their nature are that they have long since ceased or that they continue (Cessationism versus Continuationism).

What is the greatest spiritual gift?

Wisdom is regarded as the earliest and most important of the gifts. It affects the intellect as well as the will. It both illumines the mind and instills an inclination to the divine, according to St. Bernard. “The latter is a view taken by the mind, while the former is an experience undergone by the heart; one is light, the other love, and so they connect and complete one another,” Adolphe Tanquerey OP defined the distinction between wisdom and understanding. The theological virtue of charity is perfected by a wise and compassionate heart.

What are the 7 gifts from God?

Wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord are the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. While some Christians regard them as a comprehensive list of precise characteristics, others see them as illustrations of the Holy Spirit's work through the faithful.

What are the 5 gifts from God?

This Light is God's Word, Truth. It appeared to the Old Testament prophets in many forms. It arrived in the form of the Ten Commandments for Moses, for example. It appeared as a babe in a manger on the first Christmas in Bethlehem. When the baby grew up, he became known as Christ Jesus, who declared himself to be the Light and the Truth. All mankind was healed and saved as a result of the manifestation of the Light. It also made it possible for humanity to embrace the other four gifts. Finally, after Jesus' ascension, the Light manifested itself in various forms. The Holy Ghost, Holy Spirit, Counselor, Comforter, Helper, Spirit of Truth, and the Science of Christ have all been used to describe it.

“Let us make man in our image, after our likeness,” God said. ‘Genesis 1:26,' says the Bible.

God is Life, Truth, and Love, according to the Bible. Christ Jesus, according to the Bible, is an illustration of God's holy image. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught humanity how to be that image. To experience that picture and immortality, he stated we must be humble, meek, comforting, merciful, seeking righteousness, peacemakers, forgiving, nonjudgmental, unconcerned about material things, and willing to love our adversaries.

Parting the waters, getting water out of stone, healing, raising the dead, walking through fire, and spending time with ravenous lions were all ways the prophets demonstrated this. Turning water into wine, healing sin and suffering, raising the dead, walking on water, and his own resurrection from death are all examples of Jesus proving his point. God's prerequisites for receiving this gift are “thou shall not dread” and “thou shall not want” throughout the Bible. Christ's teaching and example made this even clearer. We can accept that gift if we follow these commands and examples.

God's Life, Truth, and Love are blessings to us. His Word is a blessing to us. He will continue to shower us with His Grace indefinitely.

5. “And God saw all he had made, and it was very good,” says the Bible. 1:31 (Genesis)

If we are willing to accept it, the last gift is that God created everything and it is extremely good. Sin, pain, and death are all manifestations of our ignorance of God. When we recognize that God is good all of the time and that His purpose is always good, we will begin to appreciate this gift more and more, and evil, suffering, and death will fade away, as described in the 21st Chapter of Revelation.

What is the greatest gift that God has given to the world?

Giving gifts is a way of expressing love. “This is what love is: it is not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the means by which our sins are forgiven,” the First Epistle of John explains (4:10, Good News Translation).

We could argue that God's gift of Christ Jesus is the greatest gift ever given to humanity. God, who is divine Love itself, loves us so much that He sent Jesus to awaken us to our true identity as God's beloved sons and daughters and to show us how to live it. This is definitely something to rejoice over!

Jesus referred to himself as the Son of God, implying that he is the entire expression of divine Love's reforming and healing power. He also referred to himself as the Son of Man, referring to his appearance in human form as a result of his virgin birth, which we commemorate throughout the Christmas season.

Jesus encountered every kind of opposition while carrying out his Christ-identity on Earth. And there was plenty of it to go around! Nonetheless, he adored us – all of us. Jesus restored human character, healed sicknesses, and reversed destructive material forces by his authentic representation of divine Love's omnipotent power. He accomplished all of this to demonstrate God's love for humanity and to demonstrate that God is completely capable of meeting everyone's human needs.

All of Jesus' teachings, including the Lord's Prayer, the Sermon on the Mount, and instructional parables – as well as his miraculous healing miracles – assist us in recognizing and living our own spiritual identity and following Jesus' example as Christian healers.