DailyDevotion The Spirit Gives Us Gifts For Service

1 Cor. 12:4-11 ⁴Now gifts are given to different persons but by the same Spirit. ⁵Ways of serving are assigned to them but by the same Lord. ⁶Differing powers are given to them, but the same God works everything in all of them. ⁷Now, the Spirit shows Himself to each one to make him useful. ⁸The Spirit gives one person the ability to speak of wisdom. To another the same Spirit gives the ability to speak intelligently. ⁹To another the same Spirit gives faith. To another that same Spirit gives the ability to heal. ¹⁰Another can work miracles. Another can speak God’s Word. Another can tell the true Spirit from evil spirits. Another can speak other languages. Another can tell the meaning of languages. ¹¹0ne and the same Spirit works all these things and gives as He wishes to each in his own way.

Now the Spirit who gives us a mouth to confess Jesus Christ is LORD/YHWH gives different gifts to different persons but it is the same Spirit who gives them as He sees fit for service in the kingdom of God. We all are assigned different thing by the same LORD, i.e. Holy Spirit. We are not all the same. The Holy Spirit knows what he wants each of us to do in the Church to make each of us useful.

Now Paul list a few here but the list isn’t exhaustive. Some are given the ability to speak of wisdom. Another person has the gift to speak intelligently. Some are given the gift to speak God’s Word. To another he gives the gift of faith. We should note this is on top of the gift of faith we have in Jesus. This is the faith that speaks to mountains to be cast into the sea and the like. It isn’t something we can gin up in ourselves. Then we get towards the more spectacular gifts like healings, working miracles, discerning evil spirit, speaking in other languages and others being able to interpret them. You even notice some Christian denominations say you don’t have the Holy Spirit if you can’t speak in tongue but don’t say you don’t have the Spirit if you can’t speak intelligently, with wisdom or God’s Word? Why is that? Paul never says that. It’s a completely distinct gift given only to certain people.

Now the Holy Spirit works all these things and gives them as he wishes to each in his own way. They are not given so the individual can say, “Look at me!” They are not given to give assurance to the possessor they are saved (only confessing Jesus as LORD/YHWH can be that). It’s not about you at all. Look again at verse 8. It is so we can be useful to God and the Church, our fellow believers. If we aren’t using what God the Holy Spirit in service to the gospel and our fellow believers, maybe it isn’t from the Holy Spirit. Maybe you have another spirit. You don’t need a spiritual inventory. The Holy Spirit will make it very clear in what ways we can service the Church through those in the Church asking you to do some work of service. When askes to do something in the Church, say yes. Pray the Holy Spirit gives you what you need to perform what you need to do. I’m certain if he thinks it is good for the Church and the Gospel of Jesus he will give it to you. If he doesn’t give you what you need then let them know, you don’t have the gifts necessary for that particular duty. Don’t worry, the Spirit through the Church will find something for you to do. It may not be glamorous, but Jesus Christ dying for us on the cross doesn’t look particularly glamorous either. He looks like humblest, most curse person in the world, and he was, for you.

Heavenly Father, as work is needed done for the kingdom, grant us your Holy Spirit and his gifts so we may be useful to you and your Church. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.