From: Lauw Eng Tjun
Spiritual gifts - Dr Bill Hamon
CHRIST'S COMMANDS CONCERNING SPIRITUAL GIFTS
I. Covet earnestly
Apostle Paul
1 Corinthians 12:31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you
a more excellent way.
1 Corinthians 14:39 Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to
speak with tongues.
The church should covet the gifts of the Spirit. Most evangelists would
encourage us to covet the fruit of the Spirit.
The New Testament does indicate that believer should desire other things but
none others are supernatural in nature.
Galatians 4:20 I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice; for
I stand in doubt of you.
Ephesians 3:13 Wherefore I desire that ye faint not at my tribulations for you,
which is your glory.
Philippians 1:23; 4:17
1:23 For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be
with Christ; which is far better:
4:17 Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your
account.
Colossians 1:9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease
to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of
his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
1 Timothy 3:1 This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he
desireth a good work.
1 Peter 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may
grow thereby:
Gifts of the Spirit are not designed to benefit us directly. The nine gifts of
the Holy Spirit are for the benefit of others. The only gift that is our
personal edification and comfort is the believer's prayer and praise language
that comes with the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Wherefore, when we covet to operate gifts of the Spirit, we are actually
manifesting an attitude and heart which states, "I want to be a blessing and a
servant to others." (Matthew 23:11, Mark 9:35).
1 Cor 14:4 He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that
prophesieth edifieth the church.
Speaking in tongues is for personal edification but prophesying, which is
representative of all the gifts, is for blessing others.
What is "TO COVET EARNESTLY"?
The Greek word for COVET EARNESTLY is Zeloo which means to have great desire
for, to be jealous over and to be zealously affected. It is from the Greek root
word zelos which means fervency of mind, or an emotional jealousy as a husband
would have towards to wife. Hence, to covet is to have a tremendous passionate
zeal, a burning and yearning to be used, and an intense hunger to see something
happen. It is a word which relates to a positive side of lusting. This choice
of words conveys a sanctified lusting-driving force that will make the believer
move beyond human reason and selfish pride. It connotes a compelling force that
causes the believer to undertake a leap of faith into the spiritual realm in
order to bless others, regardless of the consequences.
II. DESIRE
1 Corinthians 14:1 Follow after charity (MATURE CHRISTIAN CHARACTER), and
desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.
The word desire is the same Greek word as covet - zeloo. We are instructed by
the word of God to follow after love, which is manifested in a mature
Christ-like character, and to crave spiritual gifts.
The Lord commands us to covet the gifts of the Spirit and He is eagerly willing
to supply the faith and grace needed to each believer for its operation. As He
yearns for all men come to the salvation found only in Jesus Christ. He longs
for His Church expectantly, eagerly and perpetually desire the gifts that He
has given.
1) DESIRE IS A SCRIPTURAL KEY TI RECEIVING ANYTHING FROM GOD. (Mark 11:24).
11:24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray,
believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.
Jesus spoke to His disciples and gave them 4 keys for bringing forth the
natural realm things which are spiritual.
1) DESIRE - (Greek aiteo) - which means to crave, desire and even to beg.
2) PRAY - (Greek prosueche) - which means to communicate and talk with the
Lord.
3) BELIEVE - (Greek pisteuo) - which means to put one's trust in.
4) HAVE - (Greek esomai) - which means have, come to pass, or it will be.
The first step to seeing a manifestation of God's power, presence, or provision
is to have an attitude and heart which craves something Godly.
In Psalm 37:4 David wrote: "Delight thyself also in the Lord; and He shall give
thee the desires of thine heart."
Delight in the Hebrews - anag - means to be soft or pliable. David reveals that
as the believer is soft and pliable in the hands of God, the Lord will implant
His desires, His cravings, His yearnings into his/her heart and mind.
As every saint allows God's Word to wash them (Ephesians 5:26), they become a
pliable vessel in His hands. He develops an intense craving for the gifts of
the Spirit in them to serve others.
III. STIR UP YOUR SPIRITUAL GIFTS
1) APOSTLE PAUL'S ADMONITION TO YOUNG TIMOTHY
1:6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God,
which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. II Timothy 1:6
The Apostle Paul challenged his protégé Timothy to stir up the gifts of God
that were in him. Paul makes it clear that this is Timothy's responsibility and
that he must do so by purposeful, premeditated actions. The word stir in the
Greek is anazopureo which means rekindle or arouse from dormancy. In 1 Timothy
4:14, Paul previously admonished Timothy to "Neglect not the gift that is in
thee, which given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the
presbytery." These two scriptures reveal that it is the believer's
responsibility to stir up the gifts God has given them. The word neglect is the
Greek word ameleo which means to make light of, have no regard, to be
negligent. The believer does not have to wait for the Holy Spirit to stir him,
but by an act of the human will, one can arouse one's gift from their state of
dormancy thereby nurturing them and treating them with reverence and respect.
2) STIRRING IS BASED ON THE INDIVIDUAL'S WILL, NOT GOD'S WILL
For example, those who speak in tongues speak according to their own will. They
do not have to wait for a divine unction of the Spirit to speak in tongues. By
an act of the human will, we can activate our spiritual prayer/praise language.
Paul stated in I Corinthians 14:14-15
14:14 For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my
understanding is unfruitful.
14:15 What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the
understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the
understanding also.
I Corinthians 14:14-15
Those whose foundation was based upon "old Pentecost" were taught by example
and word that they could not pray in tongues until the "Spirit moved them".
They believed that they must "feel" the Spirit with a manifestation of goose
bumps, funny feelings, etc. The intent of the Word of God is clear that God's
gifts are not based upon feeling, but upon the will of the individual to
believe the Scriptures and yield to the Spirit of God.
Salvation comes about as an individual makes a decision which is based upon
their will to receive Christ. The gift of salvation is available to all men as
we know that it is the Lord's will that all men come to saving knowledge of
Jesus Christ (Romans 10:13; John 3:15-17; II Peter 3:9). Similarly, the
scripture plainly establishes that the believer is to covet, desire, and stir
up the gifts given by God. Therefore every believer should recognize beyond a
shadow of a doubt that it is the Lord's will that they rekindle, activate, and
stir up their spiritual gifts.
3) HOW DO YOU STIR UP THE GIFTS?
1) Be convinced that it is the Lord's will for every believer to manifest
the gifts of the Spirit.
2) Be persuaded that every believer has at least one of the nine gifts -
You must be
convinced that you have spiritual gifts before you try to stir up and
exercise them.
3) Realize that no believer is perfect and all will make mistakes.
4) Comprehend that we all learn by doing.
5) Praying in the Spirit acts as a catalyst to receive the mind of Christ
so that our human spirit can receive thoughts, impressions, pictures, etc. from
the Holy Spirit.
6) The believer activates their gifts by faith and grace, hence "stirring
up the gift" is the
responsibility of the individual saint.
7) That gifts are given, but fruit is grown.
