The Gifts of the Holy Spirit

An Insight into the Holy Spirit

Holy Spirit is a person and one among the Triune God.  He is present everywhere. Even before the formation of the World, Holy Spirit was hovering above the shapeless earth covered with deep water.  Holy Spirit hovers upon us and upon our family during difficult situations to set us on the right path.

When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him. – Isaiah 59:19

Holy Spirit – An Introducer of Jesus Christ

Scripture (1 Corinthians 12:3 & 1 John 4:2) explains that without the Holy Spirit, no one can understand, accept or even call Jesus as the Son of God. It is evident that anyone who calls the name of Jesus Christ as God, has the Spirit of God within them.  Believers should understand the basic fact that the Holy Spirit is in them. Holy Spirit helps those who desire to see Jesus, in identifying Jesus.

A very good example of this is captured by Luke in Chapter 17, where 10 lepers were able to identify Jesus without any hassle and without anyone’s assistance. We may recall how the Roman soldiers hired Judas to identify Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane. The reason is that they did not have the Holy Spirit in them. Whereas, those ten lepers had decided to forget their past agonies and look forward (Isaiah 43:18-19). In our hopeless situation, Holy Spirit gives us hope of calling the name of Jesus.

May the God of Hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. – Romans 15:13

Holy Spirit – Giver of Knowledge, Wisdom and Understanding

To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit – 1 Corinthians 12:8

Proverbs 1:7 tells us that the fear of God is the beginning of knowledge. By reading the Bible we will come to know God’s power, might, providence, protection and eternity. Once, we understand His Sovereignty, we will fear God out of honor and not out of horror. Psalm 111:10 says that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom and Psalm 119:130 tells us that the word of God throws light on our lives and gives us wisdom and understanding. God does not like to see us as an ignorant person in all walks of our lives. The Word of God breaks every barrier that comes across our success and burns every unwanted thing in our lives. (Jeremiah 23:29)

Holy Spirit – Giver of Faith

to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit. – 1 Corinthians 12:9

Paul surprisingly enlisted ‘Faith’ as one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Romans 10:17 tells us that Faith comes through hearing the word of God. Paul understood that the first three basic gifts of the Holy Spirit are accomplished through the word of God consistently and not instantly.  The other six gifts of the Holy Spirit namely, healing, performing miracles, prophecies, discerning the Spirits, tongues and interpretation of tongues are built on the first three basic gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Holy Spirit – Gives a New Life

Often believers long for the gifts of the Holy Spirit without laying down the foundation of knowledge, wisdom and faith.  At this point, the Holy Spirit starts tearing the heart of a believer and because of this, many go astray thinking that walking in the light is very difficult. Holy Spirit is a gift and a gift is always a new thing. To receive that new Spirit, one’s heart must be renewed.

In Mathew 9:16 & 17 Jesus had brought out this fact.  Unshrunk cloth cannot be patched with an old cloth for it will tear off the old one. Again, new wine cannot be put into old wineskins for wine will be spilled and the skins are destroyed.  When David sinned against God, the same happened to his old filthy heart and he brought this out in Psalm 51:10-11

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and uphold me with a willing spirit” – Psalm 51:10-11

Holy Spirit – Gift for Power Encounters

A simple confession as David did, will pave the way to our indwelling spirit to perform miraculous acts through our lives. We will be able to unite the hearts of people with God, and set them on the path of light. Healing will happen to people in the name of Jesus and the evil spirit will flee from the lives of the bonded and they will be set free.

Holy Spirit – Gift of flawless and effective communication

In Acts Chapter 2, we see that the Holy Spirit descended on people who were waiting upon God. As soon as they received the Holy Spirit, there was an effective communication of the Gospel to those gathered from different parts of the world.

Holy Spirit – An Eternal Spirit

Many seek the Holy Spirit to minister to others. 1 Corinthians 12:7 tells that the Holy Spirit is given for our personal benefit. What is this personal benefit? It is our salvation.

“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” Ephesians 4:30.

As we are sealed for the day of redemption, the eternal spirit has offered the blood of Jesus Christ in the heavenly realm to redeem us from our dead works.

“How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” Hebrew 9:14

We do not have to look for anointed people to receive these gifts as the gifts of the Holy Spirit are assured to each one of us. Let us receive Him with all reverence by submitting our bodies to Him as a living sacrifice. May the Holy Spirit give us the strength to serve the sovereign God and bear witness to our Lord Jesus Christ.