I’m Duane Matz and
welcome to Today’s Living Word.
We’ve been talking about
spiritual gifts spoken of in 1 Cor 12, and as we look at them let us not forget
their purpose. They are given to exhibit the presence of the Holy Spirit amongst
believers, and are used to profit the Body of Christ. The presence of these
supernatural manifestations link individuals and congregations to the one true
God of the Apostles.
I think a close
examination of these “gifts” will show us that they were evidenced in the ministry
of the Apostles, and therefore it should not be strange that they would show up
in the church at Corinth then, and dare I say even in the church of America.” today!
These gifts are listed
for us beginning in verse 8 and the seventh is the gift of “the discerning of
spirits.” It was this gift that allowed Peter to see through the motivation
behind Simon the sorcerer’s desire to have the same powers as Peter did. Let’s
pick it up in Ac 8:18 And when Simon (the
sorcerer) saw that through the laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Spirit
was given, he offered them money,
19 saying, "Give me this power also, that
anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit." 20 But Peter said
to him, "Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of
God could be purchased with money! 21 "You have neither part nor portion
in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. 22
"Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the
thought of your heart may be forgiven you. 23 "For I see that you are
poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity."
Isn’t it interesting that
Peter names the spirit that has bound Simon? Funny, I would’ve named the spirit
of greed, but Peter names the spirit of “bitterness.” Well, the two are closely
related.
Perhaps Simon was bitter
over the fact that he didn’t think he was wealthy enough. He was bound by a
fixation that others were better off than he was. And so this spirit manifests
itself in envious greed and covetousness
Pr 14:30 A sound heart is
life to the body, But envy is rottenness to the bones. Bitterness
will rot the body from inside out. You don’t want that spirit in your church!
The gift of discernment of spirits is like someone having spiritual antennae
that supernaturally pick up and decipher the motivational spirit that is guiding
someone’s actions and words! It is a means of protection that God provides for
the church to prevent harmful divisions and false teachings.
God knows the hearts of
all men. We can’t hide our motivations behind our actions from Him, and this gift
is very useful in keeping believers from wandering down paths that would be
divisive and separate us from God and His truth!
I hope this brief series
on spiritual gifts has been helpful to you, may God continue to grant them as
needed in His church today.
I’m Duane Matz and that’s Today’s Living Word.
Its so refreshing to hear about a topic I would not normally think about.and then to have someone explain it in a way that is so understandable. God bless you Duane and your spiritual gifts!!:)
ReplyDeletePhyllis