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Lesson 10 – Revelation Gifts
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Yes in the above answer, my last sentence begs for clarification. Thanks, Ginny
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@VGaffney thanks for this response. It can be tricky to try to make a distinction between gifts/helps. These two categories bleed into each other. I would suggest that when Christians use the word “gift” in a spiritual sense we usually think it requires some supernatural origin. In other words, a gift of healing requires the Holy Spirit’s power. On the other hand, “helping gifts” look like ordinary service (and often outside the context of the church) and don’t necessarily require spiritual power.
It is probably fair to say that these two things are not as easy to define as we would like. For example, in the spiritual gift list in Romans 12:6-8 “prophecy” is listed beside “giving” or in 1 Corinthians 12:28-30, “healing” is listed beside “administration.” As you said in your post, it is right to say that it all goes to God, regardless of whether we make any distinction between gifts/helps, or whether these are exercised in/out of the church. Finally, as Jesus said, “give a cup of water in my name…” and whether you told these young people you were seeking the Lord for his wisdom/discernment, you were definitely using his “presence/gifts/help” to lead others in Godly directions.
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I do recognize the difference between the gifts of Wisdom, Knowledge, and Discernment. When I was new to my faith I went to a Life in the Spirit seminar in a charismatic Catholic group. I asked for the gifts of Wisdom and Faith. Wisdom seemed to be helpful in my teaching career (as well as Faith). Some of my students needed disciplinary measures on some occasions. Often these students needed some counselling. The Holy Spirit would help me use the gift of Wisdom as I counselled and often the gift of Discernment, and sometimes a word of Knowledge accompanied Wisdom for a particular need of a student (or students). Although I had not asked for Discernment and Knowledge, God accompanied these gifts along with Wisdom. My experience was rewarding when these students made the necessary changes in order to be good learners. I am retired now, and I now recognize these were gifts from God and all goes to God:)) Perhaps they might not be called "gifts" since they were not used to edify the "Church" but "helps" since they edified children:))
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I have experienced the Gifts of Wisdom and Discernment in my walk with God. After this lesson I now have a better understanding of the difference between wisdom and knowledge. I have used the gift of Discernment when one of my children was frequently being harassed as a small child while sleeping. The Lord showed me where the demon was hiding in his bedroom, I commanded it to leave. The Lord then showed me where the demon was trying to hide in my house after it left the bedroom. I bound it and commanded it to leave in the name of Jesus and to never return. I thank God for giving me discernment for that time. I also thank God for the gift of Wisdom that He gave me when working with youth in my job. There were many times that I needed His Wisdom to deal with the issues of at risk youth.
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@Connie wow, this is a profound story of how you leaned on the Holy Spirit to guide you as a parent. I know many people might not relate to the idea of having demons in one’s house, but it is a good reminder that we live in a contested world and we are in a spiritual war. It is probably better to err on the side of the supernatural than it is to believe the world is completely safe from spiritual forces. On the other hand, we have the power to conquer them in Jesus name.
My mother told me that when I was a boy I saw a demon in my room and she took me to the front door and told me to command it to leave in Jesus’s name. Then she asked me where it went and I said, “It is running down the road away from our house!”
Although I haven’t had many experiences like this as an adult, I want to have more. Thanks for the reminder to trust the Holy Spirit’s power!
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