Week 17 Principles of Intercession – Class Notes – January 15, 2017
God’s Power Tools, continued.
Reminders: Some people will function in one or more gifts on a nearly permanent basis: Oral Roberts and Kathryn Kuhlman and the gifts of healing, for example. Others will operate in different gifts on different occasions, such as pastors or revivalists. Randy Clark operates in the gift of knowledge a great deal, frequently combined with gifts of healing in an unusual way – he “feels” a migraine, or a hip pain, etc., and knows someone in the congregation is suffering from that ailment. As he calls it out, that person responds in faith and healing occurs.
The Holy Spirit makes the gifts available for the body, but he won’t force the use of them on anyone. If you want him to use you, ask him. Verse 12:31 tells us to covet (zealously desire) the best (most useful, advantageous) gifts. If you are building a house, what would be the most useful – a power saw or a hammer? It depends on what you’re doing. Carpenters need saws, hammers and nails. Brick masons need bricks and mortar. God’s tools are appropriate for the specific task and available to those who request them.
“Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.” (1 Cor. 12:7-11 NIV) Also see I Cor. 14:26, 39.
Verse 26 says “Let all things be done unto edifying” – what does that mean? Gk. oikodomē – architectural term for constructing a house, building a dwelling place; strengthening.
I. The first group of these is Word Gifts, where God enables a believer to SAY certain things:
• The gift of prophecy — a message from God for a group or for an individual. Result: edification, exhortation and comfort. Not always pleasant, however. Example apostle Paul. See Acts 20:22, 21:11-13. Serves as a sign to believers, but ministers to unbelievers. See I Cor. 14:22-24; verse 39 says covet to prophesy.
• The gift of tongues — a message from God, similar to prophecy, or prayer / praise to God in a language unknown to the person speaking. This is referred to as a gift of tongues most commonly when used in a public meeting, although a private prayer language is also a gift from the Lord. Since you don’t understand the language, the enemy cannot interfere with it. Result: edification for the one speaking, unless followed by interpretation when all are edified. Serves as a sign to unbelievers. This is one way to pray the will of God in a situation where you don’t know all the circumstances, and perhaps don’t need to know. See Jude 20, helps build your faith.
• The gift of interpreting tongues — when a message in tongues is given in a public meeting, either the person who spoke it or someone else present must give the meaning of it – this is not a word-for-word translation, but an interpretation of what was said. Equivalent to prophecy in a meeting. Result: edification of the group.
Note: When using a private prayer language, if you really want the interpretation of what you’re praying, ask the Lord for it.
II. The second group of gifts is Sign Gifts, where God enables a believer to DO certain things:
• The gift of faith — God enables a person at a given moment to believe something without human reasoning or logic. The result is that he then prays or speaks (commands) something in the name of Jesus and what he asks or says will come to pass. This kind of faith is not natural, reasonable or logical: it is supernatural. Example, young girl who lifted a fallen farm tractor off her dad. He couldn’t even lift it in the natural… but she received a gift of faith that she could lift it, and so she did. Perhaps a miracle also?
Esther's Petition 