The Gift of the Spirit
1 Corinthians 12:1-2 (NIV) Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. 2 You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols.
Verse 1 - The Greek word in this verse (penumatikos) is different from the Greek word Paul uses in verse 4 of this chapter(charisma). Some interpret the Greek word (pneumatikos) for ”spiritual gifts” as “spiritual persons”. Or it could be translated in the singular so it would say, “spiritual gift” not “spiritual gifts” or “spiritual person” not “spiritual persons”. The Greek word does not seem to be clear at this point. Lord, once again, You point out to me that Your gift to me is not an object or thing, but a person. The gifts (charisma) outlined by Paul are only examples of how the Holy Spirit, as a person, is manifest to others. When someone imparts wisdom, do I hear the person of the Holy Spirit speaking to me? When someone imparts healing, do I see the person of the Holy Spirit working through them? When I receive the benefits of some one administering, do I receive the person of the Holy Spirit through their organization? When someone serves me, do I sense the person of the Holy Spirit in their service? It is not the gift that is important, but the presence of the person of the Holy Spirit working through them that is important. Wisdom can be given without the presence of God working through them. Healing can happen from the hands of a physician or healer without the presence of God being manifest. Service can be given without the presence of God being in it.
Lord, I know I can speak wisdom statements because of what I have learned, but if these statements are not led by Your Spirit speaking through me for that person and that time, they are not spiritual gifts and I am not being a spiritual person. It is only when You speak through me that a wisdom shared is truly wisdom and used to transform lives. I know this applies to every “gift of the Spirit”. If healing is done without Your Spirit working through me, it is a healing from a natural person, not a spiritual person. If service is done without Your Spirit working through me, it is service done from a natural person, not a spiritual person. My life’s experiences have shown me that when I have done something in my own strength (psychikos - natural person), it seems to get twisted into something that is not beneficial or not as I had intended. But when I have done something led by Your Spirit, it has produced transformations beyond what I could have ever imagined. I pray that Your spiritual gift to me would continually be Your Spirit manifest to those around me through whatever means You so chose - be it wisdom, knowledge, healing, service, etc.
The Greek word in this verse (penumatikos) is different from the Greek word Paul uses in verse 4 of this chapter(charisma). Some interpret the Greek word (pneumatikos) for ”spiritual gifts” as “spiritual persons”. Or it could be translated in the singular so it would say, “spiritual gift” not “spiritual gifts” or “spiritual person” not “spiritual persons”. The Greek word does not seem to be clear at this point. Lord, once again, You point out to me that Your gift to me is not an object or thing, but a person. The gifts (charisma) outlined by Paul are only examples of how the Holy Spirit, as a person, is manifest to others. When someone imparts wisdom, do I hear the person of the Holy Spirit speaking to me? When someone imparts healing, do I see the person of the Holy Spirit working through them? When I receive the benefits of some one administering, do I receive the person of the Holy Spirit through their organization? When someone serves me, do I sense the person of the Holy Spirit in their service? It is not the gift that is important, but the presence of the person of the Holy Spirit working through them that is important. Wisdom can be given without the presence of God working through them. Healing can happen from the hands of a physician or healer without the presence of God being manifest. Service can be given without the presence of God being in it.
Lord, I know I can speak wisdom statements because of what I have learned, but if these statements are not led by Your Spirit speaking through me for that person and that time, they are not spiritual gifts and I am not being a spiritual person. It is only when You speak through me that a wisdom shared is truly wisdom and used to transform lives. I know this applies to every “gift of the Spirit”. If healing is done without Your Spirit working through me, it is a healing from a natural person, not a spiritual person. If service is done without Your Spirit working through me, it is service done from a natural person, not a spiritual person. My life’s experiences have shown me that when I have done something in my own strength (psychikos - natural person), it seems to get twisted into something that is not beneficial or not as I had intended. But when I have done something led by Your Spirit, it has produced transformations beyond what I could have ever imagined. I pray that Your spiritual gift to me would continually be Your Spirit manifest to those around me through whatever means You so chose - be it wisdom, knowledge, healing, service, etc.
Verse 2 - You were led astray to dumb idols, however you may have been moved.... When you do not have the security and peace of the Lord residing in your heart, your emotions and affections will take you from one thing to another to another wherever you feel. You are listless. You try one thing and then another.
First it may be a career and then you find you feel useless when it is gone. Why? Because it replaced God as most important in your life.
Then it may be a life’s partner. And when your partner does not completely satisfy that void, you wonder what happened so you may just “exist” or consider divorce.
Then it is a new adventure. The need for the “adrenalin” rush is another way of seeking more “endorphins” in our system to give us contentment and “happiness”. But it soon wears off and the void continues.
After that it may be a new home. How often have we wanted to build our “dream” home and once moved in, the novelty and contentment we longed for wears off.
Your soul is never fully content and satisfied. Paul calls these things we use to try and fill the void, “dumb idols”. We tend to not consider them idols but as adventures, or the process of “self actualization”. But they can be idols as idols do not necessarily have to be something created from physical material such as stone or wood or metal. The activities we put in our lives, these “goals” we have for ourselves can be our idols if not careful. We need to examine ourselves to see if these things of life are attempts to fill the void, that emptiness in our inner being. If they are, then they are idols. They are the things which are attempting to fill the void that needs to be filled with God, not me. As Paul says, “You know that when you were “followers of self” (pagans), somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to “dumb” activities which do not speak to your soul (mute idols).”(paraphrased NIV). Lord, examine my heart to see that my worship is You and not what I do.
You were led astray to dumb idols, however you may have been moved.... When you do not have the security and peace of the Lord residing in your heart, your emotions and affections will take you from one thing to another to another wherever you feel. You are listless. You try one thing and then another.
First it may be a career and then you find you feel useless when it is gone. Why? Because it replaced God as most important in your life.
Then it may be a life’s partner. And when your partner does not completely satisfy that void, you wonder what happened so you may just “exist” or consider divorce.
Then it is a new adventure. The need for the “adrenalin” rush is another way of seeking more “endorphins” in our system to give us contentment and “happiness”. But it soon wears off and the void continues.
After that it may be a new home. How often have we wanted to build our “dream” home and once moved in, the novelty and contentment we longed for wears off.
Your soul is never fully content and satisfied. Paul calls these things we use to try and fill the void, “dumb idols”. We tend to not consider them idols but as adventures, or the process of “self actualization”. But they can be idols as idols do not necessarily have to be something created from physical material such as stone or wood or metal. The activities we put in our lives, these “goals” we have for ourselves can be our idols if not careful. We need to examine ourselves to see if these things of life are attempts to fill the void, that emptiness in our inner being. If they are, then they are idols. They are the things which are attempting to fill the void that needs to be filled with God, not me. As Paul says, “You know that when you were “followers of self” (pagans), somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to “dumb” activities which do not speak to your soul (mute idols).”(paraphrased NIV). Lord, examine my heart to see that my worship is You and not what I do.