The gift of the Spirit is not for self, but for the church
Greetings in the name of Jesus:
Paul said one main thing in Romans 12:5-12 concerning the gifts of the spirit. The use of these gifts on an individual basis must not be sought after for self, but for the manifestation of God's power within the body of Christ itself. How should we enter into the use of these gifts of the spirit? The answer is by putting on the whole armor of God. Each one as an individual has a duty to live for God with the purest intent of heart, and then to allow God to pick us up and use this as he sees fit. Far too long we have allowed the world around us to sway our thinking about the use of these gifts of the spirit. The gifts are given to work through us but not to be used by us for any purpose. The gifts of the spirit or gives to be used by the power of the Holy Spirit through us at a time that he determines and desires to use us. We are merely vessels used to conduct the power and the gimps to this world.
The world teaches us to control everything that we can in this life, but in this case control is not a successful working of God's power in the church... God has endowed each of us with the gifts of the spirit but we must be open to the use of them. When Christ came into our hearts all of Christ came to be all there and not just part of him. The complete works and the complete gifts of the spirit are at work in us to verying degrees at all times, but the use of those gifts of the Spirit are determined by the Spirit himself and they are not under our control. Some of these gifts are openly displayed like a talent that we may have while other gifts are hidden under the service of personality. It is one of the jobs of the church leadership to help bring out those gifts in the body and put them to use.
A body of believers may have several people within the same body has the same gift of the Spirit, and yet that same gift can be used in several ways to strengthen the body. Much has been said about the use of these gifts in various churches. This is one of the outward manifestations of the Spirit of God, but by no means the only one, and yet it is used by many to somehow separate themselves from others. With all the gifts of the spirit there is one thing that we must be clear on and that is what the intent of our heart is when we use it. In the last few verses of 1 Corinthians 13:9-13 Paul sums it all up by saying concerning the gifts of the spirit"for we know one part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part, but then I shall know even as I am known. And now abide if faith, hope, and love, these three but the greatest of these is love."
Each one of us is in part, but the spirit is perfect within us. We are led by our own thoughts and agendas, but the power of God's Spirit when he is allowed to have complete control of us will use those gifts of the spirit perfectly within the body. We only get into trouble we try to control the situation. Each one of us know the spirit of God, but only in part, and God works in each of us only in part. When the power of the spirit has control of our worship and our thoughts, and our teachings then the information will flow from him in its completeness. As we grow in Christ, and allow the spirit to govern our abilities then would become more mature in the spirit. That means we do less and less, while allowing the spirit to do more and more.
In the book of Romans chapter 7 and 8, Paul begins to speak about the day-to-day process of allowing the Holy Spirit to take control of our lives. Chapter 7: 15-25 tells us that Paul recognized the struggle to give God the power to work in his life every day because of the sin that was constantly working in his flash. It is not we who do these things against God but it is the sin that works in and through us in these bodies that causes the failure. This is the part of us which needs to be constantly given over to the power of the Holy Spirit in our daily lives and cleansed by the blood of Christ.
Chapter 8 goes on to tell us about the victorious life we can have in Christ by allowing God's spirit to permeate us through and through. As we give up pieces of who we are in this life to the control of God's Holy Spirit we will find the gifts of his spirit to come more and more real to us. Our life in Christ begins to have more power for our every day lives, and we will grow into the kind of child that our heavenly father can be sure of. It is my prayer that these last few blogs have helped you to understand the workings of the Holy Spirit within you a little better. May you richly bless God through your life in him.
THE UNWORTHY SERVANT
Paul said one main thing in Romans 12:5-12 concerning the gifts of the spirit. The use of these gifts on an individual basis must not be sought after for self, but for the manifestation of God's power within the body of Christ itself. How should we enter into the use of these gifts of the spirit? The answer is by putting on the whole armor of God. Each one as an individual has a duty to live for God with the purest intent of heart, and then to allow God to pick us up and use this as he sees fit. Far too long we have allowed the world around us to sway our thinking about the use of these gifts of the spirit. The gifts are given to work through us but not to be used by us for any purpose. The gifts of the spirit or gives to be used by the power of the Holy Spirit through us at a time that he determines and desires to use us. We are merely vessels used to conduct the power and the gimps to this world.
The world teaches us to control everything that we can in this life, but in this case control is not a successful working of God's power in the church... God has endowed each of us with the gifts of the spirit but we must be open to the use of them. When Christ came into our hearts all of Christ came to be all there and not just part of him. The complete works and the complete gifts of the spirit are at work in us to verying degrees at all times, but the use of those gifts of the Spirit are determined by the Spirit himself and they are not under our control. Some of these gifts are openly displayed like a talent that we may have while other gifts are hidden under the service of personality. It is one of the jobs of the church leadership to help bring out those gifts in the body and put them to use.
A body of believers may have several people within the same body has the same gift of the Spirit, and yet that same gift can be used in several ways to strengthen the body. Much has been said about the use of these gifts in various churches. This is one of the outward manifestations of the Spirit of God, but by no means the only one, and yet it is used by many to somehow separate themselves from others. With all the gifts of the spirit there is one thing that we must be clear on and that is what the intent of our heart is when we use it. In the last few verses of 1 Corinthians 13:9-13 Paul sums it all up by saying concerning the gifts of the spirit"for we know one part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part, but then I shall know even as I am known. And now abide if faith, hope, and love, these three but the greatest of these is love."
Each one of us is in part, but the spirit is perfect within us. We are led by our own thoughts and agendas, but the power of God's Spirit when he is allowed to have complete control of us will use those gifts of the spirit perfectly within the body. We only get into trouble we try to control the situation. Each one of us know the spirit of God, but only in part, and God works in each of us only in part. When the power of the spirit has control of our worship and our thoughts, and our teachings then the information will flow from him in its completeness. As we grow in Christ, and allow the spirit to govern our abilities then would become more mature in the spirit. That means we do less and less, while allowing the spirit to do more and more.
In the book of Romans chapter 7 and 8, Paul begins to speak about the day-to-day process of allowing the Holy Spirit to take control of our lives. Chapter 7: 15-25 tells us that Paul recognized the struggle to give God the power to work in his life every day because of the sin that was constantly working in his flash. It is not we who do these things against God but it is the sin that works in and through us in these bodies that causes the failure. This is the part of us which needs to be constantly given over to the power of the Holy Spirit in our daily lives and cleansed by the blood of Christ.
Chapter 8 goes on to tell us about the victorious life we can have in Christ by allowing God's spirit to permeate us through and through. As we give up pieces of who we are in this life to the control of God's Holy Spirit we will find the gifts of his spirit to come more and more real to us. Our life in Christ begins to have more power for our every day lives, and we will grow into the kind of child that our heavenly father can be sure of. It is my prayer that these last few blogs have helped you to understand the workings of the Holy Spirit within you a little better. May you richly bless God through your life in him.
THE UNWORTHY SERVANT
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