God’s Spiritual Gifts
This course will cover the 17 Gifts of the Holy Spirit and We will discuss each gift individually.
What is working definition of the ‘gifts’ of God?
The ‘gifts’ are spiritual manifestations as a result of a person having been anointed by the Holy Spirit. A Christian may have one or three or all of the spiritual gifts. The ‘gifts’ have carnal and demonic counterparts. People in the natural realm copies the gifts. Demons in the spiritual realm copy the gifts.
List of the Spiritual Gifts are as follows:
1. Discerning of Spirits
2. Exhorting, exhortation
3. Faith
4. Governing’s
5. Gifts of Healing
6. Helps
7. Leading
8. Mercy
9. Ministry
10. Prophecy
11. Sharing
12. Teaching
13. Tongues
14. Interpretation of Tongues
15. Word of Knowledge
16. Word of Wisdom
17. Working of Power
Verses Where the Gifts are Presented:
Romans 12:6-8 (KJV)
6 Having then gifted differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
7 Or ministry let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on
teaching;
8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.
1 Corinthians 12:8-10(KJV)
8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the
word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing
by the same Spirit;
10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kind of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:
1Co 12:28-31 (KJV) And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?
30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?
31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.
As we study each gift separately, if you have E-SWORD, please look up the reference numbers given.If you do not have E-SWORD I suggest that you do download it. It is free and a great tool for bible study.
1. Discerning of spirits 1253, 4151
Definition: A supernatural Holy Spirit has given the ability to judge spirits whether evil or good, also to judge words and actions whether of God, carnal or demonic.
Definition from RWP Concordance
Discernings of spirits (diakriseis pneumaton). Diakrisis is an old word from diakrino
(see note on 1Co_11:29) and in N.T. only here; Rom_14:1; Heb_5:14. A most needed gift to tell whether the gifts were really of the Holy Spirit and supernatural
(cf. so-called “gifts” today) or merely strange though natural or even diabolical
(1Ti_4:1; 1Jo_4:1.).
There is only one verse of scripture dealing with discerning of spirits as a gift.
“To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits;
to another divers kind of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:”
1 Corinthians 12:10 (KJV)
G1253
Strong Definition:
diakrisis
dee-ak’-ree-sis
From G1252; judicial estimation: – discern (-ing), disputation.
G1253
diakrisis
Thayer Definition:
1) a distinguishing, discerning, judging
Part of Speech: noun feminine
A Related Word by Thayer’s/Strong’s Number: from G1252
Citing in TDNT: 3:949, 469
OK LET US LOOK AT SOME OTHER EXAMPLES OF DISCERNING OF SPIRITS.
Compare 1Jo_4:1.
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 1 John 4:1 (KJV)
This must refer to some power of searching into the secrets of the heart; of knowing what was a man’s purposes. views, and feelings. It may relate either to the power of determining by what spirit a man spoke who pretended to be inspired, whether he was truly inspired or whether he was an impostor; or it may refer to the power of seeing whether a man was sincere or not in his Christian profession
That the apostles had this power, is apparent from the case of Ananias and Sapphira,