Miraculous Gifts

1 Cor 12:8-11 For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; ⁹ to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, ¹⁰ and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another {various} kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. ¹¹ But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.

1. The Word of Wisdom: The ability to reveal the complete plan of salvation in the most benevolent manner possible.
   • Paul's lesson to the Stoics and Epicureans in Acts 17 is a good example of this gift. He had never encountered a situation like that, yet possessed the wisdom to present the gospel like a life-long resident.
2. The Word of Knowledge: The ability to understand the message so as to present it to others.
   • Acts 4:13 Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John, and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were marveling, and {began} to recognize them as having been with Jesus.
3. Faith: This is not saving faith, but the faith that moves mountains.
   • Acts 16:25 But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them;
   • Phil 2:17 But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all.
   • 2 Cor 1:9 indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves in order that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead;
4. Healing: The ability to supernaturally heal the sick.
   • Acts 3:6-7 "...Peter said…in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene-- walk!" ⁷ And seizing him by the right hand, he raised him up; and immediately his feet and his ankles were strengthened.
5. Miracles: This is in a greater scope than healing the sick. Restoration of limbs, the eyes of the blind, acts of judgment, resurrection.
   • Elymas - Acts 13:11 "...you will be blind and not see the sun for a time." And immediately a mist and a darkness fell upon him, and he went about seeking those who would lead him by the hand.
   • Acts 9:40 But Peter sent them all out and knelt down and prayed, and turning to the body, he said, "Tabitha, arise." And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up.
6. Prophecy: The ability to inform and edify and at the same time, demonstrating God as Revealer of things to come.
   • Rev 1:3 Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near.
   • Acts 11:28 And one of them named Agabus stood up and {began} to indicate by the Spirit that there would certainly be a great famine all over the world. And this took place in the {reign} of Claudius.
   • Acts 21:10-12 "...a certain prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. ¹¹ And coming to us, he took Paul's belt and bound his own feet and hands, and said, "This is what the Holy Spirit says: 'In this way the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.'"
7. Discerning of Spirits: The ability to discern who spoke truth and who did not.
   • Acts 5:3 But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back {some} of the price of the land"
   • I Jn 4:1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
8. Tongues: The ability to speak fluently languages never studied. (Acts 2:4-13)
   • Acts 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.
   • 1 Cor 14:18-19 I thank God, I speak in tongues more than you all; ¹⁹ however, in the church I desire to speak five words with my mind, that I may instruct others also, rather than ten thousand words in a tongue.
9. Interpretation of Tongues: The ability of being able to interpret what was being spoken.
   • 1 Cor 14:7 Yet {even} lifeless things, either flute or harp, in producing a sound, if they do not produce a distinction in the tones, how will it be known what is played on the flute or on the harp?

The Holy Spirit gave the apostles the words to speak and the miracles to back them up. As Mark 16:20 states "And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them, and confirmed the word by the signs tha followed." The Lord worked with them through the Spirit and the miracles to confirm the very word which was spoken. Heb 2:4 God also bearing witness with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will.

The apostles were the only ones that had all nine of these gifts. They could lay their hands of other members of the Church and give them some of the gifts (Mark 16:17-18; Acts 6:5-6; Acts 8:7-18; 19:6-7; Rom 1:11-12; 2 Tim 1:6), but the others could not pass them on. Simon wanted to have this power, but Peter rebuked him saying "You have no part or portion in this matter..." Acts 8:21. The apostles wrote letters to these Churches through the help of the Holy Spirit, the Churches kept them, the apostles and all those whom they laid their hands on eventually died and the fulfillment of the ceasing of gifts of the Holy Spirit in 1 Cor 13 was complete.

These miraculous gifts are not the gifts we are focusing on, but non-miraculous gifts. The miraculous gifts from the past are of the past, but the non-miraculous gifts of the past are of the present and for the future. The first century church had them both (1 Cor 12:4-5 Now there are varieties of gifts (carisma), but the same Spirit. ⁵ And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord.) The church of the first century had the miraculous and non-miraculous gifts. The church today has the proven Bible and the non-miraculous gifts. Now let us define our study.