In His Service

1 Cor.12:^4-5 “There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all.  There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord.” (emphasis added).

It is so important for us to understand that spiritual gifts are for service, for the benefit of others. So, these spiritual gifts we have been given, we have received, and we have activated is not about you or me. The purpose of the spiritual gift is not for you to be prophesying into my life, prophesying over your children, prophesying over your business, and for you to become great. Those are the by-products of the gifts; the main purpose is so that you can help someone else so that you can serve somebody else. And it is so important that we understand the purpose of spiritual gifts before we even begin to talk about the gifts. 1 Cor.12:⁷ “A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.” (emphasis added).

If you are going through a challenge today, there is someone in your community of faith that has a spiritual gift that can solve that problem. You also have a spiritual gift that can solve somebody’s problem in your community of faith. If you are not using your gifts, something is wrong. The New Revised Standard Version puts it this way, “To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” (emphasis added). The gifts of the Holy Spirit are not given for self-aggrandizement, they are not given for self-glorification. The spiritual gifts you have been given are not so that when people see you they will say, “the prophetess has arrived”. That is not the purpose of the gifts and we have to understand that.

Self-glorification, self-aggrandizement is the purpose of the gifts of satan. You need to know that when it comes to spiritual gifts, the Holy Spirit has gifts, but the devil also has his gifts. Every gift of satan is for selfish reasons such as, I want to control my boss, I want to control my husband, I want to control this person. The gifts of satan are just about self. However, when people come to God, such gifts must be laid down. Back in the day, we used to have a course where we take people through a spiritual experience. Then at the end of the spiritual experience, using Exodus 3 when God said to Moses, “what is in your hand?” Moses said, “It is a rod.” and God said, “Lay it down”, and that rod became the rod of God.

Up until Exodus 3, the rod was referred to as the rod of Moses. But after the burning bush experience, it became the rod of God. Not once was it referenced as the rod of Moses, why? Because Moses had laid it down. So many of us had been spiritually active even before we came to Christ because man is spirit. But some who were spiritually active before they got saved, still want to hold on to such gifts in Christ. But God is saying, “You have to lay it down!” Laying it down means surrendering it to God.

Prayer [hymn]: All to Jesus I surrender, make me Saviour wholly Thine. Let me feel the Holy Spirit, truly know that Thou art mine. I surrender all (2x). All to Thee my blessed Saviour, I surrender all. Amen!