Bible Study ~Spiritual Gifts in the Local Church~

[Pastor Keith]

Another extended version

Spiritual Gifts in the Local ChurchBy Keith McCann M.A

1. The importance of Faith is paramount
•Caution masquerades unbelief (Luke 4; Matthew 17:20)
•Jesus Himself couldn’t do anything (Matthew 13:58)
•The problem is not a lack of power or holiness, but a lack of faith

2. You have a Spiritual Gift•1 Corinthians 12:7, 11-13, 18, 27
•By being a member of the Body of Christ
•You have to covet and desire the gifts of the Spirit or they will lie dormant and unused

3. The Unity of the Two Realms (John 5:19)
•The gifts of the Spirit help us see into the realm of the Spirit
•1 Corinthians 2:9-16
•Mark 16:20
•John 14:12
•Every natural sense is mirrored by the same spiritual sense- touch, taste, feel, hear, see

4. Division of Gifts

Gifts that help us to think like God (Revelation)
Word of Wisdom-portion of God’s total wisdom

Word of Knowledge-a portion of God’s total knowledge

Discerning of Spirits-the ability to determine what spirit is at work
•Human Spirits
•God or Holy Spirit
•Fallen Angels/Demons
•Elect Angels

Gifts that help us act like God (Power)
Faith-Sudden assurance or certainty that God will without question do something
•Not faithfulness or the doctrinal faith
•Not worked up emotionally
•Not presumption
•But given by God

Miracles-events that are out of the ordinary or contrary to the laws of nature

Gifts of Healing
•Many different types of Healing
•Gifts-plural, someone in a church congregation might be gifted in one area of healing and be less successful in another

Gifts that help us talk like God (Vocal Gifts)
Tongues-Divers kinds of tongues
•Not sign of the initial evidence of the Holy Spirit

Interpretation
•Not translation

Prophecy- speaking the mind of God
•Could be foretelling (future) or forth telling (for the present)

5. These are free gifts•Lose all notions of earning these gifts
•The carnal Corinthians came behind in no gift
•Men throughout History have been used who have had deep sin in their lives
•Gifts point to the character of the giver not the messenger

6. The Key is being yielded (Psalm 138)
•Naturally Supernatural
•Humility is key to intimacy with Jesus, become like a child
•Grow or nurture your gift (much like a teacher grows by study and application) so you grow by looking for opportunities to use your gift

7. How to Identify your Gift•Desire (Phil. 2:13)
•Ability
•Confirmation

8. Practical Observations
•A revelation may be seen
•A revelation may be heard
•A revelation may be felt

Healing Observations•Sometimes the gift works through physical contact
•Sometimes a touch is not involved, but a point of contact
•A much as modesty allows lay hands on the afflicted part of the body
•Minister with your eyes open
•Don’t think so much as praying for the sick; think of it as ministering healing
•Sometimes a lack of faith is substituted by loud and long praying
•Be specific, the more specific the prayer, the greater the result
•Helpful to sometimes ask a few questions to know how more specifically how to pray
•Helpful to ask the person to move the afflicted part of the body
•Ask what happened to the pain, what did you feel

Other Observations
•The more one operates or steps out in faith the mores successful they will be (Hebrews 5:11-14)
•No other way to grow in the supernatural than to be constantly practicing and risking- faith is spelled RISK, in fact the more one does, they will learn how the spirit does and does not lead
•Don’t rely on traditions or formulas, power doesn’t travel in words but in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ
•Put your confidence in Jesus not in your commitment to him (Acts 3:12-13)
•Put your confidence in God’s ability to lead you, not in the ability of the devil to deceive you

9. Prayer engagement Model -Acts 28:8
•Invite the presence of the Lord by prayer and worship
•Invite him to come and confirm His word by signs and wonders
•Place your hand on the afflicted part of the body and command the sickness and disease to go, and release healing




Further Reading:

Introduction to Signs and Wonders; Dr. Daniel Segraves, CLC Press.

Spiritual Gifts in the Local Church; David Pytches, Baker House.

Surprised by the Voice of God; Jack Deere, Zondervan.

Surprised by the Power of the Spirit; Jack Deere, Zondervan

Power Evangelism; John Wimber, Harper Collins.

Power Healing; John Wimber, Harper Collins