1 Corinthians 12:1-11

1. The early church functioned in Pentecostal power.

2. God still gives to His church today the supernatural gifts of The Holy Spirit.

3. Spiritual gifts need not remain static in our lives. They can, and should be stirred up

and increased.

1 Cor. 14:26. What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone

has a hymn or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All these must be done for the strengthening of

the church.

When the church comes together these are the fundamental things that we expect to be

taking place. Worship: word and the use of the gifts of

the Holy Spirit.

Be filled with The Spirit. This is one of the most important requirements to sincere and honest

worship. It’s the ‘springboard to life and worship in all its’

fullness’.It is a necessary requirement to becoming a

mature Christian and enjoying Spirit filled worship.

Being filled with the Holy Spirit is the first key needed to unlock and release the

gifts that God has for each one of us to use in ‘strengthening the church’.

1Cor: 3: 2. Paul is rebuking the church for its divisions. He writes: ‘Mere infants in Christ, I gave you milk, not solid food for you were not ready for it. Indeed you are still not ready for it….’ The question for us is, are we ready for more of the solid food? We have experienced

so much but at times we become a bit static and need to be roused and re-enthused.

In one of the communion prayers we pray that God will renew us by His Spirit and we need

to be constantly renewed.

In his first letter (1 Peter 4: 10) Peter teaches that ‘each one should use whatever

gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering Gods’ grace in its

various forms’.No one is left out who wishes to be used by

God.

Another key then to using the gifts we are given is to resolve to use them.

Acts 3:2-6. ‘Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the Temple gate called

Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going in to the Temple

Courts….Then Peter said, ‘silver or gold I do not have but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.

‘What I have’, Peter said. We all have. We all have spiritual callings, gifting and ministries. Peter and John resolved to use the gifts they

had been given.‘I give to you’. God gives spiritual gifts to us so that we may minister them for the benefit

of others.

Romans 12: 6a. ‘And we all have different gifts according to the grace given us’.

Remember it is always by grace. We can never earn spiritual gifts, never deserve them,

never make them happen and we certainly should never boast about them.

But what we are encouraged to do is to eagerly desire them.

Cor. 12:31. But eagerly desire the greater gifts…14:1 ‘Follow the way of love and

eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy’.

Leaders , preachers, worship leaders and the worship group, prayer ministry team and all

the whole family of worshippers, we should all be praying before a service starts that The

Lord would use us in the gifts. He knows all the needs. There may be someone the Lord

wants to heal or encourage, or for someone to repent of a sin, but it needs to be triggered off with a word of knowledge or a picture or a

scripture…..

There are several keys here to using the gifts.Eagerness to use them. Turn the key.

The needs of the people need to be met. Turn the key.

The church needs to be built up. Love the church just as Christ loved it and died for it. Turn

the key and open the door for The Holy Spirit to do the work He wants to do.

2 Timothy 1:6. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame (stir up) the gift of God,

which is in you through the laying on of my hands.

1 Timothy 4:14. Do not neglect your gift which was given you through a prophetic

message when the body of elders laid their hands on you.

Spiritual gifts such as 1.Cor. 12:8-10. 

The word of wisdom: The word of knowledge: Faith: Gifts of healing:

The working of miracles: Prophecy: Discerning of spirits: Divers kinds of tongues:The interpretation of tongues…

Spiritual gifts such as- Romans 12:6-8. 

Prophesying: Serving: Teaching: Bringing illumination on God’s word.

Encouraging: Contributing to the needs of others: Leadership: Showing mercy…

The Gift ministries such as Ephesians 4:11.

 Apostles: Prophets: Evangelists:

Pastors: Teachers…

Do not become neglectful of your spiritual gifts.

Aggressively pursue these gifts. Stir them up. Fan into flame.

Understand that God desires to use you.Operate in the gifts God gives you. Don’t be

envious of others or try to copy them.Eagerly desire to be used. Pray to be used.

Seek to excel in the gifts to build up the church.

Cultivate a daily, Spirit filled walk.Notice the flow of the gifts. It is the full

Trinity in action.Walk in: live by The Spirit

Seek to grow in faith.Spiritual gifts flow from a heart of love.

Pray for ‘rivers of living water’ that Jesus promised can flow from within you.