Receiving Spiritual Gifts. The Lord distributes spiritual gifts among believers severally, as He wills. But does that mean they just come out of the blue? Does it mean we have nothing to do with the process? I submit that the process is not unilateral on Gods part--at least in many cases it is not. Receiving from God is first a function of His grace, but it is also a function of our response, our desire, our availability. How do we know that? Because Paul instructs us to seek, to desire, to ask. This is consistent with Jesus words, as well as general principles of scripture. Desire goes to attitude: 1Cor. 14:1 Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy. Paul states expressly that he desires all to speak in tongues, and even more importantly, to prophesy. I dont believe Paul is only speaking for himself. If hes reflecting the heart of God in the matter, as I believe he is, then posturing our hearts accordingly puts us in the position to receive both of these gifts. 1Cor. 14:5 I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying. And if we have the gift of tongues, then were instructed explicitly to pray for another gift--interpretation of tongues: 1Cor. 14:13 Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret. Finally, Paul underlines something Moses expressed long before--the desire that all Gods people were prophets. 1Cor. 14:31 For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted. If we have the witness of Jesus, we have the spirit of prophecy. They are the same thing. The Holy Spirit bears witness to Truth, and He lives in us. He has a voice, and prophecy is simply the expression of His voice. 1Cor. 14:31 represents a promise to every believer that he or shall can operate prophetically. It still requires faith and patience to inherit the promises, but His promises extend beyond a unilateral distribution of gifts. Our receiving from Him is interactive. It involves our pursuit of Him. Lk. 11:13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? Pr. 25:2 It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter. Lk. 11:9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
Posted on: Thu, 07 Nov 2013 15:29:26 +0000
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