Are the Gifts of the Holy Spirit Still Active?

"He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover" (New King James Version, Mark 16:16-18).

The spiritual gifts of the Holy Spirit [Ruach Ha'Koidesh] may not be as prevalent today as in the early church era; nevertheless the spiritual gifts are still being displayed and revealed throughout the world. To impose human ideological limits upon the work of the Holy Spirit can 'grieve the Holy Spirit' which can cause the believer to 'fall short of any gift' (1 Cor. 1:7a). Also to say that the work of the Holy Spirit is that of 'an unclean spirit' (Mark 3:30b) can be considered the unpardonable sin. In reading church history far too often many leaders within the church were worldly and carnal; therefore the Holy Spirit was not as active through the "believers" as He would have been if the believer would have been 'sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work' (2 Tim. 2:21b). Just because there is not an abundance of testimonies throughout the centuries of great signs and miracles, does not negate the fact that the spiritual gifts were active. Even Jesus Christ said, "And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian" (Luke 4:27). The spiritual gifts operate under the direction of God's Will, and just because a few healings [that we outwardly know of] have taken place during the gap of early church fathers to the present era does not suggest that any of the spiritual gifts lacked purpose and need during these times, or that the gifts were not active.

The context found in the entire chapter of 1st Corinthians chapter 13 is all about spiritual gifts; because we are told to "earnestly desire the best gifts, and yet I show you a more excellent way" (1 Cor. 12:31). This statement is a prelude to chapter 13 in 1st Corinthians which speaks of love as the more excellent way. This section has nothing to do with the closing of the New Testament, and to say that it does is simply reading the traditions of men in-between the lines.

In John 5:36; 9:3; 10:25; 10:37-38; 14:10; 15:24 all speak of the "works" as miraculous 'works' of Jesus which bear witness of Him. "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father" (John 14:12). This does not suggest any time lag of spiritual gifts being inoperative.

John 9:3 says, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the 'works' of God should be revealed in him". The Greek word used in 9:3 for 'works' is the same Greek word used in John 14:12. In John 14:12 is not appropriate to 'apply this verse to contemporary miracle workers', but is fitting to say that this verse is applying to greater miracles that will take place within the Body of Christ than what was accomplished in the historical ministry of Jesus the Christ. John 14:12 says believers 'will do the works Jesus does, and even greater'. It is appropriate to start by doing what Christ did. "It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master" (Matt. 10:25). If Christ is truly in you, and you are in Christ then it is not you who does the work/miracle/sign/wonder but God working through His faithful and surrendered servant. Just because believers do not publically hear about signs and wonders does not mean that the spiritual gifts are not in operation. In the early 1900's a man named Smith Wigglesworth [who is the instrument] is said to have risen over twenty people from the dead also accompanied by many healings and miracles, and that the only book he ever read was the Bible. We are told that Peter's shadow even healed people (Acts 5:15-16), and that Paul's handkerchiefs healed others (Acts 19:11-12). Uri Geller as a young Israeli went through extensive tests by using an ability of his to bend metal, and to see things he could not have otherwise known. This has become known as the Geller effect [bending metal]. This may not seem like a 'greater work', but if we consider that this 'work' be used against the forces of Gog and Magog to neutralize the metal forces of destruction that will come upon this earth at the end of time. When asked 'where' his ability comes from he answered "Yah", which is the contraction of the Divine Name YHVH (Ex. 15:2; 17:16; Ps. 68:4, 18; 150:1 etc.). Geller said he would experience the power of "Yahveh" flowing through him when these "miracles" would take place. There is a documentary called "Raised From The Dead", and a preacher [Daniel Ekechukwu] in Africa was dead for three days and given two visions, and when he came back to life he had the message of the 'rich man and Lazarus' and said that God has granted unto this generation that in these last days the rich man's request be made and return from the dead (Luke 16:19-31). He was a rich preacher in Africa, and was told he would be going to hell, because he did not forgive his wife [they had been in an argument for a few days prior, and had not made up], then he was shown what heaven looked liked and said, 'that the mansions Jesus had prepared are ready [John 14:2], but His saints are not ready' (Ekechukwu). Daniel after being pronounced dead and in the mortuary for three days returned to this earth to provide a precious testimony.

When people limit God's Work through them by using the common phrase "I'm only human" they fail to acknowledge their wholeness and where they stand 'in Christ'; because in actuality they are a 'new creation' (2 Cor. 5:17). All believers have been given the 'ministry of reconciliation' (2 Cor. 5:18-19), and if this ministry requires activated and working spiritual gifts then they will be manifested for God's glory. At the end of time a whole new prophetic office will be revealed as knowledge speeds up and the seals are opened (Joel 2:28-29; Dan. 12:4, 9). This does not mean we will have to add new books to the canon, but it does mean that more Truth will be revealed. However, in the midst of this new prophetic office 'as the first shall be last' discernment is absolutely needed in order to test the spirits (1 John 4:1), and since there are many antichrists (1 John 2:18) and Satan and his angels will be cast upon the face of the earth (Rev. 12:9) the believer must have the Holy Spirit in order to endure; and not be like the five virgins who did not carry enough oil for their lamps.

In recapitulation, a major reason why the charismatic's differ from those who do not agree that all the spiritual gifts are needed is due from a few verses that imply an infilling and an outpouring. The infilling of the Holy Spirit comes when the believer accepts Jesus Christ as Lord, and the "water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing..." (John 4:14). The outpouring of the Holy Spirit is related to "out of his heart will flow rivers of living water" (John 7:38b). We have two different images one of a fountain springing, and the other of flowing rivers. The spring is your own personal anointing, while the flowing rivers are the anointing of the Holy Spirit which is for those whom God's makes known, or for the greater works. In John 20:22 Jesus breathed on the disciples and they received the Holy Spirit [i.e. infilling], but on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4) we see the outpouring which is being baptized in the Holy Spirit (Acts 11:15-16) not just water. Philip baptized those in Samaria, but they did not receive the Holy Spirit until hands were laid upon them (Acts 8:16-17).

When believers have this dedication to remove all of the false and fallen earthly programs from themselves (James 4:4; 1 John 2:15-16; Rom. 12:1, 2), and are diligent to bring their bodies into subjection (2 Cor. 9:27) by crucifying the lusts, desires, and passions of their flesh (Gal. 5:24) with the sacrificial Love to only serve the Father YHVH and His creation (Deut. 6:5; Lev. 19:18b) - then the preparation is being made to be conformed to the Image of His Son (Rom. 8:29) by virtue of Christ being formed within (Gal. 4:19). Therefore, you can be entrusted to use the higher spiritual gifts because the believer has the discernment and knowledge of how to use the Gifts for the edification of the Body of Christ and the Kingdom of the Heavens; and for this very reason only few are chosen, because many fall short.

Bibliography

Ekechukwu, Daniel. "Raised From The Dead". Evangelistic Resources Production DVD.

English, E. Schuyler. The Scofield Study Bible, New King James Version. Oxford: University Press, 2002.

Ra Lovingsworth
http://www.Lovingsworth.com

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