GOD-GIVEN ABILITIES ARE PRICELESS - PART 2

SATURDAY 24 JULY 2021

The manifestation of God's gifts is how God demonstrates His divine power and abilities through us, thereby producing unspeakable joy and fruitfulness. In short, through those gifts and abilities, we experience the surpassing greatness of divine power in our lives.

Reference: 1 Corinthians 12:4 English Standard Version (ESV) "Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit." . Spiritual gifts and abilities are different from innate talents. They are given, sustained and powered by the Spirit and they are dominate gifts working through your spirit and unfolding in your ability through their manifestations. There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good (1 Corinthians 12:4-7 NIV). There is a gift you can manifest better than anybody else because the Spirit manifests it easily through you and that's what makes it easy and makes you different. That's your advantage. However it is given for the good of everyone.

These spiritual gifts are powerful forces that influence the mind and plant their suggestions as firm and inspired thoughts such that you don't have to initiate their manifestations in your life. They identify with your spirit and influence it to comply with their diverse descriptions - so consciously, unconsciously and obviously, you manifest their dictates on a regular basis. They have spiritual bond with your inward being due to your maintained compliance with the Holy Spirit in you. So they function as a force or a push acting upon your brainpower or mental ability - as a result of your consistent interactions with the Holy Spirit.

When subjected to the force of spiritual gifts, you are bound to make tremendous impact in your world. The reason is often because the frequency of your fellowship with the Holy Spirit increases the rate of their development and manifestation in your life. This was the secret of Stephen's wisdom. He was a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit. The Bible says, "Now Stephen, a man full of God's grace and power, performed great wonders and signs among the people" (Acts 6:8 NIV). Also Acts 7:51 says, "But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God"(NIV). So the Holy Spirit is the brain behind spiritual gifts and their operational strength in you.

When opposition arose against Stephen from members of the Synagogue of the Freedmen, known as the Jews of Cyrene and Alexandria as well as the provinces of Cilicia and Asia, they argued with Stephen, but they could not stand up against the wisdom the Spirit gave him as he spoke (see Acts 6:9-10). Did you notice that the Holy Spirit granted Stephen his matchless wisdom? Spiritual gifts and abilities are great, but to enjoy their maximum advantage, you must be consistent in your fellowship with the Spirit of God, constantly get filled with Him, and have great confidence in His power at work in you. Shalom!

Scripture Reading - Joel 2:28-30; Romans 12:16-8; 1 Corinthians 12:8-10; 1 Peter 4:10-11; 1 Corinthians 12:28.

Exuberant Declaration: I'm grateful for the gifts of the Spirit at work in and through me in order to fulfil divine purpose and get the Kingdom work done in my world. The gifts and abilities of the Spirit manifest in all their fullness in my life and as a result, I shine forth in the glory of God's Kingdom.