The Gifts

"It cannot be fully understood separate from God's character."

THE GIFTS (MANIFESTATIONS) are “as the Spirit wills (1 Corinthians 12:11),” but HOW is His will? Patient and kind, meek and lowly, love. It isn’t that God is being random nor that He is picking and choosing some over others. It isn’t even about how much we trust Him or know Him. But when we know Him, we know all He does is for our blessing, to give us peace. Rest.

The gifts (manifestations) are only separately defined so that we don’t invent new ones. It isn’t necessary to delineate them as we see them spoken. Many times, what we see of them is a mixture anyway. God never wants man to add to His Word. This is spoken in the Torah and in John’s Revelation. John’s Revelation, in itself, exists so men will not write their own ending. God has stated it will come when the gospel has spread around the earth (Matthew 24:14) and there will be no more sorrow or death (Revelation 21:4). So all instruction given by the Spirit in regard to how He works and in what manner is for us to know it and not make it up on our own.

It cannot be fully understood separate from God’s character. He is goodness and mercy following us all our lives (Psalm23:6). Jesus Moshiach went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed of the devil (Acts 10:38). That is God’s heart. He destroyed the devil (Satan isn’t a thing anymore). Hebrews 2:14. He destroyed the works of the devil. 1 John 3:8. He is continually and constantly on our side, FOR US (Romans 8:31). He will never leave us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). These Truths must be the foundation of all teaching on the gifts (manifestations). They will never be seen (manifested) outside of the love of God. Also of any teaching on faith. Faith is trust in God’s nature. I love Him and know how much He loves me, so my healing is a done deal, and His timing of it perfect. I refuse doubt.

I refuse images of Him as overbearing. He isn’t overbearing AT ALL. Or angry. He is generous, abundance greater that we could ever imagine (Ephesians 3:20), and peace beyond our understanding (Philippians 4:7). Our doubt comes from having the wrong point-of-view. I continually lay down my will at His feet and any emotions that are clouding my sight. He knows I have them, that I’m angry or frustrated or sad, and it isn’t a sin to feel that way, only to linger there and act on it. “Linger” isn’t a length of time either but, instead, our motive at that moment. And even then, God is great forgiveness none of us deserve.

He is constantly working for our benefit. This is why He described the gifts (manifestations) to Paul. So that we’d know He is always healing, always perfecting, always turning our situations around. It was not to cause pride in those He works through nor to elevate them above our trust in Him, but so that we’d know He loves us and has our needs in His hand.


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Suzanne D. Williams, Author
www.suzannedwilliams.com
www.feelgoodromance.com