The Holy Spirit (Part 8) – Functions of the Holy Spirit (Part F) – Ordinary Gifts (Part 2)

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The Holy Spirit (Part 8) – Functions of the Holy Spirit (Part F) – Ordinary Gifts (Part 2)

1. 1. Ministry (Rom 12:7; 1Pe 4:11).
      • Ministry n. – 1. The action of ministering; the rendering of service; the performance of any office or labour for another.
      • Minister v. – II. Intransitive uses. 8. To serve, wait at table; to attend to the comfort or wants of another; to render aid or tendance.
      • Pastors, who are called ministers (1Co 3:5; 1Th 3:2; 1Ti 4:6), obviously have the gift of ministry.
      • All Christians should serve (minister to) one another (Gal 5:13).
      • But some Christians have been given a special gift by the Holy Spirit which enables them to minister to (serve) their brethren (Mar 15:40-41; 2Co 9:1-2; Heb 6:10).
   2. Exhortation (Rom 12:8).
      • Exhortation n. – 1. The action or process of exhorting, of earnestly admonishing or urging to what is deemed laudable conduct; an instance of this.
      • Exhort – 1. trans. To admonish earnestly; to urge by stimulating words to conduct regarded as laudable. Said also of circumstances, etc.: To serve as an incitement.
      • Admonish – 1. gen. To put (a person) in mind of duties; to counsel against wrong practices; to give authoritative or warning advice; to exhort, to warn.
      • It is a pastor’s job to exhort the brethren (1Ti 4:13; 2Ti 4:2; Tit 1:9), and therefore a pastor must have the gift of exhortation, at least to some extent.
      • All Christians must be ready to exhort one another when necessary (Heb 3:13; Heb 10:25).
      • We should be exhorting one another to continue in the faith (Act 11:23; Act 14:22).
      • While we all should be able to exhort our brethren when necessary, some Christians have been given a special gift of exhortation by the Holy Spirit which enables them to do so more naturally and effectively.
   3. Giving (Rom 12:8).
      • All Christians should give to the Lord’s work (Gal 6:6; Heb 13:16; Php 4:15) and to others in need (Pro 22:9; Pro 28:27; Luk 6:38).
      • Communicate v. – 1. trans. To give to another as a partaker; to give a share of; to impart, confer, transmit (something intangible or abstract, as light, heat, motion, a quality, feeling, etc.).
      • While all Christians can and should give, some Christians have been given the gift of giving by the Holy Spirit and are equipped to give more than others.
      • God has blessed some people with a lot of wealth (Deut 8:18) and enabled them to give more (either in amount, percentage, or both) than others.
        1. Those wealthy Christians are exhorted to be “ready to distribute, willing to communicate” (1Ti 6:17-19).
        2. If God has blessed you with much, you should give much (1Co 16:2).
        3. The most exciting thing about getting wealth for a Christian should be the opportunity to give generously to the Lord and to others (Act 20:35).
      • The Spirit’s gift of giving is also manifest in the attitude of cheerfulness in a saint that possessed that gift (2Co 9:7).
   4. Showing mercy (Rom 12:8).
      • Mercy n. – 1. a. Forbearance and compassion shown by one person to another who is in his power and who has no claim to receive kindness; kind and compassionate treatment in a case where severity is merited or expected.
      • All Christians should exercise mercy towards others (Jam 2:13).
      • Some Christians have been given the gift of being merciful toward others by the Holy Spirit.
      • For these Christians, showing mercy with cheerfulness comes naturally to them.
   5. Hospitality (1Pe 4:9-10).
      • Hospitality n. – 1. a. The act or practice of being hospitable; the reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers, with liberality and goodwill.
      • All Christians should show hospitality to visitors and strangers (Rom 12:13; Heb 13:2).
      • A pastor must be given to hospitality (1Ti 3:2) and be a lover of it (Tit 1:8).
      • While all Christians should show hospitality, certain Christians have been given the gift of it by the Spirit which enables them to be good at it and do it naturally and cheerfully.
   6. How to identify your spiritual gift(s).
      • Whatever comes naturally to you is likely your gift.
      • If teaching, speaking, helping, governing, serving, exhorting, giving, showing mercy, or being hospitable is easy and comfortable for you to do, then that it is your gift which the Holy Spirit has blessed you with.
        1. If you have to force yourself to do one of these things, then it is not your gift.
        2. Just do what comes natural to you, and don’t try to make yourself have a gift that you don’t have.
      • Use whatever gift you have been given to serve your brethren in the church (1Pe 4:10).
2. Empowering men to be strong and lead
   1. The Holy Spirit came upon Samson and gave him great strength (Jdg 14:5-6, 19; 15:14).
   2. The Holy Spirit came upon men and made them mighty deliverers of His people (Jdg 3:9-10; 6:34; 11:29).
   3. When David was anointed king, the Holy Spirit came upon him and made him a great leader (1Sa 16:13).
3. Transporting men from one place to another
   1. At times, in both the OT and NT, the Spirit of the Lord transported men (or men at least believed that He could) (1Ki 18:12; 2Ki 2:16; Eze 37:1; Act 8:39).
   2. These were miraculous events.