SPIRITUAL GIFTS AND PROPHECY Lesson 3 for January 17, 2009

THE SPIRITUAL GIFTS Paul wrote down four lists of spiritual gifts: Romans 12: 6-8 1 Corinthians 12: 8-10 1 Corinthians 12: 28-30 Ephesians 4: 11-12 Prophesying Serving Teaching Encouraging Giving Leading Showing mercy Wisdom Science Faith Healing Miracles Prophecy Distinguishing between spirits Speaking in different kinds of tongues Interpretation of tongues Apostle Helping Administration Tongues Evangelism Pastor Those 20 gifts are not the only ones. There are many others that you could find out in your life or at your church.

What are spiritual gifts for? The Holy Spirit gives the gifts according to His will. They serve two main purposes: Teaching and building the Church. Proclaiming the Gospel tow the world.

“God has set in the church different gifts “God has set in the church different gifts. These are precious in their proper places, and all may act a part in the work of preparing a people for Christ’s soon coming… Men have varied gifts, and some are better adapted to one branch of the work than another. What one man would fail to do, his brother minister may be strong to accomplish. The work of each in his position is important.” E.G.W. (Gospel Workers, pg. 481,497)

When did spiritual gifts begin? Spiritual gift were manifested especially in the New Testament. Nevertheless, God had already sent them in much older times. “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship” (Exodus 31: 2-3) “So you shall speak to all who are gifted artisans, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron’s garments.” (Exodus 28: 3) “Now Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him.” (Deuteronomy 34: 9)

Will spiritual gifts ever be no longer needed? “so that you come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 1: 7) There will be spiritual gifts within the Church until the Second Coming of Jesus.

COUNTERFEIT GIFTS Satan and his angels are able to counterfeit spiritual gifts, although God restricts their power. In the End Time, Satan will increase his efforts “to deceive, if possible, even the elect.” (Mark 13: 22)

COUNTERFEIT GIFTS 1. Miracles Made by Satan’s agents: The wizards of the Pharaoh imitated the miracle Moses did, until the third plague. “Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith.” (2 Timothy 3: 8) 1. Miracles

COUNTERFEIT GIFTS 1. Miracles Made in the name of Jesus: Some miracles are made by people who aren’t inspired by the Holy Spirit. “Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” (Matthew 7: 22-23) 1. Miracles

COUNTERFEIT GIFTS 1. Miracles Miracles made in the End Time: The Antichrist will come trying to imitate Christ “with all power, signs, and lying wonders.” (2 Thessalonians 2: 9). The evil power will form an alliance against the saints, and they will make miracles. “And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.” (Revelation 16: 13-14) 1. Miracles

COUNTERFEIT GIFTS 2. Prophecy Can a false prophet foreswee a future event that eventually takes place? Or could he reveal an intimate secret of a person? “If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, ‘Let us go after other gods’—which you have not known—‘and let us serve them,’ you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the Lord your God is testing you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.” (Deuteronomy 13: 1-3 NIV)

COUNTERFEIT GIFTS 3. The gift of tongues Paul explained in 1 Corinthians 14 that the gift of tongues is given for the invidiual believer to grow spiritually. He explained how it should be used in public: When someone receives the gift of tongues, he or she must speak only if an interpreter is with him or her. If that’s not the case, he or she must remain silent and speak to himself or herself. Even if an interpreter is present, not more than two or three people should use this gift at the same moment, and always in turns. “Some of these persons have exercises which they call gifts and say that the Lord has placed them in the church. They have an unmeaning gibberish which they call the unknown tongue, which is unknown not only by man but by the Lord and all heaven. Such gifts are manufactured by men and women, aided by the great deceiver. Fanaticism, false excitement, false talking in tongues, and noisy exercises have been considered gifts which God has placed in the Church. Some have been deceived here.” (Maranatha, May 26)

HOW CAN WE DISTINGUISH BETWEEN TRUE AND COUNTERFEIT SPIRITUAL GIFTS? The only rule to identify true spiritual gifts is to check them against the Word of God, THE BIBLE. “To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” (Isaiah 8: 20)

“The Bible is the standard by which to test the claims of all who profess sanctification… All whom God is leading will manifest a high regard for the Scriptures in which His voice is heard.” E.G.W. (Faith and Works, cp. 6, pg. 51)