Opening the Gifts of the Holy Spirit
Speaking in tongues. Prophesying. Healing. What do Christians mean when they talk about the 'gifts of the Spirit?'
Since revival broke out on Azusa Street in Los Angeles a century ago, Pentecostal Christians have emphasized the importance of the "gifts of the Spirit." Some gifts--including serving, teaching, leading, and giving--are listed in Romans 12:6-8. But the centerpiece of Pentecostal theology and practice is the list of nine gifts in 1 Corinthians 12:7-11. What do these gifts mean, and how are they used?
1 Corinthians 12:7–11
But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
"Gifts of the Spirit," according to 1 Corinthians 12:7-11
Message of Wisdom: A message or "word" of wisdom is a special ability to offer advice or guidance. Christians might experience this gift in a worship service and share it with the congregation, encouraging people to trust God more, pray with greater faith, be generous with others, or embrace a deeper spiritual life. Some also might experience a message of wisdom in daily life.
Message of Knowledge: A message or "word" of knowledge is a direct revelation of information that the recipient might share with the community or another person. Often these messages are quite specific: "Apply for that school." "Pray for the church in Nepal." "Don’t take that job." At other times, a message will be more vague: "God is preparing to do a great thing in our midst." Some believe Jesus referenced this gift when he told his disciples that they would know what to say under persecution (Matt. 10:19).
Faith: The gift of faith is an unusual ability to believe. Some Christians experience this as a sudden and overwhelming trust in the Bible, others as faith that God can or will intervene in a particular situation (Mark 14:23–24).
Healing: The gift of healing is an ability to restore or heal someone who is unwell (Acts 3:1–10).
Miracles (also Miraculous Acts): Miracles are a gift of the Spirit that might come in many forms. In addition to physical healing, people might pray for a miracle in their finances, careers, or relationships, or any seemingly insurmountable problem.
Prophecy: A prophecy is the Spirit of God speaking through a human voice. Prophets might make a general call for repentance (in the manner of the Jewish prophets such as Isaiah and Jeremiah), or they might make a conditional prediction of the future (“If you do this, God will do this”). St. Paul says that anyone who prophesies does so for the “edification, and exhortation, and comfort” of the church (1 Cor. 14:3).
Discerning of Spirits: This gift involves a capacity to discern whether a spirit is good or evil. 1 John 4:1-3 exhorts Christians to “try” spirits “to see whether they are from God.”
Speaking in Tongues: When the disciples of Jesus experienced the initial outpouring of the Holy Spirit described in Acts 2, they were given the sudden and miraculous ability to speak in many human languages. Later, letters by St. Paul described the Holy Spirit praying through people “but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” (Rom. 8:26) and speaking in “tongues of men and angels” (1 Cor. 13:1). Today, the gift of tongues is understood in both forms—as a miraculous ability to speak a foreign language, and as a miraculous ability to speak in an angelic language (also called a “prayer language” or “praying in the Spirit”). Tongues are considered the initial manifestation of the baptism in the Holy Spirit.
Interpretation of Tongues: The gift of interpretation is the power to understand and translate an angelic or foreign tongue. During some Pentecostal services a member will begin speaking in an angelic tongue for a few moments, then interpret it as an exhortation to the congregation (1 Corinthians 14:5).
Baptism in the Holy Spirit: Pentecostals emphasize that Jesus foretold the Pentecost: “For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.” (Acts 1:5). Many church services end with calls not only for repentance and acceptance of salvation but also the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Ministers will lay hands on a believer and ask God to pour out his Spirit, often waiting for the person to speak in tongues as an initial sign of baptism.
Laying on of Hands: When Pentecostal believers pray for someone, they often place their hands on the person, following the practice described in Acts 8:19 and 2 Tim. 1:6. Ministers usually place their hands over a believer's head, sometimes also anointing the person with oil, as instructed in James 5:14. In healing prayers, hands are often laid directly onto the portion of the body in need of restoration.
Being "Slain in the Spirit": In some prayer, revival, or church services, believers will go limp, fall to the ground, and lie still for a few moments or--in some cases--hours. Those who are slain may experience visions, slight trembling, or a sense of deep peace. Though the phenomenon of being slain sometimes occurs suddenly, it usually happens after a minister lays hands on someone and prays for him or her. Services are designed to facilitate those who are “slain in the spirit” with people assigned to catch the slain and to cover the legs and ankles of slain women who are wearing dresses. The phrase "slain in the Spirit" does not appear in the Bible per se, but the term comes from a description in several passages including 2 Chronicles 5:14, where the temple priests fell under the power of God, and Acts 9:4-8, where Saul/Paul has a vision of Jesus and falls to the ground.
Callings: The Holy Spirit is often said to give someone a gift of a certain talent, mission, or lifestyle. An ability to play the piano and lead others in worship might be a gift of music; a decision to remain single might be a gift of celibacy; suffering persecution to the point of death could be a gift of martyrdom. In addition, particular expressions of Christian ministry (especially those listed by St. Paul in Ephesians 4, such as apostle, prophet, evangelist, preacher, and teacher) are also considered gifts given by the Holy Spirit.
