Garry concluded his mini-series on spiritual gifts (1 Cor 12:1-11), looking at the diversity of the gifts and the fact that these are used in proportion to our faith (see Rom 12:6-8). There is, perhaps, a difference between speaking in tongues at the baptism of the Spirit and exercising this ministry in a church context (the end of 1 Cor 12 implies that not everyone has the same gifts); the public use of spiritual gifts will vary. At times it seems that people can give a prophecy or a message in tongues or pray for healing without having that ministry on a regular basis, but Paul reminds the Corinthians that spiritual gifts are given by the Spirit as He determines and that the way we experience these gifts will be as varied as the personalities being used! What counts is God’s grace and our faith, and we need to encourage each other to seek God for these gifts (1 Cor 12:30) whilst acknowledging that we cannot actually ‘manufacture’ the gifts ourselves. Just as a dam can control the flow of water but cannot produce the water held in a reservoir, so we can choose whether we use the gifts God gives us or not, but cannot actually ‘produce’ the gifts in our strength.

Ladybower2 Pet 1:20-21 reminds us that all prophecy comes about through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit; it is not something people make up. Jer 20:7-18 speaks of how Jeremiah tried to hold in the words God gave him but could not (‘But if I say, “I will not mention his word or speak anymore in his name,” his word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot.’ Jer 20:9) There is often that sense of being ‘about to burst’, a sense of feeling totally constrained, when exercising these gifts which can be frightening at first, but, armed with the confidence that God gives good gifts to those who ask, seek and knock (Matt 7:7-11), we can approach God with hungry hearts that reach out for all He has for us. These gifts, along with the other ministries listed in 1 Cor 12:28-31, Rom 12:6-8 and Eph 4:11-13, are given to build up the church and show unbelievers the power of God, as Paul goes on to explain in 1 Cor 14.