perspective

W e ' r e m o r e t h a n j u s t a C h u r c h . . . W e ' r e a F A M I L Y !

Pastor Carter addresses Questions on

GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

I came from a 'holiness' church background where 'the Gifts' were often spoken of in the context of them someday being 'restored' to the Church. What are your thoughts on the restoration of the Gifts of the Spirit?

I am of the firm belief that the Gifts of the Spirit were never 'lost' to begin with and thus do not need to be restored. I am of the belief that those who truly make up the Church possess these Gifts and operate in them.

I think denominations make excuse for their unwillingness or inability to operate in the Gifts by saying that someday they will be restored. They were never lost. They may have ceased to function throughout limited parts of the Dark Ages, but as the Holy Spirit brought light back into the darkened, dysfunctional 'Church' a resurgence of the operation of His Gifts began. When the Holy Spirit leads someone, He doesn't check His Gifts at the door. Where ever He goes, His Gifts accompany.

Seven of the nine Gifts of the Spirit were in operation under the Old Covenant. Tongues and interpretation of tongues were given to the New Testament believers as a new distinguishing mark of their allegiance to Christ and as a sign to the unbeliever.

However, it seems in modern 'holiness' circles, they are the only two Gifts ever 'used.' In fact, it seems at times these two Gifts are actually abusive tools in the hands of manipulative individuals who conveniently and craftily use them to hi-jack services, conventions, conferences, etc, either to make a show of themselves or to push their ulterior motives and hidden agendas.

The other seven Gifts seem to be in operation much less, if at all, and their lack of use is accepted by the explanation that they are not yet fully restored to the Church.

I would submit that it is not that they are not yet restored, but rather that these true manifestations of the Spirit of God are verifiable and provable and less able to be manipulated or fabricated. Thus, we do not see them in operation as much. If a person makes a 'mistake' or a 'misuse' of these gifts, they can easily be proven false.

Tongues and interpretation of tongues, however, are Gifts based on verbal utterances, usually of a more 'prophetic' nature or 'instructive' nature, and can more easily be passed off as authentic. If someone speaks in a tongue and interprets it, but has not done so at the direction or unctioning of the Holy Spirit, it is more difficult to prove false. More often than not, honest, sincere-hearted individuals swallow it hook, line, and sinker as a Word from the Lord when in fact it was not.

The Bible does instruct that the Elders are to judge a manifestation and interpretation of tongues and either accept or reject it as true based on their use of the Gift of Discernment. My question is, how often does that truly happen?

Some are quick to accept or reject a tongue and interpretation based on its condonement or direction of a certain action or movement. In other words, if it says what they want to hear, or says what they think it should say, it passes. But on the flip side of the token, if it contradicts their opinions, desires, or predetermined actions or movements, they're quick to reject it as false.

The only problem with either side of the coin is that we are basing acceptance or rejection of a manifestation of a spiritual gift on personal desires, opinions, or predetermined actions and movements rather than on the Word of God and the spiritual backing of the Gift of Discernment at work through true, Godly, sanctified, Spirit-filled and prophetically-proven Elders.

The bottom line is this. It is God's desire that His people be blessed and ministered to. He does this through many avenues, and yes, preaching and singing are the two most common. But a Church of the New Testament must not shy away from our commandment and privilege to use what God has given us . . . The Holy Spirit and the Gifts that accompany Him. ...all of them.

When is the last time you heard someone speak prophetically into your life or someone else's life? When's the last time you witnessed someone use a true spiritual gift of the Holy Spirit to "read a person's mail" as we used to say. When is the last time you saw an anointed minister of the Gospel operate in the Word of Knowledge, or the Word of Wisdom and speak things to a person about their life, their job, their specific family member, their house, their secret issues that no one else could have known? When is the last time you saw someone operate in the Gift of Faith to cast out a demon? That disqualifies most of the people reading this right now, let alone moving on to the Gift of Healing or the Working of Miracles.

God has great things in store for His Church, and for those who are lost and finding their way into her through Christ, and the tools He gave for that purpose are the Gifts of the Spirit. Praise the Lord!

God's Gifts are not lost. He knows right where they are, and so should we.

__________

We know the Gifts of the Spirit are for the Church... I wonder why the Gifts aren't working in the Church like they are suppose to?

Oh, but I believe they are. I think we just have to look to see them. Sometimes we are looking in the wrong places and at the wrong people. The REAL gifts are operating in those that are the REAL Church.

Top of Page

Return to Pastor's Perspective Index

Contact FHC with your questions and Pastor Carter will answer them here.

___________________________________________________________________________________

FAMILY HARVEST CHURCH

PASTOR CHAD CARTER

P.O. Box 512

Salem, IN 47167

812-883-2523

www.ChadCarter.org

info@ChadCarter.org