There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills. 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 (NKJV)
Picking up from my previous Blog post Genuine desire in a woman, I believe you have a snippet knowledge about the diverse ministry of the Holy Spirit. Books have been authored about Him, blog articles have been scripted about Him but I believe He is beyond our own limited wisdom to be able to elaborate Him since He is God. Operating in the gifts of the Holy Spirit, we must have a genuine desire, 1 Corinthians 14:1 Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. a motive that is Christ centered and a Will that is 100% yielded to God, that no form of covetousness, competition, jealousy or selfishness can have any place in our hearts, so that we can use the gifts the Holy Spirit distributes to us, for the edification of the Body of Christ. 1 Peter 4:10(NKJV)As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
As women, it is very important to know how the Spirit of God was operational in the lives of women and there is no better place to start ,than first looking into women in the Bible.
Anna-Prophecy.
Her function to prophecy was for edification, by addressing the people who came into contact with her in the temple with inspired message of hope.
Luke 2:36-38 Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity; 37 and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. 38 And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem.
Daughters of Philip-Prophecy.
They had the ability to witness in any situation through prophecy.Acts 21:9 Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied.
Deborah-Administration.
She organized, inspired cooperation and team work as a judge in Israel.
Judges 4:6-9-Then she sent and called for Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali, and said to him, “Has not the Lord God of Israel commanded, ‘Go and deploy troops at Mount Tabor; take with you ten thousand men of the sons of Naphtali and of the sons of Zebulun; 7 and against you I will deploy Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his multitude at the River Kishon; and I will deliver him into your hand’?”And Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, then I will go; but if you will not go with me, I will not go!” So she said, “I will surely go with you; nevertheless, there will be no glory for you in the journey you are taking, for the Lord will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.” Then Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh.
Priscilla-Teaching.
Through the enabling of the Spirit of God, Priscilla was able to understand complex matters of the Word of God and had the ability to deliver instructions effectively to Apollos who was limited in only the baptism of John.
Acts 18:24-28 (TPT) A Jewish man by the name of Apollos arrived in Ephesus. He was a native of Alexandria and was recognized as an educated and cultured man. He was powerful in the Scriptures, had accepted Jesus, and had been taught about the Lord. He was spiritually passionate for Jesus and a convincing teacher, although he only knew about the baptism of John. He fearlessly preached in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard Apollos teachings, they met with him privately and revealed to him the ways of God more completely. Then Apollos, with the encouragement of the believers, went to the province of Achaia. He took a letter of recommendation from the brothers of Ephesus so his ministry would be welcomed in the region. He was a tremendous help to the believers and caused them to increase in grace. Apollos boldly and publicly confronted the Jews, vigorously debating them, proving undeniably from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah.
The Samaritan Woman- Exhortation.
After her encounter with Jesus, the Samaritan woman was able to inspire and persuade people in her city to go and meet Jesus who she had encountered.
John 4:28-30 (NKJV) The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men, “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?” Then they went out of the city and came to Him.
Syro- Phoenician Woman.
She never had an option of giving up her faith In Jesus to heal her daughter. Her crazy faith which is one of the Spiritual gifts the Holy Spirit distributes to the Church, took the attention Of Jesus and her daughter was healed that every hour.
Matthew 15:21-28 (NKJV)Then Jesus went out from there and departed to the region of Tyre and Sidon. 22 And behold, a woman of Canaan came from that region and cried out to Him, saying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! My daughter is severely demon-possessed. “But He answered her not a word. And His disciples came and urged Him, saying, “Send her away, for she cries out after us. “But He answered and said, “I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”Then she came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, help me!”But He answered and said, “It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.” and she said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table. ”Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour.
Abigail-Discernment.
She had the ability to determine good and evil and saw beyond the surface. Her judgment to avert any danger from befalling her family after her husband’s unwise statement to King David, worked to her family’s advantage.
1 Samuel 25:14-18(NKJV) Now one of the young men told Abigail, Nabal’s wife, saying, “Look, David sent messengers from the wilderness to greet our master; and he reviled them. 15 But the men were very good to us, and we were not hurt, nor did we miss anything as long as we accompanied them, when we were in the fields. 16 They were a wall to us both by night and day, all the time we were with them keeping the sheep. 17 Now therefore, know and consider what you will do, for harm is determined against our master and against all his household. For he is such a scoundrel that one cannot speak to him.” Then Abigail made haste and took two hundred loaves of bread, two skins of wine, five sheep already dressed, five seahs of roasted grain, one hundred clusters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs, and loaded them on donkeys. 19 And she said to her servants, “Go on before me; see, I am coming after you.” But she did not tell her husband Nabal.
From the above list, it’s my prayer you will be inspired, you will dig deeper into God and be a willing vessel that God can use. However, it’s important to know some of us can operate in few gifts, while others can operate in multiple gifts of the Holy Spirit but our contributions are very important to the body of Christ. Just as our physical body has many different parts yet each part is vital to the functioning of the body, the same applies to the body of Christ. Romans 12:4-5(NKJV) For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.
Sometimes we may feel that our particular gifts are ordinary seeds with little potential for significant fruit yet, as we spend more time in seeking after God and refining our skills as women, each of us might be amazed at how our uniqueness can unexpectedly teach and inspire others.
Parting Shot: – Spiritual gifts should work together, complement each other and for the edification of the church. 1 Corinthians 14:12 (NKJV) Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel. Spiritual gifts should never be used to exalt an individual or to feed an immature desire for attention but they are supposed to be used from a position of genuine Love. Love, when used with spiritual gifts is like oil in a machine. It makes all the parts work well together. 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 (NKJV)Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.
Ephesians 4:16(TPT) For his “body” has been formed in his image and is closely joined together and constantly connected as one. And every member has been given divine gifts to contribute to the growth of all; and as these gifts operate effectively throughout the whole body, we are built up and made perfect in love.
Love ReinaBeaty.
