Contents

Ven. R. Ayo Akinwale

Chapter One

Spiritual Gifts

Chapter Two

The Purpose of Spiritual Gifts

Chapter Three

Types of Spiritual Gifts

Chapter Four

Recognising, Receiving, and Operating

Your Spiritual Gifts

Chapter Five

Leading and Guidance of the Holy Spirit

Chapter Six

Final Words

Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

(1 Corinthians 12:4 KJV)

Naturally, there are different gifts, and functions; individually

grace is given to us in different ways out of the

rich diversity of Christ’s giving. As the Scripture says:

"When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive

and gave gifts unto men" (Ephesians 4:8 Phillips).

This chapter intends to analyse major gifts in the

New Testament. The Holy Spirit still gives gifts (diverse

does not make any gift inferior to the other, it

is God that gives as He pleases.)

Major Gifts

There are nine manifestations of the Spirit mentioned

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I. Power Gift

a. Faith

b. Gifts of Healing

c. Gifts of Miracles

II. Mind Gift

a. Word of Wisdom

b. Word of Knowledge

c. Discerning of Spirit

III. Inspirational Gift

a. Prophecy

b. Diverse Kinds of Tongues

c. Interpretation of Tongues

I. Power Gift

These are miracle-working gifts. These are gifts with

clear manifestations in the life of a man and are often

beyond the understanding of man in their manifestation.

They are gifts of faith, healing, and miracles.

a. Faith

We are saved by faith (Ephesians 2:8–9). But this gift

is beyond the ordinary faith spoken of in Hebrews 11:1

and 6. Whoever will come to God must certainly believe

that He is God. This gift of faith is a special trust

in God beyond the reasoning of ordinary man (even

some believers). It is a special faith that can make the

impossible possible. A faith that violates the law of nature.

The faith of Daniel in the lion’s den is a good example

(Daniel 6:16–24). Another example is Jesus’ faith

in Mark 4:37–41.

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This gift of faith is not saving faith, fruit, presumptuous

faith, or general faith. It is the faith of God seen in

possible. This will always operate even in his

way of life. It is beyond the principle of positive thinking.

Such faith can raise the dead.

b. Gifts of Healing

Very often medicine and natural herbs are used to

treat certain diseases but as the slogan of the doctors

say "We care and God heals." This paves the way for a

healing beyond the use of these things. Healing could

be because of these things and it might be without

them. This gift is God’s ability to heal a sick person

spiritually and physically from all kinds of disease or

sickness. Note however, that in 1 Corinthians 12:9 the

different kinds of healing power to heal different kinds

of illnesses. This also shows that a gifted believer could

have special ability to heal a particular disease on a

particular part of the body. The healing of Peter’s

mother in Mark’s gospel is an example.

c. Gifts of Miracle (Working of Miracles)

This is also a sign gift and if used, can bring about

the replacement of missing parts of the body. The gift

of miracles is the ability to perform wonders in a way

contrary to the law of nature. Miracles are not limited

to healing alone. An example would be the changing of

the water into wine and the calming of the storm in

John 2:1–11 and Matthew 8:23–27. Another example is

in Acts 4:1ff where this gift attracted people to the

gospel of Christ.

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These are gifts of revelation and they often expose the

mind of God to man. They include a word of wisdom,

a word of knowledge and a discerning spirit.

a. Word of Wisdom

and without, the presence and operation of this gift

may give a lasting solution or utterance to the problem.

The operation of this gift usually points to the future.

It is an indication of the omnipotent power of

God. Read 1 Corinthians 2:6–7 and Acts 21:10–11.

b. Word of Knowledge

This is simply the ability to understand the hidden

truths of God or to understand a man that is unknown

to him (the person). A prior knowledge of the spoken

truth is not necessary for this truth is to be revealed.

The word of knowledge brings about a revelation concerning

the past and present. The word of knowledge

is indispensable to any effective preacher. It is not natural

intelligence or ability of man. It is a divine insight

into the will of God. An example is found in Acts 5:1–5

(Peter with Ananias and Sapphira); 2 Samuel 12 (the

prophet Nathan and David); 2 Kings 6:8–14 (Elisha

and the king of Syria).

c. Discerning of Spirit

Since there can be false teachers and false prophesies

that come from the evil spirit, a discerning spirit is necessary

in order to distinguish the truth from the false-

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not be able to see.

These are vocal or speech gifts. It has to do with exposing

the purpose of a message. They include the

foll0wing: prophecy, diverse kinds of tongues and interpretations

of tongues.

a. Prophecy

Contrary to what some theologians and preachers

teach, the gift of prophecy is still in operation today.

The age of prophecy and prophetic utterance has not

ended. Prophecy could be direct or indirect.

Direct prophecy involves God speaking through

someone to His people. The one who delivers the message

may or may not be conscious of his or her utterances.

Indirect prophecy involves God speaking to a

man and then the man relating the message to the

people.

Prophecy, therefore, is a divine utterance in the local

language of the speaker. The gift of prophecy differs

from tongues. The simple gift of prophecy should not

be confused with the ministry of a prophet. Every

prophet must exhibit the gift of prophecy but if a man

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gives a prophecy it does not imply that he is a prophet.

Read 1 Corinthians 14:1 and following.

b. Diverse Kinds of Tongues

This is an utterance in a language not learned by the

hearer. The gift involves the speaking of earthly and

heavenly language including ecstatic language of

praise and power (1 Corinthians 13:1; 14:2, 10). Speaking

in tongues is not learned by human means but it is

an utterance given by the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1–7).

Speaking in tongues could be an address to an individual

or a congregation or to God. He that speaks in an

For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh

not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth

him; howebeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.

(1Corinthians 14:2 KJV)

It is a gift that often strengthens one’s prayer life (Romans

8:26–27). However, great care has to be taken in

the use of this gift. Read 1 Corinthians 14:5–15. If a man

cannot speak in tongues, then it does not follow that he

is not a believer or that he does not have the Spirit of

God. It is a gift. It seems, however, that this phrase "diverse

kinds of tongues" talks about different tongues

or languages spoken or used by a person who has the

gift of God. It is not limited to one. Read 1 Corinthians

14:38–39.

c. Interpretation of Tongues

Since tongues are not learned by the user and it may

be a language in which a congregation is not familiar,

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this calls for an interpreter who will interpret the

words spoken in tongues into the language spoken by

the Holy Spirit. "Wherefore let him that speaketh in an

unknown tongue pray that he may interpret"

(1Corinthians 14:13). Usually these vocal gifts are employed

together. A man may give a prophecy in an unknown

tongue and give an interpretation in the

common language of the congregation.

Minor Gifts

They are called minor because they seem to operate

underneath, where there is not a lot of recognition.

They include:

• Ruling

• Dreams

• Visions

• Giving

• Exhortation

the Church is to be complete and perfect.

Ruling

This is a special gift of administration. Not all have

it. Not all can be political leaders. Some people have

this special gift and when there is no committee or

group of people assisting them they can go all the way

Solomon was a man with this special gift. Read Romans

13:1–4 and Proverbs 29:2.

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Dreams

it as a means to operate in their life. That this gift operates

in every common man does not disprove the fact

that it is a gift of God. See for example Genesis 37:5–7;

9–10.

Some other people are gifted in the interpretation of

dreams (Genesis 40:5–23; Joel 2:28).

Visions

This is another gift that seems common today. Not

man when not sleeping. This is not a trance (a state in

which one receives or sees a revelation when half

asleep and half awake). It is God opening the eye of a

man physically to see certain things of His own purpose.

It could be past, present, or future events or

assignments. Read Acts 10:9–10 – trance. Read Joel

2:28.

Giving

All must give (Luke 6:38) but this gift goes beyond

the ordinary or common way of giving. In fact, it is beyond

But it is a special endowment from God on an individual

to give without hesitation to meet the need of the

saint. This giving does not imply giving physical

things alone but it involves giving oneself to the service

of humanity and God. An example of the operation

of this gift is seen in Dorcas (Acts 9:36–40).

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Exhortation

We are expected to exhort one another in love but

this gift of exhortation makes an individual ready to