THE GRACES OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; 9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; 10 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:

There are 2 different Greek words translated as another in this passage. The world allos and the word heteros.
Allos means another of the same kind
Heteros means another of a different kind.
Some of these ministry gifts/graces of the Holy Spirit are of the same kind and others are of a different kind. Another way of saying this is that they belong to different categories. They are not all the same. They manifest differently and they achieve different goals. They work differently.

We can divide these ministry graces in 3 different categories.
a)      Revelation gifts/graces
Word of wisdom, Word of knowledge,

b)      Power gifts
Gift of faith, gifts of healings, gift of miracles, gift of prophecy, discerning of spirits.

c)      Verbal gifts
Gift of tongues, Interpretation of tongues

Before we discuss these gifts in detail we need to note that the bible doesn’t go to great lengths to define or describe these gifts. It doesn’t matter whether you can correctly define a gift or you can’t. What matters is to operate in the gifts. And you can operate in them without even knowing that you are. And this is the case with many believers. These are not theoretical things. This stuff is practical.

Word of wisdom

Wisdom is the practical application of knowledge and information. Wisdom has to do with the ability to make and operate a plan to achieve a desired end. It has to do with strategy, with counsel, with guidance.

The word of wisdom is when we supernaturally know what needs to be done. We get solutions from the Holy Spirit to deal with a situation and to get things done. We just have a sense and knowing of what to do for us or for another person.

Word of knowledge,

Knowledge is simply that. Knowing something. Having information. Having data. 

The word of knowledge is when you just know something spiritually. Something that you didn’t know or shouldn’t know naturally. You just have thoughts come into your mind. It is spiritual intuition. It is a heart perception that will bring comfort and exhortation to others.

For example the thoughts of another person, knowing personal information about people like names, age, phone number etc. knowing what people do or say in private or in the past etc. like we said, you can’t define these gifts in strict terms. There are countless applications of the word of knowledge.

Gift of faith

Faith is persuasion, assurance or belief. To have faith is to believe in your heart. In its simplest form faith is trust. The gift of faith is that supernatural ability to trust God and that supernatural persuasion and assurance that it is impossible to be convinced otherwise. It flows very well with other gifts as we minister to others. It enables us to operate in great authority and power.

Gifts of healing,

It is interesting that here the plural of gift is used. There are several different gifts of healing that the Holy Spirit manifests is us. And the Holy Spirit does it in many different ways.

The word healing (eima) means to cure, to begin healing. It speaks of a process of healing. It is where you lay hands or pray for a person and the process of healing begins in their body. It may not be instant but over a period of time which could be minutes, hours, days, months and even years healing works in this person until they totally recover. It is what some people call a progressive healing.

We see it many times in Jesus’ ministry. People would come to Him sick and He would either lay hands on them or give them an instruction. They then would walk away from Him still sick and get well on the way or when they did what He told them for example in Luke17:14 this is what it says;

“And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.”

It says that ‘as they went, they were cleansed’ Their healing happened as they went.
This healing is a process. Not a miracle

Then there are the other several ways that healing can be accomplished in people. Whether by commanding diseases to go, laying hands on the sick. It can also manifest through a doctor filled with the Holy Spirit who will supernaturally know what to do and how to effect healing in a sick person.

Gift of miracles

The word miracles here is the Word dunamis. Dunamis speaks of inherent power, great ability, great abundance, might, strength. It is speaking of that mighty awesome ability and strength of God. It is great power that manifests from within us by the Holy Spirit.

Miracles are different from healing. Healing miracles are instant. It is where you rebuke a sickness and it departs immediately. Here the result manifests instantly. Healing power comes into the sick body immediately and wipes out all sickness and disease. We see Jesus operating in this many times. 

Like in John 15 where He commands the man lame for 38 years to pick up his bed and walk and the man gets up immediately and walks away completely healed.

There are other types of miracles like creative miracles which involve the creation of brand new body parts that did not exist or were damaged, opening eyes, opening ears etc.
Then there are financial miracles, circumstantial miracles, supernatural opening of doors and opportunities, supernatural protection and deliverance from danger and do on and so forth. There are sorts of miracles.

Gift of prophecy

To prophesy is to foretell. To know something that is going to happen and declare it before it happens. Here one supernaturally has knowledge of something that is going to happen. They just know. However, this gift is not only about predicting the future. Although foretelling the future is a big part of it.

Prophecy also confirms what God has already been speaking to a person’s heart through the Word and the Holy Spirit. This gift confirms it to them.

In 1Corinthians14:3-4 we are told that a person that prophesies exhorts, edifies and comforts. The person operating in this gift will have a word from God that will exhort, edify and comfort others. It may be a group like in a church setting or on individual basis. To edify means to energize, to build up, and to charge like a battery.

By the Spirit of God they speak words that supernaturally build up others, edify and comfort them supernaturally. You listen to them and suddenly and quite powerfully you are encouraged and edified and empowered. You feel energized. You feel like you have new fresh power and can do anything. This is an awesome gift.

Discerning of spirits.

To discern means to differentiate or to separate. Here we receive understanding about where a spirit is coming from, what kind of spirit is influencing a person, what kind of spiritual disposition a person is in etc. this gift is not called the discerning of bad spirits. It is the discerning of spirits. We can also discern positive spiritual influences. Not evil ones only. We simply know what kind of spirit is at work.

Gift of tongues

This is where someone receives a tongue for public ministry. You receive a message in tongues and you deliver it publicly. You feel inspired by the Holy Spirit to speak a message in tongues to the congregation and you do. This is different from praying in tongues. This is not a prayer. It is a message that you get up and speak. You just speak it in a heavenly language.

Interpretation of tongues

This goes hand in hand with the gift of tongues. The gift of tongues is useless if they can’t be interpreted. The message will be lost. So interpretation of tongues is where one receives an interpretation of the message that was given in tongues. Notice that it is not translation of tongues but interpretation of tongues.

In other words you are not translating word for word what was said. You are interpreting what it meant in an understandable language. You get the concept, the feeling, the thought, the gist or the flow of the message and you speak it in a language and in words which everyone can understand.
This interpretation should ideally be by the person who delivers the message but it can also be by someone else. It depends on the circumstances.

In 1Corinthians14 Paul advises that if you are unwilling to interpret then don’t give the tongue. If you give the tongue, pray and receive the interpretation so that the whole body may be edified.


12 Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church. 13 Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret.

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