Daily Devotion with Pastor Tong Liu: Today's Passage

1 Corinthians 12:8-10

To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.

Paul referred to the nine gifts, which can be divided into three categories:

The first category is the "word" gifts, including first, the word of knowledge. This is when we pray for others, God shows us things that have occurred in their past, or what is happening in their lives now. Second is the word of wisdom. This is when in prayer, God shows us what He has in the mind for that person or a particular situation. Third is the gift of prophecy. Corinthians 14:3 says, "But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort". Sometimes God will speak to us through the images in our head, sometimes with thoughts, ideas or a particular Scripture, in order to reveal His will to us.

The second category is the "power" gifts, including first, faith. This is the Spirit of God moving us to speak forth commands that God's Spirit will then fulfill, that brings about signs and wonders. The second is the gift of healing. When we lay hands on the sick, the sick are healed, spiritually and physically, immediately or over the longer term. Those who receive this gift will at the same time receive compassion from the Holy Spirit. The third is the gift of miracles, which is different from verbally issuing a command to make things happen. The gift of miraculous powers comes by physically doing something. For example, Elisha lay upon the dead boy, mouth to mouth, eyes to eyes, hands to hands, and the boy came back to life. This is the gift of miraculous powers.

The third category is the "revelatory" gifts, including the gift of tongues. Tongues are the prayer language that God gives. 1 Corinthians 14:2 says, "For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries with his spirit". The second is the gift of interpretation, especially in public, when you speak in tongues, to be able to interpret so as to avoid chaos. The third is to distinguish between spirits, to be able to identify whether something is from God or from evil spirits when something occurs. These gifts require the revelation of the Holy Spirit. May the Lord help us to study and exercise these gifts so that the name of the Lord may be glorified and the heart of God be satisfied.

Pray with Pastor Tong

Lord, we thank you because you gave us all sorts of gifts in our lives so that the church may be built up, and your heart may be satisfied. May you manifest all kinds of gifts in our lives. We thank you and pray in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen!