But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. – 1 Corinthians 12:7
The gifts of the Spirit operate through us to profit everyone. The gifts of the Spirit should benefit those that have the manifestation, it should benefit those that hear it and see it in operation. That is the purpose of the Gifts of the Spirit.
For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; 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: But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
– 1 Corinthians 12:8-11
When the Gifts of the Spirit operate, it’s not because some man wants them to, not because a minister wants them to happen. Verse number 11 makes it clear about this. That doesn’t mean that I conjure up something or try to look real spiritual or make something happen. That’s not what is happening when the Gifts of the Spirit are in operation. The Bible says, “These gifts operate as the Spirit of God wills.”
In fact, the way it works through me is that I never know when it’s gonna happen to me. Sometimes I may be praying. Sometimes I may be driving. Sometimes I may be walking. Sometimes I can be talking to somebody and all of a sudden just see something. And it doesn’t happen everyday. It doesn’t happen every five minutes. It doesn’t happen every week. It doesn’t necessarily happen every month. It doesn’t necessarily happen every year, except recently it’s been happening a lot more than what it used to in my life. But I believe the more we learn to yield to the gifts of the Spirit and how God uses us. And of course, the gifts of the Spirit don’t just belong to me individually. They belong to the Holy Ghost. And because He lives inside of me, He may operate—choose to operate one of those gifts through me. The same can be said of you. The Holy Spirit lives in you, as you yield to Him and as He wills, He’ll operate through you.
People that are called to certain ministry offices should have certain gifts of the Spirit operate through them more than other gifts of the Spirit, because each ministry office: the apostle, the prophet, the evangelist, the pastor, the teacher, each ministry office is qualified by God to stand in that office because they are equipped with certain gifts of the Spirit.
Now, that does not mean that that person owns that gift and can turn it on and off anytime they get ready. It just means that God chooses to operate through that ministry gift in that particular way. The gifts of the Spirit are there and they belong to us. And all we have to do is yield to them. And anybody in the Body of Christ can have manifestations of the gifts of the Spirit. Any believer can have manifestations of the gifts of the Spirit. But the ministry gifts, and those called to certain ministry offices, should have more of certain manifestations to fit that office than another person would in this particular area.
But notice, they’re only given as the Spirit of God wills. So, it’s not something I can turn on or turn off. It just happens.
