Blessed Hope Bible-Presbyterian Church
500 Upper Bukit Timah Rd, Singapore 678106
The ability to speak in a foreign language is given as a supernatural gift of the Holy Spirit to those who have no knowledge of the language prior to their bestowment from God. It was given as a temporary sign-gift to authenticate the message of the gospel before the Scriptures were completed.
William MacDonald said well, “Discerning of spirits describes the power to detect whether a prophet or other person is speaking by the Holy Spirit or by Satan. A person with this gift has special ability to discern if a man is an imposter and an opportunist, for instance.”
William MacDonald said well, “The gift of prophecy, in its primary sense, signified that a person received direct revelations from God and transmitted them to others. Sometimes the prophets predicted future events (Acts 11:27, 28; 21:11); more often they simply expressed the mind of God. Like the apostles, they were concerned with the foundation of the church (Eph. 2:20). They themselves were not the foundation, but they laid the foundation in what they taught concerning the Lord Jesus. Once the foundation was laid, the need for the prophets ceased. Their ministry is preserved for us in the pages of the NT. Since the Bible is complete, we reject any so-called prophet who claims to have additional truth from God.”
A miracle is a supernatural working by God that defies the laws of the natural created world. There are three epochs of miracles in human history traced through biblical testimonies during the time of the Exodus and Israel’s entry to the Promised Land, the time of the prophets Elijah and Elisha and during the days of Christ and the Apostles. These miracles were wrought to authenticate the Scriptures.
The gifts of healing is available as a temporary manifestation of God’s power during the period prior to the completion of the Scriptures. Christ Himself cast out demons and healed those possessed with demons. He healed the sick, the miamed and blind and deaf. Indeed, He is God. And this power was manifested in the ministry of the Apostles and disciples sent out by Jesus during His lifetime. They were able to wrought healing as Jesus did.
The gift of faith. The believer endowed with the grace to trust God even amidst severe trials to do His will. Joshua and Caleb were endowed with the faith to believe that the Israelites will possess the land of Canaan whilst the other ten spies were fearful of the giants in the land and shriek from even considering to enter the land.
This is the gift of communicating the knowledge of God’s Word to the strengthening of faith of God’s people. The Holy Spirit gives such skill to understand and convey the truth of God’s Word as revealed in the 66 book of the Bible.
It is the Holy Spirit that gives the word of wisdom to His people. This wisdom was well articulated by the Apostle Paul earlier in 1 Corinthians 2:7-11 “But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.”
The Holy Spirit gives every believer the ability to help or serve others. This enabling may vary from believer to believer as the Holy Spirit is sovereign is bestowing spiritual ability as He deems fit. But every believer will be gifted of the Holy Spirit. This ability for service is not meant for any prideful or selfish ends but to be a blessing to others.
Our God is One the director of operations in the church. The Holy Spirit gives gifts for service in the church. And there are different ministries in the church that serves His body. And there are varied activities by which different spiritual gifts are exercised for the strengthening of the body.