Do you believe in the spiritual gifts of the Holy Spirit? Gifts of the Holy Spirit are abilities given to followers of Jesus Christ for the benefit of His people, and the Church. There are numerous spiritual gifts given by the spirit of God. We’re going to review 9 of them, discuss their meaning, and back them up with scriptures for biblical proof.

This particular post isn’t about starting a biblical debate. Instead, it’s all about how the LOVE of Jesus should ALWAYS be placed first in not only your life but those who you share the gospel with.

Loving one another {despite different opinions} is displaying the love of God and putting him first above anything or anyone. People in general don’t like discussing their biblical beliefs due to fear of being ridiculed.

Many denominations believe spiritual gifts ceased when Jesus’ Disciples received the gifts of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost and spoke in tongues.

Many Christians believe the power of speaking in tongues ended on this day. I know for a fact this is NOT a true statement.

How do I know this?

You can’t deny something you have experienced firsthand. As a Holy Ghost spirit-filled Pentecostal Christian, I’ve personally experienced some of the following gifts of the Holy Spirit you are about to read.

Pentecost Scriptures For Reference

And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. Acts 2:1

And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. Acts 2:2

And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. Acts 2:3

And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Acts 2:4

Apostle Paul’s Accounts Of Tongues and Prophesy Long After The Day Of Pentecost

The Apostle Paul gives the following accounts in Acts and more in the verses below towards the end of this post.

He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. Acts 19:2

And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism. Acts 19:3

Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. Acts 19:4

When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Acts 19:5

And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spoke with tongues, and prophesied. Acts 19:6

And all the men were about twelve. Acts 19:7

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What Are 9 Spiritual Gifts Of The Holy Spirit In 1 Corinthians 12-14

1. Spiritual Wisdom

Wisdom comes from God that brings forth understanding into a circumstance, or situation. Wisdom is exercising good judgment and common sense and stems from life experience, thoughtful reflection, and learning life’s lessons. Wisdom is understanding the differences between right from wrong and seeking justice and truth.

2. Spiritual Knowledge

Knowledge is a gift to comprehend and understand a spiritual issue or circumstance that is unknown to you but known to God. In Christianity, the word knowledge is a spiritual gift listed in 1 Corinthians 12:8. See verse below for reference.

What Is The Spiritual Gift Of Knowledge?

It has been associated with the ability to teach the faith, but also with forms of revelation similar to prophecy. It is closely related to another spiritual gift, the word of wisdom. Several preachers Prophecied to me time and time again that God has given me the gift of knowledge and wisdom.

What Is The Difference Between The Spiritual Gifts Of Wisdom And Knowledge?

Knowledge gained through the studying of new information consists of rich storage of information. Wisdom, on the other hand, has to do more with insight, understanding, and accepting of the fundamental nature of things in life

3. Spiritual Healing

In the Bible, there are numerous examples of healing mainly done by Jesus Christ himself but he passed that gift on to His disciples. I’ve also witnessed countless healings take place when a follower of Jesus Christ prays and lays hands on a sick person and they become well.

Working in oncology has also given me treasured memories of listening to numerous patients’ stories of how God miraculously healed them. A patient gets referred to the oncology office with an MRI or CT showing a tumor and out of nowhere it’s gone. There’s no other explanation other than God-given spiritual healing.

4. Miraculous Miracles

God is a miracle-working God! Simply stated, this is the working of miracles and performing the miraculous. I have personally witnessed many miracles firsthand, so I know it’s true. Many may call me a lunatic or call me crazy but this still will not change the facts.

5. Unmovable Faith

This kind of faith leaves no room for doubt whatsoever. It’s the gift of placing complete trust in God and inspiring others to do the same, no matter the conditions surrounding them…especially health-related issues.

When I worked as an oncology phlebotomist I’ve never witnessed more bravery and inspiring stories of faith such as God’s Got This and Treasured Memories. You’ll be blessed if you take the time to read the story dedicated to them.

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6. Gift of Prophecy

Prophecy, like any other spiritual gift from the Lord, cannot be used apart from the Spirit of God. Keep in mind the gift of prophecy is meant to point people to God and His word.

Prophecy is a God-given gift to declare a message from God. Not everyone has it, but some certainly do even now to this day. Prophecy never contradicts Scripture or the character of God. In the Bible, you are warned there will be many false prophets from now until the time Jesus returns.

My Church back home in Kentucky didn’t have a regular preacher on staff. However, they brought in ministers from all over. These Pastors knew nothing whatsoever about your background or your story.

The preacher would sometimes ask you to come forward from where you were sitting. They’d lay their hands on you, and tell you exactly what was going on in your life… no one will ever convince me that this was not God working through them by prophecy and ministering to the congregation.

7. Discerning Of Spirits

The dictionary defines discernment as, “the quality of being able to grasp and comprehend what is obscure; skill in discerning; an act of perceiving or discerning something.”

The Gift of Discerning Spirits in the most simple form is the discernment of wisdom. It’s the gift to recognize if something is by God, whether good or bad.

In the Christian faith, it is a similar concept, but it is bestowed by the Holy Spirit, and many denominations believe it can allow someone to know whether a demonic or heavenly influence is over a person, place, or event. 

Have you ever been in a Church service when someone comes in and the whole atmosphere changes? Possibly the hairs on your body stand up all over and you had chills from the top of your head to the bottom of your feet?

I have and it’s pretty scary. Hopefully, I never encounter another experience like this again. It was a demon-possessed woman if my memory is correct. It was years ago in Kentucky.

There are several scenes in numerous accounts of the Bible Series as well as recently in The Chosen. Jesus commands the evil spirits to “COME OUT OF HIM!” Boom! That’s kind of how it happened for this woman.

8. Speaking In Tongues 

As previously stated, in my Pentecostal background I’ve witnessed firsthand this holy spirit of God’s gift. Many of my immediate family members and fellow Church members back in Kentucky have this unique gift.

Trust me when I say that with the discerning of spirits, you will know if the individual who is speaking in tongues is real and whose is not. Refer back to the explanation of DOS if you need to. The same concept applies.

Speaking of tongues, yours truly has felt this come to the surface of my lips. My mouth starts quivering with sound starting to form. For some reason, I quench the Holy Spirit. Even though I know you are NOT supposed to do so.

Since moving to North Carolina I haven’t found a Church with my Pentecostal background. When you mention Pentecostal faith here in North Carolina the first words you here are…Oh, you’re that denomination that handles snakes.

Now, I am then tempted to ask them how many services have they attended to come up with the idea. I grew up in this faith and NOT once was there ANY snake handling just so you know the facts.

Seven Ways We Quench the Holy Spirit | To Read The Whole Article

In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Quench not the Spirit. 1 Thessalonians 5:19

Despise not prophesyings. 1 Thessalonians 5:20

9. Interpreting Tongues 

The interpretation of tongues is a gift or the ability given to a believer by the Holy Spirit to translate or interpret the words given by someone speaking in tongues.

You will find ALL scriptures below but I wanted to add this ONE particular verse here because it seems to be the most troublesome for numerous people I know personally.

If any man speaks in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. 1 Corinthians 14:27

Spiritual Gifts In The Bible 1 Corinthians 12-14

Now, dear brothers and sisters, regarding your question about the special abilities the Spirit gives us. I don’t want you to misunderstand this. 1 Corinthians 12:1

You know that when you were still pagans, you were led astray and swept along in worshiping speechless idols. 1 Corinthians 12:2

So I want you to know that no one speaking by the Spirit of God will curse Jesus, and no one can say Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:3

There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. 1 Corinthians 12:4

There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. 1 Corinthians 12:5

God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us. 1 Corinthians 12:6

A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. 1 Corinthians 12:7

To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another, the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge. 1 Corinthians 12:8

The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing. 1 Corinthians 12:9

He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or another spirit. Still, another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said. 1 Corinthians 12:10

It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have. 1 Corinthians 12:11

One Body With Many Parts

The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:12

Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:13

Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. 1 Corinthians 12:14

If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. 1 Corinthians 12:15

And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? 1 Corinthians 12:16

If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything? 1 Corinthians 12:17

But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. 1 Corinthians 12:18

How strange a body would be if it had only one part! 1 Corinthians 12:19

Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. 1 Corinthians 12:20

The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.” 1 Corinthians 12:21

In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. 1 Corinthians 12:22

And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen. 1 Corinthians 12:23

While the more honorable parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. 1 Corinthians 12:24

This makes for harmony among the members so that all the members care for each other. 1 Corinthians 12:25

If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. 1 Corinthians 12:26

All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it. 1 Corinthians 12:27

Here are some of the parts God has appointed for the church: first are apostles, second are prophets, third are teachers, then those who do miracles, those who have the gift of healing, those who can help others, those who have the gift of leadership, those who speak in unknown languages. 1 Corinthians 12:28

Are we all apostles? Are we all prophets? Are we all teachers? Do we all have the power to do miracles? 1 Corinthians 12:29

Do we all have the gift of healing? Do we all have the ability to speak in unknown languages? Do we all have the ability to interpret unknown languages? Of course not! 1 Corinthians 12:30

So you should earnestly desire the most helpful gifts. But now let me show you a way of life that is best of all. 1 Corinthians 12:31

Love Is The Greatest

If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 1 Corinthians 13:1

If I had the gift of prophecy, understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:2

If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:3

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. 1 Corinthians 13:4

It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 1 Corinthians 13:5

It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 1 Corinthians 13:6

Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. 1 Corinthians 13:7

Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever! 1 Corinthians 13:8

Now our knowledge is partial and incomplete, and even the gift of prophecy reveals only part of the whole picture! 1 Corinthians 13:9

But when the time of perfection comes, these partial things will become useless. 1 Corinthians 13:10

When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. 1 Corinthians 13:11

Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely. 1 Corinthians 13:12

Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13

Tongues And Prophecy

Let love be your highest goal! But you should also desire the special abilities the Spirit gives—especially the ability to prophesy. 1 Corinthians 14:1

For if you have the ability to speak in tongues, you will be talking only to God, since people won’t be able to understand you. You will be speaking by the power of the Spirit, but it will all be mysterious. 1 Corinthians 14:2

But one who prophesies strengthens others, encourages them, and comforts them. 1 Corinthians 14:3

A person who speaks in tongues is strengthened personally, but one who speaks a word of prophecy strengthens the entire church. 1 Corinthians 14:4

I wish you could all speak in tongues, but even more, I wish you could all prophesy. For prophecy is greater than speaking in tongues, unless someone interprets what you are saying so that the whole church will be strengthened. 1 Corinthians 14:5

Dear brothers and sisters, if I should come to you speaking in an unknown language, how would that help you? But if I bring you a revelation or some special knowledge or prophecy or teaching, that will be helpful. 1 Corinthians 14:6

Even lifeless instruments like the flute or the harp must play the notes clearly, or no one will recognize the melody. 1 Corinthians 14:7

And if the bugler doesn’t sound like a clear call, how will the soldiers know they are being called to battle? 1 Corinthians 14:8

It’s the same for you. If you speak to people in words they don’t understand, how will they know what you are saying? You might as well be talking into empty space. 1 Corinthians 14:9

There are many different languages in the world, and every language has meaning. 1 Corinthians 14:10

But if I don’t understand a language, I will be a foreigner to someone who speaks it, and the one who speaks it will be a foreigner to me. 1 Corinthians 14:11

And the same is true for you. Since you are so eager to have the special abilities the Spirit gives, seek those that will strengthen the whole church. 1 Corinthians 14:12

So anyone who speaks in tongues should pray also for the ability to interpret what has been said. 1 Corinthians 14:13

For if I pray in tongues, my spirit is praying, but I don’t understand what I am saying. 1 Corinthians 14:14

Well then, what shall I do? I will pray in the spirit, and I will also pray in words I understand. I will sing in the spirit, and I will also sing in words I understand. 1 Corinthians 14:15

For if you praise God only in the spirit, how can those who don’t understand you praise God along with you? How can they join you in giving thanks when they don’t understand what you are saying? 1 Corinthians 14:16

You will be giving thanks very well, but it won’t strengthen the people who hear you. 1 Corinthians 14:17

I thank God that I speak in tongues more than any of you. 1 Corinthians 14:18

But in a church meeting, I would rather speak five understandable words to help others than ten thousand words in an unknown language. 1 Corinthians 14:19

Dear brothers and sisters, don’t be childish in your understanding of these things. Be innocent as babies when it comes to evil, but be mature in understanding matters of this kind. 1 Corinthians 14:20

It is written in the Scriptures “I will speak to my own people through strange languages and through the lips of foreigners. But even then, they will not listen to me,” says the Lord. 1 Corinthians 14:21

So you see that speaking in tongues is a sign, not for believers, but for unbelievers. Prophecy, however, is for the benefit of believers, not unbelievers. 1 Corinthians 14:22

Even so, if unbelievers or people who don’t understand these things come into your church meeting and hear everyone speaking in an unknown language, they will think you are crazy. 1 Corinthians 14:23

But if all of you are prophesying, and unbelievers or people who don’t understand these things come into your meeting, they will be convicted of sin and judged by what you say. 1 Corinthians 14:24

As they listen, their secret thoughts will be exposed, and they will fall to their knees and worship God, declaring, “God is truly here among you.” 1 Corinthians 14:25

A Call To Orderly Worship

Well, my brothers and sisters, let’s summarize. When you meet together, one will sing, another will teach, another will tell some special revelation God has given, one will speak in tongues, and another will interpret what is said. But everything that is done must strengthen all of you. 1 Corinthians 14:26

No more than two or three should speak in tongues. They must speak one at a time, and someone must interpret what they say. 1 Corinthians 14:27

But if no one is present who can interpret, they must be silent in your church meeting and speak in tongues to God privately. 1 Corinthians 14:28

Let two or three people prophesy and let the others evaluate what is said. 1 Corinthians 14:29

But if someone is prophesying and another person receives a revelation from the Lord, the one who is speaking must stop. 1 Corinthians 14:30

In this way, all who prophesy will have a turn to speak, one after the other, so that everyone will learn and be encouraged. 1 Corinthians 14:31

Remember that people who prophesy are in control of their spirit and can take turns. 1 Corinthians 14:32

For God is not a God of disorder but of peace, as in all the meetings of God’s holy people. 1 Corinthians 14:33

Women should be silent during church meetings. It is not proper for them to speak. They should be submissive, just as the law says. 1 Corinthians 14:34

If they have any questions, they should ask their husbands at home, for it is improper for women to speak in church meetings. 1 Corinthians 14:35

Or do you think God’s word originated with you Corinthians? Are you the only one to whom it was given? 1 Corinthians 14:36

If you claim to be a prophet or think you are spiritual, you should recognize that what I am saying is a command from the Lord himself. 1 Corinthians 14:37

But if you do not recognize this, you yourself will not be recognized. 1 Corinthians 14:38

So, my dear brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy and don’t forbid speaking in tongues. 1 Corinthians 14:39

But be sure that everything is done properly and in order. 1 Corinthians 14:40

Your Turn

In my research for this post, I came across a website that has 25 Powerful Gifts of the Holy Spirit by Melissa Tumino if you are interested in learning more spiritual gifts.

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