The Gifts of the Holy Spirit: - Vital Christianity
The Gifts of the Holy Spirit: - Vital Christianity
The Gifts of the Holy Spirit: - Vital Christianity
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5. When anointing with oil is considered necessary, it is normally ministered at <strong>the</strong> request <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> sick person for his anointing at home. “Is any one <strong>of</strong> you sick? He should call <strong>the</strong><br />
elders <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> church to pray over him and anoint him with oil” (Jas. 5:14). But clearly<br />
anointing with oil was not restricted to ‘elders’ in <strong>the</strong> Bible (Mk. 6:13) and it may be used<br />
more generally in <strong>the</strong> healing ministry.<br />
6. <strong>The</strong> devil may try to reproduce <strong>the</strong> symptom (<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> sickness or <strong>the</strong> guilt) again later.<br />
Encourage <strong>the</strong> person to rebuke <strong>the</strong> affliction himself in <strong>the</strong> name <strong>of</strong> Jesus, should this<br />
happen. 31<br />
Testimony<br />
1. <strong>The</strong>re is a time to encourage a testimony— ”Go home . . . and tell” (Mk. 5:19).<br />
2. <strong>The</strong> first direction following healing may be “show yourself to <strong>the</strong> doctor” (Lk. 17:14). On<br />
<strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r hand, <strong>the</strong> Lord may want <strong>the</strong> person to “Go and tell no man” and not to rush<br />
ahead to tell o<strong>the</strong>rs (Mk. 5:43).<br />
3. When someone has “committed his life to <strong>the</strong> Lord,” he should be encouraged to testify to<br />
this fact (Mt. 10:32-33).<br />
4. Our experience is that few people healed share <strong>the</strong>ir blessing widely, but <strong>the</strong> good news<br />
does circulate amongst those nearest to <strong>the</strong>m.<br />
5. In all cases <strong>of</strong> blessing it is important to give thanks and <strong>the</strong> glory to God. 32<br />
CHARACTERISTICS OF THOSE WITH THE GIFT<br />
1. Faith for <strong>the</strong> supernatural.<br />
2. Deep trust in God to do <strong>the</strong> impossible.<br />
3. Used as an instrument <strong>of</strong> God to heal <strong>the</strong> sick.<br />
4. Speaks and acts with great authority.<br />
5. Deep concern for <strong>the</strong> health <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> whole body <strong>of</strong> Christ, not only <strong>the</strong> individual.<br />
6. Doesn’t always know or claim to know <strong>the</strong> results <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> use <strong>of</strong> his gift.<br />
7. Intense compassion for <strong>the</strong> suffering.<br />
8. Sensitive to <strong>the</strong> voice <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Holy</strong> <strong>Spirit</strong>.<br />
9. Great concern for <strong>the</strong> display <strong>of</strong> God’s power and goodness which testifies to His<br />
greatness and majesty.<br />
10. Experienced God’s supernatural intervention (<strong>the</strong> unusual, especially healing) in his own<br />
life.<br />
11. Ei<strong>the</strong>r he or <strong>the</strong> person being prayed for will experience sensations such as tingling or<br />
warmth while praying.<br />
12. A sense <strong>of</strong> expectation for God to work miraculously.<br />
13. Sensitive to those who are suffering.