The Gifts of the Holy Spirit: - Vital Christianity

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We are warned by Paul not to treat prophecies with “contempt” (I Thess. 5:20).
Example: Peter Wagner shares an incident told to him by a person he considers a very
reliable source.
“It involves a group of believers in a remote Guatemalan village. A severe drought had
devastated the area and the village was ons the verge of extinction. The Christians prayed
and God spoke to the group through a message in tongues. He told them to go up on a hill
which was owned by the Christians and dig a well. It seemed to be one of the most
illogical places to do it, but they obeyed, even in the face of the ridicule of the
unbelievers in the village. The ridicule changed to astonishment, however, when they
soon struck an abundant supply of water and the entire village was saved. Many
believers also were saved when they saw the poer of God”. 94
Wagner then reasons,
“Maybe this is what Paul had in mind when he wrote, “Tongues, then, are a sign, not for
believers but for unbelievers. . .” (I Cor. 14:22). 95
We recognize that similar experiences have occurred among various unbelievers and
unbelieving groups (e.g. cults such as the Mormons). There are many instances of individuals and
groups that practice the occult that witness to similar experiences. Thus we must be careful in
discerning whether supernatural experiences are of God or the devil.
CHARACTERISTICS OF THOSE WITH THIS GIFT
1. Interpreting tongues never learned.
2. Faith in God for the miraculous.
3. Tends to have an active prayer life.
4. Tends to pray with authority.
5. Tends to have a child-like faith.
6. Tends to be emotional to the point of emotionalism.
7. Tends to become easily frustrated and irritated with discussions and arguments
over doctrinal intricacies (minor details or complicated issues).
8. Tends to approach Scripture in a devotional manner emphasizing the heart
over the mind.
9. Openness to the Spirit of God.
10. Ability to speak in tongues.