Know: Read Ephesians 4:11-16

Note: Read slowly, carefully marking keywords- continue to mark the words from previous lessons—Mark keywords with a different color or with a symbol to differentiate them.

• Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers

• Equip

• Works of service

• Knowledge of the Son of God

• Mature

Observation: Study notes below for context. Journal your thoughts or questions.

What: What are your spiritual gifts? Take a test here.

“11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” Ephesians 4:11-16

I had been a Christian all my life. I distinctly remember conversing with God as a little girl, which awakened me to His presence. I have always been sensitive to God, but learning to walk in maturity has been a journey.

My Christian Walk can be described as a vintage propeller-engine airplane. It was like cranking the propeller a few times to get the engine going; the aircraft sputtered as it launched, eventually gaining speed with a few wobbles and dips but gaining speed and steadiness as it lifted off.

Maturity has been the result of multiple things: years of Bible study investment, listening to good preaching, serving in the local church, discipling others, allowing myself to be discipled, choosing to walk in love and forgiveness, dealing with unbelief and wrong thinking that was planted throughout the years, stepping out in faith to pray for the sick and to prophecy, seeing answers to many prayers and, after settling into all of those things, seamlessly and without expecting it, stepping into five-fold ministry.

The “five-fold” ministry are the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. Paul clarifies that the five-fold is to equip the “body” (church) for works of service. The five-fold ministry is not supposed to do all the “work.” They are there to help equip the church to do the work, which some will eventually step into the role of “five-fold.”

It takes those of steady and full maturity to equip others. Cracks in character cause an unsteady foundation in which the structure will fail; fully invest in your maturity as a Christian and never rush into leading. Let the leading blossom as a result of steady growth.

Apostles are gifted to help equip and train the church at large.

Prophets have been effectively and accurately prophesying to the church in a way that has benefited the church. Prophets should only function under the authority of the church government and be given the position of respected leaders.

Evangelists are passionate about reaching the lost and can effectively gather and share the Gospel through spoken word or “power gifts.”

Pastors are the shepherds who love, train, and guard the church.

Teachers can teach the Word with effectiveness and clarity.

(All of the above gifts have the backing and confirmation of seasoned leaders.)

Gifts

(This is a link to discover your spiritual gifts. If you are a part of LifeShare Church, email me with your results at gracefull.knowtruth@gmail.com)

Paul, in Romans 12: 6-18, lists seven gifts that are called “motivational gifts.” They are the gifts of prophecy, serving, teaching, encouragement (exhortation), giving, leading (or ruling), and mercy. We all have levels of how all these functions in our lives; your dominant gifts are the ones most beneficial for the church- for you.

For example, here is a list of my gifts, with the most dominant listed first: Teaching, leading, prophecy, serving, encouragement, giving, and mercy.

1 Corinthians 12:8-10 lists nine spiritual gifts.

These are Words of Wisdom, Words of Knowledge, Gift of Faith, Healing, Working of Miracles, Prophecy, Discerning of Spirits, Gift of Tongues, and Interpretation of Tongues.

To help you understand these better, we will break them down.

*Note: Every gift is available for everyone. Just like my spiritual gifts are listed in order of how I best operate, I will excel in teaching, but that does not mean that I should not be merciful. We are all called to pray the sick, prophecy, speak in tongues, etc. Some will see more healing than others. Some will prophecy easier and more accurately, and some will speak in tongues and operate in miracles. Those gifts excel because of desire and spiritual DNA. Just because not everyone gets healed when we pray for them does not mean we are not to lay our hands on the sick. We exercise every gift no matter the results- that is one way we step into maturity.

First are the “Revelation gifts”: Words of Wisdom, Words of Knowledge, and Discerning of Spirits. These depend on the Holy Spirit revealing what is known only by God. Sometimes, these gifts are blended together, or sometimes, they work individually.

Word of Wisdom: Wisdom is not just wisdom found in Proverbs; it is everyday wisdom that involves knowing how to live. It is naturally knowing the difference between right and wrong, wise or foolish, and having social intelligence, such as speaking at the right time with the right response.

A Word of Wisdom is the “Logos” of wisdom: specific insight from God applicable in a particular setting, supernatural wisdom given by God to help someone make the right decision, reply with the right answer, or behave in a particular situation. 

For example, in Acts 10, Peter received a vision of a sheet let down from heaven filled with unclean animals, followed shortly after by a visit from some Gentiles. This vision was to show Peter that he was to let down his snobbishness toward them, eat their food, and share the gospel with them. For a devout Jew to do this, God must have shown him this.

Word of Knowledge: Knowledge can refer to truths of the faith, such as a revelation that “we are the righteousness of God in Christ.” Or it can be the knowledge of ordinary facts supernaturally given that don’t come through study or experience. It involves knowledge of something God wants to do in a situation or something that has happened to someone; facts about one’s life that only they and God know.

For example, Ananias had a word of knowledge that Saul (Paul) had just been converted to Christ and was blinded but would be healed by laying on of hands.(Acts 9:8-12) Another example was when Jesus knew facts about the woman at the Well that opened her heart to receive Him. 

Discerning of spirits: Everyday discernment is what some would call “street smarts.” Discernment of spirits is a revelation by God about the source of a particular thought, word, or action, recognizing when there is an evil spirit at work within someone. It distinguishes between noble or ignoble intentions motivating someone and recognizing when someone is needy or spiritually mature. 

For example, in Acts 16:17, a slave girl with an evil spirit follows Paul and his companions and declares, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.” She was speaking the truth, but an evil spirit was at work, probably causing an annoyance or distraction.

Next are the “Power Gifts”: Faith, Healing, and Miracles. These gifts demonstrate the power of God over disease, death, oppression, and demonic.

Gift of Faith: Not to be confused with Saving Faith which is the foundation of Christian life. The Gift of Faith is an unshakable conviction God gave that He will act supernaturally in a particular area. 

In Mark 11:22-23, Jesus told His disciples, “Have faith in (of) God,” Jesus answered. 23 “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.” 1 Corinthians 13:2 speaks of the faith to move mountains. This kind of faith is an absolute confidence in God which causes all doubt and unbelief to go; the confidence we have that if we ask anything according to His will, he hears us- that creates a cause and effect in the Kingdom of Heaven which releases God’s promise for healings and miracles. 

Note: Ask for this gift first if you want to operate in the other power gifts. 

“He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him” Acts 10:38.

Gift of Healing: God hardwired our bodies to heal themselves. God created herbs that help heal our bodies. Taking care of our bodies through diet and exercise helps facilitate healing. God gave us wisdom through science which doctors use to help our bodies heal. The Gift of Healing is God’s supernatural action to bring a sick person to physical, emotional, or spiritual health. 

Paul speaks of this in the plural “gifts of healing” 1 Cor 12:19 since there are so many kinds of healing. When our bodies are being consumed by sickness, and it looks as if sickness is winning, it takes God’s power to speed the healing or regain the health that was lost. Sickness is Satan’s fault, not God’s- if we don’t understand this, this gift will remain a mystery.

Mark 16:15-18, “And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.”

When someone is healed, we see what God can do through us. God always works through people, but the conduit is faith. 

Why healing?

It is never a reward.

It is a sign for the unbeliever.

Divine healing is half the gospel!

It embodies the Gospel; visible proof that the Kingdom of God is here on earth and that Jesus came to free humans from sin and all its destructive effects. 

Click here for more on divine healing.

Working of Miracles: This is when God uses us to effect miracles by His divine power. (Miracles- dunamis: a mighty deed or deed of power that goes beyond any human explanation.) Where Healing is God speeding along what our bodies are created to do, Miracles are something even medicine can’t do.

Example: The feeding of the 5,000 with five loaves and two fish.

Lastly, there are the “Gifts of Speech”: Tongues, Interpretation of Tongues, and Prophecy. These are loosely tied together because they involve speech.

(This also involves a spontaneously spirit-inspired song, a teaching or revelation that gives hearers a deeper insight into God’s plan or heart.) 

Tongues (Diversity of Tongues) & Interpretation of Tongues: Tongues are for private edification, but when given publically, they are for public edification (strengthening) of the church and should be interpreted.

When you speak in tongues, you are “praying in the spirit,” which is perfect prayer because when you don’t know how to pray, the Spirit does. You will always pray God's will when you allow the Spirit to pray through you. It takes faith because your mind doesn’t understand it. What sounds like gibberish to you is perfectly understood by God because He's the one who inspired it.

Diversities of tongues: If you are baptized in the Spirit* and speak in tongues, you will begin to speak with an elementary tongue for your encouragement.

Then, as you speak in tongue more, your language matures and develops into tongues for warfare and intercession. Tongues have the authority of heaven behind them. When you’ve spent time in the Spirit, you will experience the power gifts at a greater level. 1 Cor 14:10 “There are, perhaps, a great many kinds of languages in the world, and no kind is without meaning.”

Tongues also provide perfect rest, “For by people of strange lips and with a foreign tongue the Lord will speak to this people,   to whom he has said,“This is rest; give rest to the weary; and this is repose” (Isaiah 28:11) Speaking in tongues nourishes your spirit, soul, and body. If you are tired, have hit burnout, or are confused, speak in tongues.

“I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.” (1 Corinthians 14:18)

*(This is a second infilling different from your initial salvation, where you received the Spirit. Baptism is a total immersion that overwhelms and gives you the power to do greater things. )

Prophecy: Prophecy edifies the church. Paul told us to desire this eagerly. If Paul valued prophecy, we should value it because it is the only gift that builds up the church. Every Christian can prophecy (“Your sons and daughters will prophesy.” Acts 2:17). The New Testament should always “call out” encouragement, edification, and/or comfort. Prophecy is based from the love of God; you cannot prophesy over someone you do not value or love.

(The “Office of the Prophet” is a five-fold ministry and is not the same as “everyone can prophecy.” )

*For more on Prophecy, watch our Prophetic Ministry Training.