The
next three gifts of the Spirit are obvious to every believer. They are the
spiritual gifts of faith, giving and evangelism. All of us have a measure of
each as Christians. Those with the manifestation of the gift of faith, the gift
of giving and the gift of evangelism have them to a different degree above and
beyond the average Christian. We begin
with the gift of faith.
The gift of faith includes the ability to
envision what needs to be done and to trust God even when it appears to be
impossible to others. They trust God when there are insurmountable odds against
them and refuse to give up even when others choose to do so. They work easily
with change and remain optimistic and hope-filled. They know the Word of God
and stand firmly upon it.
Do you have a deep and abiding prayer
life? Do you have a sense of God’s purpose and of encouraging others to
believe? Are you able to keep the faith even in the midst of seemingly
insurmountable obstacles? Do you understand God is present in every detail of
life?
The gift of faith includes a belief in the
supernatural power of God. Those with this gift often have many experiences of
faith at work and are willing to share them. Sometimes people with this gift
expect everyone to see things their way without recognizing the opinions and
gifts of others.
To
another faith by the same Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:9a
One
of the first church members of Christ was martyred for being a Christ-follower.
Stephen remained faith-filled as he was being stoned to death. (see Acts 6-7)
While
they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord, Jesus receive my spirit.” Then he
fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.”
When he had said this, he fell asleep. Acts 7:59-60
Dear
Jesus,
We
thank you for the unswerving gift of faith around us. Thank you for those with
a vision of Your purpose and a heart ready to remain faithful through trying
times, understanding the final outcome. Draw us to those with this gift to
fulfill Your purposes.
Amen
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