The Holy Spirit and His Gifts | Page 169

manifestation in our midst." Then as a body of believers, let's covet them; let's desire spiritual gifts earnestly. This working of miracles "is indeed a mighty gift, glorifying the God of all power," as Howard Carter said, and "stimulating the faith of His people and astonishing and confounding the unbelief of the wicked." 3 I am convinced that in this hour, God wants this gift of the working of miracles to be more in prominence, for what "explosions of almightiness" that would be as a sign to the unbeliever and as a mighty demonstration of God's power to all. What it would do for the Body of Christ in this final hour of God's outpouring upon the earth! 1 W. E. Vine, Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words (Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson Inc., 1985), p. 412. 1 Questions and Answers on Spiritual Gifts, p. 63. :> Ibid., p. 64. Chapter 17 Gifts of Healings But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; TO ANOTHER THE GIFTS OF HEALING BY THE SAME SPIRIT; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. — 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 The gifts of healings are manifested for the supernatural healing of sickness and disease without any natural source or means. As I've mentioned, every one of these nine gifts of the Spirit are supernatural. Some gifts are more spectacular in demonstration than others, but they are all supernatural. We may have some difficulty, because of our limited knowledge, in defining some of the other gifts. But I think we should have little difficulty defining this gift, the gifts of healings. Most of us basically understand the subject of healing. Healings were, of course, in prominence, in Jesus' ministry as He walked on the earth. Jesus had a healing ministry, and He also gave authority to His disciples to heal the sick (Matt. 10:8). Healing the sick is also included in the Great Commission (Mark 16:18). Gifts of Healings: Not Medical Science First, I want to emphasize the supernatural character of the gifts of healings. The gifts of healings have nothing to do with medical science or human learning.