This post is Day 20 in a series of studies about “Followers of Jesus”. I strongly suggest you begin with the introduction to this study, please click here to read it.

Feel free to comment below with your own thoughts about each verse and how you will be acting on each thought. Also, if you haven’t yet signed up to receive the notifications of new studies, you can do that today (the form is at the bottom of the page).

Followers of Jesus – Day 20

We have been looking this month at what the first followers of Jesus learned from Him. As with many things the Spirit at work in our lives can be misunderstood. Paul is explaining to the new believers in Corinth just what might happen as we receive gifts from Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 12:7-9

Now to each one the manifestation of The Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through The Spirit, a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of The same Spirit, to another faith by The same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit …

The Thought

We have been looking this month at what the first followers of Jesus learned from Him and what they did, both before and after He had ascended into Heaven. We recognise that those first followers did so much more after they had been filled with the Spirit on Pentecost than they did before.

As with many things the Spirit at work in our lives can be misunderstood. So here in these verses today Paul is explaining to the new believers in Corinth just what might happen as we receive gifts from Holy Spirit.

The whole chapter explains much about the work of the Spirit and leads into the next chapter where we get Paul’s famous definition of love.

Note the first phrase of these verses. “Now to each one…”. It does not say “to one or two”, it does not say “to pastors, priests and those with university qualifications in theology”. What that means is all you have to do is believe in Jesus, and expect His Spirit to direct your life. Then be ready to obey what He tells you to do.

Action

Are you ready to do that today?

Read 1 Corinthians 12 and be encouraged to use the gifts Jesus has put in you by His Spirit. Pray for His guidance as you decide to put some of those things into practice.

If you are already active in using the gifts of the Spirit, then pray for more opportunities to use those gifts outside your church setting. Remember the first disciples went everywhere the Spirit led them and used their spiritual gifts in every situation.