Today we are sharing on one of the power gifts – “THE GIFT OF SPECIAL FAITH!” In 1 Corinthians 12:1, 7-11 the Scriptures say, “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant:…7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another FAITH by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the same Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills” (KJV).
In 1 Corinthians 12:9 the Amplified Bible reads, “To another (wonder-working), faith…” This gift of the Holy Spirit is also called “Special Faith.”
We have about nine different types of faith, but many people appear to mix all of them up and lump them into one container.
These different kinds of FAITH are:
1. Saving faith (Eph. 2:8-9; Rom. 10:17; Tit. 2:11-14). Saving faith brings one to salvation. It is imparted to us through the Word of God. You get the faith for salvation in any area of your life by hearing the Word of God.
2. General faith. If you are Born Again, you already have what we call general faith.
In Romans 12:3 the Bible says, “For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly …according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.”
God has dealt to every born-again believer the measure of faith. The Bible did not say ‘a measure of faith’ but ‘the measure of faith.’ This means that it is the same measure (size, quantity) of faith that every believer receives from God at salvation.
3. Weak faith (Rom. 4:17-18). Weak faith is the result of non-exercise of faith. When you hear the Word of God and don’t act on it, your faith will become weak because you have not proved God. Weak faith is therefore the result of not acting on the information that you have received.
4. Little faith (Col. 3:16; 2 Tim. 2:15; Josh. 1:8; Ps 1:1-3; Rom. 10:17). This is the result of insufficient information from God’s Word but weak faithis the result of not acting on the Word of God you have received.
5. Great Faith (Matt 15:28). To the woman of Canaan, a Syrophoenician by birth, Jesus responded in Matthew 15:28, “O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt.” Great faith is a faith that will not give up in spite of opposition. It is faith that responds with knowledge. This type of faith is based on the amount and quality of information that you have received, accepted and endorsed.
6. The fruit of faith (Gal. 5:22-23). Faith or faithfulness is the fruit that grows in the life of a Christian to establish him in godly spiritual character.
7. The natural human faith, Sense knowledge faith, Mental Assent or Thomas’ kind of faith (Jn. 20:24-29). Everyone, saved or unsaved, has a natural, human faith. It is a faith that is not based upon what God said in His Word. Rather it is based upon what your physical senses are telling you.
8. The supernatural faith, Real faith, Heart faith, Bible faith, Strong faith or Abraham’s kind of faith. Unlike the “natural human faith,” the “supernatural faith” is a faith that believes whatever God said in His Word with the heart [spirit-man] rather than believing what your physical senses tell you.
9. THE GIFT OF FAITH (1 Cor 12:7-10; 1 Cor 12:28). The gift of faith is the greatest of the three power gifts.
It is a supernatural manifestation of the Holy Spirit whereby a believer is empowered with special faith, or wonder-working faith. This gift is not imparted to all but as the Holy Spirit wills [determines, decides] (1 Cor. 12:11).
This gift is a supernatural manifestation of the Holy Spirit given to the believer in order that he might receive miracles. By this gift one does not work a miracle, but passively receives a miracle. One can supernaturally, and against all odds, believe God for a miracle. By this gift one is given a supernatural ability to receive a miracle from God. By this gift God honours your word [your pronouncements] as He honours His own Words.
Those who operate this gift believe God in such a way that He honours their word as His own, and He miraculously brings to pass the desired result. Why? This is because faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2 For by it the elders obtained a good testimony (Heb. 11:1-2).
“…Without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Heb. 11:6).
The gift of faith is also distinct from the working of miracles, although both produce miracles. One of them is active and the other is passive. The working of miracles is active; it actively works a miracle. The gift of faith doesn’t work a miracle, but passively receives a miracle.
It is important to note that all the gifts of the Spirit operate by faith – by ordinary faith on the part of the believer through which the gift is being manifested. In other words, a person must step out in faith and completely yield to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. That’s where simple faith is involved. This ordinary faith is the faith that comes by hearing the Word of God. Therefore, the gifts of the Spirit do not operate by the gift of faith, but they do operate by general or ordinary faith.
Conclusion: The gift of (special) faith is a supernatural manifestation of the Holy Spirit given as the Spirit wills.
Watch out for the edition of Good News from the pulpit
- Your friend, I. I. MADUBUNYI (Head Pastor)
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