SEARCHLIGHT
Do you believe God wants to supernaturally work through you today?
SCRIPTURE
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, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and still to another interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and He distributes them to each one, just as He determines. 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 NIV
SPOTLIGHT
My friend, John, was an Assemblies of God pastor/chaplain, in the United States Army. While he was stationed at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, John faced a cancer challenge that required immediate attention. Supernatural divine intervention was something John believed in, and taught, but now, the time had come for him to personally need it.
On December 24, 1996, John was speaking to his Sunday congregation for the last time before being transferred to another Army base. After the service, he walked to the church doorway to say goodbye to his church family for the last time. A lady, who he had never met before, approached him. She wore a long, dark red winter coat and had long, black hair. She appeared to be a Native American. John, who was over 6 feet tall, recalled he had to bend down to this 5’ 3” woman who took his hand and began to speak softly into his ear. The woman said, “You are healed in Jesus’ name. By His stripes you are healed.” She proceeded to speak of the mercy and love of God for John and told him to soak himself in the Word. She repeated,“You are healed in Jesus' name…By His stripes you are healed.”
The soft spoken woman was not in a hurry, but out of the corner of his eye, John could see people lined up who wanted to greet him and say goodbye. When he explained this to her, she agreed. He thanked her for her kind, encouraging words. Then John opened the church door, and she walked out, to what he thought would be her car.
When my friend shared this story, he reminded me that he was stationed in Arizona where there are no trees or cacti near the church. He had a clear 30-foot view of the street and church parking lot. As he turned around to greet the people, in his own words he writes “I was prompted to speak to this woman again. It took me three seconds, and I turned again and opened the door, and she was gone. She could not have reached the street and then the parking lot. I was puzzled. I let it go and continued to greet the rest of the people. I told my wife about it, and she thought it was unusual.”
Putting the puzzle together was about to continue later that day. John and his wife went to a Christmas Eve service at a pastor/friend’s church. Promptly at 7pm, Pastor Bob opened by asking two questions: “Do you believe in angels, and have you read Billy Graham’s book entitled, ‘Angels, God’s Secret Agents’”? What followed was extremely odd. The next thing Pastor Bob said did not refer to angels. That was it. Never did he use the word “angels” for the rest of the service. Listen to John’s own words: “What happened next brought the whole day together. An elder in the church who was a well-respected Holy Spirit filled brother, an introvert, a kind man, came up to me after the service. He said, ‘If a stranger comes up to you and speaks into your life, receive that as a word from the Lord.’” Filled with joy, John told the older man, “I am healed of cancer!” Quickly he shared what had happened in his church that morning and again he found himself suddenly declaring “I am healed of cancer!” In John’s own words: “I began to weep uncontrollably and praising and worshipping God. Clearly, God sent an angel to tell me that I was healed!”
In today’s Scripture focus, the Bible identifies 9 gifts given to believers by the Holy Spirit. The Bible teaches that these gifts are to be evident today. Believers, who desire to be used by God, can manifest these gifts in order to bring attention to the fact that God is alive and active in this world. Many of these supernatural gifts, which show God’s greatness, are seen in John’s story:
#1 The woman did not know John had cancer. = gift of knowledge
#2 The woman quietly and confidently declared John was healed. = gift of healing
#3 The woman disappeared. = gift of miracles
#4 Pastor Bob spoke of angels for no reason but to speak to John. = gift of knowledge
#5 The church elder, who did not know what had previously happened to John that Sunday
morning, told John to believe what a stranger speaks into his life. = gift of wisdom
#6 John declared to the elder that he had been healed. = gift of faith
#7 John began worshipping God. = The Bible says the Holy Spirit will supernaturally work
for the common good so that Jesus Christ will be glorified and honored.
There is one major point this devotional makes. SUPERNATURAL GIFTS ARE FOR TODAY! But there is one needed component for that to happen. Please read on….
SOMETHING TO DO
Will you be open to God, the Holy Spirit giving you a gift to bring attention to God? The Bible says “God’s various gifts are handed out everywhere; but they all originate in God’s Spirit. God’s various ministries are carried out everywhere; but they all originate in God’s Spirit. God’s various expressions of power are in action everywhere; but God himself is behind it all…All these gifts have a common origin but are handed out one by one by the Spirit of God. He decides who gets what, and when. 1 Corinthians 12:4-6,11 THE MESSAGE
SOUL TIME PRAYER
Lord God, I am open to You using me to bring honor and glory to You. Fill me with the Holy Spirit. Give me any gift, at any time, that will point people to believe You are the true God, and I pray this through the name of Jesus Christ, my resurrected Savior and Lord. AMEN