Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Evangelical
1 Corinthians 12: Does the Holy Spirit just short circuit the mind?

1 Corinthians 12: Does the Holy Spirit just short circuit the mind?

Last updated on: May 24, 2019 at 10:03 pm by Rev. Jared V. Ingle

1 Corinthians 12: Does the Holy Spirit just short circuit the mind? 2019-05-24T22:03:37-04:00 Rev. Jared V. Ingle

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Some people say that the Gifts are merely supernatural. That means that the Holy Spirit just short circuits the mind and takes over somehow. Now this one is dangerous, because none of us feel like we’re good enough to be used by the Holy Spirit, if we think it’s just supernatural. We’re waiting on some kind of divine moment and we never step into the Gifts.

Do we lose control as we operate in the Gifts of the Spirit? This question was asked at seminary. Also, what is it like for the Holy Spirit to actually move?[1]

Does the Spirit short circuit the mind?

And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. (1 Corinthians 12.6, KJV)

i. The Gifts of the Spirit are for everybody

The phrase “all in all” means all of the Gifts in all of us. All of the gifts are to be manifested in all of God’s people.

But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit with all: (verse 7)

Everybody, everyone of us, participates in the Gifts of the Spirit for everyone’s good, to profit the Body.

People may say they’re Pentecostal and that they speak in tongues in their own prayer closet.

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that.

But when it comes to corporate worship, they may also say, “That’s just not me. I’m just not meant to participate in the Gifts of the Spirit. That’s not my personality. I’ve never done that before.”

I would take issue with that. “Show me in the Bible where you’re not supposed to participate. There is no reason why you can’t participate actively in the Gifts of the Spirit.”

ii. We participate in the Gifts

Some say the Gifts are all natural. In other words, we explain them away like a teacher having the Gift of Teaching, or maybe a doctor who has the Gift of Healing. We don’t attribute much to the Lord, when we try to explain it away like that.

Neither one of these views are accurate.

We participate in the Gifts. David Lim writes:

“The gifts are incarnational [that means they’re part of who I am]. That is to say, God works through humans. Believers submit their minds, hearts, souls, and strength to God. They consciously, willingly surrender their all to Him. The Spirit supernaturally enables them to minister beyond their abilities, at the same time expressing each gift through their life experience, character, personality, and vocabulary.”[2] (italics mine)

Think about the way the Bible is written, all the different authors. God used their personalities to write the Bible, didn’t He? They didn’t just check-out while God wrote through their hand. I don’t know how that process worked, but we see glimpses of who the prophets were. We see glimpses of who Moses was in the first 5 books of the Bible that are attributed to him. Or consider the Gospel writers produced the same message, but with very different agendas and purposes.

The Holy Spirit works through us in the same way.

iii. The Gifts in use

But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as He will. (verse 11)

Paul says that the Spirit determines when, where, and who is involved in the Gifts. Our relationship with the Holy Spirit can be so close that we know His personality. Here is Scriptural proof that the Holy Spirit is a person and has a personality. He determines how the Gifts are used, and who’s going to use them. This “strongly implies his continually creative personality.”[3]

When we watch the Holy Spirit work . . .

iv. What follows is extemporaneous exhortation

Has anyone ever been up here [on the platform], or been way back there [with a view of the whole crowd] and seen it happen? Does anybody else know what I’m talking about?

When you begin to watch how the Holy Spirit moves through a congregation . . . When you see Him walking the aisles . . . And you see this one over here begin to weep . . . That one over there just gets out of their seat and kneels down in the aisle . . . And you see that one back there raise both hands and throw their head back in praise to God . . . The Holy Spirit begins to move through them like waves . . . waves, again and again . . . You begin to sense the Presence of God and you know that He’s real . . . And you know He has a purpose!

He does have a personality, but He’s not the kind of God that comes along and forces you like the pagan gods of the ancient religions. The demonic spirits the pagans worshipped forced them to serve them out of fear.

The Holy Spirit is the kind of God that comes along and gently woos, gently whispers, week after week, drawing us to Him.

And we have to give in.

He’s never going to come back to your seat and make you give a Tongues and Interpretation if you don’t want to do it. Now you may be sitting there with your arms crossed, and you’re thinking “Well I might give a tongues and interpretation if He moves me one day.”

“Guess what? You’re going to spend a lot of time sitting there with your arms crossed.” He’s a gentleman. We have to understand how He operates and determines the use of the Gifts.

v. Covet earnestly

But covet earnestly the best gifts: [This isn’t just a reference to some of the Apostles and Prophets, things that are mentioned earlier in the chapter. This is pointing back to the Gifts of the Spirit in the worship service.] and yet I shew unto you a more excellent way. (verse 31)

We know that way to be love, but I want to concentrate on the word covet. Thou shalt not covet (Exodus 20.17). But Paul is telling us “Thou shall covet.” What shall we covet? We shall covet the best gifts.

Do we covet them or even want to participate in the worship service in that way? Could God use us to deliver a word for somebody who’s hurting and crying down around the altars, with loss of hope? What if we can speak into people’s lives who are going through crisis? Do we want to covet the best Gifts?

This is a mindset that takes us a little while to understand as we grow up spiritually. I don’t necessarily come to church to get ministered to. I come to church to minister. Before I was a preacher, I started thinking this way. I understood that God may just want to use me for somebody else. He may not answer my question today, but He could use me to answer somebody else’s question. If I’m coming to Him selfishly all the time, with what I need or what I think I need, I may miss the opportunity to be used by Him.

Are we willing to participate when we come to church? Do we covet? Do we desire with a strong desire, for the best Gifts?

vi. The best Gifts

The best Gifts refer to whatever Gifts are most needed and edifying at the time. It’s not about classifying ourselves.

“I have the Gift of Prophecy, brother!”

“I’ve got the Gift of Speaking in Tongues!”

“I have the Gift of Interpretation!”

“I’ve got the Gift of Miracles or Faith!”

“That’s just my Gift!”

We don’t wear those Gifts like a badge. He uses all in all (verse 6). So when we come before Him in a worship service, we’re longing for whatever Gift is needed. That’s the best Gift. Then we can simply step into whatever gifting or function is needed.

notes:

[1] Pastor Jared V. Ingle, “Spirit-Filled Community Series: The Gifts of the Spirit,” First Pentecostal Church of God: Sunday Morning Worship, Flatwoods, KY. [2] David Lim, “Spiritual Gifts,” in Systematic Theology, ed. Stanley M. Horton (Springfield, MO: Logion Press, 2002), 462. [3] Ibid., 468.

connect at:

JCIngle YouTube

JCIngle Facebook Page

podcasts available for a limited time at:

Previous Post

May 14, 2019

Corporate Prayer During Transition

Next Post

May 28, 2019 Prayer Series, Vernell Ingle: Blessing on this House

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Communion Cruz Ingle Crystal Ingle Early Church Engaging Culture Ethics & Society Family Formation History In Dialogue Jared & Crystal Kingdom of God Majority World Church Mateo Ingle Messenger College Mission Narrative Pentecostal Church of God Prayer Shepherding The Sermon The Writings Theology Theology & Psychology Traverse City Uncategorized Vernell Ingle Word Study

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 May 2017 March 2017 March 2014 February 2013 January 2013 October 2012 July 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 August 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What was Jesus laid in after He was born?

Select your answer to see how you score.

A manger A basket A bed A throne