Skip to main content

Spiritual Gifts Are Free Gifts

Acts 8:18-23
18 Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money, 19 saying, "Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit." 20 But Peter said to him, "May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! 21 You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. 22 Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you. 23 For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity."

All disciples of Jesus have given the power from God through the Holy Spirit. This is something Jesus had told us that He will send us an advocate or a helper and He will teach us with righteousness and will help us to remember everything that He taught us. The Holy Spirit will give us power in the forms of many spiritual gifts that we may use them to accomplish the purposes He assigned to us.

Every spiritual gift is given to whom it is intended to by God. But there is a danger in desiring God’s gift with a wrong intention as it may lead us into destruction. Just like Simon who met the disciples of Jesus Christ and witnessed the wonderful works of Jesus Disciples. He ask the disciple to help him to have the same power to posses. But Peter saw clearly that his intention is completely  different, thus, Peter rebukes him. 

Spiritual Gifts and its power is given to accomplish the works of the Lord for the advancement of Jesus Ministry, to share the Gospel of Christ that brings salvation to those who believed in Him and leads them to life. No self seeking desires should motivates the heart of our fellow brethren in Christ when asking for God’s power, because if our soul is not ready for such power brought by Fire, we may be consumed and vanished completely.

Just like the advice of Peter, repent and pray for forgiveness that we  may obtain freedom from the bondage of iniquities. Also, beware of what we are asking for from God especially that our intention is different from God’s. He knew very well what is inside our hearts, let us not forget that nothing is hidden that won’t be reveal. 

As we end this evening, let us pray for God’s desire to give us His spiritual gifts on His appointed time. May the peace of God rest in our hearts as we choose to ask God’s power to manifest in our lives. 

Have a great evening and God bless us all. 

Comments

Explore The Most Read Post for the past year

Put Our Hope In God, not in uncertainties

(Midweek Devotions, 1 Timothy 6:17-21 - 25 Oct 2023) 1 Timothy 6:17-20 17  Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.  18  Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.  19  In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. 20  Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge,  21  which some have professed and in so doing have departed from the faith. Grace be with you all. We are in the final last 5 verses in book of First Timothy, an important pastoral letter which is very helpful for any man of God called to this important vocation. Definitely, this book is by extension equal

Sanctified - A Pleasing Servant of Christ

(Midweek Devotion - 1st Timothy 5:22-25, 13 Sept 2023) 1 Timothy 5:22-25 22  Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, nor take part in the sins of others; keep yourself pure.  23  (No longer drink only water, but use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.)  24  The sins of some people are conspicuous, going before them to judgment, but the sins of others appear later.  25  So also good works are conspicuous, and even those that are not cannot remain hidden. After we have been reminded of Paul's apostolic instruction to give honour due to our elders, especially those who work in preaching and teaching; Paul is now giving us warnings of the continuing influences of sins to each and every believers. He warn us of three things: (1) do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, (2) taking part in the sins of others, (3) and keeping ourselves pure. Laying on of hands is particularly referring to the ordination of someone to install in the position of lead

Respect - To Serve Them Even Better

(Midweek Devotion, 1st Timothy 6:1-2, 27 Sept 2023) 1st Timothy 6:1-2 1 All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of full respect, so that God’s name and our teaching may not be slandered. 2 Those who have believing masters should not show them disrespect just because they are fellow believers. Instead, they should serve them even better because their masters are dear to them as fellow believers and are devoted to the welfare of their slaves. One of the great things about the Sacred Scriptures is that, it does not talk about God alone but also talks about His creatures behaviour, particularly human being, more specificallly those who are His people. 1st Timothy 6 gave us an idea of how both one who are UNDER authority and one who are IN authority should behave as bearers of the name of God. The Bible clearly values authority and how important one should submit to an authority over him. The Bible itself claims authority for Truth, thus, no wonder that th

Paul's Description Of A False Teacher

(Midweek Devotion, 1 Timothy 6:3-5 - 04 Oct 2023) 1 Timothy 6:3-5 3  If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, 4  he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, 5  and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain. The bible is quite vocal in its warning against (1) a false prophet or false teachers, and (2) a false teaching or false doctrine. Jesus’ ministry had repeatedly criticise the Jewish religious leaders in their time and keep on correcting them in many occasions or warning the crowds or the Jewish people who follow their teachings. Paul in this part of his epistle to Timothy is similarly giving some warning to his child in faith and dealing with the spre

Godliness with Contentment is Great Gain

(Midweek Devotion, 1 Timothy 6:6-10) 1 Timothy 6:6-10 6  But godliness with contentment is great gain, 7  for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. 8  But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. 9  But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10  For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. One of today’s common deception in modern Christianity movement is the use of the Gospel as a solution to life of prosperity. Though the Bible have shown us many great examples of people of God who received and accumulated great wealth in their obedience to God, that does not mean that we also have to focus of such things in our walk of faith. What does the Bible said about prosperities and how the people of Go