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GOD GIVES HIMSELF THROUGH THE LOCAL CHURCH
He gives Himself by what is called in the Bible the “gifts of the Holy Spirit.” Read 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 carefully and see that these supernatural enablings equip us to do the things that Jesus and the apostles did.
God is the cure for what ails man and His hospital is the local church. This is what the Bible teaches; you’ll find no other answer in the word of God.
The most difficult thing for a person to see in the greatest thing he needs to see – his need for the Savior. The SECOND most difficult thing for a person to see is the 2nd greatest thing he needs to see – his need for the church (1Corinthians 12:12-13,27): the “you” in this verse is plural, meaning the church).
God lives and works in the local church, giving Himself through spiritual gifts. These Holy Spirit gifts are for the Body to make each of its members healthy and strong. Members of His body, receiving the ministry of the other parts of it, will be healed and edified by the Holy Spirit given through the various gifts.
For example, to affect a cure and make a proper and accurate diagnosis, the physician must find out what is wrong with the patient. The word of knowledge through the same Spirit is in the church for just that purpose. Everything we get from God by grace is through faith. But a person’s faith may be weak and he needs help if he is to receive from God. Faith by the same Spirit is ministered through another member of Christ’s body to that person and he gets what he needs. There are many types of illnesses (spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical, etc.) and so the gifts of healings are in the plural. Gifts of healings by the same Spirit, functioning in the local church, minister the healing of God to those in need. Doctors can only do so much. They can’t cure terminal cases and many other diseases – for those it would take a miracle. To another the working of miracles is given in the church for just such cases. God can do what doctors can’t do. He can work miracles, but he does them through gifts operating in the members of His body, the church.
Maybe a person has demonic or spiritual problems. “Discerning of spirits” is given to ascertain just what deliverance is needed and to affect that deliverance. The light drives out the darkness. How to apply the cures and how to keep from falling into the same problem is given through “the word of wisdom.” Tongues and interpretation of tongues demonstrate the universality (and unity) of the cure and add to the mystery of God’s work. Through these gifts, different things may be given to us from God: messages, prophecies, words of wisdom, words of knowledge, works of power, etc.
These gifts are still in the church today. One seminary professor told his class, “I believe in healing but I don’t believe in healers.” I raised my hand and said, “Isn’t that like saying I believe in preaching but I don’t believe in preachers.” Preaching is preached by preachers. Healings come though members of Christ’s body who are gifted to pray the prayer of faith and heal the sick (James 5:14-15).
You may not have gifts of healings but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t pray for sick people, lay hands on them and pray the prayer of faith. You may not have the gift of prophecy, but you can share a word of edification, exhortation and comfort (1Cor.14:3). You may not be an evangelist, but you can still witness.
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