Nougat 29

Have you ever seen someone operating in their spiritual gifting and wondered if gifts are available for you?

I did.

But then I realized that as a believer, it’s mine for the asking. The only caveat, ensure that I make the time to receive the gift. What I love about today’s Holy Nougat is that we are reminded that there’s a gift for each of us. As we continue to reflect I pray we all can discern which is ours

“He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said.”

1 Corinthians 12:10 NLT

Having previously reflected on Prophecy, let’s consider Discernment instead. This is one of the gifts that is so urgently needed for these times. Weeks ago when we began to reflect on Life with God’s Spirit, it was already very clear that there’s need for those gifted with discernment. A few days hence, the need was further underscored.

A pastor operating in Jamaica had misled several people about his gifts and no one refuted him. This was traumatic for many people. And, in some cases where trust is broken, the tendency is to mistrust God, the gifts of God’s Spirit as well as those who manifest the gifts. Should we yield to that temptation, we find that the church – God’s Church – operating as ones without Power or Hope. And that’s in direct contradiction to God’s desire for us.

We then must remember that the antidote for such is a deeper intentionality about understanding How God’s Spirit operates and subsequently, manifesting the gifts of God’s Spirit. And to prayerfully ensure that there are persons who can discern the source of the manifestation. Of course this also requires Wisdom, Spiritual Maturity (not in years as in experience) and the openness to share as led by God’s Spirit.

For the people of God to develop and operate as we’re called; we MUST be led by God’s Spirit. And even as we seek to walk in the fullness of who we’re called to be, we know that the battle for humanity continues. The enemy has lived in God’s presence and often uses counterfeit gifts as the weapon against us. For, as long as reasonable doubt can be established, then the enemy feels the battle will shift.

But we KNOW that we fight from a place of Victory. And when we yield to God’s Spirit, we operate from That Place of Victory also. Being able to detect the counterfeit spirits helps to bolster our confidence. In our yearning for spiritual gifts, I pray we also include Discernment.

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May all we seek be found in Christ