Paul the apostle didn’t want us to be ignorant of spiritual gifts. In his first letter to the church at Corinth, he explained that there are various gifts of the Holy Spirit (see 1 Cor. 12:4). He goes on to list them:
“To one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom, to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. But that one and very same Spirit works all these, dividing to each one individually as He will” (1 Cor. 12:8-11).
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A little while later in his letter, Paul exhorts us to follow after love and desire these spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy (see 1 Cor. 14:1). For many years, I was in a ministry that put a heavy emphasis on prophesying and discerning of spirits but we didn’t see any healings or working of miracles. In fact, we were actually taught that we should not desire spiritual gifts.
Nevertheless, I still believed that signs and wonders follow those who believe (see Mark 16:17). I just didn’t see what I was believing for—until recently. I’ve been in meetings in recent days where I’ve seen the gifts in operation that Paul lists in 1 Corinthians 12 and it has stirred a hunger in me to follow his instruction in 1 Corinthians 14 to earnestly desire spiritual gifts.
Of course, it’s all for God’s glory. I believe God wants to uncap the wells of the supernatural, but He needs us to press in and earnestly desire to see those wells uncapped. One way to stir your desire is to watch healing testimonies from days gone by.
During a recent School of the Prophets at Awakening House of Prayer in the Fort Lauderdale area, Ron Teal told me about an RW Schambach video in which he describes a little boy in Birmingham, Alabama, who was instantly healed of 26 diseases and deformities in an A.A. Allen meeting during the Voice of Healing Movement.
I made the mistake of watching this at midnight when I got home from the meeting. It messed me up. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever (see Heb. 13:8). If He can heal a little boy of 26 diseases and deformities in the 1950s, He can heal the hard cases today. God is looking for yielded vessels who will earnestly desire spiritual gifts and build the faith the exercise them for His glory.
Check out the video and let it stir your faith to the supernatural to manifest in the church again and help awaken the church.
Jennifer LeClaire is senior editor of Charisma. She is also director of Awakening House of Prayer in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and author of several books, including The Next Great Move of God: An Appeal to Heaven for Spiritual Awakening; Mornings With the Holy Spirit, Listening Daily to the Still, Small Voice of God; The Making of a Prophet and Satan’s Deadly Trio: Defeating the Deceptions of Jezebel, Religion and Witchcraft. You can visit her website here. You can also join Jennifer on Facebook or follow her on Twitter.
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