Daily Devotional
Word of the Day
Stir Up the Gifts
Pastor Scott
Saturday, February 05, 2005
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"Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands."
(2 Timothy 1:6)
The Spirit leads us into all truth. The Holy Spirit is your guide to lead us not just into a place but into His image. He is leading us into spiritual growth and sanctified lifestyles. He is anointing us and preparing us for Body ministry. The Lord has put us into the Body as it pleases Him. When He places us, He gifts us. The Bible said we have gifts that differ but there is given to every man to profit withal (1 Cor. 12:7). The reason you are gifted is not for you; it is for us. These spiritual gifts aren't a badge for you to wear; they are a tool to build the Body of Christ. The gifts are not a way to measure spirituality. The gifts are an ability to humble ourselves and become servants of all.
"Stir up the gifts that are in you that you have received of me," Paul said to Timothy, "by the laying on of my hands." Stir up the gifts. What has God given you through the ministry of His Word or by the laying on of hands? What are you doing with it? Has it been in operation? Is the Body of Christ being edified by what the Lord has done in your life? In the trilogy of chapters 12, 13 and 14 in Corinthians, sandwiched between 12 (the revelation of the gifts) and 14 (their function) is chapter 13--the motive: love. Faith works by love, the Scripture says (Gal. 5:6). Anything that is not operating out of love is not being authored by the Holy Spirit. Love doesn't prefer itself, doesn't behave itself unseemly, and is not puffed up (1 Cor. 13:4-5). Gifts never operate to bring attention to ourselves, but are always for the purpose for edifying, strengthening and healing the members around us.
"Follow after [love], desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy" (1 Cor. 14:1). Chapter 12, verse 31 ended with this statement to us: "Covet earnestly the best gifts." How much has this been on your mind? How much energy have you put into your pursuit of spiritual gifts? We've coveted material things, positions, vocations and relationships. Can you say that your life is in order? Can you say you are walking in obedience to the commandment of the Holy Sprit when He tells you? Covet--have a strong insatiable desire for--spiritual gifts. You can't live without it. The most valuable thing at this moment is to be able to be used by the Holy Ghost, to know that God is flowing through you and out of your innermost being are flowing rivers of living water. You are refreshed because you have been used of God. You could be whipped from a day's work, but when the anointing of God comes on you and you edify the body of Christ--speaking a word in season to edify a brother, ministering to someone who gets born again, prophesying, laying hands on somebody--you're fired up! Are you living below that? These are treasures. This is a lifestyle that is so rewarding and so fulfilling because it's not self-consuming. It's preferring, it's love, it's being used of God. What is better than being used of God?
Constantly I am reminded of times that God's unction has flowed through me and have been able to speak a word in season. What a treasure to think that earthen vessels--just common clay drain tiles--like us can be the vehicle that the holy God flows through to change or save a life, to represent His majesty! And God chose you. Do you want to be used? His eyes are searching to and fro for somebody that He can use to show Himself mighty. Are you coveting the best gifts? Do you desire spiritual gifts?