READ: Matthew 25:14-30
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
-James 1:17 | NKJV
In senior high school, we had a formidable prayer group where we used to meet and pray. Many times, our prayers were centred on asking God for His blessing of spiritual gifts. Sometimes I got disappointed whenever what I asked for, was not given. But when an unbeliever turned a new leaf, he rather got what he didn’t even ask for. In my mind, I knew it was rather unfair on our part who had kept our faith in God for a longer time. This is also happening to many Christians now. The spiritual things they ask for, might not be given to them as expected. So, does that mean God is biased to some or probably not generous at all? No! Every gift is given as God wills and for His profit.
In James chapter one, verse number seventeen, makes us understand that God is neither bereft of generosity, nor is He limited to the things we ask for, and this quotation goes on to tell us that, there is no variableness or shadow of turning. Meaning, His giving is limited to a certain condition. This condition is darkness. Shadow is darkness and darkness symbolises unseen chaos. As a mortal, we don’t know what is beyond our requests. We don’t know what will happen to us when God gives us what we had asked from Him. We think we can handle divine blessings no matter how heavier the burden of the gifting that comes along with. This is why certain gifts are not given when we ask.
Giftings are parted into two types: Good and perfect. Good gifts benefit your body whiles perfect gifts benefit your soul. Good gifts include prosperity, marriage, job, good health, promotion, favour, and all material things you can ever think of. Perfect gifts include Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. God gave us Jesus Christ as the Author of our salvation and the Holy Spirit, as the Finisher of our salvation. Salvation is like a building. Jesus Christ initiated and built the foundation of our faith making Him the Author and Finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2), but that was not all. The structure of salvation needed to be built on that foundation and that is the job of the Holy Spirit through us.
The Holy Spirit helps us build on the foundation Jesus Christ had laid for us, so we can complete the building of our salvation (John 14:16-17). I was wrong when I was busy praying for spiritual gifts because there were already two perfect gifts already: Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the kingdom of God and Jesus Christ is the righteousness that Matthew 6:33 entreated us to seek. After seeking them, all other good gifts will follow suit, because they will bring them along for us when we seek Christ and the Holy Spirit. Your job as a Christian is to seek Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit always. God has three answers to our prayers of request: Yes, wait, and never.
•| Prayer Diary |•
Lift up prayers for the gifts of the Holy Spirit which include word of wisdom, word of knowledge, faith, healing, working of miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, different kinds of tongues, and its interpretation in the name of Jesus Christ.
Quote
“Productive users of the gifts of the Spirit, attract additional ones”
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David Abankwah 