Manifestation of the Holy Spirit

Philosophy View of the gift of God’s Spirit

Spiritual gift or charism is a concept in Christianity that refers to an endowment or extraordinary power given by the Holy Spirit.

Biblical View of the gift of God’s Spirit

To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 1 Corinthians 12:8-10 KJV

The gift of God’s Spirit

Thomas Aquinas a Roman Catholic writer and scholar discussed at length about the spiritual gifts. He founded the main tradition for gifts of the Spirit in the Catholic Church of Middle Ages Europe and drew their approach from Isaiah 11:1-5, where it speaks of these gifts: wisdom, knowledge, counsel (right judgement), understanding; strength (courage, fortitude), reverence (piety), and fear of the Lord. Through wisdom, knowledge, counsel, and understanding, the Spirit shapes and steers the mind, creating change within Christian life’s, the way we think, speak and act should allow us to standout to non-believers in the world once the Holy Spirit enters our lives all the negativities from the past will slowly disappear.

And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth: with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins. Isaiah 11:1-5 KJV

The Holy Spirit shapes and steers the mind, creating change within the Christian life the way we think, speak and act should make us stand out to the non- believers of the world; once the Holy Spirit has entered our lives bondage to sin is eradicated. The Holy Spirit was promised and sent to all who received the Lord Jesus Christ in their life. However the work of the Holy spirit in our lives is determined by the commitment we have in communicating and fellowshipping with Christ in order to draw Him closer to us. David Schofner echoes that the gifts of the Holy Spirit is given according to the grace that is given to us, they are not just gifts, and we do not earn them through merit, favour or hard work.

Not of works, lest any man should boast Ephesians 2:9 KJV

The Holy Spirit provides us with a viewpoint, reminds us of our past and reveals new opportunities. God knows our personalities and temperaments and He gives us gifts accordingly. Through the varying gifts we recieve we use them for the purposes God is calling us to.

The gifts Aquinas writes about benefits the person who receives them, and help others indirectly through what that person does, which could be through charity work, faith, prudence, fortitude, justice, and hope, which Aquinas drew from Greek philosophy. The Isaiah gifts – although the Holy Spirit was not present in the Old testaments as such, it was still demonstrated through the prophets who were given gifts of their day to carry out the works of God, and these gifts helps to develop a person who is spiritually strong enough for the great tasks at hand.

Today the Spirit helps in building our faith, however other religious beliefs have their own take on what the Holy Spirit means in the Christian life. When a Christian speaks of the Spirit ‘indwelling’, it means being in close relationship, and close relationship demands that you reveal not just will but something of your very self. Christians believe that the heart, the character, and the love of God is revealed to us in creation, in the covenant with the Jews, and then definitively in God’s Son, Jesus Christ. Getting us to grasp this is the work of the Holy Spirit.

The one true God in his Omni wisdom saw fit to share himself with us so that we can understand love, compassion, friendship, fellowship with man regardless of his colour, no man is higher or lower than the other.

Our final calling to be a part of the greatest friendship we can ever experience comes to us in many different ways, It may through

1. Sermon

2. Worship service

3. A youth event

4. A song or testimony,

5. An act of kindness

6. A relationship of love

7. A struggle of conscience

8. A brush with disaster or insanity

A steady gradual series of changes as I experienced when my conversion came about, a blissful ‘peak experience’ moment, a shaken-up charismatic experience, or a whisper calling to you from inside. In that faith, we can be happy even daring in our relationships with other people, because the Spirit is working through us. Thank you Lord.

Please read and be blessed.