The Gifts of the Holy Spirit Develop Through Use

We were talking about King Saul and how the prophet Samuel gave him a series of instructions about what was going to happen in his life once the Holy Spirit began to move within him, and after that moment of anointing that the prophet Samuel had with Saul.

We saw that Samuel told Saul there would be a series of encounters with people filled with the Holy Spirit: that company of prophets who would come and meet him. He would join them, the Holy Spirit would descend upon Saul, and as a result of the Holy Spirit coming upon him, he would prophesy—in other words, he would express the power of God that was going to be manifested within him—and he would be changed into another man. That is what happens, as we have said, when a person receives the infilling of the Holy Spirit.

When we receive the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives, it is as though God changes us, transforms us, and equips us to do things that normally, with our ordinary abilities, we would do. And as a person is filled more and more with the power of the Holy Spirit, their life is changed in a positive way, and they acquire abilities and gifts they did not have naturally, which make them a useful instrument in the hands of God.

And it is interesting: we saw Samuel’s counsel to Saul, telling him that when this has happened, he should do whatever comes to hand, because the Lord is with him. And we spoke of the confidence we must have when we have received the power of the Holy Spirit. Then we must act with complete confidence even when, naturally speaking, we do not feel that confidence. But by faith we must begin to draw upon and set in motion that Spirit of God who will be within us like an embryo, like a potential that will develop as we use it.

The gifts of the Holy Spirit develop through use as we put them into practice when God gives us opportunities, and that is very important. We were saying that we must make the most of the opportunities that come to hand, the things God places in our path: sometimes small opportunities to witness to someone, to invite someone to church, to give a special offering for a project our congregation has, or to pray for our pastors and for the progress of the Church in the world.

Small things, but as we put them into practice, that very important principle of the Kingdom of God that tells us, “Come, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will put you over much,” begins to work in our lives, and God expands the gifts. And the more fruit we bear, the more fruit we will be able to bear, and as we use His power, God will expand it. But it must be by faith.

If you wait to feel the anointing and to feel anointed, or to see great manifestations of God’s power in your life before you begin to move by faith, you are putting the cart before the horse. First comes moving in faith, first comes believing God, first comes moving in the anointing simply because God has said it is within us; then comes the growing manifestation of that anointing and greater works that God will set before us so that we may do His will.

Let us remember what the apostle Paul told Timothy: “I advise you to fan into flame the fire of God that is already in you through the laying on of my hands.” We remember that the apostle Paul also told Timothy: “For God has not given us a spirit of cowardice—that is, of timidity, of smallness, of being conservative, of not believing that God is with us—but has given us a spirit of power, of love, and of self-control.” That is, a sound mind. That is the translation used in English Bibles: a sound mind instead of self-control. It means a logical mind, a mind that reasons well, a mind that sees things exactly as God wants us to see them.

And therefore that ability, that generous and well-balanced endowment—love, power, and a sound mind—those gifts are in balance within us through the presence of the Spirit of God. Therefore, we must undertake great things, daring things, in the name of the Lord, trusting that the Spirit He has placed within us will see us through.

That is why Samuel gave this counsel: “Undertake whatever comes to hand,” because God is with you. How good it is when we move through the Christian life and through all the events of our natural lives—whether in our families, our finances, our work, or the new things we undertake in life—with the confidence that God is with me, and therefore I can undertake things I normally would not undertake, because He will see me through.

The Word says: “Commit your way to the Lord, and He will act.” When we love the Lord and put Him first in our lives, He stands behind us and blesses us. That is why we should live bold lives, daring lives, enterprising lives, because when we have the Spirit of God, that is the greatest blessing. God prospers us, blesses us, and sees us through, especially when we undertake things that benefit His Kingdom.

God changes us into another person through the infilling of His Spirit and then tells us: Now take action and trust that My Spirit is with you and that I will stand behind you, as He told Joshua: “See, I command you to be strong and courageous, because I am with you wherever you go.” Undertake these things, and everywhere the sole of your foot treads, I have delivered into your hand; but remember that you must be strong and courageous. That is the part we must do, just as Saul, too, had to undertake new and daring things, because God now stood behind him in everything he undertook.

God bless you, my brothers and sisters. This is Pastor Roberto Miranda speaking. It is always a privilege for me, always, to be with you, and we will continue this study of the life filled with the Holy Spirit in our next meditation.