Discovering God’s Gifts to the Church
The Holy Spirit and His Gifts
by
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The Weapons of Warfare
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds).
—2 Corinthians 10:3–4
The weapons of our warfare aren’t carnal but spiritual. God has given us spiritual weapons from heaven. The apostle Paul recognized he was human and wasn’t exempt from the infirmities of life’s trials. Though the apostle was one of the most gifted men in the biblical recordings, he didn’t act as though he were super spiritual, exempt from the attacks of the enemy.
Some Christians believe that just because God anointed them with a certain gift, they are exempt from the attacks of the devil and the trials of this world. That idea is far from the truth. After Jesus’s baptism in the Jordan River, the Spirit led Him into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. Anyone who is striving to do the will of God will be tested and tried. No one is exempt from infirmities and human corruption. The apostle Paul realized his strength isn’t in himself but in God and His power. Paul was a learned man and didn’t totally rely on human fallible intellect.
The carnal weapons of human ingenuity, organizing ability, powerful propaganda, charm, or personality are ineffectual in the ceaseless act of pulling down the strongholds bound up by evil. The carnal weapons may win the battle temporarily, but eventually the fortress of evil will have to be torn down. This warfare is a spiritual one. Therefore, our weapons must be those of the Spirit. We will fight a losing battle if we try to fight evil in our own strength. Zechariah 4:6 says, “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord of Host.”
The apostle Paul’s strength and courage lay in the permanent and unfailing Spirit of God. He was a man in Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit. The Lord, our God, bestows a gift or gifts to us. It isn’t our will, but it is the Spirit of the Lord who gives as He wills. He is the source of our strength and empowerment. Jesus came as a man—and not only as God; He came as a servant. The Holy Spirit anointed Him to do the will of His Father. The gifts of the Spirit manifested throughout the ministry of Jesus Christ. The power of God is invincible. He has given the gifts of the Holy Spirit to the body of Christ as the weapons of our warfare.
The war we are in is an invisible war going on in the spirit realm. Often the results of a battle will manifest in the natural realm. How do we recognize the opposition? How do we fight this battle? Many believers are in a warfare and don’t know it. Some recognize the enemy but don’t know how to fight the battle and be victorious.
The main weapon of our warfare is the Holy Spirit, who seals us. He indwells us and empowers us for service. The Holy Spirit brings to our remembrance what we have studied. He is our Comforter who guides us into all truth. What the Holy Spirit hears and says comes from Christ. John 16:13 says, “Howbeit, when he, the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak; and he will show you things to come.”
The Holy Spirit empowers us for His service. Without His anointing in our lives, we can do nothing. Many are doing a service but not according to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. In our modern times, people are teaching and preaching without power. The Spirit of God will empower as He wills and not as we will. There is a thirst or hunger for the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The zeal of some people is energized in the wrong direction. So many believers seek the gifts of the Holy Spirit for prestige.
We must remember that the anointing is the empowerment of the Spirit of the Anointed One. Some people are more anointed than others because of the tasks God has given them. Some believers yield themselves to the workings of the Holy Spirit at different stages. Some may submit more than others. The more believers submit to the Holy Spirit, the more the Holy Spirit will use them. Acts 1:8 says, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
Jesus commanded His disciples to go to Jerusalem and wait for the power of the Holy Spirit. This power had to come on them before they could go out and be a witness for Christ. The Greek word here for “power” is dunamis. Dunamis is defined “to strengthen, have ability or miraculous power
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About the Book
Discovering God’s Gifts to the Church is an inspired commentary and spiritual guidebook that focuses on the Holy Spirit and helps believers understand the Spirit’s role in the Trinity and how the Holy Spirit provides believers with blessings and gifts of the Spirit. It especially discusses how the Holy Spirit and the Christian church work together in harmony. The author invites readers to dwell on the significance of the Holy Spirit in their own lives so that they may engage in a personal relationship with the whole of God’s personage.
About the Author
Dr. Brian E. W. Cretter has completed his Bachelor of Bible Study, Bachelor of Christian Behavior (1991), Master of Ministry (1993) and Doctor of Ministry (1995) all through the Anchor Theological Seminary. He has also attended Brookes Bible College and Eden Theological Seminary.
Dr. Cretter wrote his first book call, “God’s Divine Order: What Is Happening to Our Families?” He had his ministry onto the airwaves of radio for two years.
In the year 2002, Dr. Cretter founded Rhema-Faith Ministries, International. Under this ministry, he traveled to General Santos, Philippines in September 2004. He went there for a week to run a crusade and start a ministry there. He had done this every September through 2006. They have crowned him with the nickname, “The Pearl of the Oriental Sea”. Since April 2012, Dr. Cretter is the pastor/founder of Rhema-Faith Ministries, International, St. Louis. You can visit his website at www.Rhemafaithinternational.org or www.RFIM.org. You can download his free App from your play store, Rhema Faith Ministries, International. Dr. Cretter is married to Linda D. W. Cretter. He is a devoted husband and father.
The principal goals of his preaching and teaching are that God would be glorified, the Church (Body of Christ) would be edified, and the World evangelized.