Along with empowering us to accomplish God’s purpose for our lives, the Holy Spirit also equips us supernaturally.  He expands the toolbox God gave us when we were born with gifts only He can operate in and He does so through us.  But, before we dive into those gifts, we must first look at who God uses, why God chooses to work in this way, and our personal motivation to be used by Him.

Who will the Holy Spirit choose to use in this way? If you know Christ as Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit indwells you at the moment of salvation (Romans 8:9).  We looked at that earlier in the series.  This means anyone who is a willing vessel and walking according the Spirit’s direction in their lives (Galatians 5:16-25), can be used by Him supernaturally regardless of personal talents or abilities.  1 Corinthians 1:27-29 states, “But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence.” These verses make it clear it is not the knowledge, wisdom, skill, social status, economic status, or personality which qualifies or disqualifies us to be used by God.  It is only the grace of God and manifestation of the Holy Spirit bestowed upon the believer.

 

Why does God choose to work supernaturally through His children? First and foremost, because God receives all glory when He uses man to do something only He can do. 1 Corinthians 1:27-29 above confirms this truth. The second reason is to edify the body of Christ.  1 Corinthians 12:7 states, “The manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all.”  The gifts of the Holy Spirit are not for show or display purposes and neither are they for self-gratification; they are for service.  The best test when discerning a true manifestation of the Holy Spirit is to determine if it profits the individual involved AND the body of believers being ministered to.

 

What is our motivation to be when we seek to be used in this way?  According to 1 Corinthians 13:1-3, it is love.  “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.”  Everything we do in our lives as believers should be because of our love for God and our love for others (Matthew 22:34-40). Any other reason is selfish, self-centered, and not of God.