God is the greatest gift giver of all time. He knows what we need and when we need it, and He has the resources to meet our needs exceeding abundantly above all we could ever ask or think (Ephesians 3:20). Whenever someone is born again, God gives to His new son or daughter a very special gift—the gift of holy spirit. This gift has nine distinct manifestations that any child of God can operate, and each manifestation has profit. God’s Word makes this clear in I Corinthians 12.
I Corinthians 12:7:
But the manifestation of the Spirit [the gift of holy spirit] is given to every man to profit withal.
This verse communicates two truths that are essential for us to understand if we want to use our very special gift as God intended: (1) all nine manifestations are for every born-again believer, and (2) all nine manifestations are profitable.
Before we consider the first essential truth that all nine manifestations are for every born-again believer, let’s read about the nine manifestations in God’s Word.
I Corinthians 12:8-10:
For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
To another faith [believing] by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues.
As recorded in these verses, the nine manifestations are (1) word of wisdom, (2) word of knowledge, (3) faith (believing), (4) gifts of healing, (5) working of miracles, (6) prophecy, (7) discerning of spirits, (8) tongues, and (9) the interpretation of tongues. To have the ability to operate just one or two of these manifestations would be a great gift from God, wouldn’t it? However, our God is such a big giver that He didn’t limit the believer to just one or two manifestations of holy spirit. He gave EVERY believer the ability to operate ALL NINE manifestations.
This is the first essential truth we want to understand in I Corinthians 12:7: “But the manifestation of the Spirit [the gift of holy spirit] is given to every man….”
In verse 7, the word “manifestation” is in its singular form; yet, as we saw in verses 8-10, there are nine different manifestations, or evidences, of the gift of holy spirit. The manifestation of the gift of holy spirit has nine separate yet united parts making up the whole, and the whole is given to “every man,” or to every spirit-filled believer. That’s right—all nine manifestations are for every believer to operate. God does not limit His children to just one or two.
The second essential truth to understand from I Corinthians 12:7 is that all nine manifestations are profitable: “But the manifestation of the Spirit [the nine manifestations of the gift of holy spirit] is given to every man [for what purpose?] to profit withal.”
Let’s focus for a moment on the last three words of this verse. Are you ready for a little bit of Greek? The word “to” in the phrase “to profit withal” is translated from the Greek word pros, indicating the ultimate view. In this verse we could translate “to” as “toward” or “for.” The nine manifestations are given “toward” or “for” what? Profit.
Every manifestation is profitable—each one is beneficial. If what is being manifested is not beneficial, then it cannot be from God, the Giver. God gives the gift, which is spirit; but once given, the recipient of the gift (the spirit-filled believer) is responsible for its operation.
God is the greatest gift giver of all time. We who are born again have received God’s gift of holy spirit. This gift has nine distinct manifestations that any child of God can operate, and each manifestation brings profit. God gave this gift with its nine manifestations to us not because we were good enough or because we earned it, but because we need it. With this gift, we can truly live powerful, abundant lives.
The Way of Abundance and Power class series offers a complete curriculum—Foundational, Intermediate, and Advanced Classes—on the nine manifestations of holy spirit and how to operate them. If you would like to have power for Christian living, visit the Contact Us page on www.theway.org to find out about Foundational Classes available near you. Information on the gift of holy spirit can also be found in the book Receiving the Holy Spirit Today. Visit our Bookstore page for ordering information.