Spiritual Gifts and Operations
Scripture: 1 Cor.12:5-6
From yesterday, Why is that? Because speaking with other tongues is designed to
equip us from the inside out. It affects the part of us from which all permanent change
comes — the human spirit.
If a person refuses this eighth operation, he won’t have the spiritual empowerment to
fulfill any of the other seven operations of God — at least not to the depth God desires
for him.
For example, someone may be called to one of the ministry offices; he may even be a
good intellectual communicator or lecturer about the Word of God. But it is through
the diversities of tongues that the power of the Holy Spirit activates the operation he
has been called to ful- fill. And if he refuses to receive God’s gift of speaking in other
tongues, he is not allowing him- self to become spiritually qualified for his office.
You see, as you pray in tongues, God will build an operation on the inside of you to
quali- fy you for what He has called you to do. As He does, gifts will begin to operate
through you that equip you for your particular call.
For example, if I pray in the Holy Ghost a lot, God isn’t going to train me to be more
skillful in carpentry or to perform brain surgery on someone. I have to learn those
separately. He is going to equip me with the graces and gifts of the Spirit that I need to
fulfil my call, which is to preach the Gospel.
PRAYER FOCUS
That’s why the devil is so afraid of this eighth operation. Throughout history, it
is the operation he has always tried hardest to discredit and remove from the
Church.