Biblical Basis for the Gifts

The primary passages in the Bible that discuss the gifts of the Holy Spirit are found in Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, 1 Corinthians 12:28, and Ephesians 4:11. These passages list various gifts and emphasize that the Holy Spirit distributes them to each believer as He wills. Derek Prince specifically lists the nine supernatural gifts from 1 Corinthians 12:8-10 as: 1. a word of wisdom; 2. a word of knowledge; 3. faith; 4. gifts of healings; 5. workings of miracles (literally, powers); 6. prophecy; 7. discernings of spirits; 8. kinds of tongues; 9. interpretation of tongues. All these gifts are "manifestations." The Holy Spirit Himself is invisible, but through these gifts He manifests Himself, impacting our senses in ways that we can see or hear or feel. All of them are "for the profit of all," serving practical purposes as tools, not toys. Furthermore, all these gifts are supernatural, not products of natural ability or special education.

Key verses include:

• 1 Corinthians 12:4-6 (NIV): "There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work."
• 1 Corinthians 12:11 (NIV): "All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines."
• Romans 12:6-8 (NIV): "We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully."
• Ephesians 4:11-12 (NIV): "So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up."

Categories of Gifts (based on 1 Corinthians 12)

The nine gifts listed by Paul in 1 Corinthians 12, and highlighted by Derek Prince, can be broadly categorized into three main groups:

1. Revelation Gifts: These gifts reveal divine knowledge and insight. (Word of Wisdom, Word of Knowledge, Discerning of Spirits)
2. Power Gifts: These gifts demonstrate God's power and ability. (Faith, Gifts of Healings, Working of Miracles)
3. Vocal Gifts (or Gifts of Utterance): These gifts involve speaking or proclaiming a message from God. (Prophecy, Kinds of Tongues, Interpretation of Tongues)

Specific Gifts from 1 Corinthians 12 and Their Impact Today

Here is an explanation of the nine key gifts of the Holy Spirit from 1 Corinthians 12, as discussed by Derek Prince, and their relevance in contemporary Christian life:

2. Word of Knowledge

The word of knowledge is the supernatural revelation of facts or information about a person, circumstance, or spiritual truth that one could not naturally know. It is specific information given by the Holy Spirit at a specific time for a specific purpose.

Impact Today: This gift is invaluable in ministry, evangelism, counseling, and intercession. It can reveal hidden sins, unknown needs, the root of a problem, or God’s specific intention, allowing for targeted prayer and effective ministry. For instance, it might reveal a past trauma that needs healing or a specific stronghold in someone's life.

Relevant Verse: 1 Corinthians 12:8 (NIV) - "To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit."

3. Faith

The gift of faith is a special, supernatural impartation of faith by the Holy Spirit to believe God for the impossible in a specific situation. It is distinct from saving faith or the fruit of faith (faithfulness); it is a surge of divine confidence to trust God for a particular miracle or outcome.

Impact Today: This gift empowers believers to step out in bold obedience, to undertake great tasks for God, to believe for miraculous provision, protection, or intervention when circumstances seem hopeless. It is often seen in pioneering ministries or when facing significant spiritual battles.

Relevant Verse: 1 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV) - "to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit." See also Hebrews 11:1 (NIV): "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see." (While this describes general faith, the gift of faith is an amplified, specific manifestation).

4. Gifts of Healings

The "gifts of healings" (plural in Greek, as noted by Prince) indicates the supernatural ability to minister various types of healing (physical, emotional, spiritual) to others through the power of God. It suggests that there might be different kinds of healing gifts for different ailments.

Impact Today: In a world afflicted by sickness and suffering, the gifts of healing are a powerful demonstration of God's compassion, love, and restoring power. They serve as a sign of the Kingdom of God and can open doors for evangelism. This gift is vital in healing ministries, hospitals, and everyday life where believers pray for the sick.

Relevant Verse: 1 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV) - "to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit." Also James 5:14-15 (NIV): "Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up."

5. Workings of Miracles

The "workings of miracles" (literally "workings of powers," also plural in Greek) is the supernatural ability to perform acts that alter the normal course of nature or defy natural laws. These are extraordinary displays of God's power that demonstrate His direct intervention in human affairs, such as nature miracles, deliverance, or divine provision.

Impact Today: This gift powerfully confirms the gospel message, demonstrating God's sovereignty over creation and His ability to overcome any obstacle. It can bring about significant breakthroughs, deliver people from bondage (like casting out demons, which Prince associated with this gift in his ministry), and provide for needs in extraordinary ways.

Relevant Verse: 1 Corinthians 12:10 (NIV) - "to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues." Also Acts 19:11-12 (NIV): "God did extraordinary miracles through Paul, so that even handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched him were taken to the sick, and their illnesses were cured and the evil spirits left them."

6. Prophecy

The gift of prophecy is the supernatural ability to receive and communicate a direct message from God to His people. It is not necessarily foretelling the future (though it can include that) but more often "forth-telling" – speaking God's word for edification, exhortation, and comfort.

Impact Today: Prophecy builds up the church by encouraging believers, correcting error, guiding decisions, revealing God's heart, and calling people to holiness and mission. It should always be tested against Scripture (1 Thessalonians 5:20-21) and judged by the leadership and the congregation (1 Corinthians 14:29).

Relevant Verse: 1 Corinthians 14:3 (NIV) - "But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort."

7. Discerning of Spirits

The "discernings of spirits" (plural, as noted by Prince) is the supernatural ability to distinguish between the influence of the Holy Spirit, angelic spirits, human spirits, and evil (demonic) spirits. It allows believers to perceive the spiritual source behind a manifestation, teaching, or situation.

Impact Today: This gift is crucial for protecting the church from false teachings, deceptive influences, and demonic activity. It helps leaders and believers maintain spiritual purity, identify spiritual warfare, and minister effectively in deliverance.

Relevant Verse: 1 Corinthians 12:10 (NIV) - "to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits..." Also 1 John 4:1 (NIV): "Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world."

8. Kinds of Tongues

Speaking in "kinds of tongues" (plural, indicating variety) is the supernatural ability to speak in a language unknown to the speaker, given by the Holy Spirit. These can be human languages (xenoglossia) or heavenly/angelic languages (glossolalia). It primarily serves as a personal prayer language for direct communication with God (1 Corinthians 14:2) for self-edification, and as a sign to unbelievers when accompanied by interpretation (1 Corinthians 14:22).

Impact Today: This gift is widely practiced in Pentecostal and Charismatic circles for personal prayer, praise, and worship. When used publicly in a church gathering, it must be accompanied by interpretation to edify the body (1 Corinthians 14:27-28).

Relevant Verse: 1 Corinthians 12:10 (NIV) - "...to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues." Also Acts 2:4 (NIV): "All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them."

9. Interpretation of Tongues

The interpretation of tongues is the supernatural ability to understand and communicate the meaning of a message spoken in tongues. It is not a direct translation but an inspired explanation of the utterance. This gift works in tandem with the gift of tongues in public settings to ensure that the church is edified.

Impact Today: When a message in tongues is interpreted, it becomes equivalent to prophecy, bringing edification, exhortation, or comfort to the congregation. This ensures orderly worship and allows the whole church to benefit from the vocal gift of tongues.

Relevant Verse: 1 Corinthians 12:10 (NIV) - "...and to still another the interpretation of tongues." Also 1 Corinthians 14:27-28 (NIV): "If anyone speaks in a tongue, two-or at the most three-should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and to God."

Other Spiritual Gifts (from Romans 12, Ephesians 4, etc.)

Beyond the nine gifts in 1 Corinthians 12, the Bible lists other abilities given by the Spirit for the building up of the church. These are often referred to as motivational or ministry gifts.

Gifts from Romans 12:6-8:

• Prophesying: (Also in 1 Cor 12) Speaking forth God's message.
• Serving (Ministry): The ability to identify and meet the practical needs of others, often behind the scenes. Impact: Supports the functioning of the church, relieves burdens, demonstrates love in action.
• Teaching: The divine ability to clearly explain and apply God's truth, leading to understanding and life change. Impact: Grounds believers in sound doctrine, promotes spiritual growth and maturity.
• Encouraging (Exhortation): The ability to inspire, motivate, comfort, and admonish others to live godly lives and pursue God's purposes. Impact: Strengthens faith, restores hope, urges believers onward.
• Giving (Contributing to the needs of others): The special ability and desire to give cheerfully and generously of one's resources (time, money, talents) for God's work. Impact: Supports ministries, helps the needy, models stewardship.
• Leading (Administration/Governance): The ability to organize, administrate, and provide direction to achieve God's purposes, motivating others to work together. Impact: Ensures order, efficiency, and progress in church activities and vision.
• Showing Mercy: The divine enablement to compassionately empathize with and minister to those who are suffering or in distress, bringing comfort and aid. Impact: Reflects God's heart for the hurting, alleviates suffering, builds community.

Gifts from Ephesians 4:11 (often called "equipping gifts" or "five-fold ministry"):

• Apostles: Those sent with divine authority to establish and oversee churches, often pioneering new works and ensuring doctrinal soundness. Impact: Church planting, foundational leadership, extending the Kingdom.
• Prophets: (Also in 1 Cor 12 & Romans 12) Those who receive and communicate God's specific messages for guidance, correction, and edification of the church. Impact: Spiritual direction, revelation of God's will, calling to repentance and holiness.
• Evangelists: Those with a special ability and passion to proclaim the Gospel effectively, leading unbelievers to faith in Christ. Impact: Church growth through conversion, mobilizing believers for outreach.
• Pastors (Shepherds): Those who spiritually care for, nurture, guide, and protect a flock of believers. Impact: Spiritual health and maturity of the congregation, discipleship, community building.
• Teachers: (Also in Romans 12) Those gifted to explain and impart biblical truth in a way that leads to understanding and application. Impact: Doctrinal stability, spiritual growth, equipping believers for service.

Gifts Cannot Be Earned

Derek Prince strongly emphasizes that all spiritual gifts are gifts of God's grace; they are received by faith and can never be earned or deserved. One can never be "good enough" to exercise them. This is a crucial understanding because it removes human pride and performance as a basis for receiving or operating in the gifts. The very nature of a "gift" implies it is freely given, not wages for work done.

Prince shares his own experience: "In 1941 in the middle of the night I had a powerful, life-changing encounter with Jesus Christ in a barrack room of the British Army. About a week later, in the same barrack room, I spoke for the first time in an unknown tongue. Then – quite unexpectedly – I went on to speak out the 'interpretation' in beautiful, poetic English. It was an outline of God’s plan for my life and ministry, which has been fulfilled – stage by stage – up to the present time... Fortunately for me, I was too 'unspiritual' to know that you had to go to church to get saved, or that after speaking in a tongue you had to wait six months to receive the gift of interpretation!" This anecdote illustrates the spontaneous and unearned nature of these divine empowerments.

Derek Prince's Experiences with Spiritual Gifts

Derek Prince's ministry was significantly marked by the operation of spiritual gifts. He recounts several personal experiences that highlight their reality and impact:

• Sovereign Visitation in Kenya: "From 1957 to 1961 I served as Principal of a Teacher Training College for African teachers in Kenya. During that time we had a sovereign visitation of the Holy Spirit in our college. In meetings with my students I saw all nine gifts of the Spirit in operation among us at various times. I also saw two of my students – on different occasions – raised from the dead. They both testified later of what they had experienced while their spirits were out of their bodies." This demonstrates the broad spectrum of gifts operating in a Spirit-filled environment.
• Gift for Healing Lameness: "Later, in America, I received an unexpected 'gift' for ministering to people who were lame. As I seated them in a chair and held their feet in my hands, the shorter leg would grow out in front of my eyes and they would be healed... I decided to ask the Lord about this and I felt He gave me this answer: 'I have given you a gift. There are two things you can do with it. You can use it and get more. Or you can fail to use it and lose it.' There and then I decided to go on using what God had given me, and indeed I did receive more." This illustrates the principle of stewardship with gifts – using them leads to increase. He noted that the scriptural name for this gift was "workings of miracles (power)".
• Casting Out Demons: "About the same time God directed me into what I came to see as a different application of the same gift [workings of miracles]. He began to use me in the public casting out of demons. Once again, there were those who objected to the noisy and disorderly manifestations that often accompanied this ministry. I observed, however, in the Gospels that similar manifestations often accompanied the ministry of Jesus and so I decided to continue. In the years that followed I have seen thousands of people wonderfully delivered from demon power." This shows the practical and sometimes controversial nature of power gifts.

Cultivating Sensitivity to the Holy Spirit

Derek Prince highlights that a key to exercising spiritual gifts is cultivating sensitivity to the Holy Spirit and making room for Him to move as and when He wills. This involves listening for His promptings and being obedient, even if the situation seems unusual or inconvenient.

He shares an example: "On one occasion Ruth [his wife] and I were having lunch with a Christian couple and the wife shared that she had a medically diagnosed genetic defect which made her unable to utilise certain amino acids. Her brain was progressively deteriorating... The husband left to keep another appointment and we walked back with the wife to their apartment. On the parking lot we paused for a moment to say goodbye. Prompted by the Holy Spirit, Ruth said, 'Let me pray for you.' Then we parted. About three weeks later the husband told us that his wife had been completely healed. This was later confirmed at the same hospital where her condition had been diagnosed... God had just one place and one moment where He made healing available. Because Ruth responded to the prompting of the Holy Spirit, healing came and God was glorified." This illustrates how simple obedience to a prompting can release God's power.

Prince also notes that "If we desire the unhindered operation of spiritual gifts, we sometimes need to set ourselves free from traditional ideas of how we should behave 'in church.'" This suggests that openness and flexibility are important for experiencing the fullness of the Spirit's work.

Limitations of Spiritual Gifts

While spiritual gifts are powerful and essential, Derek Prince points out their limitations:

1. Limited to the Present Life: Paul states in 1 Corinthians 13:8-10 that gifts like prophecy, tongues, and word of knowledge will cease when perfection comes (i.e., in eternity). Prince elaborates: "We are still living in the 'imperfect' age. But when we pass from time to eternity and then put on our resurrection bodies, we will no longer need the fragmentary blessings that come to us through tongues or prophecy or a word of knowledge. The same applies to other gifts such as healings or miracles. Our resurrection bodies will never need them!" An excessive preoccupation with spiritual gifts might indicate a greater concern for temporal things than eternal ones.
2. No Indication of Character: The exercise of spiritual gifts does not inherently reflect a person's character or spiritual maturity. Prince uses the analogy of a lazy, deceitful person receiving a monetary gift – the money doesn't change their character. Similarly, "a person who receives a dramatic spiritual gift, such as prophecy or healings or miracles. If he was weak and unstable before, he will be just as weak and unstable afterwards. But his new gift will give him greater influence with people and he will have the added responsibility of exercising it in a way that is righteous and pleasing to God."

Character vs. Gifts: The Primacy of Holiness

A major problem Prince observed, particularly in the charismatic movement, is the tendency to assess ministers more by their gifts than by their character. However, experience repeatedly shows that it's possible for someone to exercise impressive gifts while having a defective character, sometimes even using gifts to cover up these flaws. He recounts examples of ministers with powerful gifts who fell into serious sin, such as adultery or dying an alcoholic.

This leads to a crucial point: "The gifts of the Spirit are exactly what the name implies – genuine gifts, not loans with conditions attached or a repayment schedule. 'For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable' (Romans 11:29)." God does not necessarily take away a gift if it's misused, though He will ultimately require an account. Therefore, Jesus' warning, "You will know them by their fruits" (Matthew 7:20), not by their gifts, is paramount.

Jesus further warned in Matthew 7:21-23 that merely prophesying, casting out demons, or doing wonders in His name doesn't guarantee entry into heaven. Those who "practice lawlessness" will be rejected. Prince defines "lawlessness" as "an arrogant assumption that God’s moral and ethical standards no longer apply to those who can exercise gifts of supernatural power."

When faced with ministries where gifts are present but character is questionable, Prince advises keeping Paul's warning to Timothy in mind: "Do not... share in other people’s sins; keep yourself pure" (1 Timothy 5:22). Ultimately, the focus must be on doing the will of the Father. Prince concludes with his personal conviction: "This is the will of God, that you should be holy" (1 Thessalonians 4:3), and "Without holiness no one will see the Lord" (Hebrews 12:14). The pursuit of holiness should be a primary determination for every believer.

Conclusion: The Enduring Purpose of Gifts

Derek Prince affirmed the ongoing availability and necessity of spiritual gifts until the return of Christ, citing 1 Corinthians 1:7 (NIV): "...you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed." The gifts are God's provision for His Church, tools for ministry, and manifestations of the Holy Spirit's presence and power. While they are vital, they must be exercised in love (1 Corinthians 13) and balanced with the development of Christ-like character (the fruit of the Spirit). The ultimate aim is the edification of the church and the glory of God, pursued with both supernatural power and personal holiness.