DESIRE SPECIAL GIFTS FROM ABOVE - PART 2

In the Bible, Daniel was one of the people that desired special gifts from God and prayed for wisdom. At one point, the king of Babylon was upset because he dreamt and was disturbed. When the King demanded that the wise men must reveal the dream and also the interpretation, or they'd be put to death, Daniel went to God in prayer for the revelation and during the night, the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. He blessed the God of heaven and declared: "Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and power belong to Him."

Reference: Daniel 1:17 New Living Translation (NLT) 'God gave these four young men an unusual aptitude for understanding every aspect of literature and wisdom. And God gave Daniel the special ability to interpret the meanings of visions and dreams.'

Supernatural gifts are an endowment or extraordinary ability given by the Holy Spirit. God gave the four young men - Shadrach (Hananiah), Meshach (Mishael), and Abednego (Azariah), an unusual aptitude for understanding every aspect of literature and wisdom. They had uncommon amplitude for comprehending all kinds of literature and wisdom. As for Daniel, God granted him special ability to understand visions and dreams of all kinds and interpret them.

There are extraordinary spiritual gifts and these special gifts are enablements or capacities that are divinely bestowed upon individuals. When you desire them and go for them in prayer, the Spirit of God will grant you such requests. When you function in them, the favour and empowerment attached to them will be evident upon your life, such that people will notice it and start favouring you - often for the results they see in their own lives. The Bible says, 'Your gift will make room for you and put you in the presence of great men' (Proverbs 18:16). Apart from giving a gift, special gifts and endowments from God will position you more to be favoured by anyone.

Consider the three Jewish youths, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, taken as slaves in exile from Israel to Babylon. The names Shadrach, Mesach, and Abednego were their slave names, given to them by their Babylonian masters. Daniel was also among them. However their special abilities made room for them and favoured them in Babylon. There are special gifts related to natural abilities and also the ones that have to do with divine and miraculous abilities. They are empowered by the Holy Spirit to grant any individual who function in them, the advantage.

When it comes to spiritual gifts, they offer different kinds of service, yet they are of the same Holy Spirit. They are uniquely different from natural talents and abilities. We have the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, increased faith, the gifts of healing, the gift of miracles, prophecy, the discernment of spirits, diverse kinds of tongues, and interpretation of tongues (1 Corinthians 12:4-11 NKJV). They are freely given by God, which means that they cannot be earned or merited. Though spiritual gifts are worked through individuals, these are operations or manifestations of the Holy Spirit - not of the gifted person. Notably, they are used for the benefit of others in the body of Christ. The main purpose of the spiritual gifts is to edify (build up), exhort (encourage), and comfort the church.

Concerning spiritual gifts, the Bible says, 'And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the best gifts...' (1 Corinthians 12:28-31 NKJV). In other words, there are diversities in their distribution. You as an individual may not possess all of the gifts, but you can earnestly desire and go for the best gifts (see verse 31). Therefore desire and ask, and you'll be given, so you can be a great blessing, and one who encourages and edifies others in the body of Christ, to God's glory.

Scripture Reading - 1 Kings 3:5-28; Proverbs 2:6; Ecclesiastes 1:16; John 5:14-15.

Guided Prayer: Gracious Father in heaven, I'm grateful for the special abilities and spiritual gifts you've bestowed on me for the furtherance of the gospel and to faithfully furnish and equip God's people for their tasks and Christian service. The godly wisdom and discernment at work in me are on the increase, positioning me to aptly engage wise decisions and judgements. Therefore, I thank you Lord for opening my understanding to the special abilities and spiritual gifts you've granted me to serve you, and keeping me effective in using them tactfully in Jesus' Name, Amen!