1Cor.12:11 – NLT – It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.
The gifts of the Holy Spirit are exactly that, they are gifts of grace that flow out of the anointing. The Lord intends for the gifts of the Spirit to operate in and through every believer. The Baptism in the Holy Spirit serves as the catalyst for these gifts. Often times when you spend extended periods of time in the anointing the gifts will become more and more common. The gift of prophesy is one of these gifts and was critical in the Old Testament era. The Hebrew prophets ministered in this gift exclusively. In the New Testament the Spirit is poured out on all flesh and everyone encouraged to pursue the gift of prophesy. Here are some thoughts from Brian Simmons on the gifts of the Spirit.
“God the Father, the Son, and the Spirit delights to give spiritual gifts to his people, the bride of Christ. These gifts are imparted by God to every believer upon conversion as the Holy Spirit chooses. They will confirm the Word of God and expand the kingdom of God. Spiritual gifts can be neglected and misused, but they remain the divine power source for Christ’s body on the earth. Through teaching, evangelizing, prophesying, and demonstrating the miraculous, God uses his people to expand his kingdom and to establish righteousness on the earth through the proper use of the gifts he has given. There is no place in Scripture or church history where these gifts were taken away or removed from the body of Christ. The church moves forward through these divine gifts. Spiritual gifts do not replace the Word of God, but the Word of God will spread and flourish as the fully equipped body of Christ operates in the wise use of God’s enabling power.”
There have been several seasons of extensive charismatic outpourings in my lifetime. I am in a state of expectancy right now anticipating a wave of the Spirit characterized by an emphasis on the gifts of the Spirit. This is the way the Lord has chosen to operate and display His supernatural power. The current deterioration of the moral climate of our world is crying for a supernatural move of the Spirit of God. Like Paul said, “do not quench the Spirit, don’t forbid speaking in tongues, and earnestly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophesy”.