The Nine Gifts of the Spirit -- part 8
The Gift of Faith
Today we will start discussing the last grouping of the nine spiritual gifts of the Holy Spirit, the “power gifts.” These “power gifts” include the gift of faith, gifts of healing, and working of miracles. Let’s start with the spiritual gift of faith.
Hebrews chapter eleven records some of the fruit of operating in the gift of faith. It can help us obtain a good report and help us understand that the worlds are framed by God. The gift of faith will offer a sacrifice to God, cause us to be translated without seeing death, prepare an ark, or take a step of faith. The faith gift will have us leave our homeland, bring us to an unknown destiny, and lead us to conceive a child when we have been barren. It will bless our children, help us identify with the poor when we could be rich, and so on.
We see the gift of faith in operation when Daniel was thrown into the lions’ den. Despite the decrees of the land, Daniel could not compromise his dedication to his God. He believed in faith that God would deliver him if he stayed true to his prayer commitment to the Lord.
Daniel 6: 7-10, 15-16
7 “All the governors of the kingdom, the administrators and satraps, the counselors and advisors, have consulted together to establish a royal statute and to make a firm decree, that whoever petitions any god or man for thirty days, except you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions.
8 Now, O king, establish the decree and sign the writing, so that it cannot be changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which does not alter.” 9 Therefore King Darius signed the written decree.
10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days…
15 …Then these men approached the king, and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is the law of the Medes and Persians that no decree or statute which the king establishes may be changed.”
16 So the king gave the command, and they brought Daniel and cast him into the den of lions. But the king spoke, saying to Daniel, “Your God, whom you serve continually, He will deliver you.”
The gift of faith is also involved in supernatural protection. For example, in chapter three of the book of Daniel, we see that the Hebrew children stood faithful to God under extreme persecution.
Daniel 3: 12-15 (NKJV)
12 “There are certain Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego; these men, O king, have not paid due regard to you. They do not serve your gods or worship the gold image which you have set up.”
13 Then Nebuchadnezzar, in rage and fury, gave the command to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. So they brought these men before the king.
14 Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the gold image which I have set up?
15 Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall down and worship the image which I have made, good! But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?”
These three Hebrew young men knew the answer to the king’s challenging question! By the gift of faith, they entered the fiery furnace, fully persuaded the God they served was well able to deliver them.
The spiritual gift of faith is also seen operating when deliverance occurs. We cast out demons by faith.
Remember that Peter was set free from prison as the angel guided him out, thus receiving miraculous deliverance (Acts 12: 1-19).
In these verses of Acts chapter twelve we see that the gift of faith gave Peter the courage to put on his sandals and clothes, wrap a cloak around him, and follow an angel. He thought he was having a vision. Passing the first and second guards, they came to an iron gate leading to the city. They slipped through the gate as if it were supernaturally opened. A little way down the street the angel disappeared. Peter came out of his vision-like state and finally realized he was delivered from captivity!
Supernatural transportation is another operation of the gift of faith. We find in Acts 8: 26-40 the account of Philip who was translated to where the eunuch stood and then came back again to his initial location. Philip’s travel on that day took place supernaturally by the gift of faith!
Finally this faith gift is used to impart blessing, protect us from the enemy, and meet our needs supernaturally.
Mothers of Nations, let us all desire to flow with this spiritual gift of the Holy Spirit, the gift of faith!
Dr. Sharon Predovich
