Gifts of the Spirit Midterm

Randall Q. Lawrence
Gifts of the Spirit
Dr. Z.
10/25/2011

Midterm: Faith

I was not sure if I wanted to do my paper on Gifts of Healings or Faith. I have a tremendous interest in John G. Lake, the tremendous Pentecostal pioneer who blazed a trail of healing from South Africa to Spokane and Portland and more. I also have a great interest in Smith Wigglesworth, another Pentecostal pioneer, nicknamed the “Apostle of Faith”. I asked the Holy Spirit to help me reveal which Gift to focus on in this paper. I opened my Bible to Acts 6:8 “And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.” [emphasis mine] That seemed to settle it in that I should do this paper on faith (in Jesus Christ) which is the foundation on which all the other Gifts of the Spirit rest and become magnified.

Two Scriptures stick out regarding faith: Hebrews 11:1 “Now, faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” and Romans 4:17 (speaking of Abraham) “…and calleth those things which be not as though they were.” Hebrews 11 lists Abraham and Sarah as great heroes of faith among others in the Bible. Smith Wigglesworth would answer his critics with “I am not moved by what I see or hear; I am moved by what I believe.”

Stephen was filled with faith (and trust in Jesus Christ) and power (endowment and baptism of the Holy Spirit) which was foundational for the doing of wonders (things not seen before) and miracles (substance of what the recipients of the miracles hoped for). Stephen, moved by what he believed, called forth those things that were not and established them.

Abraham walked in faith not only according to Romans 4 describing him as “strong in faith, giving glory to God” (Romans 4:20) looking to the promises of God rather than the age and physical limitations (past child-bearing years) of his and Sarah’s bodies. (Romans 4:19) Abraham looked at the spiritual (promise) and walked by faith and relationship and covenant with God the Father. Abraham and Sarah left their family to be obedient to God, and God blessed them. They are listed as pillars or heroes of faith in Hebrews 11 which recounts the major persons of the Bible walking in faith and then blessed with miracles. Smith Wigglesworth, in the early 1900’s, challenged persons to “Only Believe!”, and the dead were raised, the sick were made well, persons were saved and delivered—similar miracles as Jesus and miracles and wonders like the great leaders in the Bible.

Hebrews 11:6 states, “But without faith it is impossible to please him [God]….”. Romans 4:22 states, “And therefore it [faith in promises of God] was imputed to him [Abraham] for righteousness. Faith is the foundation and magnification for all the Gifts of the Spirit. Faith in Jesus Christ and His resurrection and His authority positions us as being righteous through the Blood of Jesus and is the way to please God. We only need to believe!!!