Essential Doctrines-Lesson 16
2-7-21 “Spiritual Gifts” 1 Cor. 12:1-3
“Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren I would not have you ignorant.”
Today, in the dispensation of grace, spiritual gifts do not exist! Why? Spiritual gifts do not exist because we have the complete word of God (1 Cor. 13:8-13) in English, all 66 books, it is in the form of the King James Bible. However, we must still discern (recognize, understand) what God’s word says. That is why we study the word according to the key 2 Tim. 2:15.
Without studying chapters 12 -14 of 1 Cor. There is no way of knowing the deceptions that’s Satan uses concerning spiritual gifts. The study of these three chapters should clear up any confusion that we may have. But you have to study! “Let God be true and every man a liar.” (Rom. 3:4).
1. There are major categories of Ignorance that Satan wants to take advantage of in a believer’s life. And Satan is always looking for an opportunity (your weakest point or area) to attack, in your spiritual growth. That is why Paul starts this 4th doctrine off with “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.” (lacking knowledge or awareness).
2. In our lesson, Paul wants us to know, the adversary seeks to take advantage of the believer when it comes to deception & spiritual gifts or spiritual phenomena! Paul writes in 2 Cor. 2:11: “Lest Satan should get an advantage of us (How?) in this case, by deception and spiritual gifts) but we are not ignorant of his devices.”
3. The first category of ignorance that Satan wants to exploit, is ignorance of God’s program with Israel. Producing spiritual gifts & phenomena was a natural event because of the covenant (agreement) God had made with NOI. For in Exodus 34:10, WHEN WE READ: “I will make a COVENANT with Israel ….I will do MARVELS ….and all the people shall SEE the work of the Lord.” So, it was natural for Israel to expect spiritual phenomena based on God’s covenant with Israel.
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4. In the Kingdom prg. Israel walked by sight. In the dispensation of grace prg. we walk by faith. The reason people don’t see the stark difference between the two programs, is because the natural man cannot see it. it is impossible to see without utilizing the key of right division that unlocks the door and allows you to
discern with the spiritual eye, the difference between prophecy and mystery program. Satan can & does counterfeit spiritual gifts today, with the intent to deceive. Again, the only way you can discern and know for sure that spiritual gifts are counterfeit, is by studying sound doctrine contained in chapters 12,13, and 14. For Paul told us we can’t afford to be ignorant concerning spiritual gifts today!
5. In our lesson today, the Corinthian saints did not recognize SPOE was operating in their very midst. They like many of us, were duped by spiritual phenomena in our past. VS 2. Paul said: “you know that Ye were (in the past) carried away unto these dumb idols (graven images they couldn’t talk). But yet you believe that the priest or the attendant of the Idol was actually interpreting the message of the true & living God through dumb idols, that could not talk!
6. What had happened was, they had been duped, bamboozle, led astray, by the S P O E. Evil spirits had them believing the priest had a spiritual gift to speak for God! And he did! But it wasn’t of God! it was spiritual phenomena, of the devil !
7. VS 2. Paul says: “You Gentiles have been carried away, even as you were led (meaning you have been swallowed up, bewitched, with Satanic phenomena, just like folk today. The Corinthians, they were Saints, justified unto eternal life, sanctified, exalted, they really believed they were serving the true and living God, but they were really serving Satan. Can you imagine the impact in heavenly places
8. In Acts 8:9-11, Simon used sorcery (spiritual phenomena, bewitchery, some of you know it is voodoo. The Samaritans were convinced that this man possess the great power of God. He had seducing spirits, counterfeiting the power of God and he had the people duped.
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9. All through Israel’s Program, Satan was counterfeiting the power of God to deceive the people & he will do it even in the ages to come.
10. The Corinthians had come out of idolatry and were worshipping the true God. Paul gives them instructions on how to discern if someone is speaking for God when they prophesy or are false prophets. “Accursed” means “doomed to destruction.” No one can say anything against Christ if they are speaking by the Spirit of God. But, ONLY by the Holy Ghost they can say Jesus is Lord. Again, today the gift of prophecy has ended, we have the Complete Word of God.
10. But our concern today is what Satan is doing now, in the dispensation of grace. In 2 Cor. 11:13-15, Paul tells us: “for such are false apostles (Q. who had apostles with him in his early ministry? Jesus did! and one of them was the devil). Paul’s point is: Satan is still counterfeiting the power of God in this dispensation. Paul writes: “for such are false apostles (Paul was the last Apostle), deceitful workers (Eph. 4:14 “ whereby they lie in wait( with the snare of the devi)l to deceive (1 Tim. 2:26)…transforming (changing) themselves into the apostles of Christ. 14. “And no Marvel (do not be astonished) ; For Satan himself is transformed into an Angel of light. 15 Therefore it is no great thing (mystery) if Satan’s ministers also be transformed (disguised) as the ministers of righteousness ; Whose end shall be according to their works.
11. Spiritual phenomena Is real folks, and it has many under the delusion, hallucination, (by a feeling, emotion, a sensation, flesh) that it is the power of God, even as I speak. It’s delusion has many captive today, in the snare of the devil! **And I know first hand what I’m talking about!!
12. *Now with your permission, I would like to share with you my personal experience/testimony in my life concerning spiritual gifts. I had been carrying this for almost 39 years, until I came into the knowledge of the truth in 1998. And I still have told no man, but I got to share it today. It’s been a heavy load!
***I can recall in high school I had a lifelong buddy since elementary school. His name David Lloyd. David had muscular dystrophy, and the doctors told his Mama he wouldn’t live to see 18 years old. We were in Baptist, believing in the gifts tongue talking, tarry for the Holy Ghost church. (Yea, you talking about
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doctrines of devils & seducing spirits). *Well, David’s mother, as well as MY mother, believed that God was going to perform a miracle and heal David, and I did too! David’s mother heard a famous radio faith healer was coming to a nearby city, healing (supposedly). She was so desperate. They raised enough money to send David and his mom to the service. And I never will forget we gathered around the radio in my mom’s room praying with our hands on the radio waiting on David to get healed. But we never heard the preacher say Davids name. The service ended and we didn’t know what happened. We waited until they got back to town. Come to find out David never saw the preacher because he was not pre- selected. They had chosen ones that the preacher called by name, touched them and they fell out slain in the spirit with the seducing fake spirit. David came back in worse shape than when he left. It wasn’t many days after that, David died in his bed. His heart stopped! Muscular Dystrophy had killed David! As a child I was crushed! I said mom what happened? She said they didn’t have enough faith! My sister and I were devastated! And I was left wondering all my young life what happened, I knew David loved the Lord, like I did, like we did. I prayed & I prayed and asked God what happened? why did he take my friend? Why didn’t you just heal him? Nobody could answer, God certainly didn’t.
WHAT IS MY POINT? Organized Religion, Corrupt doctrine, the doctrine of Devils, seducing spirits, spiritual phenomenon, false apostles, deceitful workers, Satan ministers preaching righteousness and counterfeiting the power of God through spiritual phenomena. Paul told me the truth: (2 Cor. 11:13-15).
“And no Marvel, (Marvel not) Satan himself is transformed into an Angel of light , (by the sleight of men , cunning, craftiness, whereby they lie and wait to deceive) the simple. I never quite got over that folks! This is real! That’s why the term: 1 Tim 4, “having their conscious seared with a hot iron.” I know what that is. Coming out of the counterfeit religious system, no wonder so many suffer from post traumatic stress disorder! Religion is deadly! Doctrines of the devils make you sick spiritually, and leaves scars! The spiritual phenomenon of Israel, seducing spirits of devils are real, and it convinces you the delusion is real.
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But thank God for the grace of God that bought my salvation, and the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery, and right division. “Delivered me from the power of darkness & translated me…Today I’m free! The yoke of bondage has been broken. Scarred! *But I thank God, my mother stayed in that Baptist Church all of her life, but she followed me to Westside grace church (Sheppard & Rose) where she heard the gospel of the grace of God, and believed! Mom believed gospel of grace @ 80 years old. And my sister, RebeccaI Ann had to come to church in a wheelchair, paraplegic, multiple sclerosis, and she believed the gospel of the grace of God and was teaching grace in the nursing home until she became so weak, she had to stop. But she quoted her favorite grace vs till her dying day.
And her favorite verse she would always recite 2 Cor. 4:16-17 “For which cause we faint not; but though the outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” 8 souls were saved from the Religious system along with me, and now are in the ARK of GRACE!! NOW YOU KNOW WHY I REJOICE! NOW YOU KNOW THE REST OF MY STORY! GOODAY! This ends my review.
Today we are instructed by God’s word, rightly divided, and we are indwelt by his Holy Spirit. .
Israel walked by sight, we in the dispensation of grace walk by faith, not by sight. We are not ignorant of the adversary counterfeiting the power of God through, spiritual phenomenon today.
I HOPE THIS STUDY IN GOD’S WORD HELPED SOMEBODY TODAY!
SOMEBODY IN THEIR HEART IS CRYING OUT: WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?
The simplicity of the gospel of the grace of God is: GOD LOVES YOU AND CHRIST DIED FOR EVERYTHING THAT IS WRONG WITH YOU. CHRIST DIED FOR ALL OF YOUR SINS, AND WAS BURIED, AND ROSE FROM THE GRAVE ON THE THIRD DAY. THE MOMENT YOU BELIEVE, YOU WILL BE SAVED & FORGIVEN ALL SINS.
Colman J. Gilliland 