And saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you: and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring him. (Mark 11:2)
The gifts of the Spirit are not meant to be a substitute for our own faith in the Lord. We are not to depend so completely on some individual with a spiritual gift that we neglect our own spiritual growth and maturity. We can receive anything we need from the Lord without a gift of the Spirit operating through another individual, if we know how to believe. Dependence on the Lord directly is superior to dependence on the Lord indirectly through someone operating in one of the spiritual gifts.
What if there were no gifts of the Spirit and the Lord established that the only way we could receive from Him was through our own faith? There would be some individuals who would get born again who already had terminal diseases but didn’t have enough time left to mature in their faith and receive healing. They would die if it wasn’t for others interceding for them or someone with the gift of healing praying for them. That’s why the Lord gave these gifts—to keep us encouraged and alive so we can mature.
It is also wrong for an individual not to mature in his personal faith in the Lord and become dependent on the gifts. It is not right for someone to receive a miracle through someone with the gift of miracles and then just struggle along until the next time that gifted minister comes through town.
The Lord wants us to receive His power through these gifts, but then we must mature so that we can walk in God’s best on our own.
We are able to mature beyond a total dependency on the gifts to where we can hear and receive from God directly. But none of us will ever reach such a level of maturity in the Lord where there is nothing left to learn or receive. Let Him teach you through His Word today.
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Andrew Wommack’s life was forever changed the moment he encountered the supernatural love of God on March 23, 1968. Since then, he has made it his mission to change the way the world sees God. The author of more than forty books and the founder and president of Charis Bible College, Andrew has a heart for discipleship and teaches biblical truths with clarity and simplicity.
His Gospel Truth television show emphasizes God’s unconditional love and grace and is broadcast around the globe. He started Charis Bible College in 1994 with a vision to prepare men and women for ministry with a unique blend of the teaching of God’s Word and practical “on-the-job” training. Andrew is also the president of the Truth & Liberty Coalition, an organization that seeks to educate, unify, and mobilize believers to impact culture and effect godly change on important social issues. Andrew and his wife, Jamie, have been married for more than 50 years.