The Greek word for the Gifts of Inspiration is ‘Theopneustos’ which means divinely breathed into. This dictates God’s muse-like influence in the minds of believers to unveil His mind or will. When we read the Scripture, we understand that we are not reading mere words of men but divine knowledge sourced from God, having no other explainable source. The Holy Spirit can be manifested in a believer through these gifts.
Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
1 Corinthians 2:13 KJV
The Gifts of Inspiration thus refer to epiphanic revelations from the Holy Spirit manifested in multifaceted folds from supernatural vocalization or verbalizations known as speaking in tongues, prophetic proclamation of divine words or decrees and interpretation of tongues. This is perhaps the most ubiquitous manifestation of the Holy Spirit in a believer, specifically the gift of speaking in tongues.
All the gifts of inspiration are verbal, plenary inspiration meaning they are the actual words of God and without error.
Also Read: THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT 1: THE GIFTS OF REVELATION
The Gifts of Inspiration
- Prophecy.
- Speaking in Tongues.
- Interpretation of Tongues.
1. Prophecy
— Scope
The word “Prophecy” is coined from two Greek words: “Pro” [meaning “forth”] and “Phemi” [meaning “to speak”]. Based on this etymological background, prophecy can be inferred to be an accurate reference to events to come forth in the future and not an act of fortune-telling or prediction.
Theologically, prophecy is a message that has been communicated to a person [typically called a prophet or soothsayer] by a supernatural entity. These can be in the form of visions, divinations with interactions with a person, object or element of the cosmos.
By reason of God’s intrinsic ability to know the end from the beginning, this gift taps from that divine virtue and it is oftentimes called the “forth-telling” of God’s will, for God is the master of all fates, captain of all souls – meaning He doesn’t contextually predict all, he knows all.
— The interrelationship between Fate and Prophecy
Ordinarily, fate or kismet is thought of as a predetermined course of events beyond human control; the belief that “destiny” cannot be thwarted. This is however not fate but “fatalism” and it is not biblical. [Remarkable how the word “fate” appears nowhere in the Bible.] Through the story of creation, the Bible orientates us about the principle of choice, confirming the invalidity of fate.
The Fall of Man, engendered by a wrong choice, was never a predetermined event in which Adam and Eve were helpless victims to a Puppet-Master God, thus affirming that God does not impose destinies on people but gives them the choices to follow the path he would love them to tread. He is an understanding and just diety. So when the Bible speaks of destinies, it refers to the destiny people have brought upon themselves.
God in his divine providence has a great plan of glory for every believer. The office of prophecy is the ministry that unveils the blueprint of this plan per time per season to avoid derailing from God’s agenda. Operating in the gift of prophecy, thus not only encompasses prophecies but the gifts of Word of Knowledge and Word of Wisdom in knowing God’s preplanned future for His people.
— Misconceptions
A common misconception about the Gift of Prophecy is that it means having the ability to preach or perform miracles, whereas that is very distinctly different. Preaching comes from the Greek word “Kerysso” meaning “to herald, announce, publish, tell, or proclaim the gospel.” While ”Prophecy” in Greek from the root words “Pro” [meaning “forth”] and “Phemi” [to “tell”, “to speak”] means “Propheteia” – that is the gift of interpreting the will of God.
Preaching is often a preplanned utterance but prophecy is a spontaneous utterance of a foreseeable future. Both are inspired gifts but the delivery is very different.
Some of the biblical manifestations of these gifts can be attributed to Eldad and Medad, as illustrated in the following verses:
But there remained two of the men in the camp, the name of the one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad: and the spirit rested upon them; and they were of them that were written, but went not out unto the tabernacle: and they prophesied in the camp,
Numbers 11:26 KJV
Zacharias,
And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,
Luke 1:67 KJV
Agabus,
And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the world: which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar.
Acts 11:28 KJV
Amongst many others.
— Significance
This gift is significant in our churches today for the edification of God’s people as Paul explains in 1 Corinthians 14:3-4 – But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church. This gift also helps the church to avert foreseeable evils in the future and stay aligned on God’s agenda. The fulfilment of God’s prophecies often brings joy, gladness and blessings.
2. Speaking in Tongues
— Scope
The Holy Spirit dispensation in the Upper room on the day of Pentecost in the Book of Acts was first manifested through Peter and the other disciples by their spontaneous and unlearned ability to speak in other tongues. This is often called The Outpouring.
And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Acts 2:4 KJV
This was in fulfilment of Jesus’ promise before his ascension in Mark 16:17 – And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues. We can thus infer that speaking in tongues is the initial evidence of the Holy Spirit, but it is neither the least nor the greatest.
Speaking in Tongues is also known as Glossolalia and is a compound of the Greek words ‘gloss’ meaning tongue or language and ‘laleō’ meaning ‘to speak, talk, chat, prattle or make a sound.’ These tongues are also believed to be the language of the heavenly, the dialect by which believers can communicate with God in prayer or worship.
— Misconceptions
One of the common misconceptions about speaking in tongues is that you are not saved or have the Holy Spirit unless you can speak in tongues. This is an invalid and unscriptural excess. Speaking in Tongues is a full package that comes with the infilling of the Holy Spirit and not separately, which means that your inability to speak in tongues does not mean you do not have the Holy Spirit inside of you; you have the potential already, it just has not been activated. Thus, you can be baptized with the Holy Spirit but you cannot be baptized to speak in tongues. It is engineered by the Holy Spirit that works in you.
Another misconception about speaking in tongues is that it is not for everybody. This is false since the Holy Spirit is for everyone, therefore this gift is for everyone.
Another misconception is that speaking in tongues is a learned gift. It is not, it is a spontaneous emission from the Holy Spirit that works in a Man.
— Significance
This gift is significant today for the edification of ourselves as Paul explains in 1 Corinthians 14:4 – “He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.”
One can edify himself, build up and strengthen his soul by speaking in tongues. 1 Corinthians 12:7 – “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.“
Tongues are also signs to unbelievers, as on the day of Pentecost. 1 Corinthians 14: 22 – “Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe.“
3. Interpretation of Tongues
— Scope
To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues.
1 Corinthians 12:10 KJV
Saddled with the ministry of speaking of tongues comes the interpretation of tongues to help believers understand and interpret the messages enveloped in tongues.
The interpretation of tongues can be defined as a supernatural ability endowed by the Holy Spirit in a believer to understand the tongues and interpret them. It is a deciphering gift.
This gift cannot operate without the operation of tongues and it requires no prior knowledge of the meaning of tongues. It is also God-induced understanding.
— Significance
The main purpose of the gift of interpretation of tongues is to make the tongues understandable to the hearers so that the individual and the church may be edified by it.
I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.
1 Corinthians 14:5 KJV
