"Lordship and Wisdom in Using the Gifts" Kathryn Kuhlman Gifts of the Spirit talk 9 of 13

This is what you've been waiting for. Some more of that old -fashioned Missouri cornbread. Oh, and it was good for us when we were a kid. Mmm. Especially when Mama put some good old -fashioned molasses on it. That was good eating, I'll tell you. And so... Maybe we'll put a little molasses on the old -fashioned cornbread today. We are having another one of those good heart -to -heart talks regarding the gifts of the Spirit. And I do pray that as I am bringing this series of messages that you're sitting there with open hearts and open minds, open to the Spirit. And remember again, if anything that I say is contrary, to the Word of God. I want you to be sure and tell me. I put out that challenge to you. You may be a minister of the gospel, a student of theology. If you had been taught one thing and the Bible says another, the Bible is right. If you're a professor in the seminary where you attended, taught you one thing, and the Bible says another, the Bible is right. I shall never forget Dr. Jarman when he went to the University of Chicago and within six months had lost his simple faith in the things of God, in the Word of God, because of a professor. who taught him that the Bible did not mean what it said. And for 52 years, Dr. Jarman was so influenced that he stood behind the pulpit, never having been born again, never having preached the gospel of salvation. Who was wrong? The one who taught. haught this young man. For through the ages, it has been the word of God that ye must be born again. And one of these days, you and I are going to be judged not from what we have been taught, not from what some seminary has taught. but from the holy word of God. And I'm a stickler for the Bible. I stay with the Bible. And that which I'm bringing you, I am bringing from God's holy word. So I ask you again, regardless of what your preconceived ideas have been, what you've been taught, what you have believed up until now, will you please just sit there with open hearts and open minds and let the Holy Spirit be your teacher. He'll never teach you falsely. He'll never be in error in his teaching. Know that. Well, all right, now regarding the gifts of the Spirit. And as I told you before, that the gifts of the Spirit... are given for a very definite purpose. Please know that. Never forget it. There's some things that are vitally important. And had men and women had questions, learned this years ago, much reproach would not have been brought on this wonderful gift that God has for his children. Much of this reproach that has been brought upon the Holy Spirit would not have been had we had good, sound teaching and had Christians realized that the gifts of the Spirit are given for a very definite purpose. And that purpose is the edification of the church and for the proclamation of the... That definitely is the purpose of the gifts of the Spirit. And if you can show me from the Word of God that the Spirit has added anything to this His purpose in the giving of the gift, please tell me. I can find nothing further than the Word of God. always it's made very clear that the gift of the Spirit is given for the proclamation of the gospel. There's nothing more important to God than the salvation of lost souls. There's nothing more important to the Lord Jesus Christ, so important that he gave his own life for it. Nothing is more important to the Holy Spirit. then the salvation of souls, the proclamation of the gospel, and then the edification of the saints, the edification of the church. Also remember, it is by the Holy Spirit that we recognize the Lordship. of Jesus Christ. We are always, under all circumstances, called upon to recognize His absolute Lordship, absolute authority over our lives, our actions, our thoughts. Never forget, in all things, even in the gifts of the Spirit, After the Holy Spirit has given a child of the king a gift, a precious gift, always remember his lordship, his absolute authority in the use of that gift. We are his servants. He is our Lord. I pray the Holy Spirit will indelibly write what I had just said on your hearts and minds that you will never forget it. Never. Then you'll remember that I brought to your attention the fact that the entire Trinity is in connection with the giving and the using of the gifts. I think I left you in one of our heart -to -heart talks, giving you the verses as they are given in the 12th chapter of 1 Corinthians. In verse 4, we have the Holy Spirit. In verse 5, we have the Lord Jesus Christ. And in verse 6, God the Father. We read in verse 4, Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. That's the Holy Spirit. The one Holy Spirit manifests himself through the Church of God in different ways. We try to set a pattern. We try to say it's thus and so, and we try to control things, set a format. You can't do it. You cannot do it. No, ma 'am. The Holy Spirit manifests himself in different ways in the church. We do not all have the same gift. We're not all constituted alike, even from the human intellectual standpoint. And when it comes to spiritual things, we do not all have the same ministry committed to us. I know I'd like to be like somebody else. But you know, if I tried, To be like somebody else, I'd fall flat. I couldn't do it. Oh, my goodness on life. It wouldn't be me, you know? And it wouldn't be long before I'd find myself being a hypocrite because I'm trying to be like somebody else. And whatever you do, don't try to be like Kathryn Kuhlman. If you do, you'll fall flat because I'm me. He made me like I am. Oh, there's a lot of things about myself that I can hardly stand. If I was making myself, I would have changed so many things. I wouldn't be so loud. Oh, there are a lot of things about myself I would change. Oh, but he made me like that. I have such trouble with my long legs. I can't sit gracefully, and I don't know what to do with them. I like to put them under me, but he made them wrong like that. I can't help it, and if I wore a robe, it wouldn't be me. So you see, I've got my problems too, but don't try to be like me. We just must be ourselves. And when he gives gifts, he knows exactly what he's doing. He gives us the gift that's most suited. When he calls us, he puts us in the place that is best suited for us and where he can use us. Now, I don't think I'd be a very good missionary. I just don't think I would. And yet, I have seen Gene Martin... Out on the mission fields, and I have stood amazed as God has used that man in such a marvelous way. I don't fit in Gene Martin's shoes, and he can't fit into mine, and yet we both have a definite call from God. We both love God with all of our hearts. God is using both lives. It's like that. Now, there are diversities of gifts, the Word of God says, but it's the same Spirit, the same Holy Spirit. There are diversities of administrations, but it's the same Lord. The gift of the manifestation are all of the Spirit of God within the believer. And when it comes to using those gifts, all must be in subjection to the lordship of Christ. If, for instance, God has given me some particular gift, I'm not to use that gift whenever I think I see fit. Now, I'm going to say something in the next... few minutes, that is vitally important. And please, whether you are among those who still covet a gift, or whether you are among those who have received a gift or gifts of the Spirit, please sit there and let the Holy Spirit be your teacher. Maybe you have been misappropriating. Maybe you have been misusing that which is so precious and that which has been given to you. God has given you a particular gift. You are not to use that gift just any old time you want. If God has given me a particular gift, I'm not to use that gift whenever and as I think fit, but only in subjection to the Lord Jesus Christ himself. It is to be controlled by the Spirit and under the subjection of the Lord Jesus Christ because He is still Lord of Lords. I must recognize His Lordship in exercising that gift which He has given unto me. I'll just pause just a minute while you take a deep breath. You see, that is one thing that has brought on so much fanaticism. There are those who have honestly made a nuisance of themselves. They have been so unwise. You see, now, Miss Cooman, you're on dangerous ground. I am never on dangerous ground when my ground is the word of God. You might have the most marked gift of God. You may have the greatest gift that God has given to an individual. But that does not mean that you are at liberty to use it. whenever you will. All right, I'll give you the scripture. Paul understood it. Paul was very careful. He understood it perfectly. He knew what he was talking about. Read it, it's there, 1 Corinthians, the 14th chapter, the 32nd verse. The spirits of the... prophets are subject to the prophets. And if any are gifted by God, they're to hold that gift in subjection to the Lord Jesus Christ and not make spiritual nuisance of themselves. Our blessed Lord's authority must be recognized. in the use of gifts. I've seen people, and I would not say, oh, God forbid that I should ever rebuke them or say to them, that is not a gift of the Spirit. You do not have the gift of the Spirit. Who am I to judge? It's just as bad to sit on a little judgment seat and be little judges. Who am I to say whether or not that which you have is a gift of the Spirit? Who am I to say whether or not you've been filled with the Spirit? Who am I to judge? God forbid! But I will say that if you have been given a particular gift of the Spirit, you have been very unwise in the use of that precious gift. Along with that gift, there must be divine wisdom, Holy Ghost wisdom in the exercising of that gift. I don't care what it is. I don't care whether it's the gift of the word of knowledge. I don't care whether it's the gift of the word of wisdom. I don't care whether it's the gift of prophecy, the gift of miracles, the gift of faith, the gift of healing, the gift of tongues, the interpretation of tongues. I don't care what gift God has given you. You must use... divine wisdom in the use of that gift. The spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets and all gifts are given that Christ may be exalted and in that way others are blessed. If God has given you a gift, be sure that it's used under the lordship and the guidance and wisdom of the Lord himself. God bless you.