Bible Study: What Are the Spiritual Gifts? Understanding 1 Corinthians 12–14 in the Assemblies of God

If you have ever sat in a church service and felt a sudden pull to pray for someone, or if you’ve witnessed a moment of profound spiritual insight that seemed to change the room, you have likely encountered the work of the Holy Spirit through spiritual gifts. But for many, these gifts remain a mystery, something reserved for "special" people or distant Bible times.

What are the spiritual gifts described in the Bible? Spiritual gifts are supernatural empowerments given by the Holy Spirit to every believer for the purpose of building up the Church, serving the community, and glorifying God. In the Assemblies of God, we believe all New Testament gifts remain active, necessary, and vital for the Church today.

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A Foundation of Grace and Power

In the Assemblies of God, our understanding of the Christian life is rooted in the "Pentecostal" experience, the belief that the same Holy Spirit who empowered the early disciples in the Book of Acts is still empowering us today. We are not a people living on the memory of a past move of God; we are a community participating in the current move of God.

Central to this experience is 1 Corinthians chapters 12, 13, and 14. These three chapters serve as the "Master Manual" for how a Spirit-filled church should function. Paul writes these words to a church that was full of zeal but lacked order. His goal wasn't to quench their fire, but to ensure their fire actually warmed the room instead of burning it down.

Definition Block: Spiritual Gifts Spiritual Gifts (from the Greek charismata) are divine enablements or "grace-endowments" distributed by the Holy Spirit to individuals within the Body of Christ. They are not natural talents or personality traits, but supernatural manifestations intended to fulfill God's mission on earth and strengthen the faith of others.

1 Corinthians 12: One Spirit, Many Gifts

Paul begins by reminding us that while there are many different gifts, there is only one Source. "To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good" (1 Corinthians 12:7). This is a crucial starting point: you do not have a gift for your own status. You have a gift so that the person sitting next to you can be strengthened.

In verses 8 through 10, Paul lists nine specific manifestations. These are often categorized as gifts of revelation, gifts of power, and gifts of utterance.

The Nine Spiritual Gifts (1 Cor 12:8–10)

Gift	Scripture Reference	Purpose
Word of Wisdom	1 Cor 12:8	A supernatural insight or divine perspective on a specific situation or decision.
Word of Knowledge	1 Cor 12:8	Revelation of a fact or piece of information that could not be known by natural means.
Faith	1 Cor 12:9	A special surge of confidence in God’s power to accomplish the impossible in a specific moment.
Gifts of Healing	1 Cor 12:9	Supernatural restoration of health, physically or emotionally, through the power of the Spirit.
Working of Miracles	1 Cor 12:10	Divine intervention that alters the natural course of events (e.g., deliverance or provision).
Prophecy	1 Cor 12:10	A divinely inspired message of encouragement, comfort, or strengthening for the church.
Discerning of Spirits	1 Cor 12:10	The ability to distinguish between the Holy Spirit, demonic spirits, or the human spirit.
Kinds of Tongues	1 Cor 12:10	Speaking in a language not learned by the speaker, used as a sign or for public edification.
Interpretation of Tongues	1 Cor 12:10	Giving the meaning of a public message in tongues so the whole church is built up.

In the Assemblies of God, we believe these gifts are distributed as the Spirit wills. You don't "own" a gift; you "host" a gift for a moment to serve someone else.

1 Corinthians 13: The More Excellent Way

If chapter 12 is the "What" and chapter 14 is the "How," then chapter 13 is the "Why."

It is easy to get caught up in the "spectacular" nature of spiritual gifts. We might desire the power of miracles or the mystery of tongues. But Paul stops the conversation mid-stream to issue a warning: If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal (1 Corinthians 13:1).

In the 901 and around the world, our witness is not found in how loud we speak in tongues, but in how well we love our neighbors. Love is the "more excellent way." It is the filter through which every spiritual gift must pass. If a word of prophecy is given without love, it loses its redemptive power. If a gift of healing is exercised with pride, it misses the heart of the Father.

Love is not a gift; it is a fruit. Gifts are what we do; love is who we are in Christ. We believe that a healthy Pentecostal church is one where the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) and the gifts of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12) walk hand-in-hand.

1 Corinthians 14: Order in the House of God

Chapter 14 is where Paul provides practical regulations for the public gathering. In many Pentecostal circles, this is where we discuss the difference between "devotional tongues" and the "gift of tongues."

1. Prophecy is Prioritized: Paul encourages the church to "eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy" (1 Cor 14:1). Why? Because prophecy is intelligible. It speaks to people for their "strengthening, encouragement and comfort" (v. 3).

2. The Gift of Tongues with Interpretation: Paul doesn't forbid tongues in the service, but he requires an interpreter. If there is no interpreter, the person should speak to themselves and to God (v. 28). This ensures the "common good" mentioned in chapter 12 is met.

3. Decency and Order: The famous closing of this section is: "But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way" (1 Cor 14:40). God is not the author of confusion. In our Memphis services and through Boundless Online Church, we seek to create space for the Spirit to move spontaneously, but always within the guardrails of Scripture.

Are the Gifts Still for Today?

A common question we receive is: Didn't these gifts stop once the Bible was finished?

This view is called "cessationism." However, the Assemblies of God is "continuationist." We believe that 1 Corinthians 13:8–10 tells us gifts will only cease when "completeness comes", referring to the return of Christ and the new heaven and earth. As long as we are still in a world that needs healing, encouragement, and supernatural wisdom, the Spirit will continue to provide the gifts necessary to get the job done.

Whether you are in Cordova, TN, or joining us from the other side of the globe, the Holy Spirit wants to empower you. You are a member of the Body of Christ, and you have a unique function that no one else can fulfill.

Your Next Step: Discovering Your Gift

Understanding spiritual gifts in your head is one thing; seeing them work through your hands is another. We want to help you take that next step.

Want to go deeper? We invite you to join a small group to discover your unique spiritual gifts and how to use them to serve others. We also have a dedicated Spiritual Gifts Study Guide available to help you walk through these scriptures more personally.

We'd love to connect with you. Visit www.boundlessonlinechurch.org to join our community from anywhere, or if you're in the Memphis area, find us at www.famemphis.org.

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