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Imparting Spiritual Gifts Part II By Mel C. Montgomery Bible Examples of Receiving By Association In Part I we looked at what occurred between Moses and Joshua, and noticed that "the Spirit" was already in Joshua before Moses laid his hands on him. How did the Spirit of Wisdom come into Joshua? I believe it came by association. Joshua humbled himself and sat under Moses' leadership and instruction for years. He had personally witnessed the plagues called down upon Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, the Pillar of Cloud and Fire, the manna from Heaven, and other outstanding miracles. Then through that process of association, Joshua, like many ministers under the Goodwins, began to be used by God in the same Spirit as his leader walked in. Another example from the life of Moses shows people receiving the same prophetic anointing by association. In the wilderness, the demands of judging every problem by himself became too much. Moses cried out to the Lord for help. And we pick up the story from there: "And the LORD said unto Moses, Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people, and officers over them; and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation, that they may stand there with thee. And I will come down and talk with thee there: and I will take of the spirit which is upon thee, and will put it upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone. . . And Moses went out, and told the people the words of the LORD, and gathered the seventy men of the elders of the people, and set them round about the tabernacle. And the LORD came down in a cloud, and spake unto him, and took of the spirit that was upon him, and gave it unto the seventy elders: and it came to pass, that, when the spirit rested upon them, they prophesied, and did not cease. "--Numbers 11:16-25. Moses laid his hands on none of them. It is clear that God alone took of the anointing that was on Moses and put it upon the elders. We also looked at the example of Elijah and Elisha. Did the anointing pass from Elijah to Elisha because of the one time event of seeing Elijah caught up in the whirlwind? Or did it pass because through years of association with Elijah, Elisha had conformed more and more to Elijah's example, and God sovereignly chose to put the anointing of Elijah on Elisha? I believe that as with Moses and Joshua, the anointing passed from Elijah to Elisha by association, not through physical contact or a one time event like the laying on of hands. Follow with me now into some New Testament examples which demonstrate the principle of receiving by association. New Testament Examples Several incidents in the New Testament are frequently used to back up the idea that spiritual gifts can be imparted from one Christian to another. The first we will look at is the apointing of the seven deacons. In the early church, their efforts to feed destitute widows had grown large enough to need additional supervision. The Apostles told the people: "Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business."--Acts 6:3. They chose seven men: "Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them."--Acts 6:6. This laying on of hands, was it an impartation, or just a public endorsement? If it was an impartation of some sort, then what was imparted? The men were already "full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom." What more would they need in the area of spiritual gifts to empower them to pass out food to widows? They wouldn't need the gift of prophecy, healing, or miracles, would they? Yet we use this incident to lay hands on person after person after person trying to impart to them some spiritual gift. Of the seven, Phillip and Stephen were the only ones that developed later into supernatural giftings or ministries. Did they do so by the Apostles laying their hands on them? Or did they receive their giftings and anointings from God and learn to recognize the unction by watching as the Apostles moved in spiritual operations? Another example that is regularly taken out of context is what happened between Paul and Timothy. Two scriptures in which Paul gives instructions to Timothy are commonly misrepresented. The first is: "Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind."--II Tim. 1:6,7. Notice Paul wrote about "the gift of God" which came into Timothy "by the putting on of my hands." He did not write, "stir up the gifts of the Spirit." What is the gift of God that comes through the laying on of hands? The baptism in the Holy Spirit. In his conversation with the woman at the well in John 4:10, it is clear that Jesus was referring to the Holy Spirit when he spoke of "the gift of God." Additionally, when Simon the Sorceror tried to buy from the Apostles the ability to impart the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands, Peter said: ". . . Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money."--Acts 8:20. Paul was instructing Timothy to stir up the Holy Spirit within him. This is done by immersing yourself in the scriptures, in prayer, in worship, by stirring up your faith in God, and by serving others. No one can stir up a spiritual gift. I can't say, "Well, I would like to prophesy now, so I think I will stir up the gift of prophecy." It doesn't work that way. But I can stir up the Holy Spirit within me by bold preaching and standing on the word, by praise, and by fervent prayer. The Holy Spirit frequently manifests His gifts through me when I stir Him up within me with my faith and passion for Jesus Christ. The second scripture that is taken out of context also concerns the mentoring relationship between Paul and Timothy: "Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all."--I Tim 4:13-15. Timothy spiritually matured under Paul's oversight, but at the time of these letters he remained a young preacher facing many daunting challenges. This was a spiritual father speaking to his spiritual son, an experienced preacher telling a young preacher, "Hey son! You've got it. You've got the goods. You've got what it takes to succeed in this ministry assignment. Now, here's how you do it. . . " This was a letter encouraging and confirming Timothy in what God had called him to do. Throughout the entire fourth chapter of First Timothy, Paul is writing to Timothy about Timothy's preaching and teaching ministry. He writes of teaching, sound doctrine, exhorting, and commanding. He was stirring up some boldness in Timothy. What was given to Timothy "by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery"? A public confirmation of the ministry gift that was already inside of Timothy. Paul was emphasizing the validity of Timothy's ministry, in order to strengthen him. The final scripture we will look at that is used to justify laying hands on people in an attempt to impart a gift of the Spirit is drawn from Paul's letter to the Christians at Rome: "Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you. For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established; That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me."--Romans 1:10-12. I believe the last sentence explains what Paul meant by "impart to you some spiritual gift . . . that is . . . the mutual faith both of you and me." I don't believe Paul was promising in advance to come to Rome and pass out spiritual gifts to strangers. I believe he was speaking of expecting to come to Rome and bless them with the gift of his faith and knowledge of God, and be blessed in return by their faith. A Final Look at Receiving by Association I've seen this take place in my own ministry in the same way spiritual gifts were imparted to me. I received because God chose to impart them to me, and they came alive in me as I sat under Sister Goodwin's instruction and observed those gifts flow through her for years. In turn, I've had many instances in which I would be teaching on spiritual gifts, particularly on the gift of tongues and interpretation, and there would be an impartation. Not from me to the listeners, but from God to them. I've seen a number of instances in which people have humbled themselves, listened closely to my teachings on spiritual gifts, accepted those teachings fully--in the same way I and others did with Sister Goodwin--and then within a short period of time they will suddenly begin speaking messages in tongues, and interpreting them. This is not because I taught them how to speak messages in tongues. Such can not be taught. Nor is this because they have begun to mimick me. Mimickery is never honored by the Holy Ghost's power. Such an impartation comes by instruction in what the Word clearly teaches and through association by them seeing those gifts flow through me, with or without me laying hands on them. There are times also in which I will recognize that a gift has come on a person, and they are soon to be used in it. One such example occurred in a service some years back. I was not ministering in the service. I was just visiting the service of a friend who was used prolifically in the prophet's ministry. The sermon had ended, and Brother John--let's call him--was ministering to individuals. He was pointing to this person and that person and telling them things under the unction of the Spirit. I was sitting in an aisle seat, and across the aisle from me and a row or two forward sat a man. My attention was drawn to him. He was wearing a white dress shirt, and had blonde hair. I knew nothing about this man. However, as I looked at him, I saw a gold mist floating around his eyes. I saw this with my eyes open, however this wasn't a physical manifestation. I was seeing in the natural and in the Spirit at the same time. In my spirit, for some reason I knew that this mist in front of his eyes indicated that God was going to begin using him in the gift of prophecy. At just that moment, my prophet friend pointed to the man and asked him to stand up. He stood up, and Brother John asked him, "Are you ever used in the gift of prophecy?" The man replied, "Yes. I'm a pastor over in [a nearby town]." Then Brother John told him, "Well, you are going to start being used alot more in the gift of prophecy." He laid his hands on the man. The man sat down, and Brother John went on to minister to others. At a minister's fellowship the next day, I pulled Brother John aside and said, "Just before you pointed out that man, I saw a gold mist floating around his eyes and I somehow knew that God was going to begin using him more in the gift of prophecy." Brother John looked a little startled and replied, "You saw the mist too?" I told him, "Yes." He said, "Well that's what I saw--a gold mist around his eyes." Brother John imparted nothing to the man. He just saw the gift at work, and laid his hands on him in faith, and moved on. This has happened with me at other times also over the years. I'll see a person, and will suddenly know a gift that God is beginning to use them in. What do I tell them? Usually, nothing. Many times if you tell someone that God is about to use them in a gift, without allowing God to reveal it to them Himself and develop it Himself according to His timing, you will ruin the whole thing. If told prematurely, some people get puffed up, and more harm is done than good. |
This is why I am grieved beyond words when I see these services in which some so-called prophet is lining people up, laying hands on every one and saying "God wants to use you in the gift of prophecy." And "God is calling you to be an apostle. . ." ". . . prophet. . . " ". . . healing evangelist. . ." whatever. Even if the "prophet" is discerning this correctly--which most of the ones I've seen are not--it does incalculable damage to blurt this out to people. God will reveal these things to them directly Himself when He believes they are ready to know it. He doesn't need your help or mine. The Goodwins exercised great wisdom in this area. I had known Sister Goodwin for several years before she ever talked to me about what she knew God had called me to do. She eventually told me, "I've known since I first met you that God was going to give you a strong ministry, an anointed ministry. But I couldn't tell you this when I first met you because you would have been lifted up in pride. . . But I can tell you now. . . " Then she went ahead and told me things that have continued to slowly unfold in the 15+ years that have passed since that conversation. Many times the best thing you can do is just shut your mouth and let God do the work in His way and timing. Not long ago, I saw the Spirit of Prophecy beginning to move on a man in a church where I had been invited to minister. I said nothing to him. But later I pointed the man out to his pastor and told him, "Keep your eye on that one. God is beginning to move on him in spiritual gifts. You'll see it develop before much longer. Be sure to encourage him, and to help him to understand how to flow in that within the limitations of scripture and within the boundaries you set." The pastor--which is no surprise to me--said, "I know it. I see that too. I'll keep my eye on him and help him." You don't have to be a prophet to discern these things about others. Pastors see many more things than some people think they do. My friends, the nine gifts of the Holy Spirit come directly from God only and at His choosing. They develop best and to the fullest as individuals observe those same gifts operating through their leadership. |
If you desire to be used of God in spiritual gifts, then go to God about the matter. Humble yourself. Let Him know you are available for Him to use, and let Him also know that you will give Him all the Glory for any gift He manifests through you. Then trust Him to know what is best. He will make the decision, and let you know what His decision is, over time. As to the next step of developing in gifts through association and by example, I can't give you a one-size-fits-all answer. If you are unchurched, find a church where genuine spiritual gifts are in operation, or where they are deeply and intensely desired. In your heart, you know when the gifts are real and when they aren't. If all the prophecies you hear in a church sound pretty much alike and interchangeable, it is usually not real. If you see the same click of people always prophesying the same prophecies over the same people, it is not real. Observe, then judge and discern the matter for yourself. Have an active prayer life and seek God's direction as to where to go. There are many pastors out there that intensely desire a greater move of the Spirit in their church. There are others, here and there, that are already flowing in a genuine move of the Spirit and would welcome you and others that desire to be used of God. Go out and find them. And don't let the size of the church fool you. Sometimes small to medium-sized churches are where God is moving the strongest. If you are already attending a church, then go to your pastor and ask him about spiritual gifts. Tell him of your desire to be used of God. Does he teach on spiritual gifts and flow in them? If not, does he bring in ministers on a fairly regular basis who can teach and flow in them? If the gifts are desired and taught, and time and opportunities are given to congregation members to flow in spiritual gifts, then you are in the probably in the right place. Find out the pastor's vision. If his vision includes the desire to see church members also used by the Spirit, then you are in the right place. I've seen a surprising number of "Spirit-filled" churches in which speaking in tongues is nearly unknown, and few people have even received the baptism in the Holy Spirit. I've seen other "Charismatic" churches that really don't want the moving of the Spirit. They are extremely evangelistically-oriented. They just want to get souls saved, and leave everyone in a state of spiritual babyhood. In such churches, seeking to be used in spiritual gifts is pointless because the Holy Spirit really doesn't fit into the church's vision. Isn't that sad to say? It's true though. In such churches, you'll have to leave and seek the moving of the Holy Spirit elsewhere. Don't try to change the vision of the church and pastor. Fit into their vision, or leave in a courteous manner. Don't just blast them because their vision is not your vision, and write them an ugly letter. While you are seeking God's direction or confirmation concerning which church to go to that has these gifts in operation or that desire them and are seeking them intensely, make full use of the resources on this website. Read my articles, particularly the ones on the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues, and prophetic ministry. I write the same things I would personally speak to you if we were to have one-to-one conversation. I share what I've learned through years of being used by the Holy Spirit. Listen also to the recordings we feature on this site, particularly the ones by the Goodwins. All of the Goodwins' recordings have numerous manifestations of the utterance and revelation gifts. Listen to these and you'll come into a greater understanding of the flow of these gifts, and the appropriate way in which to yield to them. If you are unchurched, when you visit a church that claims to be moving in the power of the Spirit, find out what materials and leaders that church's leaders learned from. Find out whose materials they recommend. If they learned from and recommend the materials of Kenneth Hagin, Howard Carter, Lester Sumrall, Ed Dufresne, Bobbie Jean Merck, Dick Mills, David Du Plessis, Christ For The Nations, and others of that group, then I believe that ministry will have a good chance of being scripturally sound and operating in genuine spiritual gifts. There has always been controversy in Spirit-filled circles over the impartation and proper exercising of spiritual gifts. A major split occurred among Pentecostals when the Latter Rain Movement arose in the 1940's and 1950's. A couple of the issues that parted friends and long-time ministry associates is whether spiritual gifts can be imparted through the laying on of hands, and how closely to judge spiritual manifestations. Good people, fine ministers, settled into one camp or the other. Those who separated themselves from the Latter Rain Movement believed that parts of it were genuinely from God, and acknowledged that good people had embraced this move, but believed that some teachings were taken too far, causing confusion. I see much of this same controversy has re-emerged in our Charismatic and prophetic churches today. Some continue to believe that spiritual gifts can be imparted through the laying on of hands, and I respect their beliefs, I just can't find scriptural proof for that. Many also exercise spiritual gifts in a very loose way, with little or no judging or oversight, which I believe Scripture expressly forbids. Numerous Christians today also grossly overemphasize the prophet's ministry and personal prophecy, and this I believe does more harm than good. I respect ministers who believe along this line. I have no axe to grind against them. They have to follow their conscience, and I have to follow mine. Spiritual gifts are precious, and relatively rare. There are imparted only by the Lord. They can develop in isolation, but develop best under the oversight of seasoned and wise leaders. Many sincere Christians fall into various pitfalls and errors as they seek to be used of God in spiritual gifts. Don't be one of them. Stick with what the scriptures clearly teach. Use common sense. Be honest. Judge the fruit. Prove all things. Hold fast to that which is good. Copyright 2007. Mel C. Montgomery. All rights reserved. Article may be copied and shared with others as long as it is done so without charge, in entirety, and if attribution is given.
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