Gifts

This is one of the most important, yet misunderstood subjects of our generation. There are several views on the "Gifts Of The-Holy-Spirit/{Ruach HaKodesh}" around today...

Those who feel they've all passed away with the end of the Apostolic age and with the close of the Canon of Scripture*(1); and those who feel they are all still in operation, since: "the Gifts and calling of God are without repentance". Those who feel the only gift still in operation is healing; and those who feel that the vocal-gifts are gone but the other gifts are still in operation. Those who feel that since they are passed away: all supposed manifestations are either from the imagination, or perhaps from satan; and those who feel that even though the gifts are all truly in operation, all too often: some people think it is YHVH speaking when it is only their soul, or else some people are faking things to rob money or gain power, and sometimes some people are being deceived by a demon. Those that think just about anything goes and we're under grace so don't worry if you say something false - just keep trying till you get it right - {NOTE/qualified: Verses those Believers who say if you discover you are wrong - don't give up! - but stop trying to get it right in yourself by your own efforts, and instead seek YHVH with your whole heart and Ruach HaKodesh YHVH will be given to you - and He will cause you to be "right".}; and those people that are charismatic - but very cautious, saying: false prophets in our day is just as serious of a matter as it was in Old(er) Testament times*(2), and so we must be very careful to "try the spirits whether they are of God" [1Jn.4:1]

*(1)NOTE: This is from those who say: the "perfect" has come - which they believe to be the New Covenant Scriptures when They were completed, and use the following Scripture to attempt to justify their stance that the "vocal Gifts" have ceased...

1Cor.13:8-12
8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

...Yet those who say the "vocalGifts" have ceased ignore both the fact that it is the New Covenant Itself
that gives us many many instructions and exhortations to walk in the Gifts of Ruach HaKodesh; as well as the fact that the other parts of these verses don't agree with their premise. Has "knowledge ceased"?, do we now know even as we are known by YHVH?, has all prophecy been fulfilled? - I'd say common sense and observation would say NO! Rather: prophecy ceases in the 1000 year Reign of King Messiah Yeshua, we shall then know even as we are known, and in that Day knowledge "in part" shall vanish away, as we read in...

Hebrews 8:11
11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know Me, from the least to the greatest.

And again...

Zech.13:1-3
1 In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness.
2 And it shall come to pass in that day, saith YHVH of hosts, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall no more be remembered: and also I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land.
3 And it shall come to pass, that when any shall yet prophesy, then his father and his mother that begat him shall say unto him, Thou shalt not live; for thou speakest lies in the name of YHVH: and his father and
his mother that begat him shall thrust him through when he prophesieth.

...Prophecy ends when Messiah comes back and rules from Yerushalayim, it is NOT now vanished or done away with - there still is much to come to pass. Neither has our need to engage in Spiritual warfare diminished, in fact: our need to walk in the fullness of The Ruach/Spirit of YHVH is increasing as times wax worse and worse. Brethren, let's not be in fear because there are false manifestations and lying signs and wonders, and in so doing let the enemy, by our fear, quench the Holy Ruach/Spirit of YHVH from operating in and empowering from Above our lives! Rather let us seek Him with a pure heart, and allow Him to move IN HIS/YHVH's WILL in our lives completely and unhindered! Again - do not fear!, for Messiah Yeshua has given us this promise...

Luke11:9-13
9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.
10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
11 If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?
12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?
13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

*(2)NOTE: On speaking falsely from the soul, or from a false-spirit, - here is a good example from The Tanakh/Old(er) Covenant that illustrates this point...

Jer.28:1-17
1 And it came to pass the same year, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fourth year, and in the fifth month, that Hananiah the son of Azur the prophet, which was of Gibeon, spake unto me in the house of YHVH, in the presence of the priests and of all the people, saying,
2 Thus speaketh YHVH of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon.
3 Within two full years will I bring again into this place all the vessels of YHVH's house, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place, and carried them to Babylon:
4 And I will bring again to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, with all the captives of Judah, that went into Babylon, saith YHVH: for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon.
5 Then the prophet Jeremiah said unto the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests, and in the presence of all the people that stood in the house of YHVH,
6 Even the prophet Jeremiah said, Amen: YHVH do so: YHVH perform thy words which thou hast prophesied, to bring again the vessels of YHVH's house, and all that is carried away captive, from Babylon into this place.
7 Nevertheless hear thou now this word that I speak in thine ears, and in the ears of all the people;
8 The prophets that have been before me and before thee of old prophesied both against many countries, and against great kingdoms, of war, and of evil, and of pestilence.
9 The prophet which prophesieth of peace, when the word of the prophet shall come to pass, then shall the prophet be known, that YHVH hath truly sent him.
10 Then Hananiah the prophet took the yoke from off the prophet Jeremiah's neck, and brake it.
11 And Hananiah spake in the presence of all the people, saying, Thus saith YHVH; Even so will I break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from the neck of all nations within the space of two full years. And the prophet Jeremiah went his way.
12 Then the word of YHVH came unto Jeremiah the prophet, after that Hananiah the prophet had broken the yoke from off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, saying,
13 Go and tell Hananiah, saying, Thus saith YHVH; Thou hast broken the yokes of wood; but thou shalt make for them yokes of iron.
14 For thus saith YHVH of hosts, the God of Israel; I have put a yoke of iron upon the neck of all these nations, that they may serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and they shall serve him: and I have given him the beasts of the field also.
15 Then said the prophet Jeremiah unto Hananiah the prophet, Hear now, Hananiah; YHVH hath not sent thee; but thou makest this people to trust in a lie.
16 Therefore thus saith YHVH; Behold, I will cast thee from off the face of the earth: this year thou shalt die, because thou hast taught rebellion against YHVH.
17 So Hananiah the prophet died the same year in the seventh month.

...Notice in Verse 6 that Jeremiah said "Amen", and even "YHVH do so", even though the words the false prophet was speaking were NOT from YHVH. - But could be considered perhaps an "exhortation" of sorts, in that Jeremiah himself was saying this was something to be desired to come to pass - but it was NOT in the Will of YHVH to occur, and the false prophet had not spoken the Word of YHVH, but spoken either from his own soul/zeal - or from a false-spirit. Now, had this false prophet put a hand to his mouth and been silent,
that perhaps would have been that - had he heeded the True Prophecy of YHVH. But instead he rebelled and spoke "thus saith YHVH" again when YHVH had NOT spoken, and so YHVH spoke his death! Even though most of us have seen false-gifts, we need to pray and plead that YHVH remove and keep away the profane from the Temple - and we're the Temple of Ruach-HaKodesh/The-Holy-Spirit! Let us hold to Scripture where it says...

John10:1-5
1 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.
2 But he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
3 To him the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice: and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out.
4 And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him: for they know his voice.
5 And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.

...Let us KNOW His Voice, and to NEVER listen to the voice of another. Don't be like one who wants to see a "move" of the Ruach/Spirit - yet they don't "try the spirits whether they are of Elohim" [1John4:1]. - Rather be as one who so desires YHVH in their life that they will tarry and wait for Him ALONE! If: "my soul doth magnify" YHVH - well and good - but let us pray we don't allow our soul to try and exalt itself against or above the Ruach/Spirit - for the experience in the Holy-Place is greater than the Outer-Courtyard. The best way to
see what is counterfeit, is to first know what is True - and so let's learn this lesson the prophet learned...

1Kings19:11-13
11 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before YHVH. And, behold, YHVH passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before YHVH; but YHVH was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but YHVH was not in the earthquake:
12 And after the earthquake a fire; but YHVH was not in the fire: and after the fire a Still Small Voice.
13 And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave.

...Let us pray and seek to hear and obey the "Still Small Voice" of YHVH!

Here are some early historical and extra-Biblical accounts on this subject...

The "Didache", an instruction manual written by leaders of the Messianic Jewish movement, to the Gentile Congregations around the close of the first cent. AD/Ce has quite a bit to say on the gifts of the Spirit; examples:

DIDACHE 11."...And when he departs, let the Emissary receive nothing except bread, until he find shelter; but if he asks (for) money, he is a false prophet. And any Prophet, (when its truly known he is)-[NOTE below: approved and found true], speaking in the Ruach/Spirit you shall not try neither discern: - for every sin shall be forgiven, but this sin shall not be forgiven. Yet not everyone that speaks in the <S>pirit is a Prophet, but only if he has the ways of the L-rd. From his ways therefore the false prophet and the Prophet shall be recognized. {...} And every Prophet teaching the truth, if he does not what he teaches, is a false prophet. {...} And whosoever shall say in the "S"-pirit, give me silver or anything else, you shall not listen to him; but if he tells you to give on behalf of others that are in want, let no man judge him."

The following is taken from a public BBS computer post by
Donna D'iorio, (my thanks):

     "(Eusebius quoting first from the writings of Irenaeus,
130-200 AD): "Similarly, we hear many members of the Church
who have prophetic gifts and by the Spirit speak with all
kinds of tongues, and bring men's secret thoughts to light
for their own good, and expound the mysteries of God."
     Now Eusebuis' immediate comment on this statement by
Irenaeus: "This will suffice to show that DIVERSITY OF GIFTS
CONTINUED AMONG FIT PERSONS till the time I am speaking of."
     The above was quoted by Eusebius from Irenaeus' work
fighting against the false prophets of gnostic heresies,
"Refutation and Overthrow of Knowledge Falsely so Called".
     Says Eusebius of these writings: "...and in Book II of
the same work he makes it clear that right down to his own
time manifestations of divine and miraculous power had
continued in some churches." Again he quotes from Irenaeus:
     "So it is that in His name those who truly are His
disciples, having received grace from Him, put it to
effectual use for the benefit of their fellow men, in
proportion to the gift each one has received from Him. Some
drive out demons really and truly, so that often those
cleansed from evil spirits believe and become members of the
Church; some have fore-knowledge of the future, visions, and
prophetic utterances; others, by the laying-on of hands,
heal the sick and restore them to health; and before now, as
I said, dead men have actually been raised and have remained
with us for many years. In fact, it is impossible to
enumerate the gifts which throughout the world the Church
has received from God and in the name of Jesus Christ
crucified under Pontius Pilate, and every day puts to
effectual use for the benefit of the heathen, deceiving no
one and making profit out of no one: freely she received
from God, and freely she ministers."
     Eusebuis makes several mentions of the witness of true
on-going spiritual power in the Church after the death of
all the first-generation apostles, including one Quadratus
"eminent for a prophetic gift. He quotes and paraphrases
from the writings of Justin Martyr (65-100 AD) as to the
continuance of spiritual gifting through his day:
     "He also tells us that right up to his own time prophetic
gifts were a conspicuous feature of the Church."
     Then giving us the historical perspective of the time
period which false-prophetic heretics (during the period of
Marcus Aurelis' reign): "It was at that very time, in
Phyrgia, that Montanus, Alcibiades, Theodotus, and their
followers began to acquire a widespread reputation for
prophecy; FOR NUMEROUS OF THE MIRACULOUS GIFT
OF GOD, STILL OCCURRING IN VARIOUS CHURCHES,
led many to believe thatthese men TOO were prophets.
     I think Eusebuis hit the nail on the head when he saw a
connection with the waning of spiritual gifts in the body of
Christ with that of the straying from the doctrine which was
handed down by the first generation apostles. He paraphrases
Hegesipppus "to say that until then the Church had remained
a virgin, pure and uncorrupted, since those who were trying
to corrupt the wholesome standard of the saving message, if
such there were, lurked somewhere under the cover of
darkness. But when the sacred band of the apostles had in
various ways reached the end of their life, and the
generation of those privileged to listen with their own
ears to the divine wisdom had passed on, then godless error
began to take shape, through the deceit of false teachers,
who now that none of the apostles was left threw off the
mask and attempted to counter the preaching of the truth by
preaching the knowledge falsely so called."

I'll leave this with a closing thought... While it is true that Scripture says: "And these signs will follow those who believe..." [Mark 16:17a]; if your 'looking' for signs and wonders you are walking backward through life - (remember, they follow you.) Keep your eyes on Yeshua Messiah first; and then let what will follow
from YHVH -- follow!