Today, again, we're continuing to answer questions.
Oh, dear me. Really, I feel that in answering
these questions, I have preached sermon after
sermon. We've had an awful lot of theology wrapped
up in the answering of these questions. and I
pray that they would have been a real inspiration
to you. You will have learned much. Maybe in
more than one instance, your theology had to
change a little bit. But I repeat, if the question
has been answered according to the Word of God,
then accept it. If you can prove to me that God's
Word give something different, contrary to what
I have brought to you. I'm wrong. The Bible is
always right. Remember that. The 37th question.
Why do so few people have the gift of healing?
May I take the liberty, of reading what Paul
says in 1 Corinthians, the 12th chapter, regarding
the gifts of the Spirit. Let us not just take
one gift, the gift of healing. Let's get the
overall picture of what he is saying regarding
the gifts of the Spirit. Now concerning spiritual
gifts, brethren, and when he says brethren, we
know immediately that he's talking to the Christian,
to those who are spiritual. I would not have
you ignorant. The fourth verse. Now there are
diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There
are differences of administrations. but the same
Lord. And there are diversities of operations,
but it is the same God which worketh all in all.
But the manifestation of the Spirit is given
to every man to profit withal. For to one is
given by the Spirit the word of wisdom. To another,
the word of knowledge by the same spirit. To
another, faith by the same spirit. To another,
the gifts of healing by the same spirit. To another,
the working of miracles. To another, prophecy.
To another, discerning of spirits. To another,
diverse kinds of tongues. To another, the interpretation
of tongues. All these worketh that one and the
selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally
as he will. The importance of the gifts of the
Holy Spirit is to the essential functioning of
the Church of... Jesus Christ cannot be overestimated.
The gifts of the Holy Spirit are absolutely vitally
important. They are essential to the functioning
of the church. Without them, the church lacks
the spiritual equipment that's outlined in the
first epistle to the Corinthians, this twelfth
chapter that I've just read, which is so necessary
for an aggressive conflict with the powers of
darkness. She is also deprived of that edifying
enrichment derived from the manifestation of
the Holy Spirit's presence and power in her midst.
The Bible is full of God's supernatural dealings
with his people. The experience of regeneration,
whereby we become new creatures in Christ, is
supernatural. Christians also readily admit that
the devil is supernatural in his person, in his
power, in activities. And yet, the same Christians
are inclined to shrink. from the thought of a
supernatural baptism in the Holy Spirit with
supernatural signs attending it and the ensuing
supernatural gifts. I don't know why it is that
the average minister is so afraid of the supernatural
power of God. Supernatural manifestations. Supernatural
gifts. when the early church was founded on the
supernatural. And we need to get back again to
the supernatural. And wherever we find the presence
of the Holy Spirit, we'll always find the supernatural.
The Lord Jesus said, He that believeth on me,
the work... that I do shall he do also. And he
also promised, Ye shall receive power after that
the Holy Ghost is come upon you. But if we ignore
the gifts of the Holy Spirit, we despise the
heritage which is granted to us in Christ. And
we forget what the Apostle Paul exhorted in 1
Corinthians, the 12th chapter, and that first
verse. Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren,
I would not have you ignorant. Should any advance
the argument? that the gifts were bestowed merely
to assure in the present dispensation, and that
they were not for today. Let us quote the Apostle
Peter on the day of Pentecost, who said, The
promise is unto you, and to your children, and
to all that are afar off, even as many as the
Lord our God shall call. Looking down through
the telescope of time, he saw the day, the hour
in which we are living. And that's the reason
the promise of the Holy Spirit, the promise of
the supernatural manifestation of the Holy Spirit
was not limited to the early church. The promise
is unto you, those to whom he was speaking. and
to your children, the next generation, and to
all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord
our God shall call. And when we speak of the
Holy Spirit, when we speak of the power of the
Holy Spirit, when we speak of the gifts of the
Spirit, the supernatural, Remember, it's the
heritage of the church today. It's the heritage
of every Christian to enjoy the supernaturals.
If a person is called to be a son of God through
faith in Jesus Christ, that person is also, in
consequence, a prospect. recipient of the gifts
of the Holy Spirit. Is that simple? It's just
like that. And what does the Scripture say? Quote,
There are diversities of gifts, but the same
Spirit. The apostle is pointing out that although
the gifts are so different one from the other,
their origin or their source is the same. The
gifts of the Spirit are various manifestations
of the same Spirit. The Holy Spirit manifests
Himself in different and distinctive ways. The
gifts function differently in each individual.
Take, for example, the working of miracles. In
Elijah, it was associated with the mantle he
wore. In Moses, with the rod which had been changed
into a serpent. In Samson, the miraculous power
was inseparable from his physique, so that he
became supernaturally strong Spirit was upon
him. However, in each instance, it was the manifestation
of the same gift, although the operations were
so different. Oh, this is glorious. Why don't
you see something? The selfsame spirit, dividing
to every man severally as he will. Here we have
the prerogative of the spirit to give what gifts
he sees most suitable for the individual. And
it is for us to covet earnestly the... best gifts
of the Holy Spirit. And it is the prerogative
of the Spirit to bestow these gifts as He will.
Now, at the end of 1 Corinthians 12, we read
that we are to covet earnestly the best gifts,
but the Apostle would show us a more excellent
way. And what is the more excellent way? It is
to seek the love of God first and to desire the
gifts of the Spirit in order that we may serve
God better. The answer is actually given in the
14th chapter of 1 Corinthians. Follow after charity
or love. and desire spiritual gifts. If we put
spiritual gifts before the love of God, we shall
make a very serious mistake. For the first and
the most important thing is love. For me to live
is Christ, and Christ is love. Those who love
God will normally desire spiritual gifts, since
they are manifestations of His Spirit, given
for His glory and for the enrichment of His church.
Now I want you to see something. The question
is, why do so few people have the gift of healing?
But may I also ask a question? Why limit it to
just the gift of healing? For to one is given
by the Spirit the word of wisdom. Why are there
so few who have been given the word of wisdom?
To another, the word of knowledge. Why are there
so few to whom has been given the gift of knowledge?
To another, faith by the same Spirit. Then comes
the gift of healing, the working of miracles,
prophecy, the discerning of spirits, tongues,
the interpretation of tongues. And I would go
so far as to say that that which Paul has given
in number has really been limited. Four more
gifts than those that Paul named here. Don't
limit the Holy Spirit to whatever you do. Don't
limit him to just nine gifts. There are more,
and I believe this with all of my heart. I've
come to the conclusion. That he who is perfect
wisdom and perfect knowledge, who knows an individual
better than that individual knows himself, knows
to whom he can trust. He does not give his gifts
promiscuously. Sort of like the man who looked
up and said, Why doesn't God bless me with riches?
You want to know something? The same man who
looked up and asked that question had not and
was not being obedient. to God with that which
he had. He wasn't even paying his tithe, that
part which was rightfully God's. And I'm sure
that if he was not obedient with that with which
he had and had been given to him, God couldn't
feel as though he could trust him with anything
more. You understand? Why, bless you. If God
were to give certain people a gift, they would
misuse that gift within the first 24 hours. God
knows exactly what he's doing. Yeah? And that
is the reason, you see, I would not say to you
that I had been given a certain gift. No one
has ever heard Catherine Cooman ever say that
she possessed A certain gift. Do you want to
know why? If he has so chosen to give me something
special, along with that gift, there's also a
great responsibility. A tremendous responsibility.
An awesome responsibility. It becomes almost
overwhelming. And one must be very careful. What
one does with that which has been given him of
the spirit. That's the reason I try to be so
careful. And sometimes I think you become weary
of hearing me say Catherine Cooman has nothing
to do with it. Catherine Cooman has never healed
anyone. I know the truth of that statement better
than anyone else. Because I know it's the supernatural
power of God. My responsibility is to be very
careful to give God the praise. To give God the
honor. To give God all the glory. I must guard
that which he has given me very carefully. And
one day, when I stand in his glorious presence,
I'm going to have to give an account of that
with which he has entrusted me with. Look up
just now. Perhaps through blinding tears. Remember
that you're his child. And these things that
I've been talking about are a part of your inheritance.
You want to be filled with holy spirit? You'll
feel. that which you will yield unto him. Do
you want to be given a gift of the Spirit? Search
your own heart and first of all see whether you're
being faithful and true to him with that which
he has entrusted to you now. And I repeat, the
importance of the gifts of the Holy Spirit to
the essential functioning of the Church of Jesus
Christ cannot be overestimated.