In the previous articles we talked about the true riches of the heart and how God desires for us to overcome the love of money which is the root of all evil, not by avoiding money but by handling it as faithful stewards. If we are faithful in the little (money, earthly possessions) we will be trusted with much (true riches) (Lk.16:10), and when we are trusted with true riches these true riches will bring into our domain more earthly value to steward and govern with. This is a synergistic effect that is at work in the lives of noble-hearted sons and daughters that have been prepared to rule and reign with Christ here upon the earth.
We also talked about the true riches of wisdom, knowledge, understanding, and also sacrifice. We saw how when both Solomon and the widow with the two mites offered to God sacrifice with a pure heart that the Lord saw it and recognized it for what it was. For the widow it was laid to her account as great value in the heavenly realm. For Solomon, the Lord took the sacrifice in exchange for essentially a blank check in which the Lord told Solomon to ask whatever he desired, that His desire would be fulfilled. We saw from Solomon’s answer that it truly pays to be prepared by wisdom before we enter into the powerful exchange of sacrifice with the Lord. In today’s article we will continue our discussion on what the true riches are in the kingdom of the Lord and how we can carry these true riches in our hearts for the advancing of the gospel and the betterment of all of mankind!
THE TRUE RICHES OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS
In Paul’s first epistle to the Corinthians, in chapter twelve, He began to lay out some very powerful revelation about what He called “the gifts of the spirit”. We know by studying these gifts, or manifestations, of the Spirit that they were not a new occurrence among God’s people. As long as the Spirit has been with God’s people the Spirit’s gifts have been operating in and among his people. The only difference was that after the day of Pentecost had fully come the Spirit was poured out on all flesh and the gifts began to manifest in the corporate body of believers, whereas before in the Old Testament, prior to this global outpouring, the gifts rarely manifested in people who were not named priest, prophet, or king.
The gifts, or manifestations of the Spirit, as Paul taught, were given to each for the profit of all (1 Cor.12:7). We see in Paul’s description some of the true riches which we’ve already discussed in previous articles, being wisdom and knowledge (1 Cor.12:8). So what makes the gift of the “word of wisdom” and the “word of knowledge” different from the true riches of wisdom and knowledge as we discussed previously? In this case the true riches are focused on “the voice” of wisdom and the “voice” of knowledge. The gift involves the “release” and “administration” of these virtues. That is the distinction here. The gift in this case gives expression to wisdom and knowledge by the Spirit of God, but doesn’t necessarily impart to the gift bearer the true riches of wisdom and knowledge for themselves. This explains why anointed vessels in the charismatic church can speak the most beautiful words of wisdom and knowledge over people, by the power of the Spirit, and still completely lack wisdom and knowledge in their own lives, in their own hearts, for their own profit. The gifts here focus on voice and expression and not on carrying the true riches of these things as we talked about before. But having said that the gift of the word of wisdom and the word of knowledge is a treasure in and of itself, and they as well as all these spiritual gifts must be included in the treasury that we call “true riches”. The manifestation, the administration, the “voice” of such things are treasures in and of themselves.
The other gifts included in Paul’s description found in (1 Cor.12:1-11) are: the gift of prophecy, the gift of the discerning of spirits, the gift of tongues, the gift of interpretation of tongues, the gift of faith, the gift of the working of miracles, and the gifts of healing. Notice how all the gifts can essentially be divided into three categories: vocal gifts, revelatory gifts, and power gifts. Vocal gifts can be both revelatory and a release of power as one in the same. To open up your mouth under the anointing and release the word of the Lord is to release power, and it is very revelatory since the content released comes through a supernatural “knowing” by the Spirit. Under this operation you often know things supernaturally beyond what you’ve learned or prepared in study. The vocal gifts include the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, and tongues.
The revelatory gifts are usually vocal as well, since it’s hard to release revelation without speaking. They include prophecy, the discerning of spirits, and the interpretations of tongues. Their purpose is for “revealing something” that was previously obscured which the Lord wishes to make known. These revelations can serve as destiny words, as in the case of prophecy, to help people find the right path for their lives being lit by a fresh rhema word from the Spirit. These words can also be warning words. The gift of the discerning of spirits is used for discerning the movements of the Holy Spirit and the angelic, but it is also often used to warn us of the enemy’s movements and plans.
Lastly there’s the power gifts. They include the working of miracles, the gifts of healing, and the gift of faith. These gifts facilitate the raw manifestation of God’s power to override what we’ve come to call the “natural laws” of the world, which are not natural at all according to God. To God healing is natural, miracles are natural, faith is natural. Therefore by the manifestation of the Spirit his “natural” can override our natural making way for the manifestation of the kingdom which brings freedom to people while giving glory to the name of Jesus. These are some of the true riches of the kingdom which have been freely given to the church for the work of the kingdom and the advancing of the gospel.
Some people in the church have chosen to use their spiritual gifts for unrighteous gain, to feed their unhealthy desire for riches and their greed. Because these gifts (as it was with Israel before us) are oftentimes without repentance on God’s behalf (which is to say once the gift is given He will not take it back for his sovereign reasons), people can choose to use their spiritual gifts indiscriminately for their own purposes at times. This is always a recipe for disaster for the ones who are wielding these riches, and also for the ones they lead. Moses used his treasures of authority and power to strike the rock when God told him to speak to it (Num.20:7-13). It produced a miraculous result the same as if He would have spoken to it. But the result for him which followed was devastating. He died in the wilderness with the children of disbelief, never making it to the Promised Land, which was the pinnacle of his hope and desire this side of eternity. How many ministers and ministries in the church today have led themselves and their people into the wilderness of disbelief because they indiscriminately used their gifts for their own purposes and not for the glory of God in obedience? How many pentecostals do we have today wondering in the wilderness of their own devices because they did not fear the Lord when using the treasure that they’ve been given. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living of God (Heb.10:31). To wield the true riches of spiritual gifting is to fall into the hands of the living God; it is to be an instrument, a weapon in God’s hand, for the advancing of his kingdom and for the glory of His Son Jesus Christ. Take heed that you walk worthy of your calling and the spiritual gift(s) that have been entrusted to you. You will give an account for how you used your spiritual talents, as well as how you used your unrighteous mammon, when the Master returns.
Solomon’s Spiritual Gifts
We would be remiss if we did not look at the life of Solomon once again when discussing the subject of true riches that come with spiritual gifts and the manifestation of the Spirit in one’s life. Solomon indeed had the treasures of wisdom, knowledge, and understanding, much of which was passed down to him by his father King David, as he was raised in nobility and instructed from a young age in the ways of wisdom. But another level of wisdom came to Solomon supernaturally via the spiritual experience He had in (1 Kings 3) which we see operating in a supernatural way moving forward in his life.
If you recall from our previous writing, Solomon called upon the name of the Lord as He offered one thousand burnt offerings to the Lord and the Lord answered him through a visitation in the night (1 Kings 3:4-14). The Lord told Solomon to ask whatever He willed and it would be done unto him. Solomon asked for a wise discerning heart that He might rule God’s people, Israel, well. Because this saying pleased the Lord Solomon was not only given a wise discerning heart but was also given material riches beyond measure (which made him the richest man in the history of the world, even still to this day) as well as long life and special honor among kings (1 Kings 3:13). This was truly a manifestation of ruling and reigning with the Prince of Peace, Christ Jesus our Lord, that Solomon received an impartation of. But what I wish for you to see is that when God gave to Solomon a “wise discerning heart” He was effectively giving him true riches of spiritual gifting and the manifestation of the Spirit which immediately bore fruit in his life.
(1 Kings 3:16-28)
16 “Now two women who were harlots came to the king, and stood before him.
17 And one woman said, “O my lord, this woman and I dwell in the same house; and I gave birth while she was in the house.
18 Then it happened, the third day after I had given birth, that this woman also gave birth. And we were together; no one was with us in the house, except the two of us in the house.
19 And this woman’s son died in the night, because she lay on him.
20 So she arose in the middle of the night and took my son from my side, while your maidservant slept, and laid him in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom.
21 And when I rose in the morning to nurse my son, there he was, dead. But when I had examined him in the morning, indeed, he was not my son whom I had borne.â€
22 Then the other woman said, “No! But the living one is my son, and the dead one is your son.”
And the first woman said, “No! But the dead one is your son, and the living one is my son.”
Thus they spoke before the king.
23 And the king said, “The one says, ‘This is my son, who lives, and your son is the dead one’; and the other says, ‘No! But your son is the dead one, and my son is the living one.’ ”
24 Then the king said, “Bring me a sword.” So they brought a sword before the king.
25 And the king said, “Divide the living child in two, and give half to one, and half to the other.”
26 Then the woman whose son was living spoke to the king, for she yearned with compassion for her son; and she said, “O my lord, give her the living child, and by no means kill him!”
But the other said, “Let him be neither mine nor yours, but divide him.”
27 So the king answered and said, “Give the first woman the living child, and by no means kill him; she is his mother.”
28 And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had rendered; and they feared the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to administer justice.â€
The bible says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Prov.9:10). We see here, in this story of the demonstration of Solomon’s endowment of supernatural wisdom, just after being visited by the Lord in the previous verses, that that wisdom began in the fear of the Lord. To fear the king is to fear the Lord (Prov.24:21). Solomon released the tangible substance of the fear of the Lord in the nation of Israel as He executed righteous judgment according to wisdom. This was a new beginning for the nation. It began with the King receiving a fresh endowment of the true riches of supernatural wisdom, and it began in the fear of the Lord. What glory!
As I’ve already stated, there is a treasure of wisdom which comes from experience, that comes from learning, that comes from trial and error. That wisdom is indeed a part of these true riches, but there is also wisdom that comes by the manifestation of the Spirit that cannot be learned. It cannot be bought, it cannot be obtained just through life experience, or taught in the halls of education. It must come as a gift from the Spirit. It must come as a manifestation of the Spirit into your heart and into your life. Solomon carried the treasures of both types of wisdom. Amazing!
His wisdom that he moved in to solve the issue between the two women was indeed a manifestation of the Spirit that came from the “wise discerning heart to judge God’s people” that he had just asked for and received in the previous verses (1 Kings 3:4-14). This gift manifested in a “word of wisdom” which He spoke to the two women that revealed their hearts. If you study the ministry of Jesus you’ll find that He often spoke the same types of words of wisdom to Pharisees to stop them dead in their tracks and silence them in the presence of all when they were seeking an occasion against him (Matt.22:15-22;23-34). Jesus told his disciples to not study or memorize words to say before they were dragged before courts and councils. He told them that the Spirit would give them the words that they were to speak in the hour that they were to speak them (Matt.10:19). These are the treasures of the gifts of the Spirit at work which the bible tells us to earnestly desire (1 Cor.12:31; 14:1). And above all we are to desire love (1 Cor.12:31).
Joseph & Daniel
I know people like Joseph and Daniel come up a lot today, especially in spirit-filled circles in the church, but I believe there’s a reason for this. I believe that their lives were very significant and their purposes and examples transcended the dispensation they belonged to. I believe they were greater than just Jewish prophets from the Old Testament. I believe they were both types of mature sons who rule and reign with Christ on the earth.
As we spoke of earlier in the previous article on the riches of wisdom, knowledge, and understanding, Daniel was a man that possessed a level of these riches just by virtue of his upbringing in Jewish nobility. But like Solomon he had more than a princely upbringing. He, like Solomon, encountered the Lord in such a deep and intimate way that He came to possess true riches in spiritual gifting in addition to the true riches He already had in wisdom, understanding, and knowledge.
(Dan.1:17)
“As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.”
Daniel and the other three, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (also known by their given Chaldean names: Shadrach, Meshach, & Abed-Nego) were given by God supernatural skill in “all” literature and wisdom. But Daniel was given more. He was given supernatural understanding in “all” visions and dreams. This is how Daniel was able to solve problems that no one else could. This is how He was able to decipher enigmas and give the interpretation of dreams when everyone else was stumped. He had a revelatory spiritual gift whereby He could hear a dream or a vision and always have “all” understanding of the meaning of such dark speeches. Incredible! Several of the biblical prophets had similar gifts. This is a part of the true riches that Daniel was entrusted with to advance God’s kingdom purposes in the earth by way of his governmental influence in Babylon at that time.
We see God doing a similar work with Joseph in the book of Genesis. Joseph seemed to be dispossessed of wisdom when He was younger, otherwise he would have probably used more discretion when talking about how his older brothers would one day serve him. But nevertheless God foresaw his decisions and the loose words of his lips and decided to use it all to ultimately bring Joseph into his destiny and fulfill God’s purpose and plans for the nation of Israel and the peoples of the world at that time.
Joseph grew in wisdom as He aged and matured more through life experience, but from the very beginning of his story He showed flashes of true riches of wisdom, knowledge, understanding, and spiritual gifting that He carried in his heart which were sovereignly gifted to him by God. The Egyptian He was sold to, Potiphar, quickly recognized the noble heart He carried along with his unique abilities and elevated him accordingly through the ranks of his household. Even after Joseph was unjustly accused and thrown into the dungeon, He still rose to the top of that institution in leadership and influence by nature of the true riches He carried in his heart. Daniel and Joseph carried the true riches of favor, wisdom, knowledge, understanding, as well as accurate revelatory gifting that gave them an unfair advantage over everyone else. There was none that could be found that was their equal. This is how we know that they were touching the kingly mantle of Christ while on the earth. Our Lord is the chiefest of ten thousand (Song of Solomon 5:10). When a person begins to reach this status they are rising up into their manifest sonship in Christ.
Examples in Church History & From People Living Today
There are stories of many men and women, both in church history and who are alive today, who have risen up to exemplify a wealth of true riches in spiritual gifting that has set them apart. Like Joseph, Solomon, and Daniel before them they have shown to be more than men or women of wisdom and knowledge, more than people having strong personalities or being eloquent with words. They’ve shown to have proven spiritual gifting and ability that sets them apart, giving them both special value and special status in the eyes of their followers.
William Branham
Take the late William Branham. Here you have a man who was born into abject poverty, born to a family that was anything but noble, and yet He rose to become one of the most influential people of his day, and in my opinion one of the most powerful saints and prophets since bible days. He was not eloquent in speech, He was not a savvy investor with money, He was not good at negotiating deals to get on television and radio. So if this was the case, how was He able to garner so much influence and amass such a massive following? His ministry at one time was filling the largest auditoriums around the world, and his following moved beyond the zealous into the cult-like following (which I don’t believe was his doing, but it happened none-the-less). The answer to this question is: spiritual riches. He carried spiritual riches in his noble heart, namely the spiritual gift whereby He could accurately tell men and women detailed personal information about their lives at the drop of a hat, and also pray for the sick to see incredible miracles, signs, and wonders.
Gordon Lindsay, the late founder of “Christ for the Nations” ministry school who traveled with Branham at the beginning of his revival ministry once spoke about the accuracy of Branham’s prophetic ministry. He told people that when Branham had a vision the prophecy and foretelling that came from it was always 100% accurate. Branham knew when people would be born and when people would die. Branham could tell people their names, their birthdates, their anniversaries, as well as the names of their close family members and friends. Branham could tell you what you ate for breakfast, what you dreamed the night before, as well as decisions you were going to make before you made them. Thus was the incredible accuracy and power of his gift. Branham was offered countless opportunities from businessmen and other wheelers and dealers in the ministry world that would have built him the largest ministry in the world and would have made him wealthy beyond anyone’s reckoning. He always turned them down being content with doing the will of the Lord for his life and living a simple life where He took care of his family, preached the gospel, and hunted and fished every chance He got. The man was not a billionaire like Warren Buffett or Bill Gates but He was one of the richest men that ever lived because of the true riches He carried in his noble heart. To find out more about the life and ministry of William Branham visit www.revival.org.
Benny Hinn
There are many whom the Lord has raised up today that operate very similarly to Benny Hinn, and Kathryn Kuhlman before him, but Benny is special because He brought the healing model that Kathryn Kuhlman pioneered to the next level worldwide. Since then the model has been multiplied around the world as countless new firebrands have been raised up by the Lord after him. Like Daniel the prophet who was both skilled and gifted in spiritual gifting (Dan.1:17), so Benny Hinn has shown to be both skilled and gifted in how the Lord uses him in his ministry. His gifting is undeniable but He became very skilled in administering his gifts and anointings early on, which is evident to everyone who attends his miracle meetings and sees the way he directs the flow of the anointing.
The true riches of his spiritual gifting was awakened when He went through an incredibly trying season as a teenager living in Toronto, Canada under the roof of his father that was very opposed to some of the spiritual decisions He had begun to make. After being baptized in the Spirit when attending a local Pentecostal meeting, and after traveling to be a part of a Kathryn Kuhlman meeting in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Benny began to spend hour upon hour everyday after school seeking the Lord and praying in his room. Pretty soon He began to carry a very tangible measure of the anointing on his life and before long, when the anointing was manifesting, people couldn’t stand when they got around him. Like the story of when God filled the temple in the Old Testament and the priests could no longer stand to minister (1 Kings 8:11; 2 Chron.5:14), the Lord filled Benny and mantled him with the glory and the same manifestations began to occur in his life and ministry.
With the manifestation of glory came spiritual gifts such as healing and the word of knowledge that began to show up with regularity everywhere He went. Before long this young Israeli born immigrant was preaching in the largest churches in the world, and shortly thereafter filling the largest stadiums and fields. Like Branham before Him He was not the most eloquent, He was not the best business man or investor, but He did become, and still is to this day, an incredibly rich man in ways beyond the physical. When you can wave your hand and watch 10,000 people fall to the ground shaking under the power of the Holy Spirit you have a value and a measure of wealth that is priceless beyond the physical. Solomon received spiritual riches in the form of spiritual gifting, revelatory gifting that gave him supernatural discernment and judgment in his heart, and the material wealth and influence then followed according to the blessing of the Lord. The same can be said of someone like Benny Hinn. His true riches made way for all the other riches and wealth He would need to follow the Lord and preach to tens of millions around the world.
Maybe you’re reading this and now you have an unsavory taste in your mouth because the mere mention of one of these men disgusts you. Maybe you’ve heard or read something about one or both of them that has given you a bad impression. I would caution you against such an attitude though, and here’s why. It is unwise to quickly dismiss the legacy of such men all because you “heard” something bad about them. Anyone who’s ever been used powerfully by the Lord, or who will ever be used powerfully by the Lord, will undergo scrutiny, unfair judgments, and false accusations. They will also be completely void of the standard of perfection which only Jesus Christ lives up to, so it would behoove us not to hold anyone to that standard, especially since it’s hypocritical. You would never hold yourself to that standard so why are you holding others to it? No, both Benny and Branham were not perfect men. They made mistakes, and in Benny’s case He’s still making mistakes because He’s still alive and serving the Lord! Though imperfect men as they were and are, both of them received incredible true riches in the form of incredible spiritual gifting and power, and for the purposes of this writing I felt it prudent to include a brief account of their lives and testimonies, all to the glory of Jesus. There are countless others I would like to include in this section, which maybe one day I can write about as well. But these two examples, along with the biblical ones I’ve used here, suffice to make my point. Spiritual gifts are a part of the true riches which Jesus spoke of which we should all desire to carry in our hearts!
CONCLUSION
Let us be a people who do not foolishly follow exclusively after the treasures of this world. Let us be men and women who receive and wield the spiritual riches, which are jewels and gems of such awesome power and glory that are designed to be used in service to the name of Jesus! With the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, point people to the Jesus. With the treasure of sacrifice, point people to Jesus. With the treasures of spiritual gifting and the manifestation of the Spirit, point people to Jesus! He is the pearl of great price. He is the true treasure which we should all point people to! This is why God blesses you, so that you might be a blessing (Gen.12:3). This is why God gifts you, so that you might point people to the true gift given to mankind by God, the only begotten Son of the Father, the Lord Jesus Christ!
That will do it for this article. Thanks for following along with me on this journey through the true riches of a noble heart. Tomorrow we will conclude this series as we talk about the true riches of love, compassion, and mercy!
In his Service,
Stephen Powell
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