1 Corinthians 12:9a
To another faith by the same Spirit
The spiritual gift of Faith is the first of three Gifts of Power. The others are Gifts of Healing and Working of Miracles. The gift of Faith is different from saving faith (Mark 16:16), the Christian gospel (Jude 3) and faith as a fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22).
Rather this gift is received for a specific occasion according to the will of the Holy Spirit. Often the Gift of Faith works in conjunction with the other Gifts of Power. In short, the Gift of Faith refers to miracle-working faith. It is a supernatural endowment of the Spirit whereby the recipient is able to trust God for the miraculous. Recipients of this gift believe God in such a way that God honours their word as His own and miraculously brings it to pass.
Please note that every child of God has faith, without which we cannot please God (Heb. 11:6). Moreover, each one of us must seek to cultivate our faith (trust) in God through hearing, study and meditation on the Word of God (see Rom. 10:17). Such faith must reside in us continually and should enable us to live victorious Christian lives.
However, the Gift of Faith comes into play when the Spirit grants you extraordinary faith to accomplish a specific assignment. Of course, this is not the same as being presumptuous! Much harm has been done in the Church by misguided charismatics, who presumed to manifest this gift at will.
That’s why we must not be ignorant regarding spiritual gifts. We must rightly divide the word of truth. Indeed, let us walk by faith continually, trusting God for great things, standing on the promises and leaning not on our own understanding. Let us also be open to the operation of the Gift of Faith in and through us as the Spirit wills for special assignments.
Pastor Josh