Be Filled With the SpiritSample

When a true gift of the Spirit is in operation, things will always be as the Lord has said (an exception to this is if there are conditions to meet).

This is the ultimate test of whether or not someone's words are God-inspired (Dt. 18:22).

We cannot be led by just our own feelings concerning the gifts of the Spirit.

In 1 Corinthians chapter 12, the apostle Paul gives us direction governing the use of spiritual gifts that must supersede any urge or leading we feel.

The first test to apply to any gift of the Spirit is to ask, 'Does it glorify Jesus?' That's the point Paul is making. The Holy Spirit will never lead anyone to defame Jesus in any way. Jesus made it very clear that the Holy Spirit would only glorify Him. Any utterance or act that denies Jesus is not from the Holy Spirit.

In Paul's day, a transition was made from Judaism to Christianity. Some Jews were teaching that keeping the Old Testament law could produce salvation. They violently opposed Paul's teaching that faith alone in Jesus could produce salvation. Paul considered any utterance like this as calling Jesus accursed, and it definitely would not be from the Holy Spirit.

Also, the pagan religions of Paul's day believed in many gods. Anyone who tried to make Jesus just another god or 'a' way to God instead of 'the' way to God would be calling Him accursed. The Holy Spirit would never inspire anyone to do this. Those who the Holy Spirit truly moves, their utterances will always glorify Jesus.