The nine gifts of the Spirit

given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the
proportion of faith' (Rom. 12: 6).
The prophecies that patriarchs uttered at the end of their
live about their sons and grandsons are mentioned to us in the
letter to the Hebrews and reckoned among the acts of the heroes
of faith. 'By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning
things to come' (Heb. II : 20).
'By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed both the sons
of J oseph' (vs. 21).
No one needs to be afraid. When we ask God for a word,
then He is a loving Father Who does not give His children stones
instead of bread. 'For everyone that asketh receiveth'
(Matt. 7: 8).
'Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread,
. will give him a stone?' (vs. 9)
'If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto
your children, how much more shall your Father which is in
heaven give good things to them that ask Him?' (vs. 11)
We must trust the Lord for these things. Christ lives in us.
He is the Word of God. (John I : 14).
'Not I, but Christ liveth in me' (Gal. 2 : 20b)~
Everything was not quite so easy under the Old Covenant.
We read of the prophet Balaam that he first had to climb the
mountain to have a meeting with the Lord, and only after that
was he able to speak the word which God had laid in his mouth
(Numbers 23). Moses climbed Mount Sinai to receive God's
Word for Israel in the midst of fire and tumult, smoke and
earthquake (Ex. 19 and 20). But praise God, we need not climb
up to heaven anymore to bring God's Words down; the 'Word of
God', Jesus, has come down to us. Through the outpouring of
the Holy Spirit, this Word had forever been laid in our hearts.
'Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven?
(that is, to bring Christ down from above), or, Who shall
descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the
dead). But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy
mouth, and in thy heart' (Rom. 10 : 6b-8).
It is wise, in order to build up our faith and to cleanse us of
our own will and thoughts, to pray in the Spirit before we give
out a prophecy.
39