“for through Him [Jesus] we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.” Eph 2:18 NASB

Three major events are universally celebrated by the Church: Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost. These three events, the birth of Christ the Savior into a lowly cattle stall, His triumph over sin and death, then joyous Resurrection from the dead. Then, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit into the hearts of His ‘friends’ and the many wondrous gifts which followed.

SO many gifts! The word of knowledge and the word of wisdom telling us what to do with that knowledge. The gift of supernatural faith and the gift of healing along with the working of miracles that cannot be explained except for God’s intervention. Prophecy and the discerning of spirits, the gift of tongues, and also the ability to interpret those tongues.

Other kinds of gifts: the gift of serving, willingness to do all for the sake of the Kingdom. The gift of teaching, explaining the mysteries of God in a way that others may understand. One of my favorites is the gift of encouragement: lifting the spirits of others so that they continue their journey and not lose hope. OH! Many times the Lord has sent that gift to us to enable us to persevere in the life and ministry to which He has called us. The gift of giving which is the lifeblood of the Kingdom and the ministry, whether it be in tithes and offerings or in time and resources. Giving is the outflowing of the love of God through us, just as God so loved the world that He gave us Jesus.

The gift of faithful leadership cannot be undervalued. For it has been faithful leaders that the Lord has placed in our lives who have fed us, trained us, encouraged us, and released us equipped for the work of the ministry so that we could go forward and do likewise for others; and so the Kingdom grows and prospers.

Finally the gift of mercy. The ability through the grace of God to see others not as they are but as what they can be with the Lord’s help. This gift comes with a promise: blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. (See Matt 5:7)

Three events which changed the world forever. Without Christmas there could not be an Easter. And without Easter there could not be a Pentecost. Just as Jesus came to be the Savior of the world, so did He fulfill His promise not leave us as orphans.

When the Holy Spirit of the living God comes in power to indwell us, we know for certain that we are never alone again.

~ Debbie Ecker