It is in this spirit, with this knowledge, and in this relationship that we are introduced to the gifts. Each of them is given to some member of the body to be a means of manifestation and application of that Spirit; indeed they are all given by God solely for that purpose. Moreover, according to that purpose each one is also intended to contribute to the growth and development of the body of Christ, to which end all are ideally suited and perfectly adaptable. Quite obviously, being spiritual gifts, they are supernatural, and are bestowed as additions to the already existing natural powers which human beings possess, for human powers are totally inadequate to do what He requires.
When God originally created man, He made him with these things in mind; however, whatever powers that great man Adam naturally had when God originally created him, we do not now have the gifts until they are bestowed upon us by the Holy Spirit. Man nevertheless is quite capable of operating them, being as perfectly made and designed for their function as is the lamp-holder for the lamp. As the lamp is designed for the lamp stand so that together they are one, so also the Church and the gifts of the Spirit are one. There can be no separating them except in theory or unto death; as the body with its members is one and the head and the body are one, so are the Church and the gifts. Analytically it is possible to distinguish between all these, but they cannot be separated in life.
Verse 11 says that all these gifts are worked by the selfsame Spirit dividing to every man severally as He will, and verse 7 says that the manifestation of the Spirit is given to 'every man'. In scripture no member of the body is allowed any ground to think that he is excluded; there can be no mistaking the all-inclusiveness of the words 'every man'. As if to reinforce this position, the phrasing of verse 28 plainly implies the same thing; there Paul noticeably changes from persons to operations, leaving the distinct impression that whoever holds and operates the gifts mentioned must become so identified with them that the gifts become known rather than the person. Surely all this must mean that each member is intended by God to receive and operate a gift, becoming so one with it that functionally he may give himself fully unto its use for the mutual benefit of all. Doing so with all his heart, he is helping to build up the body of Christ.
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G.W. North (1913 - 2003)
G. W. North was born in London England in 1913. As a young man he became aware that the Lord was calling him into the work of the ministry. At timely stages the Lord placed folk in his path who were able to direct him into the truth of heart purity and a more expansive understanding of the ministry of the Holy Spirit. He held pastorates in Kent and Bradford. By the late 1960s, following a significant period of ministry in Liverpool, he began a more itinerant ministry. This led him to many parts of the world, and occupied him until well into his eighties. His powerful preaching and the unique sense of the Lord's presence, which seemed to brood over his meetings, were always intensely challenging.The true secret of his remarkable ministry stemmed from his personal communion with the Lord Jesus. To him, 'entering the holiest' was not merely a theological concept; it was a distinct spiritual reality - and the central feature of his spiritual life. It was here, in the place of worship, that his revelatory ministry found its source. He preached from understanding and conviction. He was never the echo of another, nor did he take on board the ebb and flow of various contemporary emphases. He was not a man of 'books'; he soaked himself in Scripture and allowed it to saturate his heart and mind. Truly, this is a man who has lifted up a standard for the people. Mr North went to be with the Lord on 29th April 2003, shortly after his ninetieth birthday.