Acts 3:1-9 (NKJV) Now Peter and John went up together to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. And a certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple; who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms. And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, “Look at us.” So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God.
Observe the gift of faith in operation in Apostle Peter’s life. The first fact states that this man was lame from the time he was in his mother’s womb and had to be carried around. The second fact states that he was known to be asking for alms at the temple gate for a long time, therefore everyone knew him. Anyone who wanted to minister or share the Gospel would have been hesitant to pray for this man who had been lame since birth. We are so used to looking at the facts, the circumstances and the possible consequences if he was not healed after prayer. Many of us have general faith that needs to be developed from little faith to strong faith which will enable us to pray based on the scriptural promises. However, for Peter who had the three power gifts in his life (Faith, Healing and working of Miracles), he ignored all the facts, had no unbelief nor any other hindrances to belief, took the man by the hand and commanded him to stand and walk! That’s the difference between general faith and the gift of faith.
Gift of faith is defined as a supernatural endowment of faith to fulfil an impossible task which a person could not do otherwise. Doubt and fear are absent when someone operates in this gift for that particular moment to receive a miracle. It is not always in operation, only as the Holy Spirit wills.
When we allow someone, who has the gift of faith to minister to people when the gift is in operation, the members will profit and benefit from their gift. We must allow such gifts to flow so that the church will grow too! God will confirm with signs the preaching of the Gospel. When the Holy Spirit moves, the person who has the gift will operate in it. He then RECEIVES ON BEHALF of the recipients.
Not everyone has the gift of faith, but everyone is given a measure of faith that can be developed from little faith to strong faith. Therefore, those who have the gift of faith should not be proud, impatient or chide those without this gift because it is given by God for certain projects.
Sermon Series: CG Campaign – Spiritual Gifts Can Help Your Church Grow (Part 5)
使用信心的恩赐
使徒行传3：1-9（NKJV）申初祷告的时候，彼得，约翰，上圣殿去。有一个人，生来是瘸腿的，天天被人抬来，放在殿的一个门口，那门名叫美门，要求进殿的人周济。他看见彼得约翰将要进殿，就求他们周济。彼得约翰定睛看他。彼得说，你看我们。那人就留意看他们，指望得着什么。彼得说，金银我都没有，只把我所有的给你，我奉拿撒勒人耶稣基督的名，叫你起来行走。于是拉着他的右手，扶他起来，他的脚和踝子骨，立刻健壮了。就跳起来，站着，又行走。同他们进了殿，走着，跳着，赞美神。百姓都看见他行走，赞美神。
让我们来一起观察信心的恩赐是如何在使徒彼得的生命中运作的。这段经文中陈述的第一个事实是，这个人自他出生以来，就是跛脚的，需要别人的搀扶才能行走。第二个事实表明，很长一段时间以来，他都一直在殿门口寻求施舍，因此，每个人都认识他。任何想向这个自出生就跛脚的人传福音或分享福音的人都会在祈祷时感到犹豫。如果他在祷告后没有得到医治，我们惯于归咎于事实，环境和可能的后果。我们当中许多人都有普遍的信心，这个信心需要从小信发展为坚强的信心，我们才能够根据圣经的应许祈祷。但是，一生中拥有三大能力的恩赐（信心，医治和行奇迹）的彼得，无视所有的事实，他即没有不信，也没有任何障碍拦阻他的信心，他牵着那个人的手并命令他站起来走路！那就是普遍信心和信心的恩赐之间的区别。
信心的恩赐被定义为超自然赠与的信心，使得一个人可以完成原本不可能完成的任务。当一个人在某个时刻运用这个恩赐并行奇迹时，他是不会有怀疑和恐惧的。这样的恩赐不是一直运行的，唯有当圣灵同在时才能运行。
当我们允许具有信心恩赐的人在恩赐运行时服侍他人，会众将从他们的恩赐中受益。我们必须让这些恩赐自由发挥，这样教会也能成长！上帝将用异象来确认福音的广传。当圣灵运行时，拥有恩赐的人将在其中运行。然后，祂代表接收者领受。
并非每个人都有信心的恩赐，但是每个人都得到了一定程度的信心，可以从小小的信心发展为坚强的信心。因此，那些拥有信心恩赐的人不应该骄傲、不耐烦或嘲笑那些没有这种恩赐的人，因为这个恩赐是上帝为某些事工特别赠予的。
讲章系列：细胞小组活动 – 教会通过属灵恩赐得以成长 (5)