God is able to give a manifestation of the Spirit temporarily to anyone

God is able to give a manifestation of the Spirit temporarily to anyone


Summary:

Paul described the manifestation of the Spirit, saying: "the MANIFESTATION (OF) THE SPIRIT IS-GIVEN (to) each (one) for (our) benefit" (1 Corinthians 12:7).

There is evidence that:

1) God is ABLE to give a manifestation of the Spirit TEMPORARILY to ANYONE

2) God is ABLE to TEMPORARILY override ANYTHING or ANYONE'S standard operational limits. 

3) God by His Spirit is ABLE to TEMPORARILY do ANYTHING with ANYONE, however God's normative design for the manifestation of the Spirit would be to include a BODY

​You can find more details below:



1) God is able to give a manifestation of the Spirit temporarily to anyone:

Paul described the manifestation of the Spirit, saying: "the MANIFESTATION (OF) THE SPIRIT IS-GIVEN (to) each (one) for (our) benefit" (1 Corinthians 12:7).

Paul then provided examples of the manifestation of the Spirit, writing: "For (to) one (A) WORD (OF) WISDOM IS-GIVEN through the Spirit; and (to) another, (A) WORD (OF) KNOWLEDGE according-to the same Spirit; (to a) different (one), FAITH by the same Spirit; and (to) another, GIFTS (OF) HEALINGS by the one Spirit; and (to) another, WORKINGS (OF) POWERS [MIRACLES]; and (to) another, PROPHECY; and (to) another, DISCERNMENTS (OF) SPIRITS; (to a) different (one), KINDS (OF) TONGUES; and (to) another, INTERPRETATION (OF) TONGUES" (1 Corinthians 12:8-10). 

There is evidence that God is ABLE to give a manifestation of the Spirit TEMPORARILY to ANYONE


1) A) Numbers 11: the elders never prophesied again:

It is written in Numbers 11 that: "the LORD came down in a cloud, and spoke to him [Moses], and He took from the Spirit upon him, and put (the same) upon the seventy men, the elders. Now it happened that as THE SPIRIT rested upon them, that THEY PROPHESIED, ALTHOUGH THEY NEVER DID SO AGAIN." (Numbers 11:25). 

➔ Here as the Spirit rested upon the elders, there was the manifestation of "THE SPIRIT" (Numbers 11:25) as "THEY PROPHESIED" (Numbers 11:25). 

Paul wrote that "the MANIFESTATION (OF) THE SPIRIT IS-GIVEN (to) each (one)" (1 Corinthians 12:7) such as "PROPHECY" (1 Corinthians 12:10). 

In Numbers 11, this manifestation was also given TEMPORARILY, as after they prophesied it was written: "ALTHOUGH THEY NEVER DID SO AGAIN." (Numbers 11:25). 


1) B) 1 Samuel 19: Saul's messengers prophesying:

It is written in 1 Samuel 19 that "Saul sent messengers to take David. And they saw the assembly of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as head over them. And THE SPIRIT OF GOD CAME ON SAUL'S MESSENGERS, AND THEY ALSO PROPHESIED. And they told Saul, and he sent other messengers. And they also prophesied. And again Saul sent messengers, a third time. And they also prophesied" (1 Samuel 19:20-21). 

➔ Here as the Spirit came upon Saul's messengers, there was the manifestation of "THE SPIRIT" (1 Samuel 19:20) as "THEY ALSO PROPHESIED" (1 Samuel 19:20). 

Paul wrote that "the MANIFESTATION (OF) THE SPIRIT IS-GIVEN (to) each (one)" (1 Corinthians 12:7) such as "PROPHECY" (1 Corinthians 12:10). 

In 1 Samuel 19, this manifestation would have been given TEMPORARILY, as after they prophesied it was written: "And they told Saul, and HE SENT OTHER MESSENGERS. And they also prophesied. AND AGAIN SAUL SENT MESSENGERS, A THIRD TIME. And they also prophesied" (1 Samuel 19:21). The fact that Saul sent other messengers would have been an indication that something unusual was happening (such that his messengers may have never prophesied before). There is also NO EVIDENCE THAT THE SAME MESSENGERS EVER PROPHESIED AGAIN AFTER THIS, which may indicate that this specific manifestation could have been given TEMPORARILY to those messengers. 



2) God is able to temporarily override anything or anyone's standard operational limits:

God is ABLE to TEMPORARILY override ANYTHING or ANYONE'S standard operational limits. 


2) A) Numbers 22: a donkey speaking:

God is ABLE to use A DONKEY to achieve His purposes.

It is written in Numbers 32 after a prophet called Balaam did wrong to his donkey that "YHWH OPENED THE MOUTH OF THE DONKEY, and it said to Balaam, What have I done to you that you have struck me these three times? And Balaam said to the donkey, Because you have abused me. If only a sword were in my hand now I would kill you. And THE DONKEY SAID TO BALAAM, am I not your donkey on which you have ridden all your life long to this day? Was I ever known to do so to you? And he said, No." (Numbers 22:28-30). 

➔ Here to rebuke a prophet, God "OPENED THE MOUTH OF THE DONKEY" (Numbers 22:28), TEMPORARILY overriding the donkey's standard operational limits. 

Peter wrote about this event, writing  about "the way (of) Balaam the (son of) Bosor, who loved (the) reward (of) unrighteousness. But he-had (a) rebuke (of his) own law-violation: (A) SPEECHLESS DONKEY HAVING-UTTERED IN (THE) VOICE (OF A) HUMAN restrained the madness (of) the prophet" (2 Peter 2:15-16). 

➔ Here a "SPEECHLESS DONKEY" (2 Peter 2:16) is said to "HAVING-UTTERED IN (THE) VOICE (OF A) HUMAN" (2 Peter 2:16), displaying that God is ABLE to TEMPORARILY override the donkey's standard operational limits. 


2) B) Luke 3 & Luke 19: stones raising children and crying out:

In Luke 3, when John the Baptist was baptizing people, he said to the crowds: "produce fruits worthy (of) repentance. And do not begin to-say within yourselves, ‘We-have Abraham (as our) father’. For I-say (to) you that GOD IS-ABLE TO-RAISE-UP CHILDREN (FOR) ABRAHAM FROM THESE STONES" (Luke 3:8). 

➔ Here "GOD IS-ABLE" (Luke 3:8) to raise up children for Abraham from "STONES" (Luke 3:8). 

In Luke 19, it is written that when Christ was drawing near to Jerusalem "THE WHOLE CROWD (OF) THE DISCIPLES began to-praise God, rejoicing (with a) loud voice for all (the) miracles which they-saw, SAYING, “Blessed (is) the King coming in (the) name (of the) Lord. Peace in heaven and glory in (the) highest!”" (Luke 19:37-38). And then it is written that "some (of) the Pharisees from the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples”. And having-responded, He-said, “I-say (to) you, IF THESE WILL-BE-SILENT, THE STONES WILL-CRY-OUT" (Luke 19:39-40). 

➔ Here if the disciples are not crying out then "THE STONES WILL-CRY-OUT" (Luke 19:40), as God is ABLE to do that. 

If nobody else would do it, God is ABLE to TEMPORARILY make stones do it.  



3) God's normative design would be to include a body:

God by His Spirit is ABLE to TEMPORARILY do ANYTHING with ANYONE, however God's normative design for the manifestation of the Spirit would be to include a BODY


3) A) Exceptions but not God's normative design:

When the elders "PROPHESIED, ALTHOUGH THEY NEVER DID SO AGAIN" (Numbers 11:25), it would not have been a normative design, as the normative design would have been that people become prophets, as Moses seems to suggest only 4 verses later when commenting on that: "O that all the LORD’s people WERE PROPHETS; whenever the LORD shall put His Spirit upon them" (Numbers 11:29). The elders did not become prophets here. 

When God "OPENED THE MOUTH OF THE DONKEY" (Numbers 22:28) so as to have "restrained the madness (of) the prophet" (2 Peter 2:16), it would not have been a normative design, as the normative design would have been that the prophet did His role so as not to need this temporary intervention to be restrained. 

When John the Baptist said that "GOD IS-ABLE" (Luke 3:8) to raise up children for Abraham from "STONES" (Luke 3:8), it would not be a normative design, as the normative design would be that disciples raise up the children for Abraham. 

When Jesus said that if the disciples are silent then "THE STONES WILL-CRY-OUT" (Luke 19:40), it would not be a normative design, as the normative design would be that His disciples are not silent and do their role.


3) B) God's normative design would be to include a body:

God's normative design for the manifestation of the Spirit would be to include a BODY

In the Bible there is evidence that there might be a FRAMEWORK LAID OUT BY PAUL to understand spiritual gifts: through an ANALOGY OF BODY PARTS (in a body). Spiritual gifts are described in the same way that body parts can have specific functions in a body, with the spirit of that body energizing those body parts. 

This does not remove the fact that God by His Spirit is able to move temporarily INSIDE that body certain body parts to do certain functions THEY ARE NOT NORMALLY ASSIGNED TO DO, or to even move temporarily OUTSIDE of that body. 

However there is evidence that God's normative design is to INCLUDE THE BODY and the SPECIFICITIES OF THE BODY PARTS that He placed in that body. 

For more information:
Framework to understand spiritual gifts: the analogy of body parts:
Click here


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