Numbers 34

Perhaps you've heard of the book "Boundaries" by Henry Cloud. It is a classic work in establishing healthy boundaries with people who don't seem to have a clue about such things!

God also establishes boundaries. He determines how far the proud waves of the ocean go (Job 38:11); He separates light from darkness; He established the territorial boundaries for the children of Israel in the Promised Land.

Today we don't receive a physical inheritance of land as they once did. But we do receive gifts from God. Speaking of spiritual gifts in the church, the apostle Paul writes:

“There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.” (1 Corinthians 12:4–11, NKJV)

Just as God distributed the land to the people of Israel, so the Holy Spirit distributes spiritual gifts to the church as He determines. There is nothing more exciting as a Christian than knowing God is using you in the gifting He has given you. But just as the children of Israel had to fight to take possession of the land, so we must fight to take possession of our spiritual gifts and use them for God's glory. Our flesh, the world, and the devil will oppose us.

On Saturday night at The Encounter, we prayed for our church that God would fill us all with His Spirit and that all the spiritual gifts would be in full operation. The times are challenging, and it seems the church is having less of an impact on the world. We need a fresh filling of the Holy Spirit, and we need to operate in the spiritual gifts that He has given us. This is how the body of Christ is built up and how everyone serves effectively in the lane to which he or she has been called.