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Imparting Spiritual Gifts

This weekend, I went Austin to visit my sister and we attended two of Larry and Corinne Silverman’s
meetings in homes in the Austin area. Saturday, Larry contacted me, excitedly saying that God had
opened a door for them to minister in a traditional church - a Chinese Church at that. My sister, her
spouse, my wife, Barbara and I, agreed that we would attend as a show of support.

We had no idea what God was about to do with us.

Larry called Sunday, about an hour before the Chinese Church service. He asked that we follow his
lead and serve as a ministry team. What an experience! Not only did we canvas the crowd of about
200 and minister healing to those who stood up for healing ministry, but we closed the service by
having all in attendance walk through the ministry team - three of us on each side - as we prayed
over them, anointed them with oil, and released what Larry called “fresh fire.”

It was glorious! Many had tears in their eyes. Men, too! Some came through a second time, desiring
more. Most spoke English. That was good. God’s presence was all over that place. My wife, brother-in-
law and sister had never been involved in ministry like that. They loved it. For me, it’s been awhile
since I’d ministered to a “live” group of that size. I got my own dose of fresh fire, that’s for sure.

In Romans, 1:11, the apostle Paul mentioned that he longed to see the church at Rome “that I may impart
unto you some spiritual gift.” An apostle - simply one who is sent - apparently has the nod from God to
offer such a ministry. One of the things I appreciate from the Lakeland Outpouring (www.God.TV.com) is
that, almost every time I’ve tuned in, I’ve heard Todd Bentley tell those to whom he ministered that they were
to take this impartation back to their communities in an effort to continue the revival there. It’s obvious to me,
many are taking that fire home and many others are being ignited as a result.

THE IMPORTANCE OF IMPARTATION

When we read “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God,” it’s clear that through the
simple act of speaking, or by the utterance of the spirit, there is a work of the Spirit that is nothing less
than an impartation. A spiritual seed in the form of spoken word is imparted to the listener as the gift of
God goes into operation. That seed is then mixed with faith that provides germination, or makes it come
alive; a Living Word, one might say.

1 Corinthians 12:4-7:
“There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different
kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does
the work in all of us. A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.”

Here, Paul was saying that the “Manifestation of the Spirit” - the ministry given to an individual - is not merely
for the benefit of that individual but for the benefit of all. In other words, the gift is actually given to The Church,
not the individual. The recipient actually becomes the vehicle, or facilitator, by which God performs this spiritual
work. This is not unlike, let’s say, the Evangelist. A man is targeted by God with the gift of evangelism. Typically,
that man’s gift is recognized and he begins to get “booked” by churches to come and evangelize at one church after
another. He blows in, blows up, and blows out at revival meeting after revival meeting.

I contend that this is unbiblical. Since when is anyone’s spiritual gift there’s alone? No, if one has been blessed with
anything by God, that person’s responsibility is to GIVE IT AWAY. In my own life, for example, God has burdened
me for ministry in the workplace. If I were to speak to a group about the importance of such, I would then make
myself available to assist those who catch the same vision. In fact, that’s exactly what’s taking place. Just last week, I
heard from THREE men around the nation who also feel burdened to minister as Chaplains in the workplace. I will
help them as much as they feel they need me to help them.

HOW IS AN IMPARTATION MADE?

An impartation can be made one of two ways:

1. By Speaking — An impartation takes place through teaching, preaching, prophesying or even praying. Just as there
are many different techniques and fertilizers available to any crop with a harvest in mind, likewise in the Body of
Christ.

2. By the laying on of hands — God has apparently ordained that gifts and spiritual ministries would be given when people
of God laid their hands on the spiritually hungry by way of praying or prophesying. As those Chinese Christians
poured out of the aisles and headed toward our ministry team, many received a Word of Prophecy, a Word of
Knowledge, an impartation of one sort or another. Those people will never be the same!

Biblical precedent? Aside from Romans 1:11, there’s Acts 8:14-17:
“When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that the people of Samaria had accepted God’s message, they sent Peter and John
there. As soon as they arrived, they prayed for these new believers to receive the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit had not yet
come upon any of them, for they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John laid their
hands upon these believers, and they received the Holy Spirit.”

Then there’s Acts 19:6:
“Then when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in other tongues and prophesied.”

Jesus spoke about the Word of God being sown as seed and the seed producing fruit. Other references speak of trees
producing fruit after its kind. The ministries we are exposed to will produce the fruit of that ministry in our lives. I can
tell an awful lot about a pastor after meeting a few people who attend his church.

Have you noticed how Jesus was more forgiving to the tree that bore NO fruit than he was to the one that bore BAD fruit?

Matthew 3:10:
“Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce
good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.”

It’s obvious, isn’t it? A bad tree would produce bad fruit that would only perpetuate itself through the bearing of its own
bad seed. It’s the same where ministry is concerned. Our spiritual life - our fellowship with God and praying in the spirit -
are critical to what is produced by our ministries. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the
Spirit is Spirit. If I failed to live a measurable part of my life in prayer and meditation in the word, then without fail my
ministry would only produce the things of my personality, my thoughts and probably my own intellectual ideas. Many
people minister in this way which could explain why we’re in the shape we’re in.

THE EATING OF THE GOD

Is the impartation of spiritual gifts exclusive to Christianity? Hardly. The exact same technique is used by Hindu gurus to
give what’s called “shaktipat,” an impartation of the guru’s power and energy.

According to Prescott’s Mexico: Volume 3, “When the Catholics came to Mexico…their surprise was heightened, when
they witnessed a religious rite which reminded them of communion…an image made of flour…and after consecration by
priests, was distributed among the people who ate it…declaring it was the flesh of deity…”

Similarly, in ancient Egypt, priests would consecrate mest cakes which were supposed to become the flesh of Osiris

(Encyclopedia of Religions, Vol.2, 76). As you can see, one of the oldest ceremonies of primitive pagan religions - the

eating of the god - is widely practiced and revered in European and American civilization.

I cases like these, what was driving the primitives and the religious cults to take part in such practices? Nothing less

than the desire to receive an impartation.

Satan always has his counterfeits for God’s truths.

Hi-YO, SILVERMAN’S…AWAYYYYYY!

The Silverman’s are leaving the Austin area after five wonderful meetings there, headed for Mansfield, Texas, then Oklahoma,

then…God knows where. These people are led by the Spirit and seem to be on auto-pilot to say “yes” to whosoever requests

their help. Texans, if you’re interested - and Wisdom screams that you SHOULD be - they’ll be back in November, God willing.

We can’t wait. My advice? Don’t miss out next time. Stay tuned for their NEXT “Texas Tour.”

Every blessing,

Michael Tummillo

A servant of God

www.YourTown4Jesus.com