The Gifts of the Spirit: Why the Bible Supports the Spiritually Gifted. A guide to your Gifts.

Here we look at the how and whys on the official Christian out look on Spiritual connection, why it has been aken through at the wrong angle by non traditional Christian churches as a result, and where you and your beautiful talents fit into this.

There has been some chitchat from some very well known Spiritually gifted individuals who have turned their back on their pathway, (okay not some, Dorren Virtue specifically) who are so caught up in their loving new connection to Christ, which apparently is so different to their old one, that they are preaching from a space of non understanding, non acceptance and disowning themselves. Not very Jesusy, but hey! That’s the way it goes!

As someone who has always been a really good buddy of Jesus, and who’s connection to that fine fellow has guided her past the restrictions and confines of traditional Christian religion (is Catholicism a club you never choose to join, but struggle to leave?), and brought me back to myself; I feel I can speak from the heart about this subject and show you, without being (too) narky about the otherside in return, that YOU can be a fan of Jesus, and still be down with your personal connection.

There are far more more scriptural quotes I can throw at you, but by far, this is my favourite, and I take this in part from David and my workbook on Spiritual Development.

1 Corinthians 12:7-11New International Version (NIV)

“⁷ Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. ⁸ To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, ⁹ to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, ¹⁰ to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,^[a] and to still another the interpretation of tongues.^[b]11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.”

This is part of a letter from St Paul, to the Corinthians. It was written in about 53-54 AD. So after Jesus’s ministry and as the first generations of Jesus’s teachers were spreading over the globe. It was in around the 3rd to 4th centuries, some 300-400 years later, that the Catholic church out lawed all other christian religions. They began the road to formalising the religion in such a way, that it moved away from Jesus’s style of informal ministry, to a strict set of rules where you needed to go through the church, which was part of the Roman Empire, in order to connect with God. Any good Imperialist nation knows that after conquering, you then assimilate local population and it was standard that all successful nations (Egypt, Greece) would be in control of all the power; political and religious. All, and I mean ALL formal Christian religions who base their ministry solely around interpretation of the only version of the Bible the Catholic church authorised, base their ministry in Roman principles, not those of Joshua (Jesus). Kinda mind blowing to think formal Christianity are simply variations of Catholicism!

At some point the Catholic church realised that allowing others to use their own connection wasn’t encouraging all power to go through the church, and therefore the state. So they denounced the use of certain gifts of the Spirit and only some within the confines of the church. I mean, God forbid we should be allowed to be responsible for ourselves . . . it’s not like Jesus advocated that or anything?

However, when we look at these gifts, as Paul said we should expect to see them manifesting when working with the (Holy) Spirit, (Chi, Prana, Rei, the Breathe, the Force by any other names). And so those of us working with these gifts and using them for the greater good (a common misconception is ‘free’ which is not right and I will talk about later) are doing the work of the Holy Spirit. Simple!

Whenever I work with others, developing the way that they personally connect with and read spirit, I use this template as a basis that not only should we be using our gifts, but that also they are varied. Many teachers still tell you what or how you should be picking up on something. Fine if you can forge a connection to Clairvoyant or Clairaudient. But those of us who feel or know, your left feeling like you are not connected, even though in our souls we know we are. As an Empath first and foremost, I feel into my connection. My clear-seeing, or to a lesser extent clear-hearing come in to add detail to the emotion I am reading.

There are many different paths that we all may have on our Spiritual Pathway, but they are all from the same source, are all using the same Energy. All are just as important as eachother.

Be open minded and be guided as to your own pathway. You could feel very drawn to one area, and then that could change as you are exposed to something else. You could be very drawn to look into this area for your own personal use, to connect into your own inner guidance or you maybe looking to do it professionally.

Wisdom – many of us, particularly empaths who find the lost souls of the earth wondering into our pathway more often than not, we find words coming out of our mouths which help. Where sometimes we are surprised and sometimes we have gained that knowledge through our own personal journey of self illumination. And we know the right thing to say to the right person which just makes them feel better. Those Universal truths which heal the soul just by the words escaping your mouth. You may be channelling (see below) but it is your wisdom. Take pride in it.

Knowledge – also called clairknowing or Claircognizance: Clear Knowing. Where you just know. This is the hardest gift of all to master, but the most accurate. Sit in meditation, sit in circle and connect. Build your confidence; this is key.

Faith – Sounds simple. But is it? Some of us are just raised in faith; some of us are born knowing our connection is there and that there is no question. You simply ask for healing and it comes. Guidance and you are shown the way. You need no proof. I personally was born with faith and am drawn to work with others of Faith, not those who need proof of the after life. We are all drawn to work with different people, but I do not feel the need to proove myself or my work anymore. I am an Empowered Empath.

Healing – we all heal in different ways. I am a firm believer that a medium provides healing through their messages of love from loved ones in spirit, or from knowing that they have passed safely and are still around us. Or a card reader providing a path forward. Or a bit of wisdom or inspiration giving us the perspective we need. A counsellor, a nurse, a doctor, a care giver – the list goes on. Of course, a hands on healer like a Reiki healer. We are all capable of healing in so many different ways and it is a beautiful gift. Some of us thing less of ourselves as we don’t get the Ego boost of the admiration that many psychics and mediums get. We should not. It is beauty in itself.

Miraculous Powers – this one is harder to define. Can we all produce 5000 loafs or turn water into wine? Maybe not. But we all have miraculous ways. The ability to open the cupboard, as many of us did during lockdown or during the likely recession to come, see nothing but still produce a hearty meal for the family. When we have nothing and a neighbour knocks on the door with a gift. When we ask for help from Spirit in the darkest times, and that help appears from no where. Read this alongside Faith. Know it will come and it will.

Prophecy – see Psychic. What is coming? What does Spirit want us to know at this time? Why is this happening? Prophets are seen throughout the old testament and many religions. Many of Jesus’s circle and their children were classed as prophets (St Philip and his four daughters most notably). When we sometimes know something, good or bad, is going to happen.

Psychic – Working directly with another person. Feeling their energy, an understanding of what is going on with them. You have blended your energy with theirs and are picking up what you are receiving directly from them. How will the future progress for them.

Distinguishing Between Spirits or Mediumship –  The Medium is the person sat in the middle, a channel for the a Spirit. This is when you pick information up from a Spirit directly. It maybe that the information is for the person you reading for, the sitter, but it has not come from your energetic link to the sitter themselves. A spirit is likely to give you information about themselves first of all, then guidance for the person you are reading for.

Channelling – whenever you do Spiritual work, you will always channel energy (hence the opening up procedure), you will just use it for a different spiritual means.

Healer – this underpins all energy work, and is someone who channels energy not for communication, but for pure healing purposes and uses this to manipulate energy for the better for an individual’s health, working on mind, body and spirit.

speaking in different kinds of tongues – some people are just good with languages. But it was said that when the flames of the Spirit was first given to the male followers of Jesus cowering in hiding after Jesus’s passing (note the women were still out and about!) that they were able to be understood but all. They were not speaking other languages, but they were understood. I have seen this happen in trance channelling (see below) where I know the person does not speak a language and the words flow out of their mouth for interpretation. I have had through individual words through clairaudience, which I have later interpreted myself through the joys of Google translate!

interpretation of tongues – how often do you go to another country and on faith alone, manage to navigate yourself around while interpreting the other language? Me! For me, the language of the soul is the connection to the Universe. Although I can use my school German to order copious amounts of chocolate cake and find my way around most German speaking cities. However, my language skills stop there. But I have had a guided tour in French when in Morocco which was perfectly understandable (enough to translate to my husband) and when in Croatia managed to have a half German half Croatian conversation with a doctor helping the heavily pregnant me to find the hospital and get checked out (funny how I found him while wondering down the street unsure where the hospital itself was ey?). I needed it, and it came. I have many other stories with language just like that. When you are tuned into the rhythms of the Universe, into that possibility that on some level we are all one, language fades away and you are simply left with meaning. One soul speaking it’s story to another. One part of the Universe reaching out to another part.

Reader – When you choose to read for another person. This could be a professional or someone’s hobby. They pass message on from either Spirit or Psychically. 

Tarot Reader – someone who purely reads Tarot Cards. This can be done with no Spiritual or Psychic connection, and this would generally be someone who knows what the cards mean. You would not expect someone with no Spiritual or Psychic connection to charge for their readings. Generally a Tarot Reader works on a Psychic basis and fills in the gaps and interprets the cards using a link to the sitter. However, some people may use their link to Spirit to do this, or also bring in Spirit. A very precise tool.

Oracle Cards – very similar to the above, but Tarot looks more closely at the future and predictions, whereas Oracle Cards use the here and now and are more loose and organic.

Clairsentience: Clear Feeling. If you are empath this may mean you way root in. What you feel, is what the person in Spirit is feeling.

Channelled/ Automatic Writing – When a medium sits in Spirit and allows Spirit to control the information which they write. This has varying levels of dependency between the Channeller and the Spirit. Loved ones in Spirit can work with you like this as well as Higher Angelic Beings.

Clairvoyant: Clear Seeing. This is generally in the mind’s eye, your imagination, that place where you see the images when you read a fictional book.

Trance Channelling – Where you allow a Spirit to come into your being and effect the words you are speaking. What most of us would think of as a typical séance scenario.

Platform – demonstration work. Where a medium will stand and give several messages from Spirit to an audience. Often seen in Spiritual churches, who endeavour to prove the existence of life after death.

Paranormal Investigation – Where there is thought to be Spiritual activity, a group, preferably aided by a Spiritual medium, use scientific methods to either prove or disprove the existence of Spirit. Very worthwhile as proof of the afterlife for very logical and scientific based individuals.

Wiccan – a form of modern paganism, founded in England in the mid-20th century and claiming its origins in pre-Christian religions. Most of our knowledge of pre-christian religions being lostWorking with the planet closely, aiding her and channelling energies from the planet. Using spell work, rather than prayer work. Taking control and using morals to guide that control.

Herbalist – another type of healer, using herbs, rather than modern chemicals, to aid the body’s recovery naturally. This type of medicine will help keep your vibrations high. Additionally you may wish to work with herbs energetically. In the same way we know that physical illness comes from a place of energetic imbalance initially, the energy of herbs can heal energetically as well. This is often referred to or seen as spell work (Magic!!).

Spirit – the energy that is traditionally called the Holy Spirit, but it is the Breath, Chi or Prana in other cultures. It is the energy which we are all part of, which links us to God/Source and all others Spirits, including those alive and passed, and of nature.

Loved Ones In Spirit – the first level we pass to when we pass, where we still are attached to our physical life, and still maintain energy generally as our physical body was. Vibrationally not far above our own energy and so the easiest to contact.

Guides – Sometimes also referred to as Guardian Angels, these are people who generally have lived earthly lives and are here to guide us in many capacities in our lives. It maybe on one occasion, where they come to us for one instance, it maybe many years or a lifetime. Vibrationally one level above loved ones, where they have ascended to a level where they can help. You may have a loved one in Spirit who acts as a guide. Also if someone was an old soul, they may ascend quickly on the other side to act as a guide for someone else. These souls are becoming Angelic

Angels – Spirits who are the oldest souls in the Universe. They generally have not lived earthly lives and are here for higher guidance. There are many levels of them and some are omnipresent and can appear in many places at the same time. Also referred to as Higher Beings. They have a very high vibrational energy, and are very close to God in that respect. Angelic beings come from the same One God religions of Judaism Islam and Christianity.

Gods and Goddesses: there are many crossovers from Angels into realms of Gods and Goddesses same energy seen through different cultural eyes. Some Gods and Goddesses are also known as Earth Guardians and Earth Spirits.

Clairaudient: Clear Hearing. This will initially sound like your own voice; so trust is a major part of this. You may hear accents and then actual voices over time. Unless this is your main root of communication, this can be unreliable depending on the Spirit you are communicating with.

Higher Self – the concept that your collective lives all exist as an energy, connected to your soul here. The more you connect into this energy and your previous lives, the more you understand why you are here this time and ‘remember’ information you previously knew. Your higher self may exist on one, or any, of the vibrational band widths depending on where you are on your reincarnation journey.

Notice that the words used by Paul were ‘in the greater good’. I have a whole blog about why it is imperative for people to charge for their gifts, please have a read, but in short, do those with the gifts not fall into the Greater Good? Is their well-being, their lives and livelihood and that of their family unimportant? Simply because what they have to offer is Spiritual.

ALL TALENT IS GOD GIVEN. So why should someone with a wonderful talent for healing or for passing on message from spirit not charge, but an artist, or a hair-dresser or a musician charge? I have intentionally chosen other creative talents here for comparison. And in this society, whether we like it or not, we show and attach value to something through money.

The issue here is those that use their gifts from Ego. That doesn’t mean to say that those who gain fame from their talents stand in Ego. Generally I have seen that those which make it are genuinely talented and don’t take themselves seriously (generally! there are exceptions). Those that stand in Ego don’t tend to make it far from Spiritualist church platform or the end of the pier (there are many great readers at the end of the Pier, but you know what I’m getting at!). Greater good is not serving the Ego. Greater good is this is your pathway.

I would love to know what your gifts are and how you have seen them work in your life? Or if they are passed through your family. Please pop it in the comments below!

For news on my next Spiritual development classes, please have a look at my Events page! Both online and face to face available depending on the season!

Love as always

Rachael x