Spiritual Impartation

By Larry Schoonover, Puyallup, WA

Paul made mention in his writings to the church at Rome that he sought God
for opportunity, and as the Lord had sent him, he longed that he might impart
some spiritual gift. What would the method or vehicle for this impartation
be? Is there spiritual principle for Paul's statement to the church at Rome,
and how does it apply to the ministry of the church today?

Romans 1:9-11
9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without
ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers;
10 Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the
will of God to come unto you.
11 For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be
established;

As a result of my exposure to other men’s ministries, it has become evident to me that some men's
ministries differ in the fruit produced and how the hand of God begins to move. Faith is the platform
by which many spiritual gifts come into operation.
"Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." We clearly understand that through the
act of speaking, or by the utterance of the spirit, there is a work of the spirit that we call impartation.
Seed of the Spirit in the form of spoken word is imparted as the gift of God is in operation. That seed
is then mixed with faith that provides germination, or makes it the living word.

1 Corinthians 12:4-7
4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.
6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God, which worketh all in all.
7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

Paul declared that the "Manifestation of the Spirit" or the ministry given to a man or individual is not
for the profit of that individual but for the profit or benefit of all. Therefore the gift is given to the
church (body of Christ), not the man. He simply becomes the vehicle or facilitator by which God
performs this spiritual work. The idea that all ministries are alike is ludicrous, and to give myself to
only one form of ministry would be a mistake. It is also recognized that the scripture gives two ways
in which this impartation takes place.

1
Speaking -- The flow of ministry that takes place by teaching, preaching, prophesying or even praying.
Yes, praying is a ministry.

Laying on of the hands -- God apparently ordained that gifts and spiritual ministries would be given
when men of God laid their hands on people associated with praying or prophesying.

Acts 8:14-17
14 Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word
of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:
15 Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:
16 (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the
Lord Jesus.)
17 Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.

Acts 19:6
And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake
with tongues, and prophesied.

Keeping in mind that Jesus gave strong references to the word of God being sown as seed, let's
consider the principle. Other references speak of trees producing fruit. We know that sown seed will
produce a tree. We know that a tree will produce fruit that bears seed after its kind. This is one reason
why we are to know them that labor among us. The ministries we are exposed to will produce the fruit
of that ministry in our lives. The next reference that Jesus made concerning the tree was whether it
was a good tree or a bad one. Jesus was more forgiving to the tree that bore no fruit than he was to the
one that bore bad fruit.

Matthew 3:10
10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth
not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

The obvious reason being, a bad tree would produce bad fruit that would only perpetuate itself through
the bearing of it's own seed. Our ministries are much the same way. Our fellowship with God and
praying in the spirit are critical to what is produced in 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.