Reformed Christians in particular believe that the work of the Holy Spirit is discerned especially in regeneration, when He gives us hearts to believe the gospel (John 3:1–8), and in sanctification, when He enables us to more and more die unto sin and live unto holiness (Rom. 8). We also believe that God, by His Holy Spirit, sometimes heals people in extraordinary ways when we pray for them (James 5:14–15). That the Holy Spirit is working today, however, does not have to mean that He continues to grant the charismatic gifts of tongues, prophecy, and healing today.

Paul tells us that the Holy Spirit has given gifts for ministry to His people, and the English word “gifts” is a translation of the Greek word charismata. Therefore, the charismatic movement, which is the result of the influence of Pentecostal Christianity, refers to a movement in the Christian church that has a unique emphasis on the gifts of the Holy Spirit. “Unique emphasis” is key here because in one sense, all churches are charismatic. After all, every Christian denomination believes that at least some gifts of the Holy Spirit continue to operate today in our post-Apostolic age. What sets the charismatic movement and Pentecostalism apart is their belief that the so-called charismatic gifts continue as well. Today, we usually use the term “charismatic gifts” to refer specifically to those spiritual gifts practiced by Pentecostal Christians and believers in the charismatic movement but not practiced in historic Protestantism or Roman Catholicism. These gifts include tongues, prophecy, and healing or miracles.

The Specific Charismatic Gifts

Speaking in tongues, sometimes referred to as glossolalia, is the gift of speaking another language not known to the speaker. Some who advocate the continuation of tongues today say that tongues are actual, known human languages. For instance, a native English speaker who suddenly speaks Spanish under the influence of the Holy Spirit—even though he does not know Spanish—would be speaking in tongues. More commonly today, however, people view the gift of tongues as referring to speaking a language that has not been documented among human beings, perhaps a language spoken by the angels. Tongues are used as a private prayer language but also in corporate worship when many people speak in tongues all at once or when an individual says something in tongues and then an interpreter, under the influence of the Spirit, translates it for the benefit of the congregation.

In prophecy, an individual is believed to speak for God directly. The Lord reveals a message for that person or for others, and then the prophet delivers it. These modern prophets are believed to be much like the prophets we read about in Scripture, men or women chosen to give others a word from the Lord directly by way of special inspiration. Sometimes gifts such as a “word of wisdom” are a type of prophecy. Some people who affirm that this gift continues believe that it is identical to the gift given to the biblical prophets and that the message is infallible. Others believe that modern prophets speak messages that include truth from God but may be mixed with error and thus are to be judged by Scripture.

Finally, some believers are said to possess the gift of healing or miracles. Here we are not talking about praying for the sick, which all Christians do, nor about God miraculously healing people or protecting them in accordance with the prayers of His people.

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