Has God stopped giving spiritual gifts?

And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. (Acts 2:2-3)

Some today teach that the miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit—such as prophecy, speaking in tongues, and healing—ceased after the first century. This view, known as cessationism, claims that once the New Testament was completed and the apostles had passed away, these gifts were no longer needed.

However, when we examine Scripture carefully, we find no clear biblical basis for this idea. On the contrary, the New Testament consistently encourages believers to expect, desire, and operate in spiritual gifts as a normal part of church life. The early church depended on the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit—and we are called to do the same today.

1. The Bible commands us to desire and use the gifts

The apostle Paul, writing to ordinary believers—not just leaders—gives these clear instructions:

• “Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy” (1 Cor 14:1).

• “Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good” (1 Thess 5:20–21).

• “Do not forbid to speak with tongues” (1 Cor 14:39).

• “… let us prophesy in proportion to our faith in proportion to our faith …” (Rom 12:6–8).

• “Do not quench the Spirit” (1 Thess 5:19).

If these instructions were only meant for the first century, why are they preserved in Scripture for every generation? If the spiritual gifts have ceased, should we consider these passages irrelevant or outdated? Certainly not. God’s Word does not expire. The fact that Paul wrote these instructions to New Testament believers shows that they still apply to us today.

Yes, there are practices in the Bible that no longer apply because of changes in covenant — for example, the Old Testament sacrificial system. But we are still living under the same new covenant that the believers in Corinth, Thessalonica, and Rome were under. That means what was true for them is still true for us.

2. The gifts were given "until" the church is fully mature

In Ephesians 4:11–13, Paul explains that Christ gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers to the Church:

“…for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man…” (Ephesians 4:12–13)

Notice that Paul says these gifts will continue "until we all come to the unity of the faith..." (Eph 4:13). And most believers would agree—we have not yet reached that place of full unity. This means the gifts are still needed and are still meant to be in operation today.

Paul does not present apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers as temporary roles — and he makes no distinction between apostles and prophets and the other ministry gifts. Instead, he lists them all together and says that these—implying all of them—will continue until the Church "comes to maturity, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" (Eph 4:13). That goal has not yet been fully realized, so the need for these gifts remains.

3. The early church was a model, not a temporary exception

Some claim that the gifts of the Spirit were only meant for the early Church to help launch Christianity. But the Bible never says that. There’s not a single verse that even implies these gifts were temporary—so why teach something Scripture doesn't support?

The Bible refers to the time we now live in as "the last days". And according to Scripture, these "last days" began in Acts 2, when the Holy Spirit was poured out on the first disciples. Under the inspiration of the Spirit, Peter stood up and explained what was happening: “This is what was spoken by the prophet Joel”—that in “the last days,” God would “pour out of My Spirit on all flesh” (Acts 2:16–17).

If that was the beginning of the last days, then either the last days have ended—or we are still living in the time when God is pouring out His Spirit. One of the signs of this outpouring was that people would prophesy. And what happened in Acts 2—where the disciples spoke in tongues—was not just a one-time event to “kick-start” the Church.

Peter made that clear when he said: “The promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call” (Acts 2:39). That includes us.

Later, writing to the Gentile believers in Corinth, Paul describes what a Spirit-filled gathering should look like: “Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation…” (1 Cor 14:26). Nothing in his words suggests these gifts were passing away. On the contrary, the Spirit-filled life—and Spirit-filled church gatherings—are portrayed as the new normal for the Church.

4. From glory to glory 

The Bible tells us that in the last days, as we draw closer to the return of Christ, “perilous times will come” (2 Tim 3:1–5). So why would God remove the very gifts that were given to edify, guide, and protect His Church—right when we need them the most?

It is not in God’s nature to pour out His Spirit powerfully on the first generation of believers, only to leave the final generation surviving on the breadcrumbs of the past. God is not a God who starts strong and ends weak. No—He moves “from glory to glory” (2 Cor 3:18). What He begins in power, He brings to completion in even greater power.

The Holy Spirit is still at work today—transforming hearts, healing the broken, empowering believers, and speaking through His people. Cessationism lowers our expectation of what God desires to do in our time. But the Word of God calls us to lift our eyes and believe for more. We don’t need less of the Holy Spirit—we need more. More power. More discernment. More revelation. More wisdom.

Apostles and prophets—when they walk in humility and stay grounded in Scripture—are not a danger to the Church. They are a gift from Christ to build up His Body (Ephesians 4:11–12).

Let’s not settle for a diminished version of New Testament Christianity.

Let’s believe for more—not less.