The Lord gave gifts to men:
The Bible teaches that after Jesus was received into heaven, he gave gifts to men. Now the gifts that he gave men are apart from those we are born with. When we are born, we come equipped with a variety of gifts, many of which are never discovered. But when we come to Christ, the Holy Spirit empowers us with new gifts for a given purpose. Those gifts that we are born with, the spirit of God enhances them to help fulfill the purpose. The purpose of the gifts we have acquired is so that we edify ourselves and those around us. Our self-edification is important to God and to those around us. The Bible tells us that after David and his men came back to the city of Ziklag, where they had left their families in safety, to find it burned to the ground and their families nowhere in sight. The Amalekites came and burned it down. Everyone began to blame David and were about to stone him. Still, he went and strengthened himself (1 Sa 30:6). Edifying involves building up faith, offering encouragement, providing scripture guidance, and maintaining accountability.
1 Corinthians 14:1-5
Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy. 2 For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.3 But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.
4 He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church. 5 I would that ye all spake with tongues but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.
The Greek word for edification is oikodomé, as in the building of a house. The scriptures teach us that when we speak in an unknown tongue, we edify ourselves because we talk with God. Anytime we talk with God in prayer, we are bound to be edified. Prayer lifts one. It enriches one’s faith. Speaking in tongues is a type of prayer, where we share with God the mysteries that have been and are within us in a language he only understands. Self-edification has to become a daily practice in our lives (He 12:12-13). The scriptures teach us that although self-edification is important, edification of the church is more important. So, the question is, why is church edification more important? Prophecy is the means of edifying the church. Prophecy is speaking a message from God.
We, as members of the body of Christ, have to be seeking to edify one another (1 Thes 5:11). Gifts have been given to us so that we edify one another as the church of Christ (Ep 4:12). A balance of self-edification and church edification produces a healthy church (1 Cor 14:15). Edification has to be intentional and purpose driven.
1 Samuel 30:6
6 And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.
Hebrews 12:12-13
12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;13 And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
1 Thessalonians 5:11
11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
Ephesians 4:12
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
1 Corinthians 14:15
15 What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.