"Therefore I inform you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, 'Jesus be cursed,' and no one can say, 'Jesus is Lord,' except by the Holy Spirit." vs3

No one can bow to the absolute Lordship of Jesus Christ, unless he has the Holy Spirit.

This is the truth of God: we are too sinful to submit apart from miraculous grace. People want a miracle, but here it is: No man can say that Jesus is Lord in his own power.

Grace saves the sinner, and grace makes us willing, convincing the heart and convicting us of sin, until we're tired of it and find NO RESTING PLACE.

We cannot hide behind our works or twisted doctrine. We must yield to Christ as guilty.

Bless God! This is the only kind of person He saves - hell worthy and helpless sinners. Then, we call on the name of the Lord. Then, we say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" Then, we say, "Lord if You will, you can."

Rest in this fact: No one gets saved without God, so compromised preaching is futile and self-confident preaching is vain. Stretch for the rod of the gospel and the hand of diligent labor. God alone divides the Red Sea.

Secondly, God doesn't work the same way all the time [vs6]. We can do none of the miracles in scripture, but God’s still given us the Spirit to save souls.

"There are different ways of working, but the same God works all things in all people."

Many stumble here. Good people look for signs and wonders. Blessed are you if you are not misled.

Christ didn't work the same way as Moses, nor did Elijah. The Apostles didn't pass on their power to anyone else [Acts 8:18; 2 Cor 12:12]. They sealed the testimony with their blood, then entered heaven. They left the written word of God, and having nothing to add, He removed the sign gifts.

In scripture, we have everything needed for spiritual life. We have the truth and the ability to preach it. We have the doctrine and the power to live godly. We can't speak in tongues [other known languages learned miraculously,] but we can translate God's written revelation unto the world.

Don't get caught up in hocus-pocus and superstition. Be satisfied with Scripture. If miracles were happening, they would not be hidden - they’d be verified by unmistakable scientific evidence - and you certainly would not have to pay for them.

Finally, the most excellent way is love [vs27-31].

"But eagerly desire the greater gifts. And now I will show you the most excellent way." vs31

Love is the gift that all of us can have, and it is most excellent!

We can't all be Apostles or speak in tongues, but we can love and be like Jesus! We can forgive faults, while being wise enough to distrust vipers.

“Now you are the body of Christ, and each of you is a member of it. And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, and those with gifts of healing, helping, administration, and various tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?”

We can love like Jesus, though we can't do His miracles. We can lay down our lives in the service of others.