Romans 12:3-8 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. 4 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. 6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; 7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; 8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
We have all given and been given gifts through the years. Some of these gifts were practical and others not so practical. Some have been helpful while others not so helpful. However, no gift is actually practical or helpful unless we use it. God has given every Christian at least one Spiritual Gift (probably more than one) at the moment we are saved. In this article we will discover how we can unwrap and use our spiritual gifts for the glory of God and for the good of others.
Spiritual gifts are not the same as a natural talent.
We inherit natural talents from our earthly parents, but we receive Spiritual Gifts from our Heavenly Father. However, just like natural talents can be developed or wasted… spiritual gifts can be as well.
Spiritual gifts are not the same as the “Fruit of the Spirit”.
Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 [a]gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
All Christians should possess all the Fruit of the Spirit and should be growing in the expression of these fruit over time with Christian maturity. However, no Christian has all the Spiritual Gifts. It is possible for a Christian to operate in their Spiritual Giftedness without developing the Fruit of the Spirit in their lives. We have all seen examples of Christians leaders whose charisma and competency has taken them further then their character was able to keep them.
Spiritual Gifts are God given abilities which enable a believer to effectively serve the body of Christ.
These gifts are not just for our enjoyment, but they are for our employment.
1 Peter 4:10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
Warren Wiersbe says, “Spiritual gifts are tools to build with, not toys to play with, or weapons to fight with.”
#1 We Should Reflect Upon the Spiritual Gifts that God Has Given to Us
Romans 12:3 For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.
God is a gift giving God. He has gifted us physical life, He has gifted us spiritual life, and He has gifted us eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. All these gifts are provided to us through His grace. Grace is God’s undeserved favor upon us. God also wants us to reflect on the fact that he has “graced” us with Spiritual Gifts for us to unwrap and use in service to Him and in the His Kingdom.
1 Timothy 4:14 Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership.
2 Timothy 1:6 Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.
James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
If any Christian ever says they can’t do anything to serve God, they are in essence calling God a liar. The good news is God doesn’t call the qualified; He qualifies the called. When God directs us to do something He always empowers us to be faithful in doing it.
#2 We Should Remember the Reason God Has Given Us Spiritual Gifts
Romans 12:4-5 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.
We need to remember that we are all members of one body, the body of Christ. We also need to remember that God has given us different positions and gifts within that body. God has made us different so that He might make us one. God is not looking for uniformity, but He is looking for unity within the His family of faith. It is almost like the 3 Musketeers motto “All for one and one for all”. Everyone is somebody in Christ’s body. I need you, you need me, and we all need Jesus!
Because this is true, we are to live dependent upon Christ, interdependent upon other Christians, but codependent upon nobody.
Hebrews 10:24-25 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
#3 We Should Respond by Unwrapping and Using the Spiritual Gifts that God Has Given Us
Romans 12:6-8 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; 7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; 8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
Here Paul lists 7 Spiritual Gifts, but this is not an exhaustive list. Paul includes other gifts in his list located in 1 Corinthians.
1 Corinthians 12:1-11 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant: 2 You know that[a] you were Gentiles, carried away to these dumb[b] idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus [c]accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit. 4 There are [d]diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works [e]all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by [f]the same Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.
Do you know what your Spiritual Gift(s) is/are? One way to discover these is by taking a Spiritual Gift Assessment. Spiritual Gifts Assessment – The Mission Church of Lexington (missionchurchlex.org)
However, even without a Spiritual Gift Assessment you can discover your Giftedness through practical serving experience. Church is not to be a spectator sport. You should volunteer widely until you find the ministry or ministries that match your Spiritual Giftedness the best.
Here is a simple process to identify what your Spiritual Gifts are:
Enlightenment, Enjoyment, Encouragement, and Enablement.
- Now that you have been informed about Spiritual Gifts you have the Enlightenment completed.
- As you are serving in various ministries through the local church you will start to experience Enjoyment. When you sense are doing what God has created you to do you will experience joy. God is not likely to call us to serve Him in ways that make us miserable. This doesn’t mean serving God is not challenging or requires sacrifice but when you are doing what God want you to do nothing can stop you.
- While you are serving in ways that you find enjoyable others will start Encouraging you. They will notice and comment that God is using you. They will affirm you and challenge you to continue to do what you are clearly gifted by God to do.
- Then finally you will experience God’s Enablement. While you are busy doing the possible God begins to do the impossible through you. You are being used by God to help other people take their next spiritual steps of obedience.
Every disciple of Christ needs to discover, develop, and deploy their Spiritual Gifts for the glory of God and for the good the church. This includes you!
This article has been directed to Christians. Only those who are saved have Spiritual Gifts because only those who are saved have the Holy Spirit. But there is a gift that God wants to give to a person who is currently spiritually lost and that is the gifts of salvation.
If I can pray for you or serve you in any way, please contact me at: Pastor@missionchruchlex.org
Donovan Stewart
Senior Pastor
The Mission Church of Lexington
Missionchurchlex.org