Spiritual Gifts
Today’s Reading: 1 Corinthians 12
The beauty of salvation is that not only do we all receive this collective calling that we talked about yesterday, but we also receive personal giftings that help us live out this purpose. These are called spiritual gifts. These gifts are given to us by the Holy Spirit through salvation.
Spiritual gifts are NOT:
- Natural Strengths or Abilities: We all have natural abilities that are inherent or we’ve learned from those around us regardless of a Christian faith. Many times our natural abilities and strengths are redeemed by the Lord to become spiritual gifts.
- Character Traits: We are all called to have good character and our gifts should produce the nature of Jesus Christ in each person. A person should not say he has the “gift of peace” when we are all encouraged to develop that characteristic. Spiritual gifts offer opportunities for us to exemplify Christ.
- Titles or Positions: Spiritual gifts often lead to titles or positions but a person may have the gift without the role or the role without the gift. Regardless, we should serve whenever we are given the opportunity. Working in the area of your gifting will allow you to “be” the person that God has called you to be rather than just “doing” good things.
- Self-Promoting: Spiritual gifts are endowments given by God to his people for accomplishing his purpose (what we talked about yesterday) on the earth. Spiritual gifts are given for the glory of God.
Instead, spiritual gifts are a special divine empowerment bestowed on each believer by the Holy Spirit to accomplish a given ministry within the context of the Body of Christ. Spiritual gifts are given to believers almost like the art on puzzle pieces. Every believer is unique and important just like all the pieces of a puzzle; however, their beauty and purpose is even more magnified when the pieces are put together. God has designed us and given us gifts that work together. In today’s reading we read about how the body of Christ is made up of many parts, just like a real body. All of our parts have important functions but work in harmony to help us survive just like how all of the believers’ giftings work together to make up the body of Christ.
These are the giftings given by the Holy Spirit:
Administration: The gift of administration is the divine strength or ability to organize multiple tasks and groups of people to accomplish these tasks. Luke 14:28-30; Acts 6:1-7; 1 Corinthians 12:28
Apostleship: The gift of apostleship is the divine strength or ability to pioneer new churches and ministries through planting, overseeing, and training. Acts 15:22-35; 1 Corinthians 12:28; 2 Corinthians 12:12; Galatians 2:7-10; Ephesians 4:11-14
Craftsmanship: The gift of craftsmanship is the divine strength or ability to plan, build, and work with your hands in construction environments to accomplish multiple ministry applications. Exodus 30:22, 31:3-11; 2 Chronicles 34:9-13; Acts 18:2-3
Discernment: The gift of discernment is the divine strength or ability to spiritually identify falsehood and to distinguish between right and wrong motives and situations.
Matthew 16:21-23; Acts 5:1-11, 16:16-18; 1 Corinthians 12:10; 1 John 4:1-6
Evangelism: The gift of evangelism is the divine strength or ability to help non-Christians take the necessary steps to becoming a born-again Christian. Acts 8:5-6, 8:26-40, 14:21, 21:8; Ephesians 4:11-14
Exhortation: The gift of exhortation is the divine strength or ability to encourage others through the written or spoken word and Biblical truth. Acts 14:22; Romans 12:8; 1 Timothy 4:13; Hebrews 10:24-25
Faith: The gift of faith is the divine strength or ability to believe in God for unseen supernatural results in every arena of life. Acts 11:22-24; Romans 4:18-21; 1 Corinthians 12:9; Hebrews 11
Giving: The gift of giving is the divine strength or ability to produce wealth and to give by tithes and offerings for the purpose of advancing the Kingdom of God on earth. Mark 12:41-44; Romans 12:8; 2 Corinthians 8:1-7, 9:2-7
Healing: The gift of healing is the divine strength or ability to act as an intermediary in faith, prayer, and by the laying-on of hands for the healing of physical and mental illnesses. Acts 3:1-10, 9:32-35, 28:7-10; 1 Corinthians 12:9, 28
Helps: The gift of helps is the divine strength or ability to work in a supportive role for the accomplishment of tasks in Christian ministry. Mark 15:40-41; Acts 9:36; Romans 16:1-2; 1 Corinthians 12:28
Hospitality: The gift of hospitality is the divine strength or ability to create warm, welcoming environments for others in places such as your home, office, or church. Acts 16:14-15; Romans 12:13, 16:23; Hebrews 13:1-2; 1 Peter 4:9
Intercession: The gift of intercession is the divine strength or ability to stand in the gap in prayer for someone, something, or someplace, believing for profound results. Hebrews 7:25; Colossians 1:9-12, 4:12-13; James 5:14-16
Knowledge: The gift of knowledge is the divine strength or ability to understand and to bring clarity to situations and circumstances often accompanied by a word from God. Acts 5:1-11; 1 Corinthians 12:8; Colossians 2:2-3
Leadership: The gift of leadership is the divine strength or ability to influence people at their level while directing and focusing them on the big picture, vision, or idea. Romans 12:8; 1 Timothy 3:1-13, 5:17; Hebrews 13:17
Mercy: The gift of mercy is the divine strength or ability to feel empathy and to care for those who are hurting in any way. Matthew 9:35-36; Mark 9:41; Romans 12:8; 1 Thessalonians 5:14
Missionary: The gift of missions is the divine strength or ability to reach others outside of your culture and nationality, while in most cases living in that culture or nation. Acts 8:4, 13:2-3, 22:21; Romans 10:15
Music/ Worship: The gift of music/worship is the divine strength or ability to sing, dance, or play an instrument primarily for the purpose of helping others worship God.
Deuteronomy 31:22; 1 Samuel 16:16; 1 Chronicles 16:41-42; 2 Chronicles 5:12-13, 34:12; Psalm 150
Pastor/ Shepherd: The gift of pastor/shepherd is the divine strength or ability to care for the personal needs of others by nurturing and mending life issues. John 10:1-18; Ephesians 4:11-14; 1 Timothy 3:1-7; 1 Peter 5:1-3
Prophecy: The gift of prophecy is the divine strength or ability to boldly speak and bring clarity to scriptural and doctrinal truth, in some cases foretelling God’s plan. Acts 2:37-40, 7:51-53, 26:24-29; 1 Corinthians 14:1-4; 1 Thessalonians 1:5
Service: The gift of serving is the divine strength or ability to do small or great tasks in working for the overall good of the body of Christ. Acts 6:1-7; Romans 12:7; Galatians 6:10; 1 Timothy 1:16-18; Titus 3:14
Teaching: The gift of teaching is the divine strength or ability to study and learn from the Scriptures primarily to bring understanding and depth to other Christians. Acts 18:24-28, 20:20-21; 1 Corinthians 12:28; Ephesians 4:11-14
Wisdom: The gift of wisdom is the divine strength or ability to apply the truths of Scripture in a practical way, producing the fruitful outcome and character of Jesus Christ. Acts 6:3,10; 1 Corinthians 2:6-13, 12:8
Learning what your spiritual gifts are and how you can use them is a wonderful way of living an open-handed life. When we are using our gifts, we are living in a way that fulfills God’s purpose for our lives. If you are interested in learning more about your spiritual gifts, the first step is taking a spiritual gifts test (giftstest.com).
Use the PRAY (Praise, Repent, Ask, Yield) acronym to spend time in prayer.
What are your top spiritual gifts?
What are some ways you could use (or you are using) your spiritual gifts to serve the body of Christ?
