WHAT ARE YOUR SPIRITUAL GIFTS?

WHAT ARE YOUR SPIRITUAL GIFTS?

 

Spiritual gifts can be compared to birthday presents from the Holy Spirit, because they are given by him at the time of your spiritual birth. When you joined the family of God, you received at least one divinely ordained ability—probably more.

 

At that time, you were empowered by the grace of the Holy Spirit to be an instrument of Christian service within the framework of the body of Christ. The more you use your spiritual gifts for the health and growth of the church body, the more in touch you will become with your purposes in life. If you have never studied this topic before, here are some action steps to consider: Read Your Spiritual Gifts (by Peter Wagner) or 19 Gifts of the Spirit (by Leslie Flynn). Then, you may want to set up an appointment to chat with a pastor about your questions. Don’t let your gifts stay wrapped up. God wants you to use them to finish strong in the race of life.

 

SURPRISING GIFTS

 

When you became a believer in Jesus Christ, did you receive the gift of knowledge, healing, administration, faith, or evangelism? Did you find that you had the gift of preaching, discernment, celibacy, or voluntary poverty? Were you empowered with the gift of a missionary heart, much like the apostles in New Testament times? Your gifting may be in the area of hospitality or shepherding. You may have discovered that you have the gift of wisdom or intercessory prayer. Jan Johnson, coauthor of Dallas Willard’s Study Guide to The Divine Conspiracy, has thoroughly enjoyed the spiritual gifts the Holy Spirit selected for her.

 

JAN JOHNSON WAS GIVEN GIFTS

 

Jan is an author of numerous Bible studies and fourteen books about Christian living. A member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors, she has sold more than a thousand articles to publications like Woman’s Day, Discipleship Journal, and Focus on the Family. She is a wife, mother, sister, aunt, speaker, teacher, and spiritual director. She also volunteers at a drop-in center for the homeless and at Epiphany (which sponsors three-day retreats at youth correctional facilities).

 

Jan is interested in having an interactive life with God. In order to connect with him, she practices spiritual disciplines such as prayer, Bible study, meditation, extended times of solitude, silence, and service. As she connects with him, she says that he is ever-so-slowly transforming her into Christlikeness.

 

She outlines her three purposes in life right now as these: spiritual formation (connecting with God in authentic ways); compassion and social justice (caring for the throwaways of our culture as Jesus did); and helping people, especially in the American church, focus on substance over glitz (by discovering and living out God’s purposes instead of living a self-absorbed existence).

 

Two of Jan’s spiritual gifts are teaching and encouragement. She says that teaching gets to the heart of her passion, because it emphasizes the fact that she’s a lifelong student of the Word. She says, “The Greek word in Scripture for ‘teacher’ doesn’t necessarily indicate someone who’s a good communicator, but rather someone who loves to study and dig deeply into topics.

 

The Greek word for ‘encourager’ indicates someone who’s likely to teach or exhort in an effective way.” She says, “A spiritual gift is not simply limited to something you’re good at. It’s something that comes to you with amazing desire; it is a gift from God to be used for building his universal church. You may develop many other skills along the way, but a spiritual gift is something to get you started on fulfilling your purposes in life.”

 

What Are Your Spiritual Gifts? Stephen Had a Spiritual Gift

 

Stephen had the rare and beautiful spiritual gift of martyrdom. He spoke boldly and was willing to die for Jesus. Read Acts 7:54–60. How would you like to have been given the gift of martyrdom? Perhaps you have been.

 

 

SCRIPTURE TO PONDER

 

We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. (Romans 12:6–8)

 

SUGGESTED PRAYER

 

Dear Lord, each person has different gifts, according to the grace you have given us. I believe that if a woman’s gift is prophesying, she should use it in proportion to her faith. If it is serving, she should serve; if it is teaching, she should teach; if it is encouraging, she should encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, she should give generously; if it is leadership, she should govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, she should do it cheerfully. Today I, _________, thank you for the unmerited spiritual gifting you have bestowed on me, even for those gifts I have yet to discover. I pray that I will always desire to be a good steward of the generous gifts you have given me. They are from you and for your use. Help me cultivate them, so that I will be

a more useful tool in your hands!

 

So . . . What Insight, Prayer, or Action Step Has God Laid on Your Heart Today?