{"id":421,"date":"2018-11-13T19:48:10","date_gmt":"2018-11-13T19:48:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.tyndale.com\/unfoldingfaithblog\/?p=421"},"modified":"2020-03-11T14:01:06","modified_gmt":"2020-03-11T14:01:06","slug":"your-spiritual-gifts-how-to-identify-and-effectively-use-them","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.tyndale.com\/unfoldingfaithblog\/2018\/11\/13\/your-spiritual-gifts-how-to-identify-and-effectively-use-them\/","title":{"rendered":"Your Spiritual Gifts \u2013 How to Identify and Effectively Use Them."},"content":{"rendered":"

Learning our spiritual gift(s) is a fun subject because we get to discover something about ourselves that we may not have known before.<\/p>\n

A spiritual gift is something God has chosen specifically for you so that you can help with the advancement of the church on earth by serving and using your special ability.<\/p>\n

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This excerpt from the New Believer\u2019s Bible<\/em><\/a> explains it all:<\/p>\n

What are spiritual gifts?<\/strong><\/p>\n

God has chosen people to do his work. He chose this course of action for reasons only he knows and understands. From a human perspective, we may wonder if this was the best decision. After all, the sky\u2019s the limit concerning what God could have done. He could have chosen angels to speak to lost humanity. He certainly used them on many significant occasions throughout Scripture. Or God could have created a special category of messengers that would never fail him\u2014a \u201csin-proof\u201d instrument that would faithfully proclaim his Word. For that matter, God himself could have simply poked his face through the heavens and said, \u201cHello, world! I\u2019m God, and you\u2019re not!\u201d But God has chosen men and women to do his work among humankind.<\/p>\n

As we seek to follow and be used by Jesus Christ, we need to utilize all that he has made available to us. One of the great blessings Jesus has given to his church and to us as individuals is the gifts of the Spirit. Why has he given these gifts? The Bible has this to say about the vital role they play in the lives of believers:<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Spiritual Gifts Enable Us to Grow in the Knowledge of Christ<\/em>.<\/strong> Some people get sidetracked with spiritual gifts and become more obsessed with the gifts than with Jesus. Believers begin to follow signs and wonders, instead of signs and wonders following believers. This is a sign of spiritual immaturity. The Christian writer\/preacher A.\u00a0B. Simpson wrote these insightful words:<\/p>\n

Once it was the blessing, now it is the Lord.
\nOnce it was the feeling, now it is His Word.
\nOnce his gifts I wanted, now the Giver own.
\nOnce I sought for healing, now himself alone.<\/em><\/p>\n

Attaining spiritual gifts is not the goal\u2014they are the gateway. They are not a hobby to play with\u2014they are tools to build with, weapons to fight with. We will be more effective as we put them to use for God\u2019s glory and not our own.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Spiritual Gifts Are to Be Used<\/em>.<\/strong> It is possible to let a gift go unused. In doing this, however, you disobey God and cheat the church of a blessing. For this reason, we must use those gifts he has given us. In fact, it must be insulting to God for us to demean some gift his Holy Spirit has instilled in our life by saying that it just isn\u2019t important enough to use.<\/p>\n

—<\/p>\n

Looking for resources on spiritual gifts? Check out the selection from Tyndale House Publishers<\/a>.<\/h5>\n

—<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Each Spiritual Gift Has a Special Place in the Body of Christ<\/em>.<\/strong> Every gift that God has placed in the body of Christ, the church, is important. Some gifts such as preaching, teaching, and prophesying may seem more important than others such as hospitality or service. But God has given all of these gifts to build up his church. None of these gifts should be looked down upon or treated lightly.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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So, what are the spiritual gifts that God has given to his people? Here is a list:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Administration<\/li>\n
  2. Being an apostle<\/li>\n
  3. Discernment<\/li>\n
  4. Evangelism<\/li>\n
  5. Exhortation<\/li>\n
  6. Faith<\/li>\n
  7. Giving<\/li>\n
  8. Healing<\/li>\n
  9. Helps<\/li>\n
  10. Hospitality<\/li>\n
  11. Knowledge<\/li>\n
  12. Leadership<\/li>\n
  13. Mercy<\/li>\n
  14. Prophecy<\/li>\n
  15. Serving<\/li>\n
  16. Speaking in tongues<\/li>\n
  17. Teaching (sometimes known as shepherding)<\/li>\n
  18. Wisdom<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    \"\"<\/p>\n

    Definitions:<\/p>\n

    ADMINISTRATION:<\/strong>\u00a0The ability to help steer the church, or a ministry, toward the successful completion of God-given goals, with skills in planning, organization, and supervision.<\/p>\n

    APOSTLE:<\/strong>\u00a0A person sent to new places with the gospel. You may have heard of missionaries going to different countries to help spread the Word; they could be described as apostles. An apostle can also provide leadership to other churches or ministries and offer advice on spiritual matters.<\/p>\n

    DISCERNMENT:<\/strong>\u00a0The wisdom to recognize truth from untruth by correctly evaluating whether a behavior or teaching is from God or another, ungodly source.<\/p>\n

    EVANGELISM:<\/strong>\u00a0The ability to successfully communicate the message of the gospel, especially to nonbelievers.<\/p>\n

    EXHORTATION:<\/strong>\u00a0Competence in offering encouragement, comfort, and support to help someone be all that God wants them to be.<\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/p>\n

    FAITH:<\/strong>\u00a0People with this gift have such great confidence in the power and promises of God that they can stand strong in their belief, no matter what may try to shake them. They can also stand up for the church and for their faith in such a way as \u00a0to defend and move it forward.<\/p>\n

    GIVING:<\/strong>\u00a0Those who have this gift are particularly willing and able to share what resources they have with pleasure, and without the need to see them returned.<\/p>\n

    HEALING:<\/strong>\u00a0A capability used by God to restore others, be that physically, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually.<\/p>\n

    HELPS:<\/strong>\u00a0Someone with this gift is able to support or assist members of the body of Christ so that they may be free to minister to others.<\/p>\n

    HOSPITALITY:<\/strong>\u00a0A natural ability to make people\u2014even strangers\u2014feel welcome in one\u2019s own home or church as a means to disciple or serve them.<\/p>\n

    KNOWLEDGE:<\/strong>\u00a0This is the gift of someone who actively pursues knowledge of the Bible. This person may also enjoy analyzing biblical data.<\/p>\n

    LEADERSHIP:<\/strong>\u00a0This aptitude marks a person who is able to stand before a church, to direct the body with care and attention, and to motivate them toward achieving the church\u2019s goals.<\/p>\n

    MERCY:<\/strong> This is the defining trait of a person with great sensitivity for those who are suffering.\u00a0It manifests itself in offering compassion and encouragement, and in a love for giving practical help to someone in need.<\/p>\n

    PROPHECY:<\/strong>\u00a0The ability to speak the message of God to others. This sometimes involves foresight or visions of what is to come. This skill should be used only to offer encouragement or warning.<\/p>\n

    SERVING:<\/strong>\u00a0 A talent for identifying tasks needed for the body of Christ and using available resources to get the job done.<\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/p>\n

    SPEAKING IN TONGUES:<\/strong>\u00a0The supernatural ability to speak in another language (one that has not been learned).<\/p>\n

    TEACHING:<\/strong>\u00a0The skill to teach from the Bible and communicate it effectively for the understanding and spiritual growth of others.<\/p>\n

    WISDOM<\/strong>: The gift of being able to sort through facts and data to discover what needs to be done for the church.<\/p>\n

    It should be noted that not every Christian believes all these spiritual gifts are still given by God. Some think that there were certain gifts, such as speaking in tongues, that were handed down only for a time when they were needed in biblical history and are no longer needed now.<\/p>\n

    How do we determine which gifts God has given us? <\/strong><\/p>\n