Spiritual Gifts part 1

By Bill Gothard

The full potential of a life, a marriage, a family, or a church will not be experienced until there is a clear, Biblical understanding of spiritual gifts. For this reason Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 12:1: “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.”

Spiritual gifts are an expression of the “manifold grace of God.” (See 1 Peter 4:10). Just as there are many gifts, there are many ways to organize them for study and application. The following division has brought joy and freedom to thousands of Christians who have wondered what their spiritual gifts are and how they could effectively use them.

GOD’S GIFTS MAKE US MIGHTY IN SPIRIT

1. What Are Spiritual Gifts?

They are drives, opportunities, and results given by the Holy Spirit to achieve God’s supernatural goals - 1 Corinthians 12-14.

Each person who is born again into God’s kingdom take on a “debt of love.” It is designed to motivate us to fulfill the law of God. Thus, we are instructed in Romans 13:8, “Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.” God gives spiritual gifts so that we are able to pay our debt of love.

2. Who Is Given A Spiritual Gift?

Every Christian. It is activated at salvation when the Holy Spirit unites with our spirit - Romans 8:16-17.

When we are born physically, we possess certain natural abilities. When we are born again spiritually, God takes these natural abilities and turns them into the means by which He can work through us supernaturally. Christ “…gave gifts unto men…For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith…” (Ephesians 4:8, 12-13).

3. How Many Gifts Does Each Christian Have?

There are three types of gifts: Motivation, Ministry, and Manifestation - 1 Corinthians 12:4-7. We have one motivational gift and the possibility of many ministry and manifestation gifts - 1 Peter 4:10; 1 Corinthians 12:31.

“Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal” (1 Corinthians 12:4-7).

Each Christian’s motivational gift is given by the Holy Spirit. The Greek word for gift is charisma, which comes from the word char meaning “joy.” Charis is the Greek word for grace, which is God giving us the desire and power to do His will. (See Philippians 2:13).

The Greek word from which operations comes is emergeia. Its English equivalent is energy. As God gives power through our motivational gift, the effects produced by it are the operations (energema) or manifestations of the Spirit.

Each Christian may also have several ministry gifts given by the local church. After listing the ministry gifts in 1 Corinthians 12:28-30, Paul concluded by saying “But covet earnestly the best gifts…” those that would most effectively strengthen believers and advance the kingdom of God.
Peter emphasizes the singularity of the motivational gift when he states, “As every man has received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (1 Peter 4:10).

4. Why Do We Receive Only One Motivational Gift?

So we can concentrate on it - Romans 12:6-8. So we can see our need for each other - Romans 12:3-5.

The ear is designed to carry out a different function than the eye, and the hand to perform different functions than the foot. Gifts are distributed so that no one Christian will “…think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God has dealt to every man the measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us…” (Romans 12:3-6).

If one Christian had all seven motivational gifts, he would certainly be self-sufficient and would not need the other members. Makes sense, doesn’t it?

5. How Do We Discover Our Motivational Gift?

* Accept Christ for salvation - Romans 10:9-13.
* Enter into Christ’s victory over sin - Romans 6-8.

It is significant that spiritual gifts are not explained in the first chapter of Romans, but in the twelfth chapter, after sin has been identified and conquered in the believer’s life.

* Concentrate on the needs of others - Ephesians 4:12-13.

Only as we begin using our gifts will we confirm them and also see the need for other’s gifts.

* Identify what Christians do to irritate you - 1 John 3:16.

Most Christians fail to understand that their spiritual gifts allow them to see needs which are overlooked by those with other gifts. Rather than frustrating them, this should be their signal to confirm their gifts and use them to help others see what they see.

* Understand the categories of gifts - 1 Corinthians 12:4-7.
* Distinguish the characteristics and misuses of each gift.

Most of the problems which we face come when we try to fulfill our spiritual gift in the energy of the flesh rather than by the energizing power of the Holy Spirit. Most of those who have discovered their spiritual gift have done so by detecting misuses of their natural abilities.

The Personal Rewards Of Spiritual Gifts

Knowing we have a gift that is valuable to the Body of Christ, we are able to achieve a deeper level of self-acceptance and purpose in life. As we exercise our gifts, we experience personal fulfillment and a deep sense of joy. By concentrating on our gifts, we achieve maximum fruitfulness with minimum weariness.

THIS SERIES IS CONTINUED…