SPIRITUAL GIFTS – Part Thirteen

SUMMARY

By Michael K. Farrar

God’s Breath Publications

 

As I end this series on spiritual gifts I want to summarize some important points that we should always remember when we are attempting to understand and use the spiritual gifts God gives to us when we are adopted into His spiritual family.

 

First, our Heavenly Father has divinely ordained the specific spiritual gifts He wishes us to have. There is no gift the Christ’s church needs that God has not given to one of the members of His spiritual family.

 

Hebrews 2:4

“God also testifying with them, both by signs and wonders and by various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His own will.”

 

1 Corinthians 12:28

And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues.

 

Secondly, these gifts are given to us by His Son, Jesus Christ.”

 

Ephesians 4:7-8

“But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore it says, “WHEN HE ASCENDED ON HIGH, HE LED CAPTIVE A HOST OF CAPTIVES, AND HE GAVE GIFTS TO MEN.”

 

Thirdly, the gifts are given by Jesus Christ through the agency of the Holy Spirit at the time we accept Christ as our personal Lord and Savior.

 

1 Corinthians 12:11

“But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.”

 

Fourthly, the gifts are given to minister to and edify others in the Body of Christ.

 

1 Corinthians 12:7

“But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good…”

 

While we will receive joy and spiritual encouragement when we express our spiritual gift or gifts, this is a by-product of their intended purpose as designed and ordained by God.

 

Jesus Christ baptizes each person in the Holy Spirit who confesses their sin and accepts Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord. To accept Jesus as Savior means, accepting His sacrifice on the cross as payment for all of your sins; past, present and future. To accept Jesus as Lord means that we commit to obey His commandments, seek to live as He did while on earth and desire to let the Holy Spirit govern our daily walk in life. The Holy Spirit is given to each follower of Christ at the moment of his or her salvation and this is often called the “baptism of the Holy Spirit.” Jesus Christ is the agent of the baptism, the one who baptizes. The Holy Spirit indwells the believer at the point in time of their spiritual birth and regeneration. Now that the Holy Spirit indwells the Christian, He begins His ministry to glorify Christ in their heart, mind and soul as the believer submits to His influence. The Holy Spirit will distribute the spiritual gifts as ordained by our Heavenly Father and given by Jesus Christ His Son.

 

Spiritual gifts are God-given-divine-endowments which have the capacity to minister to others as the child of God obeys God’s Word, submits to the Spirit and seeks to emulate Christ in their life. They are not magical gifts that manifest without our cooperation, obedience and desire to develop them. The Holy Spirit will not force Himself upon us, but cooperates with us as we seek Him to lead us in ministry, encourage our spiritual growth and give us the power to obey to God’s Word.

 

In order to minister to others using our spiritual gifts, we must first seek to let the Word of Christ dwell richly in our hearts and minds (Colossians 3:16). This grounds us in God’s Word and enables us to be filled with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). As we show our love for Christ by obeying His commands (John 14:15, 24) we will also manifest love towards others by how we minister and edify people through the expression of our spiritual gift or gifts. Part of our responsibility and calling as a follower of Christ is to apply ourselves in identifying, developing and using our spiritual gift or gifts (1 Timothy 4:14) so others can be edified. As this takes place, God is glorified (1 Peter 4:11) and the Holy Spirit can use us to the fullest capacity that God desires.

 

While we benefit spiritually and emotionally from expressing our gifts, they are not given for our own edification. They are given to enhance the lives of others in Christ’s church and facilitate spiritual growth. Ephesians 4:13 tells us that spiritual gifts are given so that we can, with God’s grace and power, “attain to the unity of the faith.”

 

Spiritual gifts are not our natural skills and talents. While our natural talents can enhance and contribute to the expression of the spiritual gifts that God gives us, their origin, purpose and function are different. Natural talents come from God through our parents. We possess them from the day we are physically born. Their purpose is to benefit all of mankind on a natural level. They can be developed and exercised without spiritual motivation or influence. Spiritual gifts on the other hand come from God and are independent from our parents.

 

Spiritual gifts must be identified, developed and exercised by the follower of Christ as they seek to live and walk by the Holy Spirit. Their purpose and function is to focus on how they can benefit others in the church. 1 Corinthians 13:4 states that “love does not seek its own.” In other words, while we may enjoy blessings as we express and use our spiritual gifts, our priority in manifesting our spiritual gifts should be to minister to and edify others with the gifts we have been given, rather than seeking to build ourselves up.

 

“Spiritual gifts are tools to build with, not toys to play with or weapons to fight with.”

Warren Wiersbe

 

While it may appear there are a limited number of spiritual gifts available, the way they are expressed and function is limitless. Each of us is uniquely created. Each of us is unlike anyone else that has ever existed or ever will exist. Each of us has different experiences in life that can affect how we express our spiritual gift(s). So even though you might have the same spiritual gift as someone else, you will express it differently because of your “one-of-a-kind” makeup designed by your Heavenly Father. No one, I repeat NO ONE, in all of creation is exactly like you. Therefore the way you express and minister with your spiritual gift(s) is unique. It stands to reason that if you don’t discover and use your spiritual gift, some part of the body of Christ is missing a blessing. Some need is going unmet. Some glory is not being manifested for our Lord God (1 Corinthians 12:26).

 

God’s Word tells us that not everyone will have the same gift.

 

1 Corinthians 12:27-31

“Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues. All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of miracles, are they? All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they? But earnestly desire the greater gifts. And I show you a still more excellent way.”

 

God does not require any specific gift to be necessary for every Christian to possess. God did not plan for any Christian to have all of the spiritual gifts. Nor does God intend anyone to have a spiritual gift for their own personal edification. It is only natural that as we walk in the Spirit because God’s Word dwells richly in our hearts and minds, that we will benefit from expressing our spiritual gifts for the edification of others. This is a spiritual by-product we receive as we seek to build others up with the spiritual gift or gifts that God has given us.

 

“…spiritual gifts are for strengthening others. This, of course, does not mean that the person who has a spiritual gift gets no joy or benefit from it. But it does suggest that gifts are given to be given. They are not given to be hoarded.”

Pastor John Piper

 

There are some key points to remember regarding spiritual gifts.

 

Spiritual gifts are given by the Holy Spirit.

 

1 Corinthians 12:11

“But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.”

 

Spiritual gifts are not distributed on the basis of spiritual maturity.

 

Spiritual gifts are not distributed on the basis of education.

 

Spiritual gifts are not distributed on the basis of persistent prayer requests for them for they are divinely appointed by our Heavenly Father by His perfect will.

 

Discussion of spiritual gifts is covered in three main scripture passages in God’s Word.

 

In Romans Paul discusses the need for sound Biblical judgment regarding how a new believer should live their life in Christ as well as how they should express their spiritual gifts (Romans 12:3-8).

 

In Ephesians Paul addresses the need to preserve the unity of the Spirit, who resides in each believer and who distributes the gifts that Jesus gives to us (Ephesians 4:1-16).

 

In 1 Corinthians Paul addresses the problem of competition and selfishness as it relates to the expression of spiritual gifts within the church congregation and gives instruction as to the proper function of spiritual gifts within the local congregation of Christians (1 Corinthians 12-14).

 

Again, it is critical that we remember that spiritual gifts are given for the purpose of edifying and building up others in the local church fellowship. Numerous scripture passages demonstrate this important point;

 

1 Corinthians 12:7

“But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.”

 

Romans 15:2

“Each of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to his edification.”

 

1 Corinthians 14:5

“…greater is one who prophesies than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may receive edifying.”

 

1 Corinthians 14:12

“So also you, since you are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek to abound for the edification of the church.”

 

1 Peter 4:8-11

“Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without complaint. As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

 

1 Thessalonians 5:11

“Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.”

 

Hebrews 3:13-14

“But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”

 

Hebrews 10:23-25

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.”

 

Spiritual gifts can be divided into four categories;

Speaking Gifts: Prophecy (Preaching), Pastor/Teacher, Exhortation, Word of Wisdom, Word of Knowledge

Serving Gifts: Leadership, Administration, Ministering, Showing Mercy, Faith, Discernment

Support Gifts: Helps, Giving, Hospitality

Sign Gifts: Miracles, Healings, Speaking in Tongues, Interpretation of Tongues

 

All of the gifts were and are given to build upon the foundation Jesus Christ established which birthed His church on earth. The speaking, serving and support gifts are still functioning today. The sign gifts were given for a limited period of time to validate those individuals God used to build upon the foundation of the church Jesus Christ had established as well as edify those present during that time. This does not mean that God does not heal people today or cause miracles to happen, but works through responding to our prayers as we offer our requests up to Him for His intervention in our lives and the lives of others. The true gift of speaking in tongues and interpretation of tongues gradually faded away in use once the purposes for these gifts were no longer needed. The practice of a personal prayer language that many Christians claim to practice today are not the true gift of tongues for they do not fulfill the purpose for which the true gift of tongues was given. If for some reason God wished to grant someone the ability to truly speak in tongues today, it would be to fulfill the original purpose of this gift which was as a judgment upon a Jewish individual(s) as well as for the edification of the Body of Christ, not for personal edification.

 

I hope this series has been helpful to you in your Christian life and spiritual growth. If you are not sure what spiritual gift or gifts you might possess you can go to my ministry website at the following web page and take a spiritual gifts assessment test to determine some possibilities as to the spiritual gifts you might have been given by God.

 

http://www.godsbreathpublications.com/survey-to-estimate-your-spiritual-gifts/

 

Also, I have published this series on spiritual gifts and if you would like a printed copy they are free. The printed copies have some extra material contained in an appendix that was included in the email versions. Copies can be obtained in several ways:

 

They can be picked up at my optometry office at 3650 Main Street in Cottonwood, California during business hours of 9:00am to Noon, 1:30pm to 5:00pm. You may wish to call to make sure we are open and that we have sufficient copies on hand to give away. The phone number is 530-347-7347.

 

They can also be mailed to you, but there would be a cost of $3.00 within the continental United States.

 

May God continue to work in your life as you seek to become more like our Savior Jesus Christ and as you strive to serve others with your spiritual gifts in the power of the Holy Spirit.