Spiritual Gifts

Romans 12:6-8,In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well.  If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.

1 Corinthians 12:8-10, To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge. The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing. He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said.

1 Corinthians 12:28-30, Here are some of the parts God has appointed for the church:

first are apostles,

second are prophets,

third are teachers,

then those who do miracles,

those who have the gift of healing,

those who can help others,

those who have the gift of leadership,

those who speak in unknown languages.

Are we all apostles? Are we all prophets? Are we all teachers? Do we all have the power to do miracles? Do we all have the gift of healing? Do we all have the ability to speak in unknown languages? Do we all have the ability to interpret unknown languages? Of course not!

Ephesians 4:11, Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.

1 Peter 4:9-11, Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay. God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.

Biblical Summary about Spiritual Gifts

1.            Every Christian has at least one Spiritual Gift (1 Peter 4:10 )

2.            No Christian has all the gifts (1 Corinthians 12:28-30 )

3.            We cannot choose our gifts; God does that job (1 Corinthians 12:7-11 )

4.            There is no gift that every Christian possesses (1 Corinthians 12:29-30 )

5.            Believers will account to the Lord for how they use their gifts (1 Peter 4:10 )

6.            Spiritual Gifts indicate God’s call and purpose for a Christian’s life (Romans 12:2-8 )

7.            Gifts used without love do not accomplish God’s intended purposes (1 Corinthians 13:1-3 )

8.            Spiritual Gifts are for the common good to build up the Body (1 Corinthians 12:27 )

Biblical Guidelines for using Spiritual Gifts

1.            Usage of the gift(s) conforms to Biblical teaching (2 Timothy 3:16 ; Romans 12 ; 1 Corinthians 

               12-14 ; Ephesians 4 ; 1 Peter 4 )

2.            There is affirmation and positive feedback within the Body of Christ for the expression of the gift         

              (1 Corinthians 12:7 ; Ephesians 4:16 )

3.            There is agreement within the Body of Christ that the Holy Spirit is at work (1 John 4:1 ; 1

               Thessalonians 5:21 )

4.            The Holy Spirit provides peace in our spirits as we offer our gift(s) to the Body of Christ (John

               15:26 ; Romans 8:16 )

5.            There is evidence of godly fruit in the life of the Body (John 15:8 ; Matthew 7:16-20 )

6.            Believers offer their gifts for the common good as others have need (Acts 2:44-45 ; 1

              Corinthians 12:7 )

7.            Unless gifts are offered in love, they have no worth (1 Corinthians 13:1-3 )

8.            We should strive to live a life worthy of our calling (Ephesians 4:1 )

Spiritual Gifts Definitions:

     1.       ADMINISTRATION: The ability to understand clearly the immediate and long-range goals of a particular unit of the body of Christ and to devise and execute effective plans for the accomplishment of those goals (Luke 14:28-30; Acts 6:1-7; 1 Corinthians 12:28). 

     2.       APOSTLESHIP: The ability to assume and exercise general leadership over a number of churches, with an extraordinary authority in spiritual matters, which is spontaneously recognized and appreciated by those churches--such as, a bishop. This is not the same as the original twelve Apostles, or Paul (Acts 15:1-2;   1 Corinthians 12:28; 2 Corinthians 12:12; Galatians 2:7-10; Ephesians 3:1-9; 4:11-14).

     3.       DISCERNMENT: The ability to know with assurance whether certain behavior purported to be of God is in reality divine, human, or satanic. The purpose of this gift is to prevent confusion and false teaching from infiltrating the church (Matthew 16:21-23; Acts 5:1-11; Acts 16:16-18; 1 Corinthians 12:10; 1 John 4:1-6).

     4.       EVANGELISM: The ability to share and explain the Gospel message with unbelievers in such a way that men and women become Jesus' disciples and responsible members of the body of Christ (Acts 8:5-6; 8:26-40; 14:21; 21:8; Ephesians 4:11-14; 2 Timothy 4:5). 

     5.       EXHORTATION: The ability to minister words of encouragement, consolation, comfort, and motivation from God's Word to help others complete their tasks and be all that God wants them to be (Acts 4:32-37; 14:22; Romans 12:8; 1 Timothy 4:13; Hebrews 10:24.25). 

     6.       FAITH: The ability to discern with extraordinary confidence the Will and purpose of God, and to propel the body of Believers into actively claiming the promises of God (Acts 11:22-24; Romans 4: 18-21; 1 Corinthians 12:9; Hebrews 11). 

     7.       GIVING: The ability to contribute material and resources to the work of the Lord with liberality and cheerfulness (Mark 12:41-44; Romans 12:8; 2 Corinthians 8:1-7; 2 Corinthians 9:2-8).

     8.        HEALING: The ability to serve as a human intermediary through whom God's healing power is applied to another person's physical or emotional need (Acts 3:1-10; 5:12-16; 9:32-35; 28:7-10; 1 Corinthians 12:9, 28). 

     9.       HELPS/SERVING: The ability to invest the talents one has in the life and ministry of other members of the body, enabling them to increase the effectiveness of their own Spiritual Gifts (Mark 15:40-41; Acts 9:36; Romans 16:1-2; 1 Corinthians 12:28).

    10.   KNOWLEDGE: The ability to discover, accumulate, analyze, and clarify information which is pertinent to the growth and well-being of the body (Acts 5:1-11; 1 Corinthians 12:8; 2 Corinthians 11:6; Colossians 2:2-3). 

    11.   LEADERSHIP: The ability to set goals in accordance with God's purpose for the future, and to communicate those goals to others in such a way that they voluntarily and harmoniously work together to accomplish those goals for the glory of God (Acts 15:7-11; Romans 12:8; 1 Timothy 5:17 Hebrews; 13:17). 

    12.   MIRACLES: The ability to serve as a human intermediary through whom it pleases God to perform powerful acts that are perceived by observers to have altered the ordinary course of nature (Acts 9:36-42; 19:11-20; 20:7-12; Romans 15:18-19; 1 Corinthians 12:10, 28). 

    13.   PASTOR/SHEPHERD: The ability to assume a long-term personal responsibility for the spiritual welfare of a group of Believers with love, care, discipleship, and counseling, moving them to a deeper spiritual connection and maturity with Christ (John 10:1-18; Ephesians 4:11-14; 1 Timothy 3:1-7; 1 Peter 5:1-3).

    14.   PROPHECY: The ability to proclaim the Word of God with divine anointing, which brings conviction to the hearers so they recognize that it is truly the Word of God and they must do something about it. A prophet is also someone who keeps the church on God's path and truth and makes sure we do not slip into false teaching. This is not the same as an OT prophet, which existed before the Word was completed; there is no new teaching or revelation. There are new ways to apply God's truth but not new truth (Acts 2:37-40; Matthew 7:54; Acts 26:24-29; 1 Corinthians 14:1-3; 1 Thessalonians 1:5)!

    15.   TEACHING: The ability to employ a logical, systematic approach to Biblical study with power and conviction, then to communicate that information in a clear, concise way that is relevant to the health and ministry of the Body and its members in such a way that others will learn (Acts 18:24-28;  20:20-21; 1 Corinthians 12:28; Ephesians 4:11-14). 

    16.   TONGUES Interpretation/Speaking: The special ability God gives to some translate the message of one who speaks in tongues. The special ability God gives to some to speak prayer or praise in a language they have never learned or to communicate a message from God to His people. The special ability God gives to some to speak in a language not previously learned so unbelievers can hear God's message in their own language.   If a tongue is spoken without an interpretation, the speaker is edified. If the tongue is interpreted, it is for the edification of the body.

    17.   WISDOM: The ability to apply spiritual truth to a specific issue in a specifically relevant fashion, and to make proper choices in difficult situations, based on listening and sufficient information (Acts 6:3,10; 1 Corinthians 2:1-13; 12:8; James 1:5; 2 Peter 3:15).