Today we are going to look at “UNDERSTANDING SPIRITUAL GIFTS.” Apostle Paul said, “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant…” (1 Cor. 12:1,7-11).
All of God’s children have “one spiritual gift” or the other (1 Cor. 12:7, NKJV). It is important for you to understand that you’re not a biological accident. God sent you to the earth for a definite purpose. That purpose of God for your life is your destiny.
For instance, God had a plan for Jeremiah’s life. God said to Jeremiah, “Before I formed thee in the belly (fallopian tube) I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations…10 See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant” (Jer. 1:5, 10).
Also, God had a plan for Jesus’ life. And the angel said to Joseph, “And Mary shall bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call His name JESUS: for He shall save His people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21).
Once you are born, God launches your star into the orbit to announce your arrival to the world (Matt. 2:1-2).
Likewise, God also has a plan for your life. In Jeremiah 29:11 God said, “For I know the thoughts (plans) that I think toward you, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”
That purpose (plan) of God for your life is called your destiny. For you to be able to achieve your destiny, God who knows what He has sent you here to do for Him, knows what you need to be able to accomplish that purpose without struggles. He gives you ability commensurate to His calling upon your life. This natural ability is called talent. Talent is a natural ability to do something well without struggles.
Remember that your natural talents are often the natural wrapping in which a spiritual gift may be deposited. God’s gifts are often in line with a natural ability He gave you when He was sending you to the earth. This is why our natural abilities (talents) often point to the direction in which a spiritual gift may be used.
a) What is a gift? A gift is something you received without working or paying for it.
b) What is a spiritual gift? Spiritual gifts are special abilities, talents, or capacities given to individual Christians by God for the purpose of serving Him and others within the Christian community (Rom. 12; 1 Cor. 12; Eph. 4; 1 Pet. 4).
A SPIRITUAL GIFT is essentially an act of God’s Spirit, a definite, specific manifestation of God’s grace through the words or deeds of a particular person (Rom. 12; 1 Cor. 12; Eph. 4; 1 Pet. 4).
A spiritual gift is never given to be used simply for one’s own benefit (except perhaps the gift of speaking in tongues). It is given to someone only in the sense that God chooses to act through that person for others. More precisely, it is given through one person to the community. The spiritual health of the individual is inextricably bound up with the health and well-being of the whole body (1 Cor. 12:14-26; Eph. 4:16).
It is therefore, everyone’s responsibility to find out, develop, and fully use whatever capacities God has given for the service of God.
There are three spiritual gifts:
a) The Gifts of God (Motivational Gifts) (1 Cor. 12:6-8).
b) The Gifts of Christ (The Ministry Gifts) (Eph. 4:8-11).
c) The Gifts of the Holy Spirit [“Manifestation Gifts” or “Manifestation of the Holy Spirit”] (1 Cor. 12 & 14).
Today, we want to look at “The Gifts of God the Father.” These are also called the “Motivational Gifts.” God the Father has gifts for the church.
Romans 12:6-8 says, “Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; 7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; 8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.”
With these gifts, you can do certain things without struggle. They include prophecy, serving, teaching, stimulating the faith of others in a specific action toward a definite goal, giving, ruling and empathizing by identifying with and comforting those in distress.
To some God gave the gift of:
1. Prophecy: This is the God-given ability to present truth. This is the gift of speaking forth God's messages, often focused on edification, exhortation, and comfort.
It is a persuasiveness and power in speech which brings to light things previously concealed.
2. Serving or demonstrating love by meeting practical: It is an ability to detect personal needs; to overlook personal comfort so that the needs of others can be met.
It is the capacity to serve others selflessly and meet practical needs within the church.
Romans 12:10 says, “Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another.”
3. Teaching This is an ability to research and unearth facts from Scripture. It is an ability to communicate and explain God's truth effectively to others. This involves diligence, fervency in study and careful research (2 Tim. 2:15).
Romans 12:11 says, “Not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.”
4. This is an ability to encourage and motivate others toward spiritual growth and maturity. Romans 12:12 says, “Rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer.”
5. Giving or joyfully entrusting personal assets or possessions to others for the work of the ministry. This is the ability to give generously and cheerfully, often contributing resources for the benefit of the church and those in need.
6. Leadership or coordinating the activities of others for the achievement of a common goal: This is an ability to preside or lead; seeing future consequences of one’s action; able to distinguish major objectives and help others visualize them. It is the gift of providing leadership, organization, and guidance within the church.
7. Empathizing (showing mercy) by an ability to identify with and comfort those in distress: This is an ability to sympathize deeply with the misfortunes of others; mentally and emotionally relating and giving aid.
It is the gift of showing compassion, empathy, and kindness to those who are suffering or in distress. You show compassion with cheerfulness.
In summary, spiritual gifts are supernatural abilities or capacities given by the Holy Spirit to individual Christians within the Christian community.
Watch out for the next edition of Good News from the Pulpit!
Your friend: I. I. MADUBUNYI (Senior Pastor)
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