Spiritual Gifts

Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. (Romans 12:4-6a)

4.Definitions

What is a Spiritual Gift?

Although the Bible does not come right out and define what a gift is, there is enough teaching on this subject to draw an adequate conclusion. The main references to spiritual gifts are found in 1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12, and Ephesians 4.
 
The following definition brings together some key truths from the Word of God:
 

A Spiritual Gift is a special divine empowerment
bestowed on each believer by the Holy Spirit to
accomplish a given ministry God's way according
to His grace and discernment to be used within
the context of the Body of Christ.

 Examine each phrase for a better understanding:

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The Purpose of Spiritual Gifts

A spiritual gift is a divine empowerment bestowed on each believer by the Holy Spirit to accomplish a given ministry God's way according to His grace and discernment . . . to be used in the context of the Body of Christ.

As you can read in these references, spiritual gifts are not for my individual benefit or selfish gain. Rather, they are for the benefit of the body of Christ. When properly exercised, spiritual gifts will contribute to the overall health and growth of the church.
 
 

What is accomplished when spiritual gifts are used?

1. Using our spiritual gifts builds up the Body of Christ. (Eph. 4:11-12; 1 Cor. 12:7; 1 Pet. 4:10; Rom. 1:11-12)
    

2. Using our spiritual gifts makes us more effective. (Eph. 2:10; Rom. 12:3-8)
    

3. Using our spiritual gifts deepens true fellowship and unity. (1 Cor. 12:12-13, 19-21, 25-27)
    

4. Using our spirituals gifts glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Cor. 14:23-25; Eph. 4:11-16)

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Discovering Your Spiritual Gifts

Discovering your spiritual gifts doesn't take a lot of detective work. You just need to know what to look for.

One of the best ways of discerning your spiritual gift(s) is to get involved in a variety of ministry experiences. As you explore the different ministry areas, you will soon discover if you are gifted for these ministries.
While labeling your gifts is helpful, using your gifts is more important. Do what you know to do even if you can't put a name to it. The benefit of being able to specifically identify your gifts is that it can make you more effective as you learn how to better develop that gift and relate to and understand others better.
 
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Definitions

ADMINISTRATION: 1 Cor. 12:28 - to steer the body toward the accomplishment of God-given goals and directives by planning, organizing, and supervising others (Greek Word: kubernesis - to steer, guide, helmsmen)
___ very good at organizing and coordinating activities
___ able to delegate responsibilities to other people so as to best accomplish set goals
___ good at organizing people, ideas, and resources to accomplish a specific goal
___ good at planning strategies to most effectively pursue a vision
___ often find yourself in a place of leadership
 

APOSTLE: Eph. 4:11; 1 Cor. 12:28 - to be sent forth to new frontiers with the gospel, providing leadership over church bodies and maintaining authority over spiritual matters pertaining to the church (Greek Word: apostolos - 'apo'=from 'stello'=send; one sent forth)
___ would be eager to start a new church
___ seen and respected as an authority in spiritual matters
___ desirous of seeing churches form in areas where there are none
___ known for your pioneering spirit
___ takes the Gospel into places where it has not yet been proclaimed
  
CELIBACY: 1 Cor. 7:7,8 - to voluntarily remain single without regret and with the ability to maintain controlled sexual impulses so as to serve the Lord without distraction
___ fulfilled and content in the single life
___ single and not actively pursuing opportunities to find a marriage partner
___ single and not bothered by unfulfilled sexual impulses
___ able to remain single without getting down from the insensitive remarks of others and    pressure of society to marry
 
DISCERNMENT: 1 Cor. 12:10 - to clearly distinguish truth from error by judging whether the behavior or teaching is from God, Satan, human error, or human power
___ people look to you for help in figuring out right from wrong
___ able to spot a spiritual phony
___ known for good spiritual judgment
___ seek to prevent false teaching and confusion from overtaking the church
___ desirous of protecting the body from error
 
EVANGELISM: Eph. 4:11 - to be a messenger of the good news of the Gospel (Greek Word: euaggelistes - preacher of gospel; eu=well, angelos=message - messenger of good)
___ have a strong desire to share your faith with unbelievers
___ able to enjoy being with non-Christians because of the hope of sharing Christ with them
___ inviting others to accept Christ as Savior comes easy
___ ready and eager to tell others how to become a Christian
___ frequently instrumental in leading others to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ
 
EXHORTATION: Rom. 12:8 - to come along side of someone with words of encouragement, comfort, consolation, and counsel to help them be all God wants them to be (Greek Word: paraklesis - calling to one’s side)
___ people often come to you with their personal problems for counsel
___ enjoy encouraging those who are discouraged and down-hearted
___ often challenge others to reach their potential in Christ
___ available to talk with others
___ admonish others to go on with the Lord
 
FAITH: 1 Cor. 12:8-10 - to be firmly persuaded of God’s power and promises to accomplish His will and purpose and to display such a confidence in Him and His Word that circumstances and obstacles do not shake that conviction
___ trust God for great things
___ have a confident expectation that God will accomplish      what He says
___ step out in faith where others will not go
___ see God answer prayer
___ your faith inspires others
 
GIVING: Rom. 12:8 - to share what material resources you have with liberality and cheerfulness without thought of return
___ enjoy giving to those in serious financial need
___ cheerfully give well above a tithe to the work of the church
___ known for your generosity and sometimes sacrificial giving
___ often give anonymously to those in need
___ willing to lower your standard of living in order to help out
 
HEALING: 1 Cor. 12:9,28,30 - to be used as a means through which God makes people whole either physically, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually
___ God places people on your heart who are ill so you can pray for them
___ have seen your prayers be used as the channel through which God brings about His work of healing in people's lives
___ often used by God in the healing process of those with physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual needs
___ your prayers and counsel tend to emphasize people's need to be restored to wholeness
 
HELPS: 1 Cor. 12:28 - to render support or assistance to others in the body so as to free them up for ministry
___ others know they can call upon you to assist them
___ feel more comfortable helping someone behind the scenes to get prepared than to do the actual teaching or leading
___ eager to relieve others of routine tasks so they can move on to more essential areas of their ministry
___ enjoy helping others get their work done
___ genuinely glad to assist others

HOSPITALITY: 1 Pet. 4:9,10 - to warmly welcome people, even strangers, into one’s home or church as a means of serving those in need of food or lodging (Greek Word: philoxenos - love of strangers; ‘philos’=love; ‘xenos’=stranger)
___ make strangers feel welcomed
___ tend to approach newcomers and visitors in the church
___ often open your home to newcomers and visitors in the church
___ enjoy meeting new people
___ enjoy having guests to your home and able to make them feel at home
 
KNOWLEDGE: 1 Cor. 12:8 - to seek to learn as much about the Bible as possible through the gathering of much information and the analyzing of that data
___ known as a scholar of the Bible
___ enjoy searching for answers to difficult questions in God's Word
___ able to take information from several sources and come up with an answer or a thesis about a subject
___ take great joy in discovering Bible truths on your own

LEADERSHIP: Rom. 12:8 - to stand before the people in such a way as to attend to the direction of the body with such care and diligence so as to motivate others to get involved in the accomplishment of these goals
___ people respect you and follow your direction
___ good at setting goals and seeing the direction the body should take
___ able to guide and motivate people to join in the achievement of your goals
___ if in a group where there is no leader, you will assume leadership
___ a goal-setter
 
MARTYRDOM: 1 Cor. 13:3 - to give over one’s life to suffer or to be put to death for the cause of Christ
___ able to maintain a joyous and victorious attitude in the midst of persecution
___ will stay and face consequences rather than try to escape death and suffering for testimony's sake
___ your attitude toward death and suffering seems unusual to others who would go to all means to avoid it
___ you see trials and tribulations as opportunities and gladly persevere in them
 
MERCY: Rom. 12:8 - to be sensitive toward those who are suffering, whether physically, mentally, or emotionally, so as to feel genuine sympathy with their misery, speaking words of compassion but moreso caring for them with deeds of love to help alleviate their distress
___ have a tender heart toward the needy and will often do what you can to help those who are in distress
___ enjoy visiting the sick and shut-in
___ look out for those who are neglected and alienated
___ empathize with those who are embarrassed and humiliated and seek to comfort them
___ like to spend time with those who are lonely and hurting to cheer them up
 
MIRACLES: 1 Cor. 12:10,28 - to be enabled by God to perform mighty deeds which witnesses acknowledge to be of supernatural origin and means
___ you have seen impossible situations altered through your prayers
___ God uses you to accomplish things that are beyond human means
___ God has worked through you in miraculous ways, causing others to be convinced of the power of God and to be strengthened in their faith
___ you have seen God repeatedly use you in ways that have no other explanation than that it was God
___ God frequently responds to your prayers with a miracle
 
MISSIONARY: Eph. 3:6-8 - to be able to minister in another culture
___ enjoy the challenge of living and working in another culture
___ able to easily and quickly adapt to the customs and lifestyles of another land
___ able to learn foreign languages without too much difficulty
___ appreciate and desire to minister to people different from you
 
PASTOR: Eph. 4:11 - to be responsible for spiritually caring for, protecting, guiding, and feeding a group of believers entrusted to one’s care
___ concerned for the spiritual welfare of other believers
___ take responsibility for the spiritual growth and well-being of those under your sphere of ministry
___ willing to give of your own time to be available for the needs of others
___ provide long-term help for certain believers to aid them in their walk with the Lord
 
PROPHECY: Rom. 12:6; 1 Cor. 12:10; Eph. 4:11 - to speak forth the message of God to His people (Greek Word: prophetes - the forth-telling of the will of God;‘pro’=forth; ‘phemi’=to speak)
___ able to sense the direction God desires for the body of Christ to move and share it with others
___ speak up for what is biblically right even when people think you are narrow-minded and oppose your principles
___ compelled to communicate God's message from the Word so people know what God expects of them
___ not afraid to announce God's judgment on sin
___ speak clearly, boldly, forcefully, fearlessly, and with conviction what you believe God wants people to know
 
SERVICE: Rom. 12:7 - to identify undone tasks in God’s work, however menial, and use available resources to get the job done (Greek Word: diakonia - deacon, attendant ‘diako’=to run errands)
___ enjoy pitching in on service projects in the church
___ usually volunteer to help with tasks that need to be done
___ willing to work at a task regardless of how simple or trivial it may seem
___ feel a sense of satisfaction in seeing a job through to completion
___ very dependable for getting things done
 
TEACHING: Rom. 12:7; 1 Cor. 12:28; Eph. 4:11 - to instruct others in the Bible in a logical, systematic way so as to communicate pertinent information for true understanding and growth
___ able to organize your thinking in such a way as to systematically present a Bible lesson to others
___ enjoy diligent study so as to accurately teach the Word
___ others comment on how much they have enjoyed your teaching and learned and grown under your teaching
___ able to thoroughly study Scripture and share your findings with others
___ able to make the Bible clear and relevant for others

 

TONGUES:1 Cor. 12:10; 14:27-28 - to speak in a language not previously learned so unbelievers can hear God’s message in their own language or the body be edified
___ have been able to communicate God's Word to someone in their own language without having studied their language
___ have spoken in an unknown language to you, which when interpreted, was an encouragement to those who heard it
 
INTERPRETATION OF TONGUES:1 Cor. 12:10; 14:27,28 - to translate the message of someone who has spoken in tongues
___ have been able to interpret a message given in another tongue without having studied the language
 
VOLUNTARY POVERTY:1 Cor. 13:3 - to purposely live an impoverished lifestyle to serve and aid others with your material resources
___ living on a poverty level by choice, not due to uncontrollable circumstances
___ willing to forego your own comfort and convenience to help others in need
___ unwilling to indulge in luxuries while a brother is in need
___ willing to live on less so you can give more
 
WISDOM: 1 Cor. 12:8 - to apply knowledge to life in such a way as to make spiritual truths quite relevant and practical in proper decision-making and daily life situations
___ able to see how the Bible relates to daily life and how to apply Biblical principles to different situations
___ known for your insight and ability to solve problems
___ able to offer practical solutions to difficult problems
___ seem to know what to do when others around you do not know what choices to make
___ often sought out for your opinions