Christian Living

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Each and every individual who has been indwelt by the Holy Spirt of God by accepting Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior has a spiritual gift. It is not a trained ability or even a natural talent. It is not something you go to school to learn or take a class in. It's just what the name says - a gift. Mine is teaching God's word through speaking and writing.

Spiritual gifts are given for the purpose of "equipping the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ," as it says in Ephesians 4:12. This is a subject that is sorely neglected in the average local church, unfortunately resulting in an ineffective ministry with little or no spiritual fruit. The gifts of the spirit are often associated with things like speaking in tongues. Since this a controversial issue, is it possible that people shy away from seeking any spiritual gifts at all? I do not know. What I do know, however, is that the Bible lists numerous gifts in several passages of scripture. Each Christian needs to read these and become well acquainted with the gifts listed in these sections of scripture, and then begin to ask God to reveal individual gifts.

The passages that list the gifts are: I Corinthians 12:4-11 and 28-30, Ephesians 4:11, I Peter 4:10, and Romans 12:6-8. Holy Spirit manifested gifts are 1 )word of wisdom, 2) word of knowledge, 3) faith, 4) healing, 5) the effecting of miracles, 6) prophecy, 7) distinguishing of spirits, 8) tongues , 9) interpretation of tongues, 10) apostleship, 11) prophet, 12), evangelism, 13) pastor and teacher, 14) serving, 15) exhortation, 16) giving liberally, 17) leadership, 18) mercy, 19) helps, and 20) administrations. Tongues is generally not being used today in accordance with its original intent of evangelism as taught in Acts 2:1-11. It is being misused in a way that is not even a gift. Sorry to tell you this if you are a proponent of speaking in tongues. Some Bible scholars believe that apostleship, also, is not a gift for the present day Church. There were three requirements for apostleship that only those who had been with Jesus during his earthly ministry would qualify.

Christians are instructed in scripture to identify and use their gifts. I Peter 4:10 says, "as each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God." This teaching is further emphasized in I Timothy 4:14, where it says to "not neglect the spiritual gift within you."

Although I don't see any biblical support for secular occupations being a "gift" as some teach, in addition to the gifts listed above, it is entirely possible that God can and will at times bestow certain types of "secular" work for a specific reason pertaining to some ministry. One such example is found in Exodus 35:30-36:4.

Moses said to the sons of Israel, "See, the Lord has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri...and He has filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge and in all craftsmanship; to make designs for working in gold and in silver and bronze, and in the cutting of stones for settings, and in the carving of wood, so as to perform in every inventive work. He has put in his heart to teach, both he and Oholiab...He has filled them with skill to perform every work of an engraver and of a designer and of an embroiderer, in blue and in purple and in scarlet material, and in fine linen, and of a weaver, as performers of every work and makers of designs...every skillful person in whom the Lord as put skill and understanding to know how to perform all the work in the construction of the sanctuary..."

So, how can you know your unique spiritual gift? If you have a special ability in which you have had no education or training, and it is being used by God to minister to people in specific ways, it is probably one of those 20 gifts listed in the above passages, with the exception of tongues and apostleship. Is it fulfilling the purpose given in Ephesians 4:12? You must, though, read up on the gifts, to understand how to identify them. There are books and spiritual gift inventories available to do this.

It is easy to call things gifts that really aren't gifts. Music is one example. I am a trained musician and attended four years of college. It is not a gift. On the other hand, God can take things not normally thought of as gifts, like things mentioned in the Exodus passage, and turn them into a gift to be used for a specific ministry. Spiritual gifts are not to be taken lightly. They are a very sacred, private, and pivotal matter between God and the individual.

It is imperative to know your spiritual gift if you are to be the effective Christian that God wants you to be. Recognizing your gift may start with a burning desire to do something for the Kingdom of God. Notice what the Exodus passage says: "God put it in their heart to teach." For years I had a burning desire to teach the word of God. I became very spiritually restless in church a few years ago. After seeking out an opportunity to speak in the chapel services twice a month at the local mission, a door opened to do so. Since that time I have proclaimed the gospel message of hope and healing to several thousand homeless people.

Has God put something in your heart to do for Him? If so, don't worry about being qualified. He will gift you to do it. Your obligation is to launch out on faith and begin the journey. He will use your life in amazing ways that you never imagined.

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