Are You Using Your Spiritual Gifts?

1 Corinthians 12:1-12

1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.
2 Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led.
3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.
4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.
6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.
7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:
11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.

Spiritual Gifts

I love exploring personalities and figuring out questions of the psyche. Understanding how people tick and what goes into how a person behaves is fascinating to me. Perhaps this is why the topic of the gifts of the spirit is so interesting to me. The fact that we are each uniquely gifted to fit perfectly into our environment for its benefit, like gears in a well-oiled machine, is something that endlessly fascinates me.

The passage above gives us insight into the various gifts God has given to us, and further instructs us how to use them.

Some people believe that the gifts of the spirit are given to a person upon salvation, but I see it a little differently. I think we’re born with these gifts – in their raw, undeveloped state. For example, how many people do we know, both saved and unsaved, whose motto in life is “I tell it like it is!” They’ll say exactly what they believe those around them need to hear, not caring whether or not the others want to hear it. That’s the gift of prophecy in action right there – though it’s in an undeveloped state, unsanctified, if you will.

How many highly successful CEOs likely have the gift of administrations – the ability to see exactly where someone else will best fit in an organization. 

I believe that once we are saved, the seeds of our spiritual gifts are infused with the Holy Spirit and then He can grow that gift into what God intends it to be – something that benefits the church as a local body and glorifies God in our day to day life in the world. 

Spiritual Gifts in Action

Some of us are prophets – which does not mean telling the future. It means telling the truth. Boldly and without apology. Have you ever met someone who will tell it like it is, whether the hearer likes it or not? That’s someone with the gift of prophecy. The saved prophet who is submitting to the Holy Spirit will tell you what you need to hear from God. 

Have you ever seen a teacher who lights up the classroom? The one who the students can’t help but listen to? The one who inspires and motivates a room full of teenagers without even seeming to break a sweat? That’s someone with a spiritual gift of teaching, and it’s a beautiful thing to watch. (This is not me, but I have seen it in action in others.)

Other people have the gift of mercy – they can sense other people’s emotional needs and can help them work through those emotions to get them to a better place, a place where they can receive the message God wants them to hear. 

There is the gift of administrations, which is when one person knows where and how others will best be suited to minister. This is the person who can delegate like no one’s business – they know exactly the right person for each job. 

Related Post: Confessions of a Woman in Ministry

Spiritual Gifts in Community

Can you imagine a community in which all these gifts, and the others, come together and work in harmony with one another? 

Imagine a hurting person coming into our church – a person with the gift of hospitality makes them immediately feel welcome and at home, a mercy comes and recognizes their pain, soothing and empathizing with them. Later the helps or gifted giver sees that they have physical needs and attends to them, helping them actually BE warmed and fed, while at some point they are told the truth of their situation and given a message of hope and love from the prophet. 

Then, once they are established, the administrations helps them further connect with the body by fitting them into exactly the right ministry where they can be a blessing to others as well. Each gift is important, each gift is useful.

Spiritual Gifts in the Body of Christ

I believe this is closer to the picture that God has of a “working local church body.” All rightly fitted together, each gift working in conjunction with the others, none fighting for supremacy or being superior, but each knowing their role and gladly fulfilling it. 

If this were how we each saw our role in our church, would we be able to avoid our preachers burning out? Or our church leadership feeling so piled on with tasks that they give up the ministry altogether? 

As believers, these gifts are given to us in sacred trust. It is our job to develop them, to hone our instincts and to develop the other talents we find within ourselves in order to better work as a cohesive unit with other believers. 

These gifts are given to ALL of us. These are not given only to church leaders, to missionaries, and those in authority. ALL of us have them, and it is up to ALL of us to use them for God’s glory. 

Join the Conversation

How have your spiritual gifts changed over time in your journey with God?

How have you used your spiritual gifts today?