Gifts of the Spirit
Discovering Your Spiritual Gifts: How the Holy Spirit Equips Believers
The Holy Spirit has given every believer spiritual gifts, yet many Christians either don't know what their gifts are or aren't using them. Understanding and utilizing these gifts is essential for both personal spiritual growth and the health of the church as a whole.
What Are Spiritual Gifts?
Spiritual gifts are different from natural talents or abilities. While God-given talents tend to bring us personal glory, spiritual gifts are specifically designed to bring God glory and serve others. As Jesus said in John 14, "Whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do, and greater works than these he will do, because I am going to the Father."
This is a profound statement - Jesus is saying that believers will not only carry out His work but will do even greater things. How is this possible? Through the Holy Spirit who dwells within us and the gifts He provides.
Do All Believers Have Spiritual Gifts?
Yes! 1 Corinthians 12:7 clearly states, "A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other." This is a crucial truth because many Christians mistakenly believe that only certain people receive spiritual gifts - perhaps those in leadership or those with visible ministry roles.
The reality is that if you are a believer in Jesus, you have been gifted the Holy Spirit, who has equipped you with specific spiritual gifts meant to serve others and glorify God.
What Kinds of Spiritual Gifts Exist?
While not an exhaustive list, some common spiritual gifts include:
Administration
Apostleship
Craftsmanship
Creative communication
Discernment
Encouragement
Evangelism
Faith
Giving
Helps
Hospitality
Knowledge
Intercession
Leadership
Mercy
Prophecy
Shepherding
Teaching
Wisdom
The Holy Spirit, in His infinite wisdom, has determined which gifts are most suitable for you based on His perfect knowledge of who you are.
How Do Spiritual Gifts Function in the Church?
Spiritual gifts are designed to bring unity to the church. As Paul explains in Romans 12, "Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ's body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other."
The church is meant to function as the body of Christ, with Jesus as the head and believers as the various parts of the body. Each person has different functions, but together we operate as one organism. This is why comparison of gifts is unproductive - no gifts are the same, and even similar gifts are used differently by different people.
Why Aren't More Christians Using Their Gifts?
If Jesus intended for the church to be "the hope of the world," and He promised believers would do even greater works than Him, why isn't this always evident? The answer likely lies in the underutilization of spiritual gifts.
When half of believers aren't using their gifts, the body cannot function optimally. It's like trying to run with only half your muscles working. The church will never reach its full potential when gifts remain shelved and unused.
How Do Spiritual Gifts Benefit Others?
1 Peter 4:10-11 instructs us: "As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God's varied grace... in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ."
Your spiritual gifts are not primarily for your benefit but for others. While you certainly experience joy and fulfillment when operating in your gifts, their purpose is to serve others and glorify God.
Jesus consistently emphasized this outward focus:
"Go and make disciples" (Matthew 28)
"Love God and love your neighbor" (Mark 12)
Everything Jesus taught included loving and serving others. Your gifts are meant to be used in the church, in your community, and in your relationships.
How Can I Discover My Spiritual Gifts?
Self-reflection: What do you enjoy doing? What are you passionate about? While your natural talents aren't necessarily your spiritual gifts, how you're wired often relates to how the Spirit has gifted you.
Prayer: Simply ask the Holy Spirit to reveal your gifts. He's not trying to keep them a secret!
Assessment tools: Consider taking a spiritual gifts assessment. Many churches offer these, and they can provide a helpful starting point.
Seek feedback: Ask trusted believers what gifts they see in you. While others don't determine your gifts, they may recognize what you don't see in yourself.
Experimentation: Try serving in different areas. You don't need to know your gifts to start serving, and often it's through serving that you discover what your gifts are.
Life Application
When you don't use your spiritual gifts, both the church and the world miss out on something the Holy Spirit deemed important enough to give you for the benefit of others. Your gifts are essential to the body of Christ functioning as it should.
This week, commit to discovering and using your spiritual gifts by:
Taking time to pray specifically about your spiritual gifts, asking God to reveal them clearly to you.
Taking a spiritual gifts assessment if you've never done so.
Finding one way to serve others this week that aligns with what you believe might be your gifting.
Asking yourself: "Am I using my gifts primarily for my own benefit or to serve others and glorify God?"
Considering what might be holding you back from fully utilizing your spiritual gifts. Is it fear, uncertainty, or simply not making it a priority?
Remember: You have been uniquely gifted by the Holy Spirit. When you use these gifts to serve others and glorify God, you'll experience a fulfillment and joy that far exceeds what any natural talent can provide. The church becomes the hope of the world when every believer is functioning in their gifts as part of the body of Christ.
