Afternoon Y'all! I pray this post encourages you and gives God glory! Got suggested topics you want me to write about? Please comment below or email me at info@mocatoday.com.
Last week, I conducted our first video teaching on Spiritual Gifts. It was an awesome time teaching and connecting with other brothers and sisters in Christ! Thanks for tuning in! If you missed it, you can find it on our YouTube channel.
Quick recap on a few topics covered in the video teaching:
What are spiritual gifts?
Spiritual gifts are supernatural gifts every believer is given when they receive the gift of salvation. Just as the gift of salvation is by grace through faith, so are the spiritual gifts.
There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but they are all from the same Spirit. There are different ways to serve, but we serve the same Lord. And there are different ways that God works in people, but it is the same God who works in all of us to do everything. ~1 Corinthians 12:4-6 (ERV)
Writer Joseph Tkach explains the Bible makes these basic points about spiritual gifts:
Every believer has at least one Holy Spirit-given gift, usually two or three.
Every believer should be using his or her gifts to serve others "for the common good" (1 Corinthians 12:7, 1 Peter 4:10) and honor God.
No believer has all the gifts, so we need each other.
God decides who receives which gift.
Every believer ought to be involved in some ministry, some area of service (“ministry” refers to all types of service, not just pastoral work).
Three different types of spiritual gifts:
1. Ministry gifts: The ministry gifts are the way God works with what believers do to serve others and meet their needs. It's how we minister or ad-minister the love, grace, and truth of God to others via the following ministry spiritual gifts:
Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, Teachers, Helpers/Administrators
Reference Scriptures: Ephesians 4:11-13, 1 Corinthians 12:28
A Christian’s ministry gifts represent what God does with him, how he serves and meets needs within the Body of Christ. These gifts are the ministries and offices in The Church that God uses as He leads and guides each of His children. ~Institute in Basic Life Principles
2. Manifestation gifts: Manifestation gifts represent the work God does through the life of a believer in a given situation to demonstrate His supernatural power.
There are 9 manifestation spiritual gifts: Word of wisdom (a right application of knowledge), Word of knowledge (supernatural revelation of facts past, present, or future which were not learned through the efforts of the natural mind.), Faith, Gifts of healing, Working of miracles, Prophecy, Discerning of spirits, Speaking in different kinds of tongues, Interpretation of tongues.
Reference Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 12:7-11, 1 Corinthians 13:2, Matthew 17:20, 21:21, Mark 11:22-24, Luke 17:6
A Christian’s manifestation gifts represent what God does through him in a given situation to demonstrate His supernatural power. ~Institute in Basic Life Principles
3. Motivational gifts: Motivational gifts serve to reveal the personality of God and provides a frame of reference through which the believer sees the needs of others.
7 motivational gifts: Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Encourager (Exhorter), Giving, Organizer, Showing Mercy (Mercy-giver)
Reference Scriptures: Romans 12:3-8
A Christian’s motivational gift represents what God does in him to shape his perspective on life and motivate his thoughts and actions. The motivational gift provides a frame of reference through which the believer sees the needs of others. ~Institute in Basic Life Principles
Greatest, most important spiritual gift:
Love! Word Within International describes, "In 1 Corinthians chapter 12, Paul gives a lengthy explanation of some of the spiritual gifts and how they fit together in the body of Christ. He wants the church in Corinth to understand that no one gift is more important than any other. He moves on in chapter 13 to show that love trumps all the other gifts."
If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. ~1 Corinthians 13:1-3
Love is core to God’s character and central to the Christian life. The law of Christ is to love God and love others. Love infuses all that God does and should infuse all that we do. "Love never fails" (1 Corinthians 13:8), and it will never cease. Because of this, love is greater than even hope and faith (1 Corinthians 13:13). ~gotquestions.org
Purpose of spiritual gifts?
To glorify (or honor) God by building up, encouraging, and comforting The Church (Body of Christ) and to serve others (Ephesians 4:16, 1 Peter 4:10-11).
Spiritual gifts are not the end or goal of our lives as Christians, but the means by which the Holy Spirit enables and empowers us to help one another grow up in conformity to the image of Jesus. We must never forget that spiritual gifts are not the badge of godliness or the measure of God’s love for any particular believer. They are tools for the building up of the body of Christ. They serve to enhance and expand the fruit of the Spirit in our lives and in the lives of others. ~Sam Storms
Jesus gives us two commandments: to love the Lord and to love others as we love ourselves (Matthew 22:37-40). And when we steward our talents to honor Him and to bless others, we’re doing just that. ~Dave Ramsey
Given above, what happens if you never exercise (or use) your spiritual gifts?
There are at least three consequences if you choose not to discover, cultivate, and exercise your spiritual gifts:
You do not glorify (or honor) God with your spiritual gifts and the whole Body of Christ (The Church) suffers. This is problematic because The Church needs you!
This is the idea that every believer has direct access to God and can minister to others on His behalf. Every member ministry. No one is supposed to be sitting on the sidelines, watching the game. Every one of us has a vital role to play in serving God and others. ~Exercising Your Spiritual Gifts in The Body
Other people you could have ministered to, helped, and/or encouraged do not benefit from your spiritual gifts and are not blessed by them.
If you don’t use the talents God gave you, other people get cheated. The way you bring glory to God is by using your talents. "Use your gifts well to serve one another." God is glorified when you use your abilities to serve others. ~Pastor Rick Warren
You may experience a less satisfying, less fulfilling, less rewarding life as you are limiting yourself (or holding yourself back) from fully allowing the Holy Spirit to further bear its fruit in your life, use you to glorify God, grow The Church, and bless others.
Additional Resources:
Remember, it's about progression not perfection!
God loves you! With Him, you got this! Until next post, may God give you His peace and blessings!
~Natasha
Just a few reminders:
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