Discovering Our Spiritual Gifts

 

Over the past month I have made over half a dozen videos highlighting different spiritual gifts and I still have another half dozen to go.  Are you getting tired of my voice yet? I sure am!

If you haven’t seen any yet, you can find them on the WDBC Member’s Facebook page here: https://bit.ly/spiritualgiftsvideos

HOW Familiar are you with the gifts of the Spirit?

Did you know there were 25 different gifts specifically named in the New Testament? Because each gift has a different Greek word behind it, each is in some way distinct from another.  That is at least 25 different ways of using your time, energy and resources towards advancing the Kingdom of God around us!

In 1 Corinthians 12 we find primary teaching on spiritual gifts where two points are emphasized:

“I hope this series has highlighted for you just how diverse the body of Christ is — and how we can celebrate equally every single person’s contribution.”

1) The “gifts” are God’s own Spirit manifested (viewed, revealed, shown) in us. It is not our own strength or power or even choosing. We cannot even proclaim that Jesus is Lord without the Holy Spirit! (v. 3) So we CANNOT take credit for our contributions; the glory goes to God.

2) God’s purpose for manifesting himself in us is the building up and unifying of his Church (v.12). The one Spirit is building, growing, and strengthening the one body. Therefore, each person using their gift(s) is worthy of honour — especially those who do it quietly without attention as the gift necessitates (vv.22-25).

So far we’ve discussed 14 different gifts in this video series, with 11 left to go. I hope this series has highlighted for you just how diverse the body of Christ is — and how we can celebrate equally every single person’s contribution.

how do I know what my spiritual gift(s) are?

If you remain unsure what your spiritual gift might be in this season (and I emphasize this as the Spirit is fluid in your life moving and changing you) then sometimes people like to take a survey or quiz.  You might find this one helpful:

Spiritual Gifts Survey:  https://gifts.churchgrowth.org/

Or for a different angle, you might try this quiz to explore what your spiritual pathways are for connecting with God (print the pdf and use the grid as you watch the video). From this you might consider how you can encourage others to connect more with God in ways you are most comfortable yourself or help them explore their own preferred pathway if they know it.

Spiritual Pathways Assessment: https://groupleaders.org/spiritual-pathways-activity

Some Practical Advice

As you start exploring and learning about yourself I would like to highlight two points followed by a bold suggestion. 

  1. There are NOT wrong or right, more godly or less godly ways to answer these questions. Rather, if you feel guilty for your answer or conversely you feel proud for your answer, consider whether the culture around you has encouraged you to elevate some spiritual gifts or ways of connecting with God above another.  (If we all have at least ONE gift, doesn't this obviously mean we will not have some others - and if distributed by the Holy Spirit this is not a "bad" thing. But you can pray for spiritual gifts though as you seek to build up the body of Christ!) (See 1 Corinthians 14)

  2. Taking a test is a relatively new idea and can be quite helpful. However, talking to others about how they have seen God work in your life and how you live out your faith is probably the most helpful way to see how the Holy Spirit is working through you in a particular gift. 

Remember this should be an encouraging process and an ongoing one because God’s Spirit is alive and at work in you constantly.

My Bold Suggestion: Consider asking two people, maybe a close Christian friend and a family member these two questions:

Question 1: “When have you seen me most alive or excited or passionate about God? Do you remember what I was doing or talking about?”

Question 2: “Have you every been encouraged by me spiritually? If so, how did I encourage you; what did I do or say or what was the context?”

While it's a very vulnerable thing to ask these questions, hearing answers from trusted people will very much encourage you. It will help you to see how and where the Lord is working through you. Their feedback will help you discern what gift the Holy Spirit has given you to use for God in building up the body of Christ in this season.

Fancy a game of bingo?

For a bit of fun try filling out this “Spiritual Gifts Bingo” sheet I made! It will also help you intentionally think about and notice the Spirit’s work in our brothers and sisters among us.

Have you observed every one of these gifts either in our church body at WDBC or in other believers you know? And have you encouraged them before with how you’ve seen the Lord at work in their life through these gifts of the Spirit?

 
 

Are there more gifts than these?

Beyond these 25 listed in these traditional New Testament “gifts” passages there are other skills and abilities we see in Scripture that God gifts people with in order to build up his people, the Church. Thus these are considered by some to also be spiritual gifts when used. While I won’t list them along side the others or describe them in detail, it’s prudent to see that God works in and through all of us with whatever task He asks us to put our hand to.

Old Testament:

  • Music (1 Chronicles 25:1, 6, along with David and the Chief Musician in the book of Psalms),

  • Artistic Crafts (Exodus 35:30-33)

New Testament:

  • Exorcism (Luke 10:16-24)

  • New Ministry Developer (1 Corinthians 3:10)

Because every passage that references spiritual gifts in list format is different this can lead us to conclude there was not necessarily a “master list” the Biblical authors were working from, rather they were affirming the Spirit’s work they saw among them. So that too is where we need to land, watchful, appreciative and affirming the Lord’s work through His Spirit in our brothers and sisters.

will there be more videos?

As COVID-19 restrictions slowly ease off I will continue making these Spiritual Gifts videos with relevant application but at a slower pace. I still have the two categories of Leading and Outreach to discuss. I was going to leave off these two remaining gifts for your own exploration. Have fun!

  • Celibacy: a calling and commitment to not getting married and thus not sexually active for the purpose of commitment to Christ with less distractions – NOT just committing to sexual purity outside of marriage, and

  • Martyrdom: suffering or even dying for your faith in Christ at the hands of physical persecution

Resources to share

Here are some resources I have used in developing this content. Please explore more for your own growth!

The Holy Spirit displays God’s power through each of us as a means of helping the entire church.

(1 Corinthians 12:7 TLB)



 
Joanna HoffmanJoanna HoffmanSpiritual Gifts, Community Life, Resources