How To Discover Your Spiritual Gift
Introduction
In the movie, "Chariots of Fire", one of the main characters was a Scottish Christian by the name of Eric Liddle, who ran in the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris. In the course of the film, Liddle is quoted as saying, "I believe God made me for a purpose- He also made me fast- and when I run I feel His pleasure." Do you believe that God not only made you, but saved you, for His purpose? Do you believe He saved you ONLY to get you to Heaven someday?
Or has He left each of us with a divine purpose on this earth? A recent survey was conducted of 5,000 pastors across the United States. They asked the pastors what their greatest needs were in the church. Interestingly enough, 98% of the pastors who responded listed as either their #1 or #2 need - the need to GET THE LAYMEN INVOLVED IN THE WORK OF THE MINISTRY. The church is a body.
Some churches have the body of an Olympic athlete; well-trained, disciplined, all parts of the body working together in perfect concert. Other churches have the body of a couch potato, lying around watching while others do the work. "Honey, will you get me some sweet tea? Make me a sandwich while you're at it and put extra pickles on that, OK? You see, I've fallen into this couch and I can't get up!"
Regretfully, some churches have the body of an invalid, many parts have atrophied and have become useless. The church cannot function unless we all discover our spiritual gift and take our place of service and ministry.
In his book, THE REBIRTH OF MINISTRY, James D. Smart says this: "Jesus was not satisfied in having a succession of audiences to which He might proclaim His Gospel. Jesus was interested primarily in having disciples in whom and through whom His ministry would be multiplied many times over." It is imperative that we not only discover but that we then use the spiritual gifts God has given to each of us in His church and in the Kingdom. A series of 8 questions and answers will enable us to have a clearer understanding of this subject of spiritual gifts. I wish we had more time this morning to go into depth on this subject but perhaps this message will encourage you to go deeper in your walk with God and the discovery of your spiritual gift.
I. What Are Spiritual Gifts
Spiritual gifts are spiritual abilities given by God in order to carry out the work and ministry of the church and the Kingdom. God did not leave us here after our salvation without the capacity to carry out the ministry He has for us to accomplish. Paul said in Ephesians 4:8, using the terminology of warfare, that when Jesus won the victory over the devil, He left spiritual gifts to us as the spoils of victory. He left us with charisma ... grace gifts ... spiritual gifts! Spiritual gifts are not personal toys to play with; they are power tools to build with!
II. Does Every Believer Have At Least One Spiritual Gift
1 Corinthians 12:7, "But the manifestation of the Spirit (talking about spiritual gifts) is given to EACH ONE for the profit of all." Every one of us has been given at least one spiritual gift. You just need to discover it.
I had a woman tell me one time that she felt like she was the appendix in the body of Christ. If she were removed it wouldn't make much difference. Oh, but it does make a difference. EVERY BELIEVER is important in the church and needs to discover their spiritual gift.
III. What is the Purpose of Spiritual Gifts
The answer is found in Eph. 4:11-13, 16b. The purpose of spiritual gifts is three-fold: Ministry...Maturity...Mission. The first purpose of the gifts is to provide...
A. Functional Ministry Within The Church
Ephesians 4:11-12, "And He Himself gave some to be apostles (word means "one who is sent with a commission"...the closest thing we would have to an apostle today is a missionary), some prophets (one who boldly proclaims the Word of God), some evangelists (bearers of the Good News), and some pastors and teachers (that is the combined role of the Pastor...both shepherd and teacher of God's Word) (WHY did He give these gifts?) (12)...for the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,...
Do you see the 2 functions Paul gives?
The Pastors function- to equip...to teach...to train. The Believer's function- to do the work of the ministry. What is the result?
The church is edified...built up! The church cannot function properly unless every person does his or her part. What if all our Sunday School teachers decided they weren't going to teach one Sunday? Or let there be one Sunday when ALL the preschool volunteers decide they are not going to serve and the result will be anarchy and catastrophe.
As the Pastor, I can't take care of preschoolers or teach young people or set up sound equipment and, at the same time preach on Sundays. But when everyone does their part and uses their gift there is great harmony. Come early some Sunday and see that in progress. It's a WOW!
B. The Full Maturity Of The Believer In Christ
Ephesians 4:13, "...till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect (mature) man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." A growing maturing Christian is one who is using their spiritual gift and therefore unity results within the church.
C. To Fulfill The Mission Of The Kingdom Of Christ
Ephesians 4:16b, "...by which every part does its share, causing growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love." I need to say 2 things at this point...
1. Everyone is important within the church.
We do not all have the same gift. Turn to 1 Corinthians 12:13...listen what Paul says about everyone doing their share and using their gift..." For by one spirit we were all baptized into one body- whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free- and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. (14) For in fact the body is not one member, but many. (15) If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body? (16) And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body? (17) If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? Can you imagine the church being a big eyeball rolling around on Sunday morning? Or a big old nose? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? (18) But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He pleased...many members, one body! (vs. 20)"
2. God did not grace us with spiritual gifts so that we might brag, boast, or bring glory to ourselves.
Any time a spiritual gift is used to simply glorify a believer or call attention to a believer then it is out of control and is not being used properly. It is being used for wrong motives. Spiritual gifts should never be used for individual glory!
IV. Where Are the Spiritual Gifts Found in Scripture
There are basically 4 different passages that mention the spiritual gifts in the New Testament:
A. Romans 12:3-8
B. 1 Corinthians 12
C. Ephesians 4:7-16
D. 1 Peter 4:10-11
V. What Is The Best Way To Understand The Lists Of Spiritual Gifts
The only way I have discovered to understand and discern the spiritual gifts is to put them into categories that will help us to understand their function and purpose. The gifts mentioned in all four of the lists may be divided into 3 different categories:
A. Service Gifts
Gifts whose primary aim is to serve, minister, to build up in some way...ministry, exhortation, mercy, service, administration, also teaching...you can have the gift of service and teach a children's or preschool class...A healthy church needs to have at least 80% of the believers fit somewhere in this area of service gifts.
B. Speaking Gifts
Not everyone can do this. Apostles (missionaries), prophet, pastor, teacher...A healthy church needs to have at least 20 % of the members that have speaking gifts.
C. Sign gifts
Wisdom, knowledge, faith, tongues (languages), healing. God determines the signs, the evidence, the manifestation. We are not to seek the sign gifts first. We are to seek the service and speaking gifts first, then, God will produce the sign gifts in our lives.
VI. How Can I Recognize My Spiritual Gift
There are a number of ways but let me suggest two primary ways:
A. Personal Inclination
What is it that really fires you up, motivates you? Excites you about serving the Lord? What is it that comes easier for you than other things? As a Pastor I have to rely on people around me that make up for the areas where I am not gifted. All the experts say, "Staff for your weaknesses." That's why I appreciate our staff. They make up for the areas where I am weak and they make me look good, or at least better than I actually am.
B. Public Affirmation
People will come up over and over affirming you in a particular area. "Man, you are such a great teacher." Or, on the other hand, if your class grows from 30 to 3 it may be an indication you are not gifted in that area.
I would encourage you to take a spiritual gifts inventory...
VII. What Are The Hindrances To Discovering My Spiritual Gift
(There are at least 6 of them)
A. Not Knowing You Have A Spiritual Gift
"I didn't know I had a spiritual gift. I didn't even know there was such a thing."
B. A Lack Of Service Or Involvement
Some people never discover their spiritual gift because they never test the waters. They never volunteer to do anything, never volunteer to teach a class, never take on an assignment, never serve on a committee - they show up on Sunday morning, come in and sit and then go home. Lack of service or involvement will stifle your ability to discover your spiritual gift.
C. Unresolved Personal Problems
If you have some deep, deep problems in your life, you need to deal with those problems first. You need to allow God to heal you. You can't really serve the Lord effectively until you get healed emotionally and spiritually. If you are in deep depression or extreme bitterness toward someone you need to get that resolved before you try to pour out your life in service.
D. Being Out Of The Will of God.
Some of us don't know what to do or how to discover our gift because we are out of fellowship with God. There is sin in our lives and that sin has caused a barrier between the Lord and us. We are out of God's will!
E. Attempting To Imitate The Gifts Of Others
Maybe you admire your Sunday School teacher so much and you say, "That's what I want to do. I want to teach! I can do that!"
I know we have some guys that are really talented in our church and are very mechanical. You can fix stuff and take stuff apart, you are master carpenter. I have always been envious of that because, and this hurts to admit it, I am not very mechanical. In fact, my wife is the fix-it guru in our home. I see shows where they are remodeling the house, or building a deck, or changing out a part on the car and I'll say to Pam, "Darling, I could do that!" She says, "Believe me, you can't do that!"
The same thing happens in the church. We will see someone in the church we admire or that has a gift we admire and we will try to imitate that person..." Listen how that person sings...or teaches...or speaks...or organizes...I want to be like that." But that might not be what God has gifted you to do.
F. Relying On Our Own Human Power
We can exercise our spiritual gifts in the power of the flesh or in the power of the Spirit. If we use the gifts in the power of the flesh we will never bring glory to God!
VIII. What Are the Consequences of Not Using My Spiritual Gift
There are at least 3 of them.
A. I Will Never Experience God's Purpose For My Life
God has a purpose for your life. It's not just to come and sit still while the Pastor instills. You discover, "I have a gift for working with young people" and then suddenly it dawns on you that that's God's purpose for you. He saved you for that purpose within the body of Christ.
B. I Will Never Experience Real Joy In Christ
You know why some of us are so unhappy in our Christian walk? It's because we are not using our spiritual gift for God's glory. Joy comes when we are using our spiritual gifts for God.
C. The Church Will Not Function Properly
The church should never have to beg for workers. Oh what a mess some churches are in because no one wants to use their spiritual gift ... but oh what a blessing it is when believers use their spiritual gifts for the glory of God.
There was a lady in our church back in Tennessee that had the spiritual gift of service and mercy. Over and over she allowed God to use her in situations that brought great honor to the Lord. I'll never forget one instance where a lady in our community who had 8 children received the terrible news that her husband had been killed in a trucking accident in another state. The woman was not only devastated by grief, she was also in a panic as to what to do with her eight children while she went to identify her husband's body and bring him back to Tennessee for funeral services. That's when this lady in our church, her name was Jodi, sprung into action. Jodi arranged for the eight children to be taken care of in homes of our church members. She made sure the woman was taken to the airport and got on the right plane since she had never flown before. When the woman arrived back home a couple of days later she was picked up at the airport and taken home. The woman couldn't believe her eyes. Not only was the entire house cleaned from top to bottom, and all the laundry done and put away, but also there in the bedroom were 8 pairs of little shoes completely shined and ready for the funeral service. I preached the funeral service for this woman's husband. Two weeks later the woman and her 8 children started attending our church. It was not long after that she accepted Christ as her Savior and had all 8 kids in church. Why? All because a Christian lady decided she would exercise her spiritual gift of mercy and service. Have you discovered and are you using your spiritual gift?