Spiritual Gifts 101: What?
What is a spiritual gift?
Every Christmas morning my brothers and I raced to our living room to open our presents. My excitement grew as I tore off the wrapping paper wondering what might be inside. This same sense of awe should fill your soul as you receive the spiritual gifts God has given you.
A spiritual gift is the Holy Spirit working through a believer to bring about spiritual impact on others. The Bible itself defines a spiritual gift as “… the manifestation of the Spirit …” The word manifestation means to reveal, express, demonstrate, or make known. As you serve others, the Spirit reveals, expresses, demonstrates, or makes known His presence through your ministry.
As a new Christian I thought of a spiritual gift as one of my abilities that the Holy Spirit supercharged so I could serve others. Now I realize that, if a spiritual gift is “… the manifestation of the Spirit …”, a spiritual gift IS the Holy Spirit. A spiritual gift is not some THING, but some ONE. Again, the Holy Spirit IS the gift.
The Holy Spirit is like the wind that you don’t actually see; instead, you see its’ effects. The tree leaves flutter; the lake water ripples; the flags flutter; and you feel it on your face. Likewise, you don’t actually see the Holy Spirit, but you observe the effects of His presence.
Diamonds are the most desirable and valuable gemstone in the world. Like a diamond, the Holy Spirit is beautiful, desirable, and precious with many different facets. Similarly, spiritual gifts are the various facets of the Holy Spirit working through you in ministry – teaching, helps, mercy, etc. But each spiritual gift is a reflection of the Holy Spirit as a whole.
When light shines on a diamond, it sparkles and displays many beautiful colors. The fire and brilliance of a diamond comes from its reflection of light. Similarly, the Light of Jesus Christ radiates through spiritual gifts to display the fire and brilliance of the Holy Spirit.
What are “your” spiritual gifts?
“Your” gifts are the way the Holy Spirit tends to work through you in ministry. You can identify your spiritual gifts by the ones He frequently uses as He works through you. It’s important to understand that the Holy Spirit can work through you in any one of the gifts; however, He tends to work through you using the same gifts.
What about using spiritual gift assessments?
There’s nothing wrong with spiritual gift assessments – just don’t depend on them. The results often indicate what your strengths are – not what your spiritual gifts are. Your results will be less accurate if you have limited serving experience. You can’t determine how God works through you in ministry through a paper and pencil test. It can only be seen through personal experience in real life.
What would be helpful in identifying and using your gifts?
Be patient. God will make your gifts clear in time as you faithfully serve others. Don’t be overly concerned about what you are doing for God. He’s far more concerned about what He’s doing within you to make you more like Jesus Christ. Your character – who you are – is God’s chief concern. Your conduct – what you do – also is important to Him, but in second place. Remember: what you do flows out of who you are – not the other way around.
What are the most important spiritual gifts?
Every spiritual gift is equally important and necessary to the functioning of the Church. “No part is important on its own. Can you imagine Eye telling Hand, ‘Get lost; I don’t need you’? Or, Head telling Foot, ‘You’re fired; your job has been phased out’ (1 Corinthians 12:21 MSG). All the gifts are needed, and all the gifts are important.
What accountability exists for using your spiritual gifts?
Someday you will stand before God and give an accounting of your life. In The Purpose Driven Life Rick Warren writes that God will ask you only two questions. First, “What did you do with my Son?” Your answer will clarify whether or not you accepted God’s free gift of salvation through Christ. Finally, “What did you do with all I gave you [including spiritual gifts]?” Your answer will determine the quality of your service to Him, and therefore, your rewards in heaven.
© 2013 Designed to Serve®
Dr. Steve Lake is a retired educator with over 30 years experience in the American public schools. He has served in a variety of position, including teacher, elementary school principal, junior high principal, Associate Superintendent, retired from public education as Superintendent of Schools in Lincolnwood, IL. He has his Bachelors, Masters and Doctor of Education degrees from Northern Illinois University. For the past 25 years Steve has attended and been a member of Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington and Northfield, IL. At Willow Creek Steve has taught adult classes on spiritual gifts, life purpose, and spiritual disciplines. He has ministered overseas in Angola, Zambia, Honduras, Germany, and Russia. Steve is co-founder of Designed to Serve, a ministry that equips Christians to live out their unique God-given calling. Steve is married and has two adult children who are married.
