The Gifts of the Holy Spirit, Part One

1 Corinthians 12:12-31
P. G. Mathew | Sunday, July 04, 1999
Copyright © 1999, P. G. Mathew

In this study we are beginning a series concerning the gifts of the Holy Spirit. There are many places in the Scriptures where we find this subject discussed. The longest passage is 1 Corinthians 12-14, but you also can read about spiritual gifts in Ephesians 4, Romans 12, and 1 Peter 4.

The technical term for the gifts of the Holy Spirit is ta pneumatika, or spiritual things. There is another term also used, charismata, which comes from the word charis, or grace, and which means gifts of grace.

To those who ask him, God the Father through his Son gives the Holy Spirit who, in turn, distributes spiritual gifts–gifts of grace–to each believer according to his own sovereign will and pleasure. Before we study the individual gifts, we want to make certain statements about spiritual gifts in general.

1. The Purpose of Spiritual Gifts

The first thing we need to know is the purpose of spiritual gifts. The first reason God gives these gifts of grace is for world evangelization. Jesus told his disciples, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be my witnesses. . . .” (Acts 1:8). The first purpose of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is to give us power to evangelize the world.

The second purpose is for the edification of the church. When we evangelize, God will effectually call some people out of the world and place them in the body of Christ, called the church. So the second purpose of spiritual gifts is that the church may be built up by being strengthened, encouraged and comforted.

The gifts of the Holy Spirit are to continue until these purposes are accomplished. Although some say spiritual gifts ceased with the death of the apostles, God intends for them to continue until the second coming of Christ. Why? Only then shall there be no more need for evangelization and the building up of the church.

2. Receiving the Gifts

The second thing we need to know is how we can receive these gifts. These gifts are given by the Holy Spirit himself according to his own sovereign will and pleasure. Nevertheless, the Scripture tells us we must ask for them.

In 1 Corinthians 12:31 we read, “But eagerly desire the greater gifts.” The Greek word used there, zêloute, is an imperative and means “earnestly desire.” From zêloute we have the words zeal, zealous, and zealot. It means to come to a boiling point, to be extremely persistent in the pursuit of something good, or to strive earnestly to possess something. A zealot is one who burns with passion. This same word is used in John 2:17 to describe Jesus Christ: “Zeal for your house will consume me.” So when Paul tells us to eagerly desire spiritual gifts, he is not speaking about pursuing them with a so-so desire, with a take-it-or-leave-it attitude. No, we are to be zealous, passionate, and persistent in our pursuit of spiritual gifts.

Of course, if you believe that spiritual gifts have ceased to exist, then you will not desire anything. This is where I have great disagreement with people who say they believe in the whole Bible, but when you talk to them, you discover they have taken certain portions away from it. It is an amazing phenomenon. Some people, even great scholars, say they believe in the whole Bible and in the authority of the whole Bible, but when you talk about certain parts of the Bible, they say those parts don’t apply today. If you believe that spiritual gifts no longer exist, you must say that 1 Corinthians 12:31 does not apply to you.

In 1 Corinthians 14:1 we find this idea of earnestly desiring again. There Paul writes, “Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts. This is the same word, zêloute, meaning be zealous for, to strive to possess. In 1 Corinthians 14:39 we read, “Therefore, my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues.” Again, the word is zêloute. And in 1 Corinthians 14:13, which talks about a person speaking in tongues when there is no interpreter, Paul writes, “For this reason anyone who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret what he says.” Here again we are encouraged to seek God for the gift of interpretation.

What can we as believers do to possess spiritual gifts? Earnestly desire them. Pray, seek, and knock. Ask God for them. If we do these things, God will give his gifts to us according to his own good pleasure.

3. Every Believer Has a Gift

The third thing we need to notice is that spiritual gifts are given to each believer. If you are a believer in Christ, you will be given at least one spiritual gift.

This is clearly taught in the Scriptures. In 1 Corinthians 12:7 we read, “Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” Through the gifts the Spirit of God manifests himself in the body of Christ. Notice, the gifts are given “to each one.” And in 1 Corinthians 12:11 we read, “All these are the work of the one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one just as he determines.”

We find this truth in other places as well. In Ephesians 4:7 we read, “But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.” And in Romans 12:6 we read, “We have different gifts, according to the grace given us.”

In 1 Peter 4 we find a very important passage–one that really nails down this point–regarding spiritual gifts. In verse 10 we read, “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.” The real translation goes like this: “as each one has received a gift” – ekastos kathôs elaben charisma.

So, then, we must understand that if we are believers, then God’s Holy Spirit has given each one of us at least one spiritual gift.

4. Gifts Given by God

Fourthly, we need to learn that these gifts are given by the triune God. They are not the result of a university education and they are not natural abilities. They are endowments from God.

In 1 Corinthians 12:4-5 we read, “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.” Notice the work of the Trinity–the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit–in dispensing and distributing heavenly gifts to qualify us for evangelization and for the upbuilding of the church. Earlier we saw the same idea in 1 Corinthians 12:11, “All these are the work of one and the same Spirit,” meaning the Holy Spirit, and in Ephesians 4:7, where it tells us that Christ apportions the gifts.

In Acts 20 we see that God also gives gifts of men, meaning officers, to the church. All in the church are given gifts, but not everyone is the same. God gives special gifts and abilities to certain people in the church so that they may act as officers within the church.

In Acts 20:28 Paul mentioned this in his speech to the elders, pastors, and bishops of the church of Ephesus: “Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock,” and then he said, “of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.” The Holy Spirit himself appointed the leaders of the church of Ephesus.

We find the same idea in Ephesians 4:11 and following: “It was he” meaning the ascended Christ, “who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service. . . .” And what is the final purpose? “. . . so that the body of Christ may be built up.” So it is God himself who gives gifts of men to build up his church.

5. Stewards of God’s Gifts

The fifth point we need to keep in mind is that we who are given these gifts are not proprietors but stewards. We don’t own our spiritual gifts. They are given to us by the triune God, and we are accountable to him for the proper dispensing and discharging of them.

Each believer is entrusted with at least one gift, or charism, to use faithfully for the benefit of others. An example of this type of stewardship is seen in the miraculous feedings of four thousand people and five thousand people. When Jesus Christ multiplied the loaves and fishes, he entrusted the apostles with the food, which they then distributed to the people. That is the meaning of stewardship. In the same way, you don’t own your spiritual gifts but you are entrusted with them so that you can use them to benefit God’s people. And while you are doing that, you are accountable to the proprietor, who is God.

This idea is clearly stated in 1 Peter 4:10: “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.” In the Greek it says, “as good stewards of the grace of God,” or, “as good stewards of the multifaceted grace of God.” You see, God’s grace is like a jewel with many facets. There is diversity in the multifaceted, variegated, manifold grace of God. Out of God’s infinite, inexhaustible fullness, we receive grace upon grace. The triune God distributes his grace to you and you are entrusted with it as a steward to use on God’s behalf for the benefit of others. And you must be a good steward, meaning one who is faithful in the dispensing of this grace, one who is accountable to God for the use of it, one who will not pretend that he is the proprietor of it. “What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?” Paul asked the Corinthians in the context of stewardship of spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 4:7).

First Peter 4:10-11 also tells us we must exercise these gifts by the strength God gives, and he gives us that strength lavishly, abundantly. It also says we must do so for the glory of God, not for our own glory. Have you ever heard someone being introduced as “the man of the hour,” the one who is extraordinarily gifted? When you read these passages, you understand the utter stupidity and unbiblical arrogance of that statement. We are stewards, not owners or proprietors. We are servants, entrusted with divine charisms to be distributed faithfully for the glory of God Almighty.

So 1 Peter 4:11 says, “If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides.” That is not a good translation. In the Greek the idea is “with the abundant strength God provides.” God lavishes this strength on us. And what is the purpose? “So that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and power for ever and ever. Amen.”

All things must be done to the glory of God. That is why it is reprehensible for people to promote themselves in the name of charismatic gifts. Additionally, many such people are frauds. There is no truth in their so-called miracles and they are leading many people astray. I pray that God will help us come back to the Scripture and understand what the Scripture says in terms of spiritual gifts, and seek to exercise those gifts in a way that glorifies God.

In 1 Corinthians 4:1-2 we find more information about what it means to be a steward or trustee. In verse 1 we read, “So, then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God.” In the Greek it is “as stewards”–oikonomous. Verse 2 says, “Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.” A steward must be faithful with what he has been entrusted with.

In Luke 12:43-44 Jesus Christ speaks about this idea: “The Lord answered, ‘Who, then, is the faithful and wise manager whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns.'” The same word for steward is used for manager in this passage.

In other words, when the triune God gives us spiritual gifts, we must serve others with them faithfully, without arrogance and self-exaltation, all the time seeking the glory and the honor of the proprietor, God. We must mix great humility with our exercise of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

In 1 Corinthians 11:23 Paul wrote, “For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you. . . .” That is the idea. What we receive from God we give unto others. In fact, he who receives has a responsibility to give. The late John Murray, my professor of systematic theology at Westminster Seminary, would tell us, “If I am a member of the church of Jesus Christ, I have property in you and you have property in me. What I have received is for you, and what you have received is for me.” That is the meaning of being a steward of God’s gifts.

6. One Body, Many Members

The sixth thing we should notice in this discussion of spiritual gifts is the emphasis on the fact that the church of Jesus Christ is one body with many members. There is unity and diversity within the body of Christ, in other words.

This is true of marriage, is it not? There is unity–a married couple is one body, one flesh–and diversity–there are two people involved. Within a marriage each partner complements the other and each has property in the other. That diversity should not be forgotten.

In the same way, the church is the body belonging to Christ but it consists of many diverse members. So we must always keep in mind this idea of unity and diversity.

Paul speaks about the unity of the body of Christ in Ephesians 4:3-4. There he mentions seven unities:

1. One body–the holy, catholic and apostolic church;
2. One Spirit–one Holy Spirit, who applies the redemption into our lives;
3. One hope–the hope of the glory of God that will be revealed in us;
4. One Lord–Jesus Christ, God-man, who died on the cross and was buried and raised from the dead, who accomplished redemption for us;
5. One faith–meaning one doctrine, one gospel;
6. One baptism–meaning that when we were baptized, we publicly declared our union with Jesus Christ, having died with Christ, were buried with Christ, and were raised with Christ to live a new life;
7. One God–meaning God the Father, who planned our redemption, and who is “over all and through all and in all.”

We must keep this idea in mind. There is one body belonging to Jesus Christ which has many, many members. You see, diversity of members is a vital necessity for the body of Christ. God is not interested in human beings being Xerox copies of each other. But each member is different and each member has a different gift entrusted to that person by God to be used for benefit of the rest of the people. How, then, can we say, “I don’t need you”?

The body of Christ consists of men and women, Jews and Gentiles, rich and poor, of all ethnic backgrounds. In fact, remember how God told Abraham in Genesis 12 that “all peoples on earth will be blessed through you”? He was speaking, ultimately, about the global nature of the church of Jesus Christ.

What about having a church for the rich, a church for the poor, a church for blacks, a church for Chinese, and so on? I say such distinctions are a violation of biblical law. They may be comfortable for those who go to them, but they are not biblical.

My wife recently read a biography of Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, pastor at Westminster Chapel in London for many years. The book said Lloyd-Jones was one of the first ones to integrate the church he pastored. He did so because he was a man who looked into the Bible, understood what a church should be like, and understood what the Father’s will is all about. He understood that men, women, Jews, Gentiles, rich, poor, corporate heads and peons, healthy and crippled, old and young, people of all ethnic backgrounds–all receive divine charisms for the purpose of enriching one another in the church of Jesus Christ.

Diversity is a vital necessity in the church of Jesus Christ. We glory in it and celebrate it! But understand what this type of diversity is. It is not the kind of diversity we hear about in the world. The diversity in the church of Jesus Christ includes all who have made the confession “Jesus is Lord”–all the different members within his church.

7. Spiritual Gifts Produce Interdependence

The seventh point we must understand in connection with spiritual gifts and in connection with the body of Christ is that spiritual gifts produce, not independence and autonomy, but interdependence.

God has entrusted his church with charisms, which are intended to benefit others within the body of Christ. But suppose a person doesn’t want to receive the ministry of the others. That is called independence and autonomy.

What is the problem with independence in the body of Christ? It results in death to the member. The moment a part declares independence from the body–say, a finger declares independence and somehow cuts itself off from the hand–it dies, it becomes worthless, it stinks. Interdependence brings life and fulfillment. That is the way God constituted the church. He wants the members of his body to live in mutual dependence, so that we can partake of the charisms that he, the triune God, invested in his body.

Interdependence in the body Christ means that when one suffers, all suffer and when one rejoices, all rejoice. Not only that, when one sins, all suffer, and God has to deal with it. We see an example of that in Numbers 16 where we find the account of Korah and his company. They were trying to be independent. Another example is that of Achan in Joshua 7. He was independent and self-interested. Achan’s actions showed no regard for the body of Christ, and God dealt with not only him but with his whole family and the nation of Israel because of his sin.

8. Avoid Inferiority and Superiority Complexes

The eighth point we want to make is that when we exercise spiritual gifts, there are two things we must avoid: inferiority complex and superiority complex. We must avoid both of these by all means.

Inferiority Complex

In 1 Corinthians 12:15 we find the inferiority complex: “If the foot should say, ‘Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body. . . .'” What is the foot saying? “You see, I want to be the hand, but I am just a foot. Who cares about feet? I don’t even feel like I belong to this body, so I am going to leave. Poor me.” This is false humility. This is self-pity. This is utter denial of the God who placed you in his body according to his sovereign will. If you say such things, you are a rebel and you will be dealt with by God himself for the arrogance that manifests itself in terms of a “Poor me” attitude.

Look at verse 16. There we find another example of inferiority complex. “And if the ear should say, ‘Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body. . .'” Apparently eyes are much more important than ears, at least in the estimation of the ear. So the ear is saying, “Well, I am not an eye, so I do not belong in this body. Poor me. I think I’ll just go home.”

Now, just imagine if the whole body were an eye. It would be the most grotesque thing we could see. It would have nothing to do with beauty. In fact, it would be somewhat scary–just an eye rolling around.

God has created a beautiful body–the church of Christ–which consists of differing members who have differing gifts. So we all must rest in God’s will and wisdom and be faithful to function in the place he has assigned to us. Don’t reach for something you are not called to.

What was the problem of the devil? He was not satisfied with the place God assigned him. He is always reaching beyond his sphere, and God brought him down. This is a disease we all have. What was Korah’s problem? He was not satisfied with his high office of being a Levite. He wanted to reach out and go beyond God’s calling for him. Let me tell you, such aspirations are demonic and will bring about one’s own destruction. This is the problem of inferiority complex.

Superiority Complex

What is the superiority complex? We find it in 1 Corinthians 12:21: “The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I don’t need you!’ And the head cannot say to the feet, ‘I don’t need you!'” This type of self-sufficiency is absolute stupidity. No one member of a body is self-sufficient. Each member is to depend on every other member for his own health and ministry.

But here we find the eye saying, “Well, I am such a superior member that I don’t need the hand. I can do quite well without it.” The head is saying, “Who needs feet? I am the head, after all. That’s all that is necessary.” That is absolute nonsense.

In 1 Corinthians 4:7 we read, “What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?” In other words, how can any member in the body of Christ feel he or she is superior to the others? The strength to work is given to you by God. We live and move and have our being in God. We are totally dependent on him for our next breath–and yet we become arrogant and proud and boastful!

We find this kind of exaggerated claim of self-sufficiency and high view of oneself also in Romans 12. In verse 3 we read, “For by the grace given me I say to every one of you. . . .” Notice the ministry of Paul. He is the apostle to whom God gave certain spiritual gifts. He is faithfully using those gifts as he writes this epistle. “For by the grace given me,” Paul admonishes the Roman church, “I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought. . . .”

You see, we all have this Korah problem. We refuse to function within the sphere God has granted us and are always reaching out for something beyond. But this is serious sin–this exaggeration, this bloated résumé, this high evaluation of ourselves, this overestimation of our capacities and abilities, this pride. It is absolutely unacceptable in the life of the body of Christ.

Today, of course, we glory in this self-esteem business. It surrounds us in the culture and it is native to our own heads. What, then, can we do about this problem? We have to ask God to give us the ability to evaluate ourselves soberly. In other words, to think of ourselves in accordance with truth.

In Romans 12:3 we read, “But rather think of yourself with sober judgment. . . .” We don’t want to overestimate, nor do we want to underestimate. We don’t want to think we are superior to everyone, but at the same time, we shouldn’t say, “Oh, I am just nothing.” That would be false humility. It is simply pride in reverse.

So Paul instructs us, “But rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.” In other words, think of yourself in accordance with that sphere of ministry God has assigned to you, and function in it! Do not reach out for something else and do not resign from the task to which God has assigned you. What is our problem? Either we want to reach out for something else or resign, saying, “Oh, I am just a foot. If I am not a hand, I am just nothing. I am just going to quit.”

Consider Korah and his friends. We read of their bloated, arrogant evaluation of themselves in Numbers 16. God judged them by opening up the earth and swallowing them up in it. In other words, God dug a grave, put them in it, and buried them. Additionally, he sent fire to consume the 250 men who stood with Korah and plague among the Israelites who grumbled against Moses and Aaron. God will not put up with arrogance in the church of Jesus Christ.

In the New Testament we find a fellow named Diotrephes who had the same problem as Korah and his followers. The apostle John writes about him in 3 John 9: “I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will have nothing to do with us. So if I come, I will call attention to what he is doing, gossiping maliciously against us. Not satisfied with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers. He also stops those who want to do so and puts them out of the church.” Here is a person who went berserk. That is arrogance.

Remedy for Superiority/Inferiority Complexes

What is the remedy for these superiority/inferiority complexes? First, we must make a sober judgment of ourselves, as we read in Romans 12:3. We must ask the Holy Spirit to give us the ability to evaluate our own capacities and charisms, and then function faithfully in them for the benefit of the church. If we do that, we will be fulfilled and satisfied.

We must also remember who placed us in the church. In 1 Corinthians 12:24 we read, “But God has combined the members of the body. . . .” God put the body of Christ together. It is not man doing it; it is God. “But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it.”

In other words, God did it the way he wanted, according to his own wisdom and design. For what purpose? “So that there should be no division in the body” (v. 25). You see, when we read 1 Corinthians, especially the early chapters, we notice there was division in the church of Corinth. “I am of Paul”; “I am of Apollos”; “I am of Cephas”; “I am of Christ.”

We find such divisions in many modern churches also. Many churches are full of schism, party spirit, and campaigning among the various members of the body of Christ. Mrs. Brown has a bigger house, Mrs. Brown has a yacht, and so Mrs. Brown says, “Honey, let’s start influencing the church.” This is the first step to party spirit and division, and the evangelical church is full of it. Then, when you try to discipline someone, all of a sudden that person starts his or her own party. But this is not God’s standard for a church. God wants the members of his church to fear him and live together in love for him and one another.

So the first remedy for inferiority and superiority complexes in the church is to realize that God placed each one of us according to his wisdom and plan in the church for his specific purposes, and so there should not be any division in the body. A church that functions right is one in which every member is a steward and renders service of his gifts to everybody else, and everyone else ministers to that person as well. There will be no division in a healthy church.

The second remedy is to recognize that it is the will of God that all the parts of the body should have equal concern for each other. There is no respect of persons in the body of Christ. There is equal care for everybody–for the eye and for the toe, the head and the hand. There is love, care, concern, and full ministry for all.

If one part of the body suffers, what happens? Every part suffers. And so if we hear about some trouble of one of our members, all of a sudden we ourselves experience the pain to some degree. And we begin to pray and give greater ministry to that part that is experiencing pain. We become seriously concerned. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it. And, on the other hand, if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. It is a great joy to hear the great things God does for our brothers and sisters.

And so we must always remember that God placed every person in the body and God gave gifts to each person for one purpose: “for the common good” (1 Cor. 12:7). I am for you, in other words. I have property in you and you have property in me. Or look at 1 Corinthians 14:3. There we read, “But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort.” Everything is done for the common good.

9. The Multifaceted Grace of God

The ninth point we want to make is found in 1 Peter 4:10. God’s charisms for the church are multifaceted, variegated, and manifold for the total health, encouragement, comfort, and edification of the church.

It is not the will of God that his church should sit eating carob pods and living in misery. As we read in John 1:16, “From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another.” There is no end to the grace of God coming to us from the cross of grace.

In 1 Peter 4:10 we read, in effect, “As each received charisma, employ the same, serve with the same, to one another. How? As good stewards of the variegated, manifold, multifaceted, diverse grace of God.” This is God’s will for us. Brothers and sisters, may we even now begin to pray, “O God, pour out this manifold grace upon us so that the church will be served by it so that all in your body will grow and mature and be strong and full of hope and full of encouragement and full of vitality! O God, may there be less self-centered existence and more God-centered service.”

What are the variegated, manifold gifts of the Spirit? They are listed several times in the Scriptures, although we find no one complete list. We cannot have a complete list because God’s grace is so manifold. But we find a number of gifts mentioned, and when we do, we notice that they fall into two categories–speaking gifts and serving gifts.

What are the speaking gifts? They are the ones used especially by the officers of the church. “If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very word of God,” we read in 1 Peter 4:11. That refers to the officers of the church–apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers–because they are the ones especially charged with the ministry of speaking the gospel. They do so for the purpose of spiritual edification, to meet the spiritual needs of the church. That doesn’t mean the officers are the only ones who can speak the word of God. Others will do it also. But officially they are the ones who minister in that capacity.

The other category is called serving gifts–the diaconal gifts. These gifts are given to meet the physical needs of the church. The church has two kinds of needs, spiritual and physical. The spiritual aspect is more important, but God also is interested in our physical needs. If a hungry man comes to the church, we cannot simply say, “Well, be warm and have a good day.” That is not Christianity. No, we must become interested in that person. We must speak to him about the gospel, but we must also take care of his physical needs. The manifold grace of God is given to the church to do both.

10. Spiritual Gifts Are Not the Same as Spiritual Fruit

The final point we must realize is that there is a difference between gifts of the Spirit and the fruit of the Spirit. Both are necessary for church life. However, without the fruit of the Spirit, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Remember in Matthew 7 Jesus Christ said, “Not everyone who calls me ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter into the kingdom”? These people were trying to tell Jesus about all the spiritual gifts they possessed. These people prophesied, cast out demons, and performed miracles. But the Lord would say to them, “I never knew you, you workers of iniquity!” In other words, character is the essential thing. We must have the fruit of the Spirit to enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Additionally, we must remember that spiritual gifts are not going to be in heaven. They will cease when the Lord Jesus Christ comes again because the purpose for which they have been granted will cease.

How to Find Your Gift

We said that gifts are given to each one for the common good. Each of us, therefore, must have at least one gift. How do you go about finding what your gifts are so that you may function in them?

1. Read and study the passages in the Bible that speak about spiritual gifts.
2. Pray earnestly for spiritual gifts.
3. Examine your motivation. If you want spiritual gifts so that you can be known as the man of the hour, then you are interested in abusing the gifts. Make sure you are seeking spiritual gifts so that you can be a useful servant of the Lord Jesus Christ, who was the servant of God. Examine your motivation: Do you want to be seen as a miracle worker or a healer? Then you should repent of that. But if you want to be a servant of the church of Jesus Christ, that is the proper motivation for seeking spiritual gifts.
4. Make sober judgment of your own strengths and capabilities. “What do I like to do? What am I good at?”
5. Seek the counsel of others who know you well. Ask them what they see as spiritual gifts in your life. You may be surprised to hear what others have noticed in your life.

May We Seek Spiritual Gifts

May God help each of us to appreciate his placing of us in his church. We are vitally connected to Christ and to one another. I have property in everyone else and they have property in me. May we thank God for his manifold grace he gives to each member of the body of Christ and may we appreciate each individual member, knowing each one has something for me and I have something for them. May we always realize that we cannot live without them and they should not live without us. We are the family of God, and we praise him for being included in this family. Amen.