Identify and Effectively Use Your Spiritual Gifts
- What is a spiritual gift? A spiritual gift is a God-given ability, distributed to individual Christians by the Holy spirit that allows him/ or her to work through their lives to help the church execute its mission on earth.
- What is the difference between spiritual gifts and natural talents? Natural talents are physical abilities to do special things. Some natural talents might be musical ability, carpentry, mechanical aptitude, and artistic skills. Spiritual gifts are spiritual abilities to do certain things. Natural talents are often the vehicle through which spiritual gifts can be used. For example, a Christian vocalist may have the spiritual gift of evangelism being expressed through the vehicle of musical talent.
- Does every believer have a gift? Yes! Every believer has at least one gift (1 Corinthians 12:6-7, 11). All believers are to evaluate themselves in terms of their God-given gifts (romans 12:3)
- When does the believer receive his/her gift? There is no clear-cut Biblical teaching as to when the believer receives his/her gift. However, it seems that the gift comes with the Giver and is bestowed at conversion (2 timothy 1:6).
- Can a believer have any gift he or she wants? No! (1 Corinthians 12:29-31). The Holy spirit gives out gifts as he sees fit (1 Corinthians 12:7, 8-9, 11). This is why there is no prescribed way to get a gift. However, if we are faithful with the gift, or gifts, that the Holy Spirit has already given us, he invites us to pray for another (1 Corinthians 12:29-31).
