Spiritual Gifts
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS | BY DENISE BORG
Spiritual gifts are expressions distributed and powered by the Holy Spirit to and through individuals for ministry to demonstrate His love, His power, and His presence to build up the body of Christ. Spiritual gifts are manifestations of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:7) meaning that spiritual gifts are visible evidence of the Holy Spirit.
Paul wrote about spiritual gifts in Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, and 1 Corinthians 12:28-30. Looking at the words spiritual gifts in those scriptures, and viewing the concordance (Blue Letter Bible is a good tool for that), we can see that gifts is actually a word added to spirituals for context in Bible translations. Spiritual gifts are actually spirituals.
The Greek word for spirituals is charisma. Blue Letter Bible’s page for charisma, https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g5486/nkjv/tr/0-1/, describes the biblical usage of the word, references to other scriptures that contain that word, and other information that you may find helpful in understanding the definition and use of the word.
The specific spiritual gifts Paul mentioned in Romans and 1 Corinthians are: prophecy, ministry, teaching, exhortation, giving, leading, mercy, word of wisdom, word of knowledge, faith, healings, miracles, discerning of spirits, different kinds of tongues, interpretation of tongues, miracles, healings, helps, and administrations.
1 Corinthians 12:28 also refers to apostles, prophets, and teachers which are mentioned in Ephesians 4:11 along with evangelists and pastors. These roles are gifts to the church “for the work of ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ till we all come to the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ…”, Ephesians 4:12-15.
The roles are life assignments for equipping the saints for ministry, which includes equipping and normalizing spiritual gifts. If you’d like to go deeper into understanding the word equipping, from Ephesians 4:12, look at the concordance for equipping which is the Greek word katartismos, which means complete furnishing, perfecting: https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g2677/nkjv/tr/0-1/.
For additional information about the spiritual gifts:
Check out Session 6 | The Gifts of the Holy Spirit in our Normalizing Prophecy teaching series. There you’ll find the teaching video, teaching notes, and a slide with a matrix of the spiritual gifts found in scripture.
I highly recommend Dr. Randy Clark & Dr. Mary Healy’s book The Spiritual Gifts Handbook: Using Your Gifts to Build the Kingdom. One of the reasons why I love this book is that it describes the spiritual gifts from a Catholic view (Dr. Healy) and a Protestant view (Dr. Clark) and the depth of information is historic, timely, and very relevant. The book includes foundational information about the spiritual gifts, common misconceptions of Catholics and Protestants related to the gifts, and descriptions of the spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians.
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What are spiritual gifts?
What is the purpose of spiritual gifts?
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The purpose of the spiritual gifts is to glorify God, and to edify and build up other believers and the church. The goal though, is not the spiritual gifts. The goal is Jesus: intimacy and walking in the fulllness of the Holy Spirit throughout all aspects of our life and our posture of heart. The spiritual gifts are for outward ministry, and for intimacy in relationship with the Lord.
Scott G. Bauer captured this beautifully as quoted in the Spirit-Filled Life Bible | 1 Corinthians 14:2 | Kingdom Dynamics: The Edification of the Believer, HOLY SPIRIT FULLNESS | p. 1663:
“The purpose of Holy Spirit fullness in the life of a believer is both the provision of power for ministry that transcends the limits of human ability, and the acquired intimacy for fellowship with the Lord.”
When we walk in the Holy Spirit, we are called to put away the lusts of the flesh and inherit the kingdom of God with physical evidence of the fruits of the spirit: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control - Galatians 5:16-26. Evidence of walking in the fullness of the Holy Spirit includes the fruits of the spirit.
Let’s look at the word edification. Edification is used throughout scripture to describe ministry to build up the church.That ministry of building up requires the use of spiritual gifts. Oikodomē is the Greek word for edification, and it means building up as in a structure, a physical building. It is a powerful concept in understanding the current times and the relevancy of spiritual gifts as the Lord pours out His Spirit is poured out on all flesh (Acts 2:17-18). Refer to Blue Letter Bible’s page for the word and scriptures using the word: https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g3619/nkjv/tr/0-1/.
What do I need to do to receive the ability to minister with the spiritual gifts?
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God issues the gifts as He chooses and in the measure and diversity He desires - Ephesians 4:7-8 and Romans 12:3-8. Seek the Giver, not the gift. Ask Him for the gifts you desire. Pray.
There are different beliefs about when someone receives the capacity to use their spiritual gifts. The beliefs vary from at the time of salvation, at the time of water baptism, or at the time of baptism in the Holy Spirit. Some believe that when you start to pray in your spirit language (tongues) that is certain evidence of being baptized in the Holy Spirit.
In addition to seeking God about the spiritual gifts, if your next step is to be baptized in water, be baptized in water. If your next step is to ask the Lord for you to be baptized by the Holy Spirit, then do so. If your next step is to ask the Lord to be baptized by fire, do so.
For some people, there is one point in time when they know that the Lord imparted a specific gift or gifts to them. There are other people, like myself, that do not know when the precise moment occurred, but my journey, direction, and the fire in my heart to pursue the spiritual gifts has undeniably been confirmed and proven over time. I most certainly know the date I was baptized in water. I do not know when I was first baptized in the Holy Spirit. I now have had several instances of being baptized in fire. Not one of these baptisms for me is a recognized milestone for my receiving spiritual gifts. I can say for certain that my life calling in equipping the church has definitely been a lifelong journey and direction, even when I did not believe in God and did not know what the Lord was setting me up for.
If your heart is aligned with God’s will for your life and your calling, if you are earnestly desiring and passionate about ministering to reflect the true nature and heart of Jesus, and if God has placed one or more of the spiritual gifts in your heart to pursue, then you are in the right place as you read this text. Ministry in spiritual gifts is all about intimacy with the Holy Spirit. I pray that as you read this and as you pursue the spiritual gifts, that your next steps are clear, your path is straight, and that your life and heart align with His so that you are a vessel for His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Can I have more than one spiritual gift?
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Yes, you may have more than one spiritual gift. The spiritual gifts may ebb and flow in season and as the Holy Spirit desires. Often, more than one spiritual gift is used in one ministry opportunity. Being aware of the different spiritual gifts is helpful as you learn, grow, and discern and as you become more confident and experienced in walking in the Spirit and ministering with the spiritual gifts, you will trust Him more than your educated context of the spiritual gifts.
In Acts 2:17-18 and Joel 2:28-29, God says that He shall pour out His Spirit on all flesh and all will prophesy. God prophesies that everyone shall prophesy which confirms that one spiritual gift, prophecy, is undoubtedly a gift that everyone will have.
Let me describe a ministry situation. I will point out the multiple spiritual gifts used in this one instance. I am approached by a woman and she asks if I would pray for her.
In faith (I do not know this woman and I have no idea what I would pray for her - this is an example of the gift of faith - 1 Corinthians 12:9), I ask her what she would like for me to pray for. She asks that I pray for her strength as she is going through a difficult time.
In the depths of my spirit, the Lord shows me (I use the gift of discerning of spirits - 1 Corinthians 12:10 - to confirm before I speak that it is knowledge that is indeed from the Lord and I still ask her to confirm out of honor and for her to test what I am receiving) that she is either in active recovery for addiction or she is recovered (this is a word of knowledge - 1 Corinthians 12:8). I ask her, “Are you in recovery for addiction?” She confirms with a yes. I watch her facial and body expressions shift from hesitation about asking for prayer to being filled with love and emotional reaction as she realizes that the Lord sees her situation. I received knowledge from the Holy Spirit that I would not have otherwise known if it wasn’t for His leading.
The Holy Spirit fills me with mercy (the gift of mercy - Romans 12:8) which positions my heart in preparation for praying for her.
I then receive a deep impression in my spirit that the Lord is healing her and I declare it forth. This is the gift of prophecy - Romans 12:6, 1 Corinthians 12:10, 14:3. I then pray for her.
How do I know what my spiritual gifts are?
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Ask God. Your gifts will likely be so natural to you that you are not aware that you actually have spiritual gifts. Ask someone around you to help you to identify your gifts. Seek guidance from the Holy Spirit about your spiritual gifts.
There are several spiritual gifts free assessments that you may take to help you identify your spiritual gifts. First and foremost, follow the lead of the Holy Spirit in the identification of your spiritual gifts. The assessments may help you identify your spiritual gifts but each assessment may give you different results and no assessment should override direction from the Holy Spirit. Remember: this is all about intimacy with the Holy Spirit, and do not rely on an assessment test or input from others to either limit or restrict your direction.
Also, keep in mind that your spiritual gifts may shift, transition, amplify, cease, or persist, all as directed by God. The assessments do not provide absolute results. Continue to pray, assess, and be aware of the gifts you receive, carry, and use.
Here are a few suggested assessments:
How do I grow and develop my spiritual gifts?
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Developing spiritual gifts is a commitment and a trusting of the Holy Spirit to guide you into ministry opportunities and for direction in your learning. First and foremost, spiritual gifts are outflows of your walking in the Spirit. It is a lifelong journey and pursuit of Jesus.
You may be led to read, to research, or to attend a teaching session. Joining a community of those walking in the Holy Spirit and operating in the spiritual gifts is key to your growth and development. The process of growing and development in the spiritual gifts involves practice, community, humility, love, and compassion.
Please feel free to email info@sevenministries.org for recommendations for your next step.
Still have questions? Reach out anytime by emailing info@sevenministries.org.