Unfortunately, many in the body of Christ do! Our talents that can be of secular use are often identified early in life by our teachers and parents: athletic ability, musical adeptness, charisma, science and mathmatical ability, etc. But WHO is helping our young people to develop their SPIRITUAL gifts?
We encourage our children to build their houses on the foundation of their secular gifts and talents, while their spiritual gifts remain unused and under- developed. As a result we face a generation of confused and spiritually disconnected people who have set their eyes on material things. This should not be so in the body of Christ. The time has come for us to Stir up the gifts that God has placed in us!
There are special gifts and SUPERNATURAL abilities that God has given each of us to build up and edify the body of Christ (1 Pet. 4:10).
The Bible speaks of 20+ Spiritual gifts that God has given to the church:
Romans 12:
Exhortation: The gift that encourages, comforts, and uplifts others
Giving: The gift that shares with cheerfulness and liberality
Leadership: The gift that stands before others and directs, motivates, and encourages to accomplish goals
Mercy: The gift that has compassion, sensitivity, and sympathy toward others and takes action
Prophecy: The gift that speaks forth the message of God to His people; Forth-telling the will of God
Service: The gift that identifies undone tasks in God's body and gets the job done
Teaching: The gift that instructs others in the Word in a way that brings true understanding and growth
1 Corinthians 12:
1 Corinthians 12:
Administration: The gift that steers the church through planning, organizing, and supervising toward accomplishing God-ordained goals
Apostle: The gift that was given to the eye-witnesses of Jesus, and original leaders of the establishment of the church
Discernment: The gift that can distinguish truth from falsehood by judging whether the source of the behavior is from God, Satan, human power, or human error
Faith: The gift that is firmly persuaded of God's power with a conviction that cannot be shaken
Healing: The gift that can make people whole either spiritually, mentally, emotionally, or physically
Helps: The gift that supports, assists, and desires to meet needs in the body
Knowledge: The gift that naturally seeks and desires to gather and learn as much about the Word of God as possible and use said data to the building of the church
Miracles: The gift that is enabled by God to do the naturally impossible to His Glory
Tongues: The gift that speaks in a new and unlearned language that allows the body to be edified and unbelievers to be persuaded by hearing their own language
Interpretation of Tongues: The gift that translates the message spoken in tongues
Wisdom: The gift that applies knowledge and understanding to practical and daily decision making, and reveals spiritual truths
Ephesians 4:
Ephesians 4:
Evangelism: The gift that spreads the message of the good news of the gospel
Pastor: The gift that is responsible for the shepherding, protecting, guiding, and feeding of God's children
(There are some repetitions of gifts in each passage, as well as the gifts of celibacy, martyrdom, hospitality, missionary, and voluntary poverty mentioned in other passages of scripture)
*IF YOU WOULD LIKE A DEEPER BREAK-DOWN ON THE OFFICE OF EACH GIFT, COMMENT BELOW AND WE WILL DO IT***
I believe that we have prophets, preachers, and great leaders that are simply sitting in the pews. I believe that there are young people with the gift of healing in their hands lying dormant. I believe that we have tongue-talking and tongue-interpreting evangelists who are currently teen moms. There are inactive young people sitting at home who have a vision for the homeless, for youth centers, for community shelters that God has placed in their bellies. God has given EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US gifts! He has not put that gift in you to rot, or for you to just bury it. He has placed it there for such a time as THIS.
Right now, we need people with the true gift of exhortation to come forward and encourage the body! Does God speak to you through dreams and visions? Our generation is thirsty for a TRUE prophetic word and encouragement from heaven. Where there is no vision, the people perish. Do you have a burden for the sick? Do you have a seed of faith in you that you know is special? The church needs you. The world needs to see you, God needs to use you. The time has come for us to stir up the gift that God has put in us!
There is no need to be ashamed of the gift that God has given you, or to feel that your gift is any less than anyone elses. God gave you that gift for a reason, and once you begin to use it, God will add to it! The enemy wants you to sit on your one gift, because he knows that one person using their spiritual gift can chase a THOUSAND demons to flight! Don't you misjudge the POWER of a GOD GIVEN gift!
ASIDE: Gifts need exercise. But your spiritual gift cannot flourish without a spiritual foundation. Our God is a GOD of order. It will always please the Lord for you to be fatihful to ministry, faithful to scripture and prayer, faithful at home FIRST. (See qualifications of leadership, 1 Tim 3)
People will be intimidated by your spirtual gifts, and may even allow the enemy to work through them to keep you from using them. But you must remember the world needs you. You have to push beyond the haters, push beyond your fears, and use your gift( 2 Tim 1:6-9). We are in a battle, and we need gifted and trained soldiers to win this battle. I don't know about you, but I wish to have talented and skilled fighters fighting alongside me in battle, not people unqualified or operating in their area of weakness. We must crucify the spirit of Pride that keeps us from working in unity and investing in
other gifted Saints. God knew what He was doing when he distributed those gifts, and we fight against our own body when we tear down or refuse to use other gifted saints.
It's clear we are living in the last days, as we see the spirit of pride running loose and taking many of the saints captive. We are self absorbed, more concerned about building an empire instead of building the church. We have gone astray in this area and the church has paid for it. This spirit of pride, arrogance, and jealousy effectively tears down the church.
You can always tell when someone is operating in the spirit of Pride, because the body will not thrive. The body lacks what it needs to grow and go to the next SPIRITUAL level because that spirit causes the leader to abuse their seat of power. Instead of using the qualified person, the leader will do what the prideful and jealous King Saul did- try to misuse and kill off the qualified servants because they are intimidated. But if you are a David and you know you are called- just stay faithful to God with a good spirit. God will move Saul out the way and put you right where you belong. Continue to build, continue to exercise and perfect your gifts, and continue to stay faithful. Don't acquire a bitter attitude, don't quit, and certainly don't let them intimidate you. God has already spoken: your gift will make room for you and bring you before great men!
(There are some repetitions of gifts in each passage, as well as the gifts of celibacy, martyrdom, hospitality, missionary, and voluntary poverty mentioned in other passages of scripture)
*IF YOU WOULD LIKE A DEEPER BREAK-DOWN ON THE OFFICE OF EACH GIFT, COMMENT BELOW AND WE WILL DO IT***
I believe that we have prophets, preachers, and great leaders that are simply sitting in the pews. I believe that there are young people with the gift of healing in their hands lying dormant. I believe that we have tongue-talking and tongue-interpreting evangelists who are currently teen moms. There are inactive young people sitting at home who have a vision for the homeless, for youth centers, for community shelters that God has placed in their bellies. God has given EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US gifts! He has not put that gift in you to rot, or for you to just bury it. He has placed it there for such a time as THIS.
Right now, we need people with the true gift of exhortation to come forward and encourage the body! Does God speak to you through dreams and visions? Our generation is thirsty for a TRUE prophetic word and encouragement from heaven. Where there is no vision, the people perish. Do you have a burden for the sick? Do you have a seed of faith in you that you know is special? The church needs you. The world needs to see you, God needs to use you. The time has come for us to stir up the gift that God has put in us!
There is no need to be ashamed of the gift that God has given you, or to feel that your gift is any less than anyone elses. God gave you that gift for a reason, and once you begin to use it, God will add to it! The enemy wants you to sit on your one gift, because he knows that one person using their spiritual gift can chase a THOUSAND demons to flight! Don't you misjudge the POWER of a GOD GIVEN gift!
ASIDE: Gifts need exercise. But your spiritual gift cannot flourish without a spiritual foundation. Our God is a GOD of order. It will always please the Lord for you to be fatihful to ministry, faithful to scripture and prayer, faithful at home FIRST. (See qualifications of leadership, 1 Tim 3)
People will be intimidated by your spirtual gifts, and may even allow the enemy to work through them to keep you from using them. But you must remember the world needs you. You have to push beyond the haters, push beyond your fears, and use your gift( 2 Tim 1:6-9). We are in a battle, and we need gifted and trained soldiers to win this battle. I don't know about you, but I wish to have talented and skilled fighters fighting alongside me in battle, not people unqualified or operating in their area of weakness. We must crucify the spirit of Pride that keeps us from working in unity and investing in
other gifted Saints. God knew what He was doing when he distributed those gifts, and we fight against our own body when we tear down or refuse to use other gifted saints.
It's clear we are living in the last days, as we see the spirit of pride running loose and taking many of the saints captive. We are self absorbed, more concerned about building an empire instead of building the church. We have gone astray in this area and the church has paid for it. This spirit of pride, arrogance, and jealousy effectively tears down the church.
You can always tell when someone is operating in the spirit of Pride, because the body will not thrive. The body lacks what it needs to grow and go to the next SPIRITUAL level because that spirit causes the leader to abuse their seat of power. Instead of using the qualified person, the leader will do what the prideful and jealous King Saul did- try to misuse and kill off the qualified servants because they are intimidated. But if you are a David and you know you are called- just stay faithful to God with a good spirit. God will move Saul out the way and put you right where you belong. Continue to build, continue to exercise and perfect your gifts, and continue to stay faithful. Don't acquire a bitter attitude, don't quit, and certainly don't let them intimidate you. God has already spoken: your gift will make room for you and bring you before great men!
Stay Noisy For God!
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