Finding Your Spiritual Gifts

Part 1: What are the Gifts of the Holy Spirit?

First, let's list and define the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Paul lists them in I Corinthians 12:7-10, and also in Romans 12:6-8.

Here is the list and explanation of each gift mentioned:

Prophecy (Romans 12:6, I Corinthians 12:10) Prophecy is the ability to foretell the future, offering a new message to God's people. This can come from prophetic dreams or from a sudden, Spiritual understanding of something that the prophet is to tell a specific person. It is NOT fortunetelling! Instead, it is usually meant as a warning or as a message of hope for the recipient.

In the Old Testament, Isaiah was a prophet of the Lord God. Isaiah 61 is a prophecy, a foretelling of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ that has only partially been fulfilled.

Service (Romans 12:7) The gift of Service is the most needed and least utilized gift in the Church today. In any given gathering, there will always be a willing few that do most of the work. The same people pitch in, event after event, year in and year out, to organize, set up for, execute and clean up after the work that needs to be done. From the annual spring cleaning to the dishes after a fellowship dinner, these cheerful few work their hearts out! They count the work as done for the Lord and are happy to help, but often get burned out when the amount of work to be done outweighs the hands there to do it.

In John 13, Jesus washed His disciples' feet as an act of service, as well as an object lesson.

Teaching (Romans 12:7, I Corinthians 12:8) Teaching is just what it sounds like. Whether standing in front of the pulpit, leading Sunday School, a Bible Study or small group, or mentoring someone one-on-one, teachers effectively communicate Spiritual truths in order to help others learn more about their faith and the Father.

Matthew 5 contains one of Jesus' most famous teachings, the Sermon on the Mount.

Exhortation (Romans 12:8) Exhortation is encouragement. The people who line the track, yelling for their favorite runners to press on, are exhorting them to more speed. Exhorters encourage their fellow Christians in the faith. Sometimes that encouragement is more of a gentle, loving warning that the recipient is traveling down a life path that may lead into sin, thus is encouraged to remain faithful, while other times, it is an encouraging word when a brother or sister in Christ is feeling discouraged or weary.

In Luke 22:31, Jesus encourages Peter after prophesying his denial. Jesus tells him that He had prayed for Peter, that his faith might not fail, and urges him to strengthen his brother disciples when he has turned back.

Giving (Romans 12:8) Givers are not just generous people; they are given specific resources with the understanding that these resources will be passed on, with God's direction, to those who either need them the most, or can make the most effective use of them in advancing God's kingdom.

In Matthew 17:24-26, Jesus provides Peter with a specific coin for a specific purpose.

Administration (Romans 12:8) Another word for Administration is 'leadership'. Administrators are good at taking the helm. They know how best to get things done and which people are best able to get those things accomplished. They're not just 'in charge' though; a good leader encourages the best from the people working under his or her direction, and has the ability to inspire exactly that.

Matthew 17:1 shows Jesus leading the men who would be the three most influential of the twelve apart from the others for a specific event that we call 'the Transfiguration'. This 'training' allowed Peter, James and John to keep (or restore) their faith in the most trying of times; it really allowed them to see Jesus for Who He really is and get to know Him on a deeper level than any other man alive at the time.