Notes compiled by Marty Zide and Steve McAtee
If you enjoy cooking (which is a natural ability, not a spiritual gift) that can be used in the area of ministering and showing mercy (which are spiritual gifts) during someone’s recovery from surgery, etc. If you enjoy working on cars (which is not a spiritual gift) that can be used to open up doors of opportunity to witness to someone. And that is a good way to use the gift of evangelism. Your natural abilities can be used in conjunction with spiritual gifts.
There are certain principles that if followed will assist you in the discovery of your gifts. More often than not, our gifts will lie in the areas of the things that we really desire to do.
1. Give yourself wholeheartedly to the Lord with a willingness to do whatever ministry He has for you.
2. Ask the Lord to show you where your gifts lie.
3. Become acquainted with what the gifts are.
4. Ask the Lord to give you opportunities in the areas that you are desirous to serve in.
5. As you launch out into service, evaluate the results of what you are doing, and seek the counsel of some other mature believers.
6. Categories of spiritual gifts
At best count, there are 19 different gifts that are listed in the New Testament and they are broken into two categories: permanent and temporary.
If you look in several commentaries or volumes on Theology that have been written on this subject, you will find that there is a general consensus as to the gifts that are found in the Bible. But you will also find that there differences of opinion as to which gifts are permanent and which ones are temporary. I will present the fruit of my study on the subject.
The 19 Gifts of the Spirit
Permanent Stewardship Gifts
Evangelism
Pastor/teacher
Exhortation
Teaching
Wisdom
Administration
Giving
Service
Helps
Mercy
Faith
Temporary Sign Gifts
Prophecy
Discerning of Spirits
Healing
Miracles
Tongues
Interpretation of Tongues
Apostleship
Knowledge
The Permanent Stewardship Gifts
1. Evangelism
This gift enables a believer to present the gospel clearly to an unsaved person, or to a group of unsaved people. Although all believers are to witness, there is a gift given by the Holy Spirit that gives the one gifted a special ability to evangelize.
Eph 4:11 - And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers.
2 Tim 4:5 - But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
2. Pastor/Teacher
This gift enables a male believer to look after the spiritual needs of the Lord’s people who assemble in a local church. It also enables him to be able to teach the Word of God with clarity that helps to promote spiritual growth in the hearers as it is energized by the Holy Spirit.
Eph 4:11 - And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers.
2 Tim 4:1-2 - I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Messiah Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.
3. Exhortation
The word “exhortation” means to admonish, encourage, comfort, or to cheer. This gift enables a person to urge others to do the will of God by walking in His ways. They have a special ability to encourage the discouraged and downhearted. This is another one of those gifts that all believers can exercise, but some have the gift.
Rom 12:8 - or he who exhorts, in his exhortation.
2 Cor 1:3-4 - Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus the Messiah, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
4. Teaching
This gift enables a believer to communicate and clarify the details of the Word of God. Teachers are given to the church to equip His people for ministry and to promote spiritual growth. As the Word of God is taught in truth, the Holy Spirit uses it in the areas of evangelism and edification.
Rom 12:7 - he who teaches, in his teaching;
Eph 4:11-12 - And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Messiah.
5. Wisdom
This gift enables a believer to correctly and concisely apply spiritual principles to another person's current circumstances. It takes the knowledge of the Word of God and breaks it down so people will know how to practically apply the Bible to their lives. Good counselors have this gift.
1 Cor 12:8 - For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit.
Acts 6:3 - Therefore, brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task.
6. Administration
This gift enables a believer to serve in a leadership position in the Lord’s work, whether by making organizational or operational policies or by implementing them. If one has this ability in the secular world, it does not necessarily mean they have a spiritual gift. This is often assumed.
Rom 12:8 - ...he who leads, with diligence.
1 Cor 12:28 - ...administrations.
7. Giving
This gift enables a believer to give in an extraordinary way of temporal things, like money or other goods, to the Lord’s work and to the needs of others. They do so with a cheerful heart as unto the Lord. This is a gift that is to be done by all believers in some measure.
Rom 12:8 - ...he who gives, with liberality.
Gal 6:10 - So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.
8. Service
The gift of service is the God-given ability to render practical service primarily in physical areas. Truly qualified deacons would be a good example of individuals who would have this gift. This gift when used properly would free up those who major in serving in the spiritual realm.
Rom 12:7 - if service, in his serving...
Acts 6:1-4 - Now at this time while the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint arose on the part of the Hellenistic Jews against the native Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily serving of food. So the twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, It is not desirable for us to neglect the word of God in order to serve tables. Therefore, brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.
9. Helps
This gift enables a person to offer some form of support or assistance to another or to others in their ministries. In other words, they are able to come along side of others and help in such a way that the end result of the service is even more effective.
1 Cor 12:28 - And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues.
10. Mercy
This gift enables a person to minister compassionately to the needs of others who are experiencing some kind of special need, crisis or personal distress. They are able to come alongside and be a special blessing to those in need.
Rom 12:8 - or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
11. Faith
This gift enables a person to see something that God wants to be done and to sustain unwavering confidence that God will do it regardless of seemingly insurmountable obstacles. This faith is not referring to saving faith, but faith that believers with this gift possess.
Coming Next – The Temporary Sign Gifts