Spiritual Gifts | BELIEVE | Scott Jones
KEY QUESTION: What gifts and abilities has God given me to serve others?
Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed.
I Corinthians 12:1
Spiritual gifts are God chosen abilities given to God’s people to serve others so that the body of Christ becomes like Jesus in order to accomplish God’s purposes on earth.
In the Old Testament
He has chosen and filled (Bezalel son of Uri and Oholiab son of Ahisamak) with skill to do all kinds of work as engravers, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen, and weavers—all of them skilled workers and designers. PG. 276; Exodus 35:35
The king asked Daniel, “Are you able to tell me what I saw in my dream and interpret it?” Daniel replied, “No wise man, enchanter, magician or diviner can explain to the king the mystery he has asked about, but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries.” PG. 279; Daniel 2:26-27
In the New Testament
There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. PG. 284; I Corinthians 12:4-6
God chooses your gifts, so celebrate- don’t compare.
KEY VERSE: For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. PG. 284; Romans12:4-6
God gives us a gift so that we can be a gift to others.
KEY IDEA: I know my spiritual gifts and use them to fulfill God’s purposes.
In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. Romans12:6
The internal litmus test to know if you are serving out of your gifting is enthusiasm. The external litmus test is affirmation.
S - Spiritual Gifts
H - Heart
A - Abilities
P - Personality
E - Experiences
So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.
PG. 284; Romans 12:6-8
Our body isn’t a container for our gifts; it’s a conduit for God’s power.
…….to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. PG. 287; Ephesians 4:12-13
Using our spiritual gifts is what God uses to help us become like Jesus so we can accomplish God’s purposes on earth.
God uses your SHAPE to redeem your story.
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