WHAT GOD HAS GIVEN YOU AND HOW TO USE IT SPIRITUAL GIFTS

SESSION 1 OVERVIEW Natural Abilities, Special Talents, Spiritual Gifts Different Lists of Gifts How Gifts are distributed Having a Gift and Evidencing a Gift How many Gifts can you have? How can you figure out what Gifts you have? Does your Gift determine exactly how to serve?

ABILITIES, TALENTS AND GIFTS Abilities: Something you are simply naturally good at and inclined to partake in Still given by God, just like everything God created you with them Can be a hereditary type of thing Believers AND Non-believers were created by God, so both still have them

ABILITIES, TALENTS, AND GIFTS Talents: Developed over time and experience Can be built upon natural abilities Can simply be developed through work and experience Are developed by Believers and Non- Believers, because both are working and experiencing things

ABILITIES, TALENTS, AND GIFTS Gifts: Given by God through the Holy Spirit Only possessed by Believers God gives them according to how He best sees fit Given at the time of Salvation

DIFFERENT LISTS OF GIFTS Three Main Sections of Scripture Romans 12:6-8 1 Corinthians 12:8-10 Ephesians 4:11-12

MISC. GIFTS 1 Corinthians 7:7-8 Celibacy 1 Peter 4:9-10 Hospitality 1 Corinthians 13:3 Martyrdom Ephesians 3:6-8 Missionary 1 Corinthians 13:3 Voluntary Poverty

DISTRIBUTION OF GIFTS The number of, and mix of gifts, is determined by God, not our Spirituality 1 Cor 12:11,18 Not competitive, all because of God’s grace. He knows the job at hand, we do not Romans 12:3-6

DEVELOPING A GIFT You can have a gift without developing it It is more effective as you develop it 2 Timothy 1:6 You can have a gift and not evidence it Or you can fan the flames of what you have been given and allow it to fully develop

WHY PEOPLE DON’T DEVELOP THEIR GIFT Ignorance that they have one Don’t know what they have Don’t know what it is for Neglect to use it Out of fellowship with the Lord Lack of Love for others 1 Cor 12:1, 1 Pet 4:10-11, 1 Tim 4:14, Jn 15:4-5 Jn 21:15-17

CAN YOU LOSE YOUR SPIRITUAL GIFT?

Only if you can lose the Holy Spirit… Implication is that you can allow it to atrophy, but it is still there waiting to be ignited

WHY IS YOUR GIFTING IMPORTANT? Because we are commanded to serve the church with it Ephesians 4 Because time is short, and our areas of gifting is where we are especially designed to be used You can do other things, but you will not be as effective in them…if you are an eye…don’t be a foot…etc…

HOW DO I FIGURE OUT WHAT I HAVE? Problem with tests Not inerrant Made by man Interpreted by man Taken by man Built in bias View on the sign gifts Specific doctrinal takes on what appears to be an open-ended list of gifts We still need to pray, and listen to God regarding our gifts Despite this, we will take a test in this class in order to help

MOST IMPORTANT THING It is more important to use what God has given you than it is to know what to call it! Corollary to this: Don’t avoid serving others because you are waiting to figure out EXACTLY what your gifting is

FIGURING IT OUT WITHOUT A TEST One of the best ways of discerning your spiritual gift(s) is to get involved in a variety of experiences in the church. As you explore the different ministry areas, you will soon discover if you are gifted for these ministries. LOOK FOR Ministries that seem interesting and fulfilling Ministries in which you seem the most effective Ministries where others seem to affirm your fitness

FIGURING IT OUT Prayer: The Lord will lead you to an identification of your gift(s) if you allow Him to guide and direct you in all your endeavors. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Prov 3:5-6 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. James 1:5

NEXT WEEK In Depth Description and Examples of the Spiritual Gifts and how they might be applied in the local church context Two Weeks: We will take a Spiritual Gifts Analysis in Class