Outline for Spiritual Gifts Gathering

[HKHaugan]

Outline as requested.

God’s Plan---God’s Structure---God’s Way
Father Son Holy Spirit
Architect Contractor Labor Force
Mind Heart Spirit


Just as God is the Father and God is the Son, He is also God the Spirit so they are Three in One. The Trinity is a spiritual combine so to speak, One God, Three Persons, Three in One, One in Three.

The importance of this statement comes right smack at us personally when we read Genesis 1:26, “Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” Genesis 2:7, “Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” Thus we can see that our spiritual God made man to be a spiritual image of Himself. Therefore:

“We are not human beings having a spiritual experience, we are spiritual beings having a human experience.”

If Scripture defines reality in two dimensions, the visible and the invisible, the seen and the unseen, then what we have is the material and the spiritual. 2Cor.4:18 says it this way, “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” The whole visible universe right down to our bodies is temporary but the processes of the mind, heart and spirit, thinking, belief, faith, trust, love, decision making, choice, good, evil, ethics, relationship and attitude are eternal and spiritual. So that means that 100% of human experience is invisible and spiritually motivated. The question is, what kind of spirit or spirits are at work?

Let’s look at what Paul says about spirituality. 1Cor.12:1-3 “1 Now about the gifts [Gk.word for gift here is pneumatikon meaning spiritual matters of the Spirit], brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. 2 You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. 3 Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.” In vs.4 he says, “There are different kinds of gifts [he translates ‘gifts’ from charismata, literally ‘pieces, measures, of grace.’]

So Paul tells us that there are two kinds of spirituality, pagan and Christian. Pagan has many spirits not of God and for Christians there is One Spirit who brings both gifts and fruit.


The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is the key to what Jesus calls us to be and do when we accept Him as our personal Savior and Lord (see John 1:12-13 and John 3:5-8,16). It is the Holy Spirit who gets our attention and makes us spiritually aware. There are three things we need to keep solidly in our minds when we consider the Holy Spirit.
First, we were spiritually created.
Second, we are spiritual images of God created to act and react spiritually.
Third, (keep the Cross in mind here) we were designed spiritually to be spiritually relational with God (the vertical beam) and spiritually inter-relational with others (the horizontal beam).

Everything begins and continues in the Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is the One who brings Jesus into our hearts, prompts us to think about Him in our minds and empowers our spirits for action in His Name. The Holy Spirit is all about keeping Jesus uppermost in our consciousness. If we want a clear picture of the Holy Spirit at work all we have to do is look at Jesus from birth to Resurrection. His words, His miracles, His movements, His attitude, His obedience, His love, His mercy and all the qualities of God that emanate from Him are the work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the
Spirit of Jesus.
It is the Holy Spirit who inspired the writing of Holy Scripture. Its words come alive as we attach them to our spirit. It is our spirit that comprehends the invisible nature of existence. Everything from perception in the mind to motivation for action is invisible and spiritually initiated. It is the Holy Spirit working through Jesus who gives us the understanding of what takes place in the spiritual dimension, that invisible atmosphere in which we all live.

The Human Problem---Sin.

Sin is the spiritual problem that entered the world through Adam’s disobedience (Gen.3). The devil had a four-fold plan of separation where he tried to separate man from God and man from one another. The four steps are the heart of every conflict both personal and interpersonal and spread in every structure in which man has been involved from that time on.

1. doubt God’s Word. (vs.1 “Did God really say…?”)
2. doubt God. (vs.4-5 You won’t die…you’ll be like God…)
3. think and act apart from God. (vs.6 The woman saw the fruit was pleasing to the eye and desirable for gaining wisdom so she took some and ate it.)
4. get someone else involved. (vs.6. She gave some to her husband and he ate.)
These steps were the downfall of Adam and Eve and through which the spirit of sin entered Adam and Eve so that they and every generation were separated from the Spirit of God). Sin is the self-centering distance the devil placed between man and God and between all human beings. It is burned into the ego of mankind creating a gulf between the Oneness of God and the individual and within the individual. Everything is out of balance due to its infestation. It is a spiritual epidemic that plagues the mind, heart and spirit of every person born into this world, all mankind. Sin devastates everything it touches. It exploits the heart with fear and pride. The recognition of the presence of sin in one’s mind and heart is the beginning of the recovery that Jesus came to bring.

The Solution---The Cross

It is through Jesus, God the Son and His blood shed on the Cross that our recovery program began. “Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness (Lev.17:11).” “Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water (Heb.10:19-22).”
The Spiritual Recovery Program
The recovery is the work of the Holy Spirit, “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4-5).” The point here is that the Holy Spirit, driven out of our hearts by our inherited disobedience from Adam, is returned to us by our faith in Jesus who died and rose from death to personally give us His Holy Spirit so that we could be restored to God and again function spiritually as He intended in Creation.
The Holy Spirit has five functions in our lives, counselor, teacher, testifier, restorer and gift giver.
First, as the Counselor, who is the promised gift Jesus taught before He died. “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth…(John 14:16-17).” He is a pastor and an empathizer for the heart and a companion always ready to get us to think spiritually, trust spiritually with the heart and stimulate faith within our spirit to power action.
Second, as a teacher for the mind, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you (John 14:26).”
Third, as a testifier about Jesus. ““When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me. 27 And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning (John 15:26-27).”
Fourth, as a personal restorer. “When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 about sin, because people do not believe in me; 10 about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11 and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned (Jn.16:8-11).”
Fifth, as a gift giver. Jesus said, “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! (Mt.7:11).” “What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words(1Cor.2:12-13).” In regard to the Holy Spirit’s giving of spiritual gifts Paul says, “All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines (1 Cor.12:11).”
The bottom line is this; everything that Jesus is in mind, heart and Spirit comes through the Holy Spirit. That is His personal place in our being. He brings the risen Jesus into our mind, heart and spirit. He restores our spirituality to its rightful place in God and in the world, spiritual beings having a human experience. He does it very specifically through His spiritual gifts.
The Body in the Spirit
The New Spiritual Family of God

Romans 12:1-4
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. 4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your[a] faith; (NIV)

1-2 So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. 4-6In this way we are like the various parts of a human body. Each part gets its meaning from the body as a whole, not the other way around. The body we're talking about is Christ's body of chosen people. Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of his body. But as a chopped-off finger or cut-off toe we wouldn't amount to much, would we? So since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvelously functioning parts in Christ's body, let's just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren't (The Message).

1Corinthians12
12 Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by[a] one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

Ephesians 4:1-5
1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism;

Spiritual Gifts

Romans 12:6-8
6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your[a] faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead,[b] do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. (NIV)

6-8If you preach, just preach God's Message, nothing else; if you help, just help, don't take over; if you teach, stick to your teaching; if you give encouraging guidance, be careful that you don't get bossy; if you're put in charge, don't manipulate; if you're called to give aid to people in distress, keep your eyes open and be quick to respond; if you work with the disadvantaged, don't let yourself get irritated with them or depressed by them. Keep a smile on your face (The Message).

1Cor.12:7-11
7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,[a] and to still another the interpretation of tongues.[b] 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.(NIV)

1Cor.12:27-30
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues[a]? Do all interpret? (NIV)

1Cor.13:1-3
1 If I speak in the tongues[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Ephesians 4:7-13
7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. 8 This is why it[a] says:
“When he ascended on high,
he took many captives
and gave gifts to his people.”[b]
9 (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions[c]? 10 He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) 11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 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.(NIV)

7-13But that doesn't mean you should all look and speak and act the same. Out of the generosity of Christ, each of us is given his own gift. The text for this is,
He climbed the high mountain,
He captured the enemy and seized the booty,
He handed it all out in gifts to the people.

Is it not true that the One who climbed up also climbed down, down to the valley of earth? And the One who climbed down is the One who climbed back up, up to highest heaven. He handed out gifts above and below, filled heaven with his gifts, filled earth with his gifts. He handed out gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist, and pastor-teacher to train Christ's followers in skilled servant work, working within Christ's body, the church, until we're all moving rhythmically and easily with each other, efficient and graceful in response to God's Son, fully mature adults, fully developed within and without, fully alive like Christ. (The Message)

The Fruit of the Spirit
The atmosphere in which the gifts operate.

Galatians 5:22-26
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Talents and Skills

Just as Jesus was a carpenter, Paul was a tentmaker and Peter was a fisherman so each of us has a talent and a skill. If we look carefully at the words labor and work we will discover that labor is what we do to earn a living in this world and work is what we do to honor God. If we trace the word labor in the New Testament it has to do with physical labor to earn a living. On the other hand Jesus tells us that the work of God for us is spiritual, to believe on the One He sent. (Jn.6:29) Of course you will find that both can be used to illustrate a spiritual truth, which is ultimately the point of all the words in the Bible.

Likewise there is a definitive similarity in the skills and abilities built into our humanity ‘to work our part of the garden (see Genesis and Adam’s role).’ They are simply physical counterparts to spiritual gifts that define us and our role in the body of Christ, the spiritual family of which He is the Head. So when we look at the building and rebuilding efforts in Old Testament Temple projects, skills and talents become copies and shadows of the New Testament spiritual realities to which they allude, i.e. spiritual gifts, the Body of Christ, the human heart, spiritual identity and spiritual relationships. The Promised Land is the Kingdom of God, the land of hearts where Jesus’ mind, heart and Spirit reign. Jerusalem is the community of faith in God, the community of hearts. The Temple is the heart in which God dwells relationally and inter-relationally.

In Summary

In summary God created us to be His spiritual images. He created physical bodies for us to experience who He is and who we are. Just as He created a physical universe to parallel His spiritual one so the workings of the physical dimension parallel His spiritual dimension. Thus the specific principles and structures are parallel. The gravity or whatever it is that holds the universe together is a copy of His grace. His grace is the power that sustains the physical and spiritual realms. The physical atmosphere of oxygen, nitrogen and so on are copies of the fruit of the Spirit that enables us to breathe, believe, trust and grow in an eternal spiritual environment. Our physical, intellectual and emotional abilities (reflections of God’s same personal nature) enabling us to function in physical reality have the spiritual counterparts of spiritual gifts enabling us to work (believe in the One He has sent) in the spiritual dimension. Our physical relationships are copies of the spiritual reality of out which they are formed and originate. Each of us have a mind, heart and spirit to experience Father, Son and Holy Spirit in a personal relationship that touches every part of our being. Further this threefold image of God is designed for interpersonal relationships in a grounded relational environment.

The fact of the eruption, disruption and corruption due to sin is seen in conflict, war, disease, insanity, fear, pride, crime, hostility, perversion, greed, division, alienation, separation, and finally death, all have their roots in the rebellion of the devil against God. It is he who has caused the pain of separation between God and us. He is the source of evil in all its forms. His nature is sin and inner heart struggles. He is the author of everything that we see and feel as aloneness, depression, confusion, misunderstanding, anxiety and insecurity.

Material rust, decay, erosion, storms, cosmic and planetary upheaval, earthquakes, floods, famines, droughts and any disruption of the physical order indicate the dark spiritual nature that has disturbed the serene peace that is God. Rebellion itself, intellectual, emotional, moral and physical, is the prime example of spiritual distress causing what was created to be in order tossed out of balance. Interpersonal manipulation and the lust for control are the devil’s tools running rampant in a lost world.

It is into this mass disarray that God the Son, Jesus, came to right the mind, heart and spirit of every image of God. He, who within was the perfect balance of God in human form, gave His life on the Cross to assure that through faith in Him we will neutralize the un-right we inherited from Adam. When He rose from the dead He made Himself available through the Holy Spirit to give each and every individual personal access to God. God wanted to recover, restore and rebuild what He created. Through faith given us through His Holy Spirit, the devil and all his evil no longer have control of us. We have been given spiritual freedom to ‘work’ and find eternity relationally and inter-relationally.

It is not just having freedom from sin and fear. The Lord Jesus has blessed us with freedom in the Spirit to grow spiritually and share the truth of who Jesus is and what He accomplished for us. He restores our confidence, our uniqueness and our purpose. He gives us each spiritual gifts, which are measures of grace, measures of faith, to ‘work’ with. Our work is to believe in His ‘work’ in us and among others. We believe God toward others. We trust God toward others and we have faith in God as we act in the presence of others. It is spiritual gifts that give us the role we play in working out our faith as Paul says, ‘in fear and trembling.’ The ‘fear and trembling’ begin to fade the more we exercise our spiritual gifts. They are our witness and the way we build our testimony day by day. Let’s repeat Paul’s theme of giftedness, “God's various gifts are handed out everywhere; but they all originate in God's Spirit. God's various ministries are carried out everywhere; but they all originate in God's Spirit. God's various expressions of power are in action everywhere; but God himself is behind it all. Each person is given something to do that shows who God is: Everyone gets in on it, everyone benefits. All kinds of things are handed out by the Spirit, and to all kinds of people! The variety is wonderful: (Eph.4:7-11 The Message).”


If Jesus said that the two most important commandments are to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength then our neighbor as ourselves and then gives us the spiritual abilities to do just that, consider what He has done. What He wants us to do He gives us the ability and the power to do. He is always with us and His Spirit is right there to make it all work.

So where do we go from here?

As Shakespeare’s Hamlet phrased it “To be or not to be, that is the question.” Will we choose to discover our part in God’s personal plan, ‘to be’ a spiritual change agent in the Body and the world knowing we have God’s power ‘to be? Or will we choose not ‘to be’ and answer its natural counter, ‘why not ‘to be?’

Three things we can do right now in order ‘to be.’

First, be filled with the Holy Spirit (Eph.5:18)
Pray for an infilling of the Spirit. Have others pray with you. Seek to be repentant and open to His work. Clear the spiritual air before God. The Word will give you to impetus and the specifics.

Second, be worshipers in the Spirit (Jn.4:24)
Jesus says that the Father seeks those who will worship Him in Spirit and in truth. Jesus prayed in the Garden before His death, “Father, sanctify them by the truth; your Word is truth (Jn.17:17).”

Third, be (and keep) in step with the Spirit (Gal.5:25). Every next moment is the province of the Holy Spirit. Every next moment is an opportunity ‘to be’ conscious of the Spirit and therefore open to His leading. Paul tells us, “So it is with you. Since you are eager for gifts of the Spirit, try to excel in those that build up the church (1Cor.14:12).”

Again, “Is it not true that the One who climbed up also climbed down, down to the valley of earth? And the One who climbed down is the One who climbed back up, up to highest heaven. He handed out gifts above and below, filled heaven with his gifts, filled earth with his gifts. He handed out gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist, and pastor-teacher to train Christ's followers in skilled servant work, working within Christ's body, the church, until we're all moving rhythmically and easily with each other, efficient and graceful in response to God's Son, fully mature adults, fully developed within and without, fully alive like Christ (Eph.4:7-11 The Message).”

Knowing we are in a spiritual conflict of a magnitude only God the Holy Spirit in you can handle perhaps we need to take Paul’s timely advice,

“10-12And that about wraps it up. God is strong, and he wants you strong. So take everything the Master has set out for you, well-made weapons of the best materials. And put them to use so you will be able to stand up to everything the Devil throws your way. This is no afternoon athletic contest that we'll walk away from and forget about in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels. 13-18Be prepared. You're up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it's all over but the shouting you'll still be on your feet. Truth, righteousness, peace, faith, and salvation are more than words. Learn how to apply them. You'll need them throughout your life. God's Word is an indispensable weapon. In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long. Pray for your brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other's spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out (Eph.6:10-18 The Message).”

Remember, we are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.



















Spiritual Gifts List


“There are different kinds of gifts but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working but the same God works all of them in all men (1Cor.12:4-6 NIV).”

As you look at the following list of Spiritual Gifts there are seven supporting insights to encourage you to see God’s plan actively working in your life.

First, the individual. Each person has a uniqueness that will shape the way a particular gift is applied. The Holy Spirit will tailor the gift to fit the personality. .

Second, spiritual identity. Gifts give the individual their spiritual identity in the Body. They become his or her spiritual personality and employ the human personality’s uniqueness. You are no longer locked into the way the world sees you.

Third, the Body. Every local part of the Body of Christ will have its own vision as the Lord has given it. The gifts will be given in accordance to the uniqueness of the vision for that Body.

Fourth, development. It takes prayer, sharing and study to develop the use of gifts. Having gifts, and there are usually more than one given, will present endless opportunities to be used. While you may get exhausted they can’t be exhausted. The more you give the more you will be given.

Fifth, shift. There may be a shift from one gift to another as the Body grows. The emphasis comes from need, which may from time to time change.

Sixth, distribution. The Holy Spirit distributes all the gifts as He wills, so if a gift is needed but the usual bearer is not present the Holy Spirit will provide what is necessary when the occasion demands.

Seventh, faith. Gifts are exercised in faith. That is, faith in Jesus the Christ will give you insights that His presence through the Spirit will direct. That faith will be your spiritual growth stimulant and motivation. Through faith the mutual sharing of these gifts matures not only the individual but the whole Body as well.

ADMINISTRATION: 1 Cor. 12:28 - to steer the body toward the accomplishment of God-given goals and directives by planning, organizing, and supervising others (Greek Word: kubernesis - to steer, guide, helmsmen). The congregation is given a vision and this gift moves it to fulfillment through delegation of tasks to accomplish the vision.

APOSTLE: Eph. 4:11; 1 Cor. 12:28 - to be sent forth to new frontiers with the gospel, providing leadership over church bodies and maintaining authority over spiritual matters pertaining to the church (Greek Word: apostolos - 'apo'=from 'stello'=send; one sent forth. This can be local, crosstown or beyond the local area.

CELIBACY: 1 Cor. 7:7,8 - to voluntarily remain single without regret and with the ability to maintain controlled sexual impulses so as to serve the Lord without distraction

DISCERNMENT: 1 Cor. 12:10 - to clearly distinguish truth from error by judging whether the behavior or teaching is from God, Satan, human error, or human power. It also involves getting direction for vision.

EVANGELISM: Eph. 4:11 - to be a messenger of the good news of the Gospel (Greek Word: euaggelistes - preacher of gospel; eu=well, angelos=message - messenger of good). The ability to share the Lord Jesus with others through conversation, in groups and through programs.

EXHORTATION: Rom. 12:8 - to come along side of someone with words of encouragement, comfort, consolation, and counsel to help them be all God wants them to be (Greek Word: paraklesis - calling to one's side) Also known as encouragement.

FAITH: 1 Cor. 12:8-10 - to be firmly persuaded of God's power and promises to accomplish His will and purpose and to display such a confidence in Him and His Word that circumstances and obstacles do not shake that conviction. While everyone is called to faith there are those who are given a special measure of faith for others.

GIVING: Rom. 12:8 - to share what material resources you have with liberality and cheerfulness without thought of return

HEALING: 1 Cor. 12:9,28,30 - to be used as a means through which God makes people whole either physically, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually

HELPS: 1 Cor. 12:28 - to render support or assistance to others in the body so as to free them up for ministry

HOSPITALITY: 1 Pet. 4:9,10 - to warmly welcome people, even strangers, into one's home or church as a means of serving those in need of food or lodging (Greek Word: philoxenos - love of strangers; 'philos'=love; 'xenos'=stranger)


KNOWLEDGE: 1 Cor. 12:8 - to seek to learn as much about the Bible as possible through the gathering of much information and the analyzing of that data. Some also are given words of knowledge through the Spirit that bring a personal message to an individual or to the Body.

LEADERSHIP: Rom. 12:8 - to stand before the people in such a way as to attend to the direction of the body with such care and diligence so as to motivate others to get involved in the accomplishment of these goals. It is a spiritual ability to draw people into a following for the fulfillment of the vision.

MARTYRDOM: 1 Cor. 13:3 - to give over one's life to suffer or to be put to death for the cause of Christ

MERCY: Rom. 12:8 - to be sensitive toward those who are suffering, whether physically, mentally, or emotionally, so as to feel genuine sympathy with their misery, speaking words of compassion but more so caring for them with deeds of love to help alleviate their distress

MIRACLES: 1 Cor. 12:10,28 - to be enabled by God to perform mighty deeds which witnesses acknowledge to be of supernatural origin and means

MISSIONARY: Eph. 3:6-8 - to be able to minister in another culture. Actually too, to reach out across ethnic and social boundaries to share the Gospel.

PASTOR: Eph. 4:11 - to be responsible for spiritually caring for, protecting, guiding, and feeding a group of believers entrusted to one’s care. Here is great ground for counseling as well.


PROPHECY: Rom. 12:6; 1 Cor. 12:10; Eph. 4:11 - to speak forth the message of God to His people (Greek Word: prophetes - the forth-telling of the will of God; 'pro'=forth; 'phemi'=to speak) God may prompt a word of prophecy in worship, prayer groups and gatherings to set a course or correct a course.

SERVICE: Rom. 12:7 - to identify undone tasks in God's work, however menial, and use available resources to get the job done (Greek Word: diakonia - deacon, attendant 'diako'=to run errands). Here also is where natural talents can be put to use under its direction and empowerment.

TEACHING: Rom. 12:7; 1 Cor. 12:28; Eph. 4:11 - to instruct others in the Bible in a logical, systematic way so as to communicate pertinent information for true understanding and growth

TONGUES: 1 Cor. 12:10; 14:27-28 - to speak in a language not previously learned so unbelievers can hear God's message in their own language or the body be edified

INTERPRETATION OF TONGUES: 1 Cor. 12:10; 14:27,28 - to translate the message of someone who has spoken in tongues

VOLUNTARY POVERTY: 1 Cor. 13:3 - to purposely live an impoverished lifestyle to serve and aid others with your material resources

WISDOM: 1 Cor. 12:8 - to apply knowledge to life in such a way as to make spiritual truths quite relevant and practical in proper decision-making and daily life situations and to bring a spiritual balance to a problem, to a relationship and to issues that face anybody and any Body in Christ.

Intercessory Prayer: 1Cor.14:12-17 – to apply one’s self to prayer on behalf of another person, persons or the Body as a whole, praying specifically for God’s will to be understood and carried out by those who are the subjects of prayer.


Spiritual Gifts mentioned in other places

Rom.1:11-12 I so want to be there to deliver God's gift in person and watch you grow stronger right before my eyes! But don't think I'm not expecting to get something out of this, too! You have as much to give me as I do to you (The Message).
I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong—that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith (NIV).

1Cor.1:7-9 Just think—you don't need a thing, you've got it all! All God's gifts are right in front of you as you wait expectantly for our Master Jesus to arrive on the scene for the Finale. And not only that, but God himself is right alongside to keep you steady and on track until things are all wrapped up by Jesus. God, who got you started in this spiritual adventure, shares with us the life of his Son and our Master Jesus. He will never give up on you. Never forget that (The Message).

1Cor.7 But each of you has your own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that. (NIV)

Eph.3:7-9 I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power. 8 Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ, 9 and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.

1Tim.4:14 And that special gift of ministry you were given when the leaders of the church laid hands on you and prayed—keep that dusted off and in use. (The Message)

2Tim.1:6 And the special gift of ministry you received when I laid hands on you and prayed—keep that ablaze! God doesn't want us to be shy with his gifts, but bold and loving and sensible. (The Message)

Jas.1:16-18 So, my very dear friends, don't get thrown off course. Every desirable and beneficial gift comes out of heaven. The gifts are rivers of light cascading down from the Father of Light. There is nothing deceitful in God, nothing two-faced, nothing fickle. He brought us to life using the true Word, showing us off as the crown of all his creatures.

1Peter 4:10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.

1Cor.14:1 Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit

!Cor.14:12 Since you are eager for gifts of the Spirit, try to excel in those that build up the church.

Heb.2:1-4 It's crucial that we keep a firm grip on what we've heard so that we don't drift off. If the old message delivered by the angels was valid and nobody got away with anything, do you think we can risk neglecting this latest message, this magnificent salvation? First of all, it was delivered in person by the Master, then accurately passed on to us by those who heard it from him. All the while God was validating it with gifts through the Holy Spirit, all sorts of signs and miracles, as he saw fit. (The Message)

It is quite apparent that these gifts are spiritual and rooted in God’s grace. It is by grace we are saved through faith says Paul. It is by grace we are given special gifts that are pieces, segments, parts of His grace. The biblical passages about grace are far too numerous to list here but the more we see that nature of God’s grace in His mercy, compassion, forgiveness and love that are elaborated throughout the Bible, the more we can see the individual gifts that we are given to extend His grace in the world.