“Every Christian has a gift from God. This gift is his opportunity to use himself for God’s glory.” – Warren Wiersbe
> When God saved you, He did far more than forgive your sins and reserve you a place in heaven. He placed you into the body of Christ and equipped you with spiritual gifts—God-given abilities empowered by the Holy Spirit for the building up of the church and the advance of the gospel (1 Corinthians 12:4–7; Ephesians 4:7, 11–12).
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Saved to Serve, Not Just to Sit
You were not saved to be a spectator. You were saved to serve.
Peter writes:
“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.” (1 Peter 4:10)
Notice:
- Each has received a gift – that includes you.
- We are to use it to serve.
- We are stewards – managers of what belongs to God, not owners.
Ignoring your spiritual gifts is like burying a treasure God gave you for the sake of others. Discovering and faithfully using your gifts is a key part of discipleship, joy, and fruitfulness.
Why Spiritual Gifts Matter
1. Gifts Glorify God
Spiritual gifts are “manifestations of the Spirit for the common good” (1 Corinthians 12:7). When you use your gift, the Holy Spirit is putting God’s character and power on display through you.
Jesus said:
“By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.” (John 15:8)
Using your gifts is one of the primary ways you bear lasting spiritual fruit.
2. Gifts Build Up the Church
Paul says the purpose of gifted leaders is “to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:12).
The church is healthy when every part does its work (Ephesians 4:16). When believers neglect their gifts, the church limps; when believers employ their gifts, the church grows and flourishes in love and maturity.
3. Gifts Protect from Consumer Christianity
In many churches, it’s easy to attend, sing, listen, and leave. But the New Testament picture is different:
“Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.” (1 Corinthians 12:27)
Every member is a minister. Discovering and using your gifts moves you from consumer to co-laborer (1 Corinthians 3:9).
Types and Purposes of Spiritual Gifts
Scripture gives several gift lists (Romans 12:3–8; 1 Corinthians 12; Ephesians 4:11–13; 1 Peter 4:10–11). The lists overlap and are likely representative rather than exhaustive. A helpful way to think about them is by purpose and function, not just labels.
1. Word / Teaching Gifts
These gifts help the church know, understand, and apply God’s Word.
- Teaching – explaining and applying Scripture clearly (Romans 12:7; Ephesians 4:11).
- Prophecy (in the broad sense of forth-telling) – speaking truth from God’s Word with clarity, timeliness, and conviction (Romans 12:6; 1 Corinthians 14:3).
- Exhortation / Encouragement – urging and strengthening believers to obey and persevere (Romans 12:8; Acts 11:23–24).
Purpose: To ground the church in truth, guard from error, and stir obedience (2 Timothy 4:2; 1 Corinthians 14:3).
2. Service / Mercy Gifts
These gifts express the love, compassion, and practical care of Christ.
- Service / Helps – joyfully meeting practical needs, often behind the scenes (Romans 12:7; 1 Corinthians 12:28).
- Mercy – showing special compassion toward the hurting and vulnerable (Romans 12:8).
- Giving – sharing resources generously, often beyond the “normal” level of generosity (Romans 12:8).
Purpose: To tangibly display Christ’s love and care so that no member suffers alone (1 Corinthians 12:25–26).
3. Leadership / Guidance Gifts
These gifts help the church move in unity and purpose.
- Leadership – setting direction with spiritual wisdom and courage (Romans 12:8).
- Administration – organizing, structuring, and managing resources and people effectively (1 Corinthians 12:28).
- Shepherding / Pastor-Teacher – caring for, guarding, and feeding the flock (Ephesians 4:11; 1 Peter 5:2–3).
Purpose: To guide, equip, and protect the church so that “we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro” but grow to maturity in Christ (Ephesians 4:13–15).
4. Faith / Evangelism / Mission Gifts
These gifts help the church advance the gospel outward.
- Evangelism – clearly and compellingly sharing the gospel so others come to faith (Ephesians 4:11).
- Faith – unusual confidence in God’s power and promises in challenging situations (1 Corinthians 12:9).
- Apostolic / Pioneer-type gifting – starting new works and breaking new ground for the gospel (Ephesians 4:11, applied today to missionaries and church planters).
Purpose: To extend the kingdom of God through bold witness and pioneering ministry (Acts 13:1–3).
5. Speaking & Serving (Peter’s Simple Framework)
Peter divides gifts into two big categories:
“Whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 4:11)
Whatever your specific gift, it will mainly fall into:
- Speaking gifts (Word-based)
- Serving gifts (Work-based)
Both are vital. Neither is “more spiritual.” All are from the same Spirit for the same Lord and the same God (1 Corinthians 12:4–6).
Proven Ways to Identify Your Spiritual Gifts
Discovering your gifts is less like taking a personality quiz and more like walking in obedience while listening and learning. Here are time-tested ways to discern how God has wired you.
1. Start with Scripture and Prayer
Begin where God begins: His Word and His Spirit.
- Meditate on key passages (Romans 12; 1 Corinthians 12–14; Ephesians 4; 1 Peter 4:10–11).
- Pray: “Lord, I am yours. Show me how You’ve gifted me, and where You want me to serve. Use me for Your glory and for the good of Your people.”
James 1:5 promises that God gives wisdom generously to those who ask.
2. Lean into Desire and Burden
While gifts are not identical to natural talents or interests, God often aligns your spiritual gifts with:
- What you care deeply about (e.g., teaching truth, helping the poor, discipling youth).
- What you notice (e.g., doctrinal confusion, disorganization, lonely people, lack of outreach).
Psalm 37:4 reminds us that as we delight in the Lord, He shapes our desires. Holy Spirit-shaped burdens can point toward your gifts.
3. Serve Widely, Then Narrow Focus
You usually discover your gifts by serving, not by sitting and speculating.
- Volunteer in various ministries at your church.
- Try different roles: teaching a small group, helping with events, visiting shut-ins, joining outreach, helping with administration.
- Watch where God seems to bear fruit and where you feel a sense of joy and “fit.”
As you serve, ask:
- Where do I see God consistently using me to bless others?
- What do I naturally excel at when depending on the Spirit?
- In what kind of ministry do I feel spiritually energized rather than drained?
4. Invite Honest Feedback from Mature Believers
Gifts are for the body, and the body often sees our gifts more clearly than we do.
Ask trusted pastors, elders, mentors, and spiritually mature friends:
- “Where do you see God using me?”
- “When have you seen me most effective in ministry?”
- “What roles do you think fit me best?”
Proverbs 11:14 reminds us that “in an abundance of counselors there is safety.” Others can confirm or gently correct your self-perception.
5. Pay Attention to Fruit and Affirmation
Jesus taught that you recognize things “by their fruits” (Matthew 7:16). Over time, notice:
- Where is there evident spiritual fruit—people encouraged, taught, comforted, challenged, or brought to Christ through your ministry?
- Where do people regularly thank or affirm you (“God really used you when you…”)?
Consistent fruit and godly affirmation are strong indicators of gifting.
6. Use Spiritual Gift Questionnaires Wisely
Questionnaires are tools, not Bibles. They can help you get a starting snapshot of tendencies and strengths, but they don’t have the authority of Scripture, nor should they replace serving, prayer, and community discernment.
Helpful, widely used assessments include:
- LifeWay Spiritual Gifts Assessment – A trusted tool from a mainstream evangelical publisher, offering a structured questionnaire to help you reflect on how God may have gifted you. Go to https://lifeway.com/spiritualgifts
- ChurchGrowth.org Spiritual Gifts Survey – A long-standing, free survey designed to help believers discover and develop their gifts for ministry in the local church. Go to https://churchgrowth.org/product-category/spiritual-gifts/spiritual-gifts-surveys/
- Giftstest.com Spiritual Gifts Test – A free, user-friendly online assessment giving a profile of your likely primary and secondary gifts. Go to https://giftstest.com
Use these inventories as conversation starters with the Lord and your church, not final verdicts on who you are.
“The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” – Frederick Buechner
Gift assessments can help you identify that intersection; the Holy Spirit and the church help you confirm and walk in it.
Diligently Using Your Spiritual Gifts
Identifying your gift is only the first step. Scripture emphasizes faithful use.
1. Fan into Flame What God Has Given
Paul told Timothy:
“Fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you.” (2 Timothy 1:6)
Gifts are like muscles—they grow with use and training, not neglect.
- Read, study, and learn in your area of gifting (e.g., teaching, mercy, leadership).
- Seek mentoring from someone gifted similarly.
- Practice regularly and humbly receive correction.
2. Use Your Gift with Love and Humility
1 Corinthians 13 sits between two major chapters on spiritual gifts for a reason: gifts without love are noise.
- Avoid pride: “What do you have that you did not receive?” (1 Corinthians 4:7).
- Avoid comparison: Don’t envy others’ gifts or despise your own (1 Corinthians 12:14–25).
- Aim at love: Let your gift be a channel of Christ’s love, not a platform for self.
3. Stay Submitted to Scripture and Church Leadership
- Use your gifts within the order and doctrine of your local church (Hebrews 13:17).
- Be willing to serve where there is genuine need, not only where you’d prefer.
- Remain teachable and accountable.
4. Persevere When Ministry Is Hard
Serving with your gifts doesn’t mean it will always feel easy.
- Galatians 6:9 – “Let us not grow weary of doing good…”
- 1 Corinthians 15:58 – “Your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”
Rely on the strength God supplies (1 Peter 4:11), not your own.
Conclusion: Steward the Grace You’ve Received
Spiritual gifts are not trophies; they are tools of grace. They are not given primarily for your personal fulfillment, but for God’s glory and others’ good.
“God does not call the equipped; He equips the called.” – Common Christian saying grounded in biblical truth (cf. 1 Thessalonians 5:24; 2 Corinthians 3:5–6)
If you are in Christ, you are called—and you are equipped. So:
- Seek the Lord in Scripture and prayer.
- Serve broadly, then focus where God bears fruit.
- Listen to the body of Christ.
- Use tools wisely, like spiritual gift assessments from established ministries].
- Fan into flame your gift and steward it with love, humility, and perseverance.
“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace… in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 4:10–11)
May you joyfully discover and diligently use the gifts God has entrusted to you, until the day you hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
References:
Here are some solid, widely trusted resources you can list as references for the article (you can format them as a bibliography or “Further Reading” section):
Books & Theological Resources
- Grudem, Wayne. Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1994. (See the section on spiritual gifts.)
- Piper, John. Let the Nations Be Glad: The Supremacy of God in Missions. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2010.
- MacArthur, John. The Body Dynamic: Finding Your Place in the Body of Christ. Colorado Springs, CO: David C. Cook, 1996.
- Warren, Rick. The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2002. (Chapters on SHAPE and ministry.)
- Stott, John. The Contemporary Christian. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1992.
- Wiersbe, Warren W. On Being a Servant of God. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1998.
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