Using / Finding the Gifts of the Spirit

Hi all,

this may be regarded as add-on to the thread "Discussion in church today". I am wondering these days, how do the gifts of the spirit operate in a congregation? How do you recognise your gift and then how do you use it for the profit of the Body.

I've heard one pastor saying, that the Bible does not show us a method how we can find out our gift. We just have to get to work and it will become clear what is our gift.

But I was thinking too on:
Acts 13:1,2 / "Now there were in the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers...As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. "

1 Timothy 1:18 / "This charge I commit unto thee, son Timothy, according to the prophecies which went before on thee, that thou by them mightest war a good warfare; "

1 Timothy 4:14 / "Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. "

Could it be that somebody receives by prophecy a hint or a revelation for what his minstry shall be? (like Paul and Barnabas) And are not the gifts God's enablings for the ministry that we have to carry on?

I take a little bit different view than some. I don't think, when discussing the spiritual gifts, that a person simply has been given "a gift" and needs to find out what that gift is. For example, I do not believe that certain people "have the gift of healing" resident within them.

I do believe that God has preordained and destined each person to fulfill His call for their lives. In that sense you have an eternal destiny that was intended before time began. When we are born again, we need to seek God in every area of our lives, allow Him to change us into His image, and in doing so we will begin to realize that destiny. I believe that one of my jobs as an elder is to recognize those callings and help people come into maturity in those things.

The scriptures you llsted have to do, in my opinion, with what I just referenced. These gifts are anointing and calling on a person's life. For a few, that might be evangelist, pastor, prophet, teacher, apostle. For most that might be something else. I know one man whose anointing is making and giving money through business. I know another who such an encourager. I know others who are gifted in administration and leadership in the body.

Spiritual gifts, as listed in 1 Corinthians, are nine supernatural gifts. I believe any spirit filled believer might be used of God in these gifts from time to time as the Holy Spirit directs. In my function as an elder, I might be called upon by the Holy Spirit to lay hands on a person for healing, or I might be given a word of knowledge about a person or for a person. These come, not because it is my gift, but because God wants to anoint me in that moment to do that task as a part of me fulfilling His call for my life.

Hope that perspective helps.

Hm, ok... I don't have this perspective. I do believe that the Lord can use anybody to prophesy for example, but that does not mean that the person is a prophet. That's my undestanding. And I think that God gives us gifts, according to His own will, which would enable us to fulfill the ministry He has given us.

Something very interesting happened these days: I was at a conference and while talking with one of the boys there, getting to know each other - he asked what am I studying. I said, medicine. And he went like, "Ah, that's you - medicine and missionary!" And he said, that he read about a certain woman that has been a doctor and a missionary in India, but he could not remember her name. Later on, while still talking on missions, he added "Perhaps God can use your gift there (on the mission field)." And I frankly, am not sure what is the gift he meant. Word of wisdom? Word of knowledge? Actually very few people know that I've been thinking of missionary work since my teenage years (16./17.). But it seems to me that if it is the will of God, the time has not yet come.

Anyways this relatively short conversation makes me still think a lot about my mission in life, my ministry... and how do I function in the Body. It's so easy just to go to church and get back home, going through the motions - but is the Lord using me to answer one's prayer, to supply needs, to encourage, to correct? Or am I just using the Body for myself? Surely the life of the Body does not consist in just listening to sermons (although we need that too..)

Hope you get what I am thinking about.

Blessings, and thaks for your response!
Esther

Thanks for the link! Perhaps you will be disappointed to hear that I will not listen to it. It's just too expensive for a student :D.

Anyways, I still believe and hope that God will give answers to the questions I have. By His Spirit He will guide us into all truth (John 16:13)

Blessings,
Esther

Hm, ok... I don't have this perspective. I do believe that the Lord can use anybody to prophesy for example, but that does not mean that the person is a prophet. That's my undestanding. And I think that God gives us gifts, according to His own will, which would enable us to fulfill the ministry He has given us.

Esther: I think maybe you misunderstood me. In my mind, the gift prophecy is separate from the office of a prophet. Prophet is a calling that serves as a gift to equip the body. Few will have this calling. Prophecy is a gift of the Spirit that God can use at any time He desires through any spirit filled believer.

God does give us anointing to accompany His calling on our lives. It is the grace-empowerment of His Holy Spirit on our lives to live out the call He has on us. Paul demonstrated this when he said, "I say this through the gift that is given me." His words came through that anointing and power to fulfill God's call for him.

by TakeUptheCross
Thanks for the link! Perhaps you will be disappointed to hear that I will not listen to it. It's just too expensive for a student :D.

I found it on youtube for you....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnC3X3Il5KM&list=PLDA3676A4D48EAED2

This next one is by Robert Morris, II had a friend that was Baptist and wouldn't accept the gifts explanation from me (woman) but when he heard Robert Morris on his satellite radio, he accepted it! Doesn't matter how he came to accept it, praise God that he did!! So if anyone is interested, you may want to listen to him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0xXi6Iw2EE&list=PLj1xnoTI2XgD1zEnA9vjZymxVwl8JexHy

There are many good teachers on youtube, if you are interested to listen to anyone you don't know.

God bless,
Lisa

PS: I learned to down many different teachers because of SI. Somebody really loved a Paul Washer sermon and I listened to it and didn't think much of it or the way he presented it. So I typed the topic in to youtube and downloaded 10 different sermons (by different people and denominations) on the topic and found two new teachers that I like to listen to now!!

To do that though, you gotta be ready for an adventure!! LOL :)

God bless!!!