Questions about Spiritual Gifts

Question: How do I discover what my gifts are?

1. Believe - "And Jesus did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith" (Matthew 13:58). Faith is the major consideration in every aspect of the Christian life. Gifts are no different. If you don't believe, don't expect! 
2. Pray - Ask God to show you what your gifts are.
3. Read -  
• Scripture - ALWAYS start with the bible. Begin with these passages, but do not limit yourself to them:
• Romans 12
• 1 Corinthians 12-14
• Ephesians 4
• 1 Peter 4
• Trusted authors on the subject: 
• C. Peter Wagner
• Charles V. Bryant
• Kenneth Kinghorn
4. Ask Others - The trusted people around you have a pretty good idea of what your spiritual gifts are. Ask them!  
5. Take a spiritual gifts test - Surprisingly effective!  
6. Experiment - Try working in areas you think you are gifted in (yes, this takes courage). Look for two things:
1. Enjoyment - Joy is a positive sign you are working in your gift.
2. Fruit - Seeing positive results is a very important sign. On the other hand, if you see no fruit, you should probably consider looking in a different area.     

     

Question: Is the anointing of God (Holy Spirit) a spiritual gift, even though we all have been anointed by the Spirit through Christ? Or is the anointing a pouring out of God for a specific purpose or person?

The true spiritual gift is the Holy Spirit Himself.

• "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 the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”(Luke 11:13). 

• Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38) 

The Holy Spirit is mentioned 94 times in Scripture. Only 3 of these are in the OT. Obviously the working of the Holy Spirit was limited (And rightly so. We made the decision in the Garden that we didn't need Him.). But in the New Testament we find the Holy Spirit is "poured out" (Acts 2:17). Every Believer has full access to God and His Holy Spirit. Spiritual gifts are merely demonstrations of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Believer.

• Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. (1 Cor 12:7)

Is there a special anointing for certain tasks? It seems so. Acts 4:23-31 records what happened after Peter and John were released from their arrest. Look at their prayer and how God answered: "Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus." After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

These are the same men and women from Pentecost. They had already received The Gift of the Holy Spirit. But when they prayed for a special anointing...they got it!!! Wow! Makes you reconsider what what we should pray for!

Question: If we have "different gifts according to the grace given us" (Romans 12:6), do we need to try to obtain the other gifts? Or should we recognize, strengthen and serve in the capacity of our current gifts (Be content with your gift)? 

Paul told Timothy "Do not not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you (1 Timothy 4:14). And we know from 1 Corinthians 12:7 that all gifts are given for the common good. So in answer to the second question: Definately work hard in your gifts!

As to the first question, should we try to obtain other gifts: My opinion is that it is ok to ask for them, but not to be distracted by the lack of them. God has already given us certain giftss for us to function within the body. How much time do we have to try being a different part?

Question: Is not using your gifts blasphemy?

I believe blasphemy is an action or attitude directed against the authority or name of God (The picture I get is someone shaking their fist in the face of God). People neglect gifts for many reasons: ignorance, depression, disobedience (laziness), fear, etc. Of these, only disobedience strikes me as bordering on blasphemy. But only God knows a person's heart.

Question: Did Jezebel have the gift of prophecy?

Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds. Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets (I will not impose any other burden on you): (Revelation 2:20–24)
Jezebel "calls herself a prophetess." The key here is her self proclamation compared to her fruit! She called herself a prophetess for God, but was "fruiting" people into sexual immorality. An obvious contradiction.

We need to remember the enemy uses counterfeit gifts, false gifts, to:

• Lead people astray
• Discredit the truth
• Disrupt Kingdom work

We need Believers with the gift of discernment to warn us when these counterfeits are in operation.