What are your spiritual gifts?

Now we come to individual spiritual gifts. 

Every believer has at least one spiritual gift (1 Corinthians 12:7, 11; Ephesians 4:7), given at his or her salvation. No believer has every spiritual gift (1 Corinthians 12:12, 27, 29–30). 

Our gifts differ from each other (Romans 12:3–6a). We receive our gifts according to God's will, not our own desire or experience (1 Corinthians 12:11; Ephesians 4:7–8).

What are the "spiritual gifts"?

Combining the various lists, we discover these gifts:

• administration: organizing people and ministries effectively
• apostleship: adapting to a different culture to share the gospel or do ministry
• discernment: distinguishing spiritual truth from error or heresy
• evangelism: sharing the gospel effectively and passionately
• exhortation: encouraging others as they follow Jesus
• faith: seeing God's plan and following it with passion
• giving: investing with unusual sacrifice and joy in God's kingdom
• healing: being used by God to bring physical health in supernatural ways
• intercession: praying with unusual passion and effectiveness
• interpretation of "tongues": being used by God to explain to others the message given by the Spirit through "tongues" (covered in the next devotional)
• knowledge: discerning and sharing the deep truths of God's word and will
• leadership: motivating and inspiring others to serve Jesus fully
• mercy: showing God's grace to hurting people with unusual passion
• miracles: being used by God in ministry that transcends natural explanation
• prophecy: preaching the word of God with personal passion and effectiveness
• serving: meeting practical needs with unusual sacrifice and joy
• shepherding: helping others grow spiritually
• speaking in "tongues": using a God-given spiritual language in prayer and worship
• teaching: explaining God's word and truth with unusual effectiveness
• wisdom: relating biblical truth to practical life with great effectiveness

How can you know your gifts?

Some believe that God reveals our spiritual gifts to us directly, as his Spirit speaks to us. Others depend on the insight and opinions of godly believers. Most theologians would add a third approach: give attention to your God-given opportunities for service and to your interests, passions, and abilities. 

The Lord typically uses us in ways consistent with our gifting. For instance, if you are often asked into a leadership position, you may well be gifted for that role. The Lord usually gives us a desire to become involved in those ministries for which we are gifted. And he blesses the uses of our gifts so that we can identify their existence by their effectiveness.

Several "spiritual gifts analysis" tools are available today, including ours at Spiritual Gifts Assessment. (Note: the questionnaire will require more than a few minutes of your time.) Scroll to the end of the article to take the test. Your results will immediately appear on-screen after submitting your answers. 

As you use it or other approaches, know that the Father wants you to discover and use your gifts even more than you do. 

And remember: the Lord gives his greatest joy to those who help fulfill his Great Commission. When you find and use your spiritual gifts, you will find the passion, purpose, and peace of God.