The Holy Spirit - How to Discover Your Spiritual Gifts, Part 1

If you long to experience supernatural joy if you want to discover where to invest your life and the things that bring deep and lasting satisfaction and just flat out what God's presence and power in you like never before. Then you need to know one thing that one thing to talk about Living on the Edge. Welcome to this Wednesday. Addition of Living on the Edge with Living on the Edges of international discipleship ministry featuring the Bible teaching of shipping and antedate you continues our series on the Holy Spirit often overlooked aspect of our spiritual life gifts. What are the important discover what my you have to miss a portion of this broadcast will find today's program online. When you visit Living on the Edge.for now. This message how to discover your spiritual gifts hears chip.

The Holy Spirit does a lot of things we learn he indwells us he controls us in one of the great things he does is he gives us spiritual gifts. When you think about a gift you think about the birth that you think about an anniversary you think about surprising someone you think about the perfect gift to me. We give gifts what to whom people we care about to celebrate major things to remember certain things and we think about what do I want to give someone that they could really use the stem perfectly and would express our deepest love isn't that why we do it, birthday gifts, anniversary gift, graduation gifts, special gifts. What I want you to know is that's so true of us humanly.

But when you talk to people in the body of Christ. Many regular ordinary Christians and you bring up the subject of spiritual gifts usually have two extremes. Extreme number one on the left is denial is lots of people to say I don't think God gives any gifts anytime anymore and you have people on the other side that are dogmatic about the gifts there's these are not these are there's all these and what I've discovered in the body of Christ is, most people are somewhere in the middle because if you been around people that say they don't exist or to be around people say this is the way they exist and it's gotta be like this and this is how we see it. I find most Christians, sorta go to the middle of confusion.

I'm not really sure I don't thing a talk about X people seem to argue a lot, and I've done this a lot. If I ask you to pull out a 3 x 5 card and the God who died for you, Jesus, and who rose from the dead and sent spiritual gifts to you. I will tell you, there's probably not two people and 10 the can say on a 3 x 5 card. This is my primary spiritual gift. This is my ministry gifts. This is how I use it and this is how I make decisions and this is very important to me and I understand clearly, you will not find that the body of Christ. You ask people what support your spiritual gift, things Mercy leadership administration, hospitality, playing piano tacos and how does it really help you live your life. I don't know I just took a test so you really learn about what spiritual gifts are all about how it works and how important it is time to suggest there's four questions.

Everyone needs to ask and answer about spiritual gifts. Number one is super pragmatic. Why bother.

Why is it even yummy. Why does it matter that we understand spiritual gifts communicative for reasons one there essential for determining God's will. There's people want you to do all kind of things when you're in your sweet spot when you're doing what God wants you to do doesn't make sense if he has eight Ephesians 210 calling on your life. You are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which before the foundations of the earth. He's called you to walk in, don't you think he's gifted and designed you to walk in that good work. So you better be doing that not responding to all the needs everywhere, and if you don't know what your primary spiritual gift is how will you know where to invest your time and your energy. Second reason their God stamp of approval on your value as a person.

Spiritual gifts remind you that you got this gift because Christ died he loves you. He's for you. You give gifts to people you care about. He gave this gift to you to remind you every time you use your spiritual gift. I must matter and is like of some you've had a grandfather give you one of those watch that opens up and you every time you hold it in your you got that watcher. Some people have a little thing around you know your neck and you can open it up and has a heart has a picture of someone or something engraved or some of you for special gifts have a plaque in there something engraved in it and it reminds you that whoever gave that to you, says you matter and that's when Jesus gave you a spiritual gift you want. You know you matter. He gave it to you, especially for you and third when known in exercise they put you in the place of meeting needs and building deep, meaningful relationships, see when you know your spiritual gift that helps in decision-making. It literally helps your self-esteem in the positive sense of that. And third, it really solves a lot of the loneliness problem. There's all kind of Christians that are very, very lonely. They don't feel a part of anything. When you start using your spiritual gifts. You know what you're doing your meeting the needs of other people and you getting close to people you get connected to people you're needed, you're helping your focus is on what God is doing and other people and that's the fourth one it produces something pretty amazing. The byproduct of exercising your spiritual gift is joy joy. I remember learning this the hard way treats not have gone to Dallas to go to seminary. We went to a large Bible teaching church where a lot of professors were seminary.

They had a children's program that was second to none. They had puppets that had all kind of stuff. I'm in this place ran like crazy. The editor of the NIV Bible taught one class and he did that on the Psalms and there is another professor of Christology and he taught a class I mean it was like going to a conference every week is unbelievable. I mean you have to pay to go to these classes just church and I remember you know we came from West Virginia were like a mega church is like 200 people coming mega mega churches 200 people maybe 300 m huge is only million people in Allstate and so here's a church of two or 3000 people or whatever in Sunday school classes bigger than any church we've ever been in these professors in the Hebrew word for this. In the Greek words for that is like we were week number one week number two week number three like you believe this, I may like to get drunk on God's word and we got into about week six to week seven and we had this interesting experience on never forget it. We get to the front of the church right open the doors, and attorney Teresa said you feel like going to church today. He said no I said I'm neither doing good Wendy's okay so we'd already dropped off our kids. This doesn't sound so spiritual is what we did so we go to Wendy's and was right next to the church.

We sat down and I and I said man I don't know what it is but I mean this is all great great great great sums wrong sums really wrong.

As we sat down and jotted a few things on a napkin. It was like you know where I came from is I have Bible study every Tuesday morning with a group of guys and and I was teaching every Thursday night to group college students, and this is why I came to seminary and Patrice was meet with a group of girls in what we realizes we were getting getting getting getting we were we were using user spiritual gifts, and you know what the joy factor we were growing.

We were getting smarter me I knew more Greek words in Hebrew words in the Psalm, a lament whenever stuff I learned to pronounce things like new mythology, eschatology, and symbology. You know I was learn all kind of stuff, but I was shriveling up and a member I set an appointment you nosy a very large church and it was my first spiritual archers.

I got an appointment. The pastor I got on his calendar. So three months later I got to meet with him and so I thought you and I got one shot and I'm pretty organized guy when it comes to this kind of stuff. So I wrote down on a 3 x 5 card.

I've done this other this kind of ministry. I think my primary spiritual gift is this.

I'm open to doing whatever anywhere in the church. I just want to serve. Just put me in the game in a kind of think and here's a little bit of background, here's couple names of get a reference because I know it's a large church you want some wacko and so we sat down for lunch and his name was Don Geiger's hi Don how you doing so excuse mega card for you and what would you just look this over before we eaten. I gave it to them and then I think like a bathroom, so I just went to the bathroom, wash my hands and thought, I think you got the card read by now and then I walked back down. I sit down and I said so I Dominy think that he sound like you.

You want to get the work done to Don. I know I get a full schedule seminary. I'm dying I'm shriveling up. You just you tell me where you need anybody in this church.

My wife and I are in we need to use our gifts and now two weeks later we are teaching the sophomore class you know high school class, and a few months later we were leaving the college ministry and your whole life changed the joy factor went up kids in our living room again, why bother with spiritual gifts.

Well decision-making, loneliness, joy, if that's all that I gave you that would be enough second question you need to ask about spiritual gifts is not just why bother, but what is a spiritual gift.

Let's get on the same page is wonderful what is is playing the saxophone of the piano, or cooking a great dinner.

Those are talents. Those are not spiritual gifts so that what is a spiritual gift definition a divine enablement of special ability upon every member of the body of Christ which fits them for specific and corresponding service know if you will open your Bibles first printing chapter 12 as I read it I want you to circle three words, gifts, service and workings depending on your translation is picking up in verse four. The question in the Corinthian churches who spiritually mature and about spirituality and maturity a lot of groupthink in this particular church that certain gifts make you really mature and so Paul's explaining about spiritual gifts and so in verse forces there are different kinds of the gifts, but the same Spirit. There different kinds of service or ministry, but the same Lord.

There different kinds of workings or manifestations, but the same God who works all of them together. There's only two or three doctrines in all of Scripture that there when there described the whole Trinity comes together. The great commission redemption. He says here, there are gifts, services, and workings and noticed the spirit of the Lord Jesus God who works all of them in all men you need understand God is giving you a gift. I believe the primary or motivational gift.

And when you exercise that I think he will give you ministry gifts and then as you function in that way the spirit of God will cause manifestations of growth to help other people see God for who years and love them and inspire them and encourage them and heal them and comfort them a gift word is charisma, it simply means used exclusively in the New Testament for a gift is not a natural talent at its root word is car risk is which is the grace that you do hundred 50 times the New Testament, the idea is beauty or favor in action. That's what a gift is its beauty or favor in action.

The prefix spiritual war or new multi-coast just has the idea of what kind of gives what it's just it's from the source in the spirit of God, so God gives something that's for beauty and action. It provides ability when you have a spiritual gift you have a super natural enabling from God.

It may align with your natural gifts. It may not one of the greatest evangelists I ever knew was a man named John Seibel he was the shyest human being I've ever met. But when he came to Christ late in life and I I watch John in an elevator. I mean, I mean that elevator not really long elevator you like 50 stories and I was going to lunch with John and John to come to Christ in his 60s after you know going bankrupt true three times and having some really hard times in his life and he was just he just love lost people and I remember being in that elevator and is going to lunch with John and were there and it's he notes Dallas business suits pinstripes the whole bit. There's three very official people behind us and I'm here in John's there, and there's a nice lady in a business suit.

John turns to her and says excuse me, she says yes. Has anyone ever told you how much Jesus loves you, and long John on this pastor. He's chairman of the board and think John this is you don't know this is uncool. This is not how you do it there's three guys in suits love Jesus, and she said no. He said what would you like me to tell you in her eyes get watery and she starts timing.

This is an elevator. This is 1/22 deal eyes get watery tears start come down.

John pulls out a track. He leans over he reads the first part of the track. He faulted put in his hand goes I unsaddled dodging the company pay what you come up and give this to my receptionist. I just love to tell you that Jesus, and she took the thing held doors open, she gets out. Think it was that work.

This is the shyest guy I know you know why a spiritual gift is a super natural enabling God does something in you and through you. That is it just like super sizing. What you are its supernatural is the ability it's the qualification that don't get me wrong, I believe Bible training is important. Seminary training is important, but I think we got into the day where were more worried about accreditation than rural qualification. I'll tell you what you what DL Moody was a shoe salesman with a very limited education. He did okay when I had the privilege of pastoring at Santa Cruz 12 and half years I a member at one point time at about 90 people on staff, we grew from several hundred to a lot of people went about 90 some people on staff and I looked at one time, I realize we had like 35 people in seminary, but OUR staff came out of her church.

I think I only hired two or three people on the outside needlelike counseling and special qualifications. Why because they prove that they can do the ministry they had our heart they had rDNA they were producing spiritual fruit than what they realize was I need some training so am not against training that I want you to know we've gotten in the day where people think it will have in the Bible schools. I guess I can't teach that class or I can't do that or I'm not qualified.

Here's what makes you qualified loving Jesus being gifted get in the word. Step out. I'm coming all through Scripture. It's like these people you would never think God would use.

That's who we are. God has given you power but if you don't know what your gift is you don't even know where to plug in, so it gives ability qualification to give strength it gives energy think it's endurance when you're in your giftedness. There's joy.

Finally, it's about responsibility, ability, qualification strength, a gift is just like you time just like your money, your steward of it.

God has deposited in you a supernatural ability to help people in ways where miraculous things can happen. Now think of this he died, he rose from the dead. He gave me this gift. How sad it would be if you don't know what it is. I mean what want to be like like your six-year-olds birthday.

I mean the one and you know he wanted a bike.

He wanted the bike he wanted to biking one of the bike oak. I have a bike and you get this big box and you put it in its we can tell it is and there's a big ribbon and then you stick it on the you know quite in the center of the garage and then you give him the garage door opener to birthday Kenny presses it and he opens and there's a big box in the gospel.

I think I'm going go play with my friends box. While all I'll do that later. What about the box. How would you feel is apparent's 200 you been dreaming about that you are made by the box. That's how God feels some of us have never open the box. You don't know what it is you and how to use it never got on it and written it in and so there's a joy factor and there's a lot of Christians are very frustrated and really burned out, and part of that is if you don't open the box because your good sincere people and want to be nice and helpful, and is really hard to say no your on this committee on this committee to help out here. You do this you do that you do this you do that you that for a few years and it really burned out, and a lot of you used to do all that right now you don't do anything correct. You'll do anything if it's like I spiritually retired. I'm a little younger people terrible from here on out. Where'd you get that in a John Wayne movie or something. I am he. This this life you have in the spiritual gift deposit is until the day you die and and God often will use it in the latter part of your life more than in the earlier part is you actually now have some life experience and wisdom to go with the gift. You don't know what it is you don't have a cultivated this so there's a stewardship stewardship of your spiritual gift is just like you money your time or anything else back in a minute. Some additional thoughts about his message today. If you're just joining us, you're listening to Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram the message you just heard is from chip series called the Holy Spirit experiencing is power and presence 24 seven. This four-part series takes the mystery out of who the Holy Spirit is and how he works in our lives. Chip explains that the same power that raised Christ in the bed is the same power within every believer to the life of the Holy Spirit.

Chip brings a fresh balanced perspective to the sometimes controversial subject and reminds us of the comforting peace. The Holy Spirit can provide.

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Here's trip as we close today's program I talked about how to discover your spiritual gift in you know it's interesting there's been a lot of debate on this than actually in my journey of about 30 years as a Christian I certainly heard a lot of people argue about spiritual gifts and and then I've kind of gone the route of asking people.

So what is your primary spiritual gift and and I usually get some blank stares, or you know people rattle off seven or eight different gifts and then isolate follow-up with the will. Okay, if that's maybe one or some of the six or seven or eight spiritual gifts. How does that help you make good decisions and what differences that made your life and I usually get another blank stare like it really hasn't. And I had an experience when I was teaching in Russia that forced me to go to the Bible and for a group of pastors help people discover clearly and practically, their spiritual gift. So it made a difference in how you prioritize your life, what you do with your life and how you get a handle on it and I I'd touched on it in the series.

But what grew out of my time in Russia was a teaching called your divine design I we put it in small group DVD. It's very clear it's at eight part DVD series that literally thousands and thousands of people have gone through, and here's what they tell me something. The light came on. I understand my primary spiritual gift. I am realigning my life around what God made me to do my joy factor is really up in my impact factor is beyond what I ever dreamed. Here's what I gotta tell you it if if something is sparking in you and your thinking you know in this season of your life you really want to discover your spiritual gift. Let me encourage it. Go to our website or give us a call and get the series. Your divine design will be glad you did. That's a great recommendation. Chip was perfect is that that series your divine design is one of the discounted resources were making available right now because we know not everyone's at the same pace on their spiritual journey. We discounted several resources so you can find the one that best suits you and your next step is our March focus called. You were made for more just go to your website. LivingontheEdge.org and click. You were made for more that's LivingontheEdge.org and click.

You were made for more will be sure to be with us again tomorrow as Chip wraps up his message how to discover your spiritual gifts until Bev this is Dave Drew. Thanks for joining us for this Edition of Living on the Edge