Spiritual Gifts II

1 Corinthians 12:1- "Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware."

The first step to understanding your Spiritual Gift is to realize that you have one. I know a lot of people who are Christians that have no idea that they have been given a Spiritual gift. So obviously the first step would be to come to an understanding of Spiritual gifts by studying what the Word has to say about the subject.

In the New Testament there are five different Greek words used for the English word GIFT.

Doma - This is simply translated as a gift and can be found in Phil 4:7.
Dorea - is the word used to describe a gift offered in honor and can be found in Eph 2:8, 4:7; Heb 6:4; John 4:10; Acts 2:38, 8:20, 10:45, 11:17.
Hadrotace - can be translated as an abundant or a generous gift and can be found in 2 Corinthians 8:20.
Eulogia - can be translated as GIFT, but is better understood as blessing and can be found in 2 Corinthians 9:5.
Charisma - which is always translated as a Spiritual Gift and can be found in Ephesians 4:11-12, 2 Tim 1:6-7, 1 Peter 4:10, 1 Tim 4:14, Romans 1:11-12, 1 Corinthians 1:4-7, and 1 Corinthians 12:1.

The New Testament uses the Greek word Charisma to speak of various gifts given to believers by God the Holy Spirit. In English, Charisma is used to describe someone who has a certain indefinable quality that attracts people to his personality, but if we translate it literally from the Greek it means manifestations of Grace (Charis). This is an accurate translation because Spiritual Gifts are manifestations of the Grace of God in the life of a believer. In layman's terms they (Spiritual Gifts) are gifts denoting supernatural abilities, distinguishing Christians and enabling them to serve the church of Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit. Spiritual Gifts are given to each believer by God the Holy Spirit. Spiritual gifts enable the believer to serve, edify, and unify the church by the power of the Holy Spirit. And Spiritual gifts can only be identified by walking by means of the filling ministry of the Holy Spirit.

Today's lesson will cover the second of fives steps to identifying your Spiritual Gift.

Step 1: The first step is to realize that God the Holy Spirit has given you a Spiritual Gift.

Step 2: Walking by the Spirit (Galatians 5:16)

Maturity is not a prerequisite for identifying your Spiritual gift. We are given a Spiritual gift at the moment of Salvation, therefore Spiritual gifts are part of the salvation package, considered milk doctrine, related to the Doctrine of Salvation and can be identified by baby believers. That being said, they (Spiritual gifts) can also be abused by the baby believer that does not have sound teaching or a full understanding (epignosis) of what God's word has to say on the subject of Spiritual gifts.

Although Spiritual maturity is not a prerequisite for identifying your Spiritual gift, walking by faith in the power of the Holy Spirit is absolutely a prerequisite. Moment by moment examination of ones sins by confession is necessary to be filled by the Spirit (1 John 1:9). Walking (Peripateo) by the Spirit requires not only being filled, but also requires study and application of God's Word, a love for God that is demonstrated by obedience to His will, and a life lived in the presence of God. Do you live your life as if you are in the very presence of God? Or do you only live your "church" life as if you were in the very presence of God? A disciplined soldier in the military is a soldier who "makes the right choices when no one is looking". A disciplined Christian is one who makes choices as if he were in the very presence of God. Regardless if you live life as in the very presence of God or not, YOU ARE ALWAYS IN THE VERY PRESENCE OF GOD! LIVE LIKE IT!

Remember, it is a SPIRITUAL gift and cannot be exercised nor identified in the power of the flesh. One must be SPIRITUAL. Are your choices and descisions made only after careful consideration of the Word and Will of God? A believer who is WALKING by the Spirit is a believer who learns from God, lives the Word, loves the Lord. A believer who is WALKING chooses God's will over his own. A believer who is walking by the Spirit is not WALKING by the flesh.

Gal 5:17-18 "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. (17) For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please."

If you are searching for your Spiritual gift by taking online tests, STOP!! What you need to do is understand that you have a Spiritual gift by studying every passage of Scripture that relates to Spiritual gifts, and walk by the filling ministry of the Holy Spirit. If you apply these two steps then you will be well on your way to identifying your Spiritual gift. Stop by tomorrow and we will dive in to step three.