Administrator Kawal ******* Karma: +0/-0 Offline Offline Posts: 112

SPIRITUA !I"TS I# T$% &O'( O" )$RIST * on: +an,ar- .1/ 2000/ 00:00:21 A1 2 T3ere is a lot of 4onf,sion toda- a5o,t s6irit,al 7ifts/ 8,st as t3ere was in t3e first 4ent,r-9 Pa,l said/ :#ow 4on4ernin7 s6irit,al 7ifts/ I do not want -o, to 5e ,ninformed: ;1 )or9 12:1<9 T3,s/ we m,st ma=e s6e4ial effort to ,nderstand t3eir 6la4e and im6ortan4e9 )3rist re>ealed $imself first in t3e 3,man 5od-/ t3ro,73 w3i43 all $is attri5,tes were manifest9 #ow $e 3as a new 5od---t3e )3,r43--a s6irit,al 5od-9 ?e w3o =now )3rist are t3at &od-9 %a43 )3ristian is a >ital mem5er of t3e &od-/ and 8,st as a 3,man 5od- m,st wor= totall- to7et3er to 5e 3ealt3-/ so we m,st f,n4tion in interde6enden4e for t3e ,nit- of t3is s6irit,al 5od-9 !od@s 6lan for t3e 3ealt3- f,n4tion of t3e &od- is t3is: ea43 5elie>er 3as 5een 7i>en 4ertain $ol- S6irit a5ilities/ 4alled :7ra4e 7ifts: or :s6irit,al 7ifts9: T3ro,73 t3ese 7ifts/ t3e $ol- S6irit ministers to t3e ot3er mem5ers of t3e &od- and t3is networ= of inter-m,t,al ministr- stren7t3ens e>er- 6art and allows t3e w3ole 5od- to 7row 3ealt3- and stron79 '%"I#ITIO#: A s6irit,al 7ift is a s6e4ial 4a6a4it- for ministr- in t3e &od- of )3rist/ 7i>en 5- t3e $ol- S6irit/ for ,se in 5,ildin7 ,6 t3e &od-9 "ollowin7 are some 5asi4 6rin4i6les re7ardin7 t3e ,se and f,n4tion of s6irit,al 7ifts in t3e &od-: 1< S6irit,al 7ifts are not t3e same as nat,ral talents9 T3e S6irit ma- ele4t to ,se a 6erson in t3e area of t3eir nat,ral a5ilit-/ and 7ift t3em in t3at area-- or $e ma- not9 T3e S6irit is not limited in eit3er dire4tion9 Remem5er: A talent is a nat,ral a5ilit- 7i>e at -o,r first 5irt39 A s6irit,al 7ift is a s,6ernat,ral a5ilit- 7i>en at -o,r se4ond 5irt3 ;-o,r s6irit,al 5irt3<9 2< S6irit,al 7ifts are not t3e same as t3e "r,it of t3e S6irit in !al9 A:22-2.9 :&,t t3e fr,it of t3e S6irit is lo>e/ 8o-/ 6ea4e/ 6atien4e/ =indness/ 7oodness/ fait3f,lness/ 7entleness/ and self-4ontrol9 A7ainst s,43 t3in7s t3ere is no law9: ?e ea43 3a>e onl- 4ertain 7ifts/ 5,t all of ,s s3o,ld 3a>e all of t3e fr,it of t3e S6irit9 T3e fr,it relates to o,r 43ara4ter and wal=/ t3e 7ifts relate to o,r ser>i4e and ministr-9 .< S6irit,al 7ifts are no si7n or 7,arantee of s6irit,alit-9 All 5elie>ers 6ossess t3em/ e>en t3e 4arnal 5elie>ers ;1 )or9 12:B/ 11</ and t3e 7ift 4an 5e 4o,nterfeited and o6erated in t3e ener7- of t3e fles39 $a>in7 a 7ift is also no 7,arantee of 5ein7 ri73t in t3e area of -o,r 7ift ;1 )or9 1C:20/ .2/ .B<9 !ifts 4an 5e mis,sed in a fles3l- manner/ as t3e )orint3ians and ton7,es for eDam6le/ and Satan 4an 6er>ert t3e 7ifts to 3is ,se9 T3e ,se and res,lts of 7ifts m,st sE,are wit3 S4ri6t,re9 C< %>er- )3ristian 3as a 7ift or 7ifts -- 1 Peter C:10/ 1 )or9 12:B9 $owe>er/ we do no alwa-s eDer4ise t3em/ as in 1 Timot3- C:1C/ ma-5e 5e4a,se we 3a>e not alwa-s identified t3em9

A< T3ere are a >ariet- of 7ifts/ w3i43 are eDer4ised in a >ariet- of ministries/ wit3 >ar-in7 de7rees of res,lts -- 1 )or9 12:C-F9 #ot e>er- instan4e or e>er- 6erson will see t3e same de7ree of res,lts at all times9 F< S6irit,al 7ifts are 7i>en 5- t3e $ol- S6irit/ as $e 43ooses to 7i>e t3em -- 1 )or9 12:11/ 1G/ 2G9 T3e same S6irit 7i>e to all -- t3is is t3e 4ommon 7ro,nd of all 7ifts and t3e reason t3at if t3e- all o6erate as t3e- s3o,ld/ a6art from t3e fles3/ t3e- will onl- ,nite/ ne>er di>ide9 If t3ere is di>ision/ it means t3e 7ifts are not o6erati>e or t3e- o6erate in t3e fles39 "or t3e S6irit will not di>ide $imself/ so if $e 3as 7i>en all 7ifts/ t3e- will f,n4tion9 B< S6irit,al 7ifts are 7i>en for ser>i4e in t3e &od-/ and we are stewards of t3ose 7ifts -- 1 Peter C:10/ 1 )or9 12:B9 ?3en t3e 7ifts are ,sed/ t3e &od- 6rofits9 &ot3 t3e one w3o ,ses t3e 7ift and t3e re4i6ients of its ministr- 6rofit/ and t3at ma=es a 3ealt3- 5od-9 As I minister to -o,/ -o, are 5,ilt ,6 in t3e areas of -o,r la4=/ and as -o, minister to me/ I am 5,ilt ,6 in t3e areas I la4=9 T3ese 7ifts are for t3e 7ood of t3e 5od-/ not self9 )ool S6irit,al 7ifts m,st 5e eDer4ised for t3e s,6reme 7oal of 5rin7in7 7lor- to !od and not to self -- 1 Peter C:119 ?3en wron7l- ,sed t3e- 5rin7 disorder/ 4onf,sion/ do,5t/ di>ision/ and self7lorifi4ation9 0< T3ere is not standardiHation of 7ifts amon7 5elie>ers/ wit3 no one 7ift 7i>en to all and ea43 wit3 a different 7ift miD -- 1 )or9 12:1C-2F9 10< It is im6erati>e t3at ea43 )3ristian dis4o>er and de>elo6 t3eir 7ift for ,se wit3in t3e &od-9 I7noran4e is not 5liss -- we are a44o,nta5le for ,sin7 w3at !od 3as 7i>en ,s as 7ood stewards9 T3ese 7ifts are essential for t3e 3ealt3 of t3e &od-/ 5e4a,se t3e- are >e3i4les or 43annels t3ro,73 w3i43 t3e $ol- S6irit ministers to t3e &od-9 :$% P "OR '%T%R1I#I#! (OUR SPIRITUA !I"TS: ?e m,st remem5er: T3ere are no 3ard and fast r,les to determine w3at o,r 7ifts are9 T3e &i5le does not 7i>e a :"i>e %as- Ste6s: set of r,les/ 6er3a6s for two reasons: 1< As a 7ift/ t3e- are 7i>en and e>ident/ not m-sterio,s and im6ossi5le to dis4o>er9 2< S6irit,al mat,rit- is first 6riorit-/ and wit3 mat,rit- 4omes t3e awareness and de>elo6ment of 7ifts9 $el6s in 'is4o>erin7 (o,r S6irit,al !ifts: 1< %D6lore t3e 6ossi5ilities -- read t3e &i5le/ information on 7ifts/ et49 2< Pra- and as= !od to 3el6 -o, to =now and ,se -o,r 7ifts $e 3as 7i>en -o,9 .< %D6eriment wit3 t3ose -o, t3in= ma- 5e -o,r 7ifts9 C< %Damine -o,r feelin7s -- is it a satisf-in7 ministr-/ do -o, desire to do itI A< %>al,ate -o,r effe4ti>eness -- are t3ere res,lts/ fr,it 5ornI F< %D6e4t 4onfirmation from ot3ers -- do t3e- see it as a 7ift/ are ot3ers 5lessedI

S6irit,al !ifts )3e4= ist: 1< 'o I =now w3at m- s6irit,al 7ift isI 2< $a>e I made an 3onest attem6t to dis4o>er m- 7iftI .< $ow am I eDer4isin7 m- 7ift in t3e lo4al 43,r43 5od-I C< )an I 6oint to some instan4e in t3e last few da-s w3ere m- 7ift was ,sedI A< Is m- 7ift 5ein7 eDer4ised 5- $ol- S6irit 6owerI F< Is m- 7ift adorned wit3 t3e fr,it of t3e S6iritI B< ?3i43 fr,it am I most la4=in7 and am I 7rowin7 in t3at areaI )ool Is t3e ,se of m- 7ift 5eamed at t3e n,m5er one 7oal/ t3e !lor- of !odI ?3at to 'o wit3 (o,r !ifts: 1< "ind a wa- to eDer4ise -o,r 7ifts9 2< Ta=e ad>anta7e of o66ort,nities to im6ro>e it9 .< Remem5er its >al,e/ not its >isi5ilit-9 C< See it in relations3i6 to t3e entire &od-9 A< Use it in determinin7 !od@s will and 6riorities for -o,9 F< 'e>elo6 it to t3e f,llest9