How to reach your full potential for God (2)
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“How to discover and use your Spiritual gifts”
“How to discover and use your Spiritual gifts”
Romans 12:4-8 “For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.”
1 Corinthians 12:4-11 “Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.”
I. Intro
I. Intro
“Illustration of receiving gifts” I want you to go back in your mind and think of a time where you gave a gift to someone, and their reaction was that of the best gift you could’ve given them. Maybe it was Christmas, birthday, anniversary, or maybe even Valentine’s Day. I can remember a time after me and Christi were engaged, I wanted to get her a bigger and better engagement ring. So I shopped around, found the perfect one, and saved up enough for it. We went to dinner for Valentine’s Day, and I presented her with her new ring. From the look in her eyes, you would’ve thought I had given her the moon and the stars. As Christi had discovered and used the new gift that had been given to her, we must discover and use the gifts God has placed in us at the moment of salvation, to reach our full potential for God. In today’s message, we will answer four very important questions: 1.) What is a spiritual gift? 2.) When do you receive your spiritual gifts? 3.) Why bother using my spiritual gift? 4.) How do I discover my spiritual gifts? Did you know that many adult Christians don’t know anything about spiritual gifts, much less what theirs are or how to develop them. In a study by Barnes and Noble, 29% of adult Christians have never heard of spiritual gifts. In the same study, 69% of adult Christians have heard of spiritual gifts, but don’t know what theirs are. If we are going to reach our full potential for God, we must discover, use, and develop our spiritual gifts.
II. Questions we must ask ourselves
II. Questions we must ask ourselves
What is a spiritual gift?
“Gifts” is the Greek word ‘charismata’ which comes from the same root as the word for grace, ‘charis.’ It can be translated as “grace” or “free gift” and is what the Spirit of God gives you.
These are supernatural gifts beyond human possibility. God gets all the glory!
Ephesians 3:20-21 “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.”
When do you receive your spiritual gifts?
In addition to the natural gifts that God gave you at your creation, you also received what I call motivational gifts to prepare you for and prompt you to ministry in the body of Christ. These gifts are released after you receive Jesus as your Savior and begin to follow Him as your Lord. Paul wrote about seven of these gifts in Romans 12:4-5 “For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.”
Why bother using our spiritual gifts?
They are essential for discovering God’s will
Ephesians 2:10 “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”
When exercised, they put you in a place of meeting needs.
When using your spiritual gifts correctly, you will have unspeakable joy.
1 Peter 4:10 “As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”
How do you discover yours?
Pray earnestly, asking for guidance.
1 Corinthians 14:1 “Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.”
Study in depth all the “gift” passages.
1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12, Ephesians 4, 1 Peter 4
Test the waters.
Evaluate honestly.
Recognize the fruit.
III. Conclusion
III. Conclusion
One of the ways that you know a bowler is serious about bowling is that they have custom-made balls. These are constructed to the appropriate weight and grip so they fit the particular bowler’s uniqueness. To have your bowling ball custom-made is to increase the possibility of effective delivery so that you can hit the mark. God has constructed every member of His body in a customized way. God has uniquely crafted everyone of us to hit the mark of His purpose and calling upon our lives. We are not an assembly line of people with the same automated parts. We have been uniquely crafted for His purpose. You are, in fact, custom-made!
In closing, I want you to remember that God created each of you uniquely. He gave and equipped each one of us with certain set of natural talents and supernatural spiritual gifts, and when everyone uses their gifts in the correct function, the church operates like a well-oiled machine!