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(1) Introduction.
We will now see what the Bible reveals to be the GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT that God makes available to us through THE GIFT (The Holy Spirit).
It must be noted that operating in these gifts requires us being ' Baptised in the Spirit' - When we are born again the Spirit lives in us, when we are Baptised in the Spirit we live in the Spirit! It is the Baptism in the Spirit that empowers us to do His will, to be effective in His Vision and Calling (See Acts 1:8)). At the point we are Baptised in the Spirit we receive the GIFT (The Holy Spirit) in full - He (The Holy Spirit) will then be manifest in and through us in whatever way He Wills.
(2) The Types Of Gifts and Specific Gifts.
Group or Individual Activity: Look at the GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT SCRIPTURES and read through a few times. What specific Gifts do you see mentioned ? List them out.
Now look at the following chart and see how the gifts fall into different categories.
Group or Individual Activity: What are the three main categories of Gifts ? Think about/discuss what you think are the main characteristics of each category and why they are different.
(i) MINISTERIAL GIFTS (Five-Fold Ministry).
Look again at The Chart on the Gifts Of The Spirit and identify the MINISTERIAL Gifts - read Ephesians 4:11-13 .
These are the OFFICE gifts which are full-time ministerial functions : Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist,Pastor and Teacher. These giftings will be explained more when you do Discovering Your Spiritual Gifts.
Please note that there are MOTIVATIONAL gifts that can become three of these offices - Apostleship (a sending forth / missionary heart but not full-time Apostle), Shepherding (Pastor's heart but not in Office of a Pastor) and Teaching (All Teachers teach but not all who teach are in the office of Teacher).
All Spirit-Filled believers can Prophecy (as this is a MANIFESTATIONAL gift - see below), but not all who prophecy are Prophets.
All believers should be involved in Evangelism as it is their Christian responsibility, but not all who do evangelism are Evangelists.
You may have more than one of these offices at a given time or they may even change with time. One example is Barnabus. He started with the motivational gift of ENCOURAGEMENT (Was called the 'Son of Engouragement' in Acts 4:36). Later we see him being called a PROPHET or maybe a TEACHER (Acts 13:1) and even later he is mentioned as an APOSTLE (Acts 14:14) (See All these Scriptures Mentioned).
(ii) MOTIVATIONAL GIFTS (Basic God-given life-motivation).
Look again at The Chart on the Gifts Of The Spirit and identify the MOTIVATIONAL Gifts - read Romans 12:6-8 .
This is a Christian's basic motivation in service. This is given once the believer has The Holy Spirit living in them at new birth. It is not, as has been seen , a natural talent and may even seem to go against the natural talents and temperament of the person at first!
(I remember doing a giftings test when I was 13 years old having been 2 years a Christian. The test showed I had the gift of Teaching.However, I was very shy and couldn't even say boo to a goose. At first I thought the results were wrong, but this is the Lord's calling on my life).
There may be more than one or even many but hardly ever all. These motivations, if allowed to operate, will be used in God's sphere of calling. For example, the gift of helps will be used in a ministry of helps in a specific form - this may be helping missionaries to look after their house/children for instance.
As you learn to understand your basic God-given motivation, you will be clearer in what your call is.
We will see more clearly what these gifts are when we look at Discovering Your Spiritual Gifts.
(iii) MANIFESTATIONAL GIFTS (The 9 Spiritual Gifts).
Look again at The Chart on the Gifts Of The Spirit and identify the MANIFESTATIONAL Gifts - read 1 Corinthians 12:8-10 .
These are literally 'shinings forth' that can be seen operating through us from the point we are Baptised in the Spirit. All Christians may move in ANY of these gifts according to the NEED OF THE MOMENT and the SOVEREIGN WILL OF GOD.
They are unlike the other two categories in that they are not always part of us. They are given only at the time needed. Certain Motivation gifts will generally need more of certain Manifestational gifts. For example, one with the gift of Teaching will need Word of Knowledge and Word of Wisdom particularly, so the Lord will bestow these more commonly in their ministry as they move by faith.
Group or Individual Excercise: Go through the list of Motivational Gifts and discuss what Manifestational gifts they will ESPECIALLY need.
The MANIFESTATIONAL GIFTS may be split into three categories...
(a) REVELATIONAL GIFTS
(i) Word of Knowledge.
(ii) Word of Wisdom.
(iii) Discerning Of Spirits.
(b) POWER GIFTS
(i) Faith.
(ii) Healing
(iii) Miracles
(c) VOCAL GIFTS
(i) Tongues (NB.This is for congregational use to be interpreted).
(ii) Interpretation of Tongues.
(iii) Prophecy.
It is not within the scope of this material to look in detail at these MANIFESTATIONAL gifts as they are not as related to one's Vision and Calling as are the MINISTERIAL and MOTIVATIONAL gifts. In the next section we will look more in detail at these.
(3) Conclusion.
During this section you have seen what the gifts are. Each one of us will have a predominant Motivational Gifting (our basic motivation as a Christian in service) which may develop into a Ministerial Gifting (full-time ministry gift). According to what our Motivational gift is we will shine forth certain Manifestational Gifts more than others but will be capable of using all such gifts as the Spirit wills (if we are baptized in the Spirit).
Go Back To Continue This Lesson.
