Gifts of the Spirit 3

The motivational gifts are practical in nature. They describe the inner motivations of the Christian servant. Motivational gifts almost always reveal the particular spiritual gift given to the Christian through what he or she is drawn toward. Whether speaking, teaching, serving, or encouraging, our motivational gift is revealed by what might be called a “divine want to do.”

For instance, Jeremiah was called to preach. His calling was accompanied with a strong motivation toward a preaching ministry. He testified, “If I say, I will not make mention of [the Lord] or speak any more in His name, in my mind and heart it is as if there were a burning fire shut up in my bones. And I am weary of enduring and holding it in; I cannot [contain it any longer]” (Jeremiah 20:9).

So, let’s explore the motivational gifts as revealed in Scripture:

MOTIVATIONAL GIFTS

The motivational gifts serve to reveal the personality of God. These gifts are practical in nature. They describe the inner motivations of the Christian servant. Put simply, God places in our hearts a desire to do His will. “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him” (Philippians 2:13).

We might say that God places within each of His children a divine “wanna do,” a desire to operate in the gift He’s given us. This is what is meant by our “motivational gifts.” Again, Paul exhorts us to get on with it and operate in our gifting:

Romans 12:4-6 “4 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, 5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. 6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them:”

With motivational gifts, we are not dealing with the manifestation of the gift itself, but with what motivates the person with the gift. Paul lists the motivational gifts in Romans 12 beginning with:

6 “…if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith;”

•Prophecy - Those with the motivational gift of prophecy are the "seers" or "eyes" of the body. They have insight, foresight, and act like watch dogs in the church. They warn of sin or reveal sin. They are usually very verbal and may come across as judgmental and impersonal; they are loyal to truth over friendship, serious, dedicated.

7 “…or ministry, let us use it in our ministering;”

•This gift includes Ministering/Serving/Helps - Those with the motivational gift of serving are the "hands" of the body. They have the ability to identify and care for the physical needs of the body through a variety of means. The Greek word for this gift is the same as that for ministry or deacon, but the gift should not be confused with the office.

They are concerned with meeting needs; they are highly motivated doers. They may tend to over-commit, but find joy in serving and meeting short-term goals. In most churches you will find about five percent of the congregation doing most of the work, and this is typically done by those with the gift of Ministering/Serving/Helps.

Next, Paul says:

“…he who teaches, in teaching;”

•Teaching - Those with the motivational gift of teaching are the "mind" of the body. Teachers have the ability to clearly explain and effectively apply the truths of God's Word so that others will learn. They realize their gift is foundational; they emphasize accuracy of words and love to study; they delight in research to validate truth.

Next, we have the exhorter:

8 “he who exhorts, in exhortation;”

•Exhortation/Encouragement - Those with the motivational gift of encouragement are the "mouth" of the body. Like cheerleaders, they encourage other believers and are motivated by a desire to see people grow and mature in the Lord. They are practical and positive and they seek positive responses. Encouragers are great people to be around because they bring you up, are positive, and natural motivators.

Then we have the giver:

“…he who gives, with liberality;”

•Giving - Those with the motivational gift of giving are the "arms" of the body. They truly enjoy reaching out in giving. They are excited by the prospect of blessing others; they desire to give quietly, in secret, but will also motivate others to give. They are alert to people's needs; they give cheerfully and always give the best that they can. This is not to say the whole church should not be active in giving. Those with the gift of giving are often people of means (but don’t have to be) who use their ability to make wealth to be a blessing to special projects, to help the helpless, and to meet needs that are particularly obvious.

Next we have leaders:

“…he who leads, with diligence;”

Leadership (Romans 12:8)--The ability to discern God's purpose for a group, set and communicate appropriate goals, and motivate others to work together to fulfill that purpose. Those with the motivational gift of leadership are at the "head" of the body in that they lead the flock. A person with this gift is effective at delegating tasks to followers without manipulation or coercion. People with this gift are often charismatic, inspirational, and have the ability to impart vision, then carry the group to achieving it.

Then we have the merciful:

“…he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.”

Mercy (Romans 12:8)--The ability to deeply empathize and engage in compassionate acts on behalf of people who are suffering physical, mental, or emotional distress. Those with the motivational gift of mercy are the "heart" of the body. Those with this gift manifest concern and kindness to people who are often overlooked. They easily sense the joy or distress in other people and are sensitive to feelings and needs. They are attracted to and patient with people in need, motivated by a desire to see people healed of hurts. Again, all Christians should be merciful, but the person with the motivational gift of mercy gravitates to ministries that allow them to operate in mercy, such as feeding the homeless, counseling, hospital visitation, etc.

DISCOVERING YOUR SPIRITUAL GIFT(S)

As you seek to discover your spiritual gift or gifts, ask yourself these questions:

1. Have I received Christ as my Savior? Unlike natural talents, spiritual gifts are bestowed only on believers.

2. Am I walking in fellowship with the Lord? To be effective, spiritual gifts must be manifested in the context of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. This fruit is impeded by unconfessed sin and a failure to abide in Christ (John 15:4).

3. Do I really want to develop my gift(s)? A prerequisite to knowing your gifts is a willingness to go through the effort involved in discovering and developing them.

SIX STEPS

1.Asking.

Begin to ask God to show you your gifts (cf. Philippians 4:6-7; Jas. 1:5). God wants you to discover and implement the gifts He has given you, and this is a request you can make with confidence and expectation.

2.Awareness.

Expose yourself to the biblical teaching on spiritual gifts by studying Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12-14, and Ephesians 4. Question other Christians who clearly know and use their spiritual gifts. Ask them about their gifts and how they discovered them.

3.Aspiration.

God is committed to your joy, not your misery. Then you will take delight in the Lord, and he will answer your prayers (Psalms37:4). As you pray and learn about the various gifts, ask yourself what you would most want to do. “For it is God who is at work in you both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13). Your feelings should not be the only test, but they may indicate the direction for you to take. For example, Paul told Timothy, “If someone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a good work” (1 Timothy 3:1).

4.Activity.

Just as we discover our natural talents by trying our hand at numerous things, in the same way we can discover our spiritual gifts by experimenting with several of the available gifts. If we don't try, we will never know. This requires availability and a willingness to learn our weaknesses as well as strengths.

5.Ability.

Activity eventually points to ability. Don't be premature in your personal evaluation, because ability increases with practice. Be sensitive to areas of improvement. Look for opportunities within the community of believers of which you are a part, and seek the evaluation of mature Christians who are familiar with your activities. Because of the danger of self-deception, spiritual gifts are best recognized by other members of the body.

6.Affirmation.

The final affirmation of a spiritual gift is the blessing that should result from its exercise. As you use your gift or gift-combination in the power of the Spirit, God will confirm and establish you in your ministry, and there will continue to be positive feedback from those to whom you minister. It has been said that desire may indicate it, ability will confirm it, and blessing will accompany it.

DEVELOPING YOUR SPIRITUAL GIFT(S)

Having discovered your gift or combination of gifts, you are accountable to yourself, others, and God to develop and cultivate that which the Spirit has implanted within you. The gifts of the Spirit are developed in three primary ways:

A. By exercise. Like natural talents, spiritual gifts are developed by practice, not just by desire. Without regular exercise, they will suffer from atrophy. Continue to pursue opportunities and persevere in the use of your gift(s).

B. By evaluation. Be open to the evaluation and counsel of other believers. Periodically ask godly people to evaluate your ministry in terms of strengths, weaknesses, and ways to improve.

C. By trial and error. Don’t be afraid to fail. Every baby must risk falling and skinning its knee in order to learn to walk. Remember that Jesus never rebuked faith, only the lack of it. As He encouraged Peter to get out of the boat to walk on the water, He calls to you and me to step out in faith that we might learn to walk on the waters of ministering to others through our gift.