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Administration
is a gift that provides insight into other people’s spiritual gifting as
well as natural talent, which allows for placing people who want to minister
in a particular way together with those who need just this ministry.
Compassion transcends both
natural human sympathy and normal Christian concern, enabling one to sense
in others a wide range of emotions and then provide a supportive ministry of
caring and intercessory prayer. Also called the gift of Mercy.
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Discernment is the heightened ability to read or hear a
teaching, to encounter a problem, or to consider a proposed course of
action, and then determine whether the source behind the teaching, problem,
or action is divine, merely human, or satanic. This will be a much needed
gift near the End of the Age.
Evangelism is a special ability to lead unconverted persons to a saving
knowledge of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The person with this gift has the
wisdom to know when, who, and how to call the rebellious into the Kingdom of
God.
Evangelists are the spiritual "obstetricians" in the church.
Exhortation is the gift of being
able to encourage others by well timed and wise counsel. This gift builds
the Body of Christ by helping new, young and adolescent disciples to turn
from sin and believe in the power of the Holy Spirit. Barnabas, whose
name literally means Son of Encouragement, is the best example of this in
the Bible. Also called the gift
of Counseling, or the gift of Encouragement.
Faith as a gift is an
extraordinary confidence in God that is unshakable by situations, pain,
apparent failure, or ridicule. While we are all called to have faith,
this is an extraordinary amount of faith above and beyond that of Christians
without this gift. This gift strengthens the individual and
other believers (by example) to endure persecution and wait upon the Lord.
Giving empowers one in a
sensitive way to detect material or financial needs and meet those needs
with Spirit inspired generosity. Recipients of help from Christians with
this gift have a clear sense that God has provided, not man.
Helps enables one to assist
people in skilled ways that are supernaturally enhanced by the anointing of
the Holy Spirit. This is similar to the gift of serving except that it
is specific concerning a certain skill - such as the goldsmiths who helped
Moses build the items for the tabernacle. Those with this gift should be highly esteemed in the Body.
Knowledge is an ability to
remember Scripture or have it supernatural quickened, or to know a fact or
truth about a person or situation revealed directly by the Holy Spirit.
Leadership in the Greek is
actually "he who provides leadership in giving aid". These go first and
lead by example, so that others are motivated to follow. (1Cor 11:1) Those
with the gift of leadership are quick to identify problems and show by doing
how to minister to those in need.
Missionary
is the ability to communicate across cultural barriers and plant churches
where there is no knowledge of the gospel. It is usually accompanied with a
distinct calling and a miraculous lifestyle. In Greek (apostolos) "a sent
one", or "a messenger", a Missionary. Sometimes called
the gift of Apostle, although true apostles were required to have
seen the risen Lord.
Pastoring is the collective
(plural in Greek) ministry of the Elders to "shepherd" an individual or
community of Christian believers. This gift is a special passion and
empowering to lead people into green pastures, steer others away from
danger, fight off predators, and bind up wounds. Sometimes called the
gift of Shepherding.
Prophecy is speaking what God
wants said with clarity, creativity, and power. It is also called the gift
of Preaching. The primary ministry in this gift is not prediction, but in
confronting people with the truth about God and man - with conviction and
repentance as the result.
Serving is a gift which
expresses the love of Christ by taking care of lowly or time-consuming tasks
to allow others to be more effective ministers. Similar to the gift of
Helps, but here the work performed is menial rather than skilled. Those
with this gift are the truest and highest leaders in the church, and ought
to be recognized as such.
Teaching is the ability to
understand and communicate the Christian faith so as to make the truth clear
to others. The result of this gift is the equipping and maturing of others
in the body of Christ so that they will grow in grace and be more effective
disciples.
Wisdom is special illumination
that enables one in a specific instance to grasp divine insight regarding a
fact, situation, or context. This gift is useful in directing the Body in
what to do next; in making God's will known.
Practical Use of Spiritual Gifts
Return to Spiritual Gift
Index
