Spiritual Giftedness Development
How Christ Built Unity in the Church
and Designed the Church to be brought into
Christ’s Likeness
Through Spiritual Gifts

part eight

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God then gives each of us with our gifts the spiritual ability and spiritual capacity to minister to His church.

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There are different manifestations of divine power. Some gifts manifested in certain ways demand a different degree of power than others.

It takes a certain kind of Holy Spirit energizing to put somebody into a situation that each of us are in. (Pastoring a church, being an elder, etc.)

Here is what I have said a number of times. God had called me to peach, to pastor, to lead, to teach a group of people for a number of years. What if God had not given me the faith to believe Him that it’s possible? I am going to be a basket case. I say that now, if I have been called to be the Christian Education and Spiritual Gift development director, if I don’t have the faith to believe God can do this using me, I would be a basket case.

What if God gives me the faith I could do this, and you keep telling me, you can’t do this, we need to get someone else to do this. I would be very discouraged.

So when God gives me the spiritual capacity, he measures out the faith to equal it. Thank goodness for that.

And that means that the energizing is matched to whatever the gifts might be.

So that as the Spirit of God gifts you, He energizes you at that amount, so there is
a sense of fulfillment. Now folks, that is really important for us. Because it takes
a faith and power and energy to do that which God has asked us to do.

FIVE WORKS, FIVE DIFFERENT THINGS, FIVE DIFFERENT FACETS OF A DIAMOND

4,5 6 diversities of gifts, differences of administrations, diversities of operations, 7, manifestation of the Spirit

Five different facets of a diamond, about this idea of spiritual ennoblement in the church ministry.

(1) Spiritual: (verse 1)

(2) "There are diversities of gifts:" Charismatic. What we mean by that is he has sort of an electrifying, captivating, charming personality.

• The word "charismatic" is from the Greek word, "charis." Charis means grace.
  

Grace means an undeserved gift. So when you look at your spiritual capacity, recall this, it is a charisma. It is a gift from God’s grace. You didn’t deserve it. You can’t say,"The reason why I have this gift is because of me." NO. The reason you got where you are today in the church is because it’s a grace gift.

If God has given you a spiritual gift, a spiritual capacity to do something for Him in His church, listen, it’s a gift you didn’t earn or deserve. But at the same time it’s a responsibility that God has given you this ability. I want to be a steward of that which the Lord has energized me by the Holy Spirit.

I often say, "It’s a mystery that God saved me, it’s also a mystery why God has called me to be in ministry.

(3) Differences of administration. Vs 5

Administration is diakoneon. Which means deacon. Which means servant. There are then different grace gifts, different spiritual gifts, different Holy Spirit energizing, and there are different services.

ANOTHER WORD FOR SPIRITUAL GIFT IS SERVICES. The purpose of my gift is service.

Can I say, the purposes of spiritual gifts is not designed as special privileges for the one who has them, its not for my edification. It’s a gift from God for His Purposes.

I Peter4:10 "As every man has received the gift, even so serve the same one to another, as good stewards." Here is the point. When you serve with your spiritual gift, serve one another in divine energy. Ephesians 4:12.

spiritual gifts, services, and now vs 6 varieties of energizing. KJV says "diversities of operation." NASV says, "varieties of effects".

Just let me say, when we begin to work in the capacity that God has gifted us for, let me tell you, there is a flow of divine energy that is thrilling.

Let me also say, what God energizes is His Word as it comes out of my mouth.

I often had said here in this church, I want to do what is my spiritual gift. And why is that? I know the difference between when I’m doing what the Spirit of God has gifted me to do and energized me to do, and when I’m doing something else that I need to do. I’m doing something, but I don’t have that same sense of spiritual energy. That’s the difference. And there is a difference in energy.

(4) Manifestation vs. 7 The word means to make clear, to make visible, to make known, to make manifest. It means it’s not private or to be hidden. That is the purpose of a spiritual gift. It is to make clear, manifest and for public display. That’s the idea. I am to preach or teach in public not in my room at the house.

"The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every Christian for the common good."
Vs. 7
It’s to manifest the work of the Spirit to everyone that’s been gathered together.

(5) gifts. Vs. 11 Every one has a gift. There are no spiritual elite. Mine’s just different, that’s all. Same thing. We’re all gifted. Mine is different than yours.

NASV "distributing to each one individually just as He wills." KJV "giving to every man severally as he will."

Can anyone be a director of Christian Education? Or a Pastor? Or an Elder?

A lot of people hold these positions in the church. Many are gifted. Many have the position because there was a need, and they are not necessarily gifted.