Do you know what your spiritual gift(s) are? That’s the first step.
Access a free spiritual gifts assessment here.
Maybe you are wondering how to put them into action? This quick read will help you discover and develop your spiritual gift(s) and put your spiritual gifts into action in 3 simple steps.
For more information on how the Holy Spirit works in your life, check out a free excerpt from my latest study An Unexpected Revival!
Once you know what your gift(s) may be, how do you put them into action?
1. Read examples of how people used the various gifts in the Bible.
These stories may prompt you with some ideas as to how God may be calling you to use your similar gift(s).
Here are several types of spiritual gifts we see exhibited in living color throughout Scripture.
Leadership/Vision Caster: Peter replacing Judas (Acts 1:12-26). James leading the Jerusalem church through a time of great crisis (Book of James).
Administration: managing people resources effectively/executor of vision and mobilizer of people. Stephen (Acts 6:1-7)
Teaching: Paul (his epistles)
Knowledge: Paul (also his epistles, Acts 17:22-34)
Wisdom: Priscilla and Aquila (Acts 18:24-28)
Prophecy: Call to warn, admonish, deliver the truth of God’s Word- read any of the prophetic books. My favorite is Ezekiel. Check out my study on Ezekiel here.
Discernment: Peter (Acts 5:1-11, Acts 8:9-25)
Exhortation/Encouragement: Barnabas (Acts 9:26-28, Acts 11:19-30)
Shepherding/Pastoral: Peter (Acts 9:32) & John (I, II & III John)
Faith: John remaining at the cross with Jesus (John 19:25-27), John believing Jesus’ resurrection (John 20:1-8)
Evangelism: Philip (Acts 8:4-8, 26-40) & various saints (Acts 11:19-21)
Apostleship/Missions: same as above
Service/Helps: Tabitha (Acts 9:36-43)
Mercy: Ananias (Acts 9:10-19)
Giving: Church at Antioch(Acts 11:29-30)
Hospitality: Lydia (Acts 16:13-15) & Simon the Tanner (Acts 9:43).
These examples are far from exhaustive! The Bible provides countless stories of Biblical characters exercising their gifting. Take the time to truly understand the gift you have been given, how God called others to put it into action in the past and to begin to seek Him as to how He may be calling you to exercise your gift(s) today.
Which brings us to step 2.
2. Pray for Direction.
One thing you will notice if you read all of the above stories carefully, the Holy Spirit directed these men and women through prayer. Or they took their course of action after seeking the Lord in prayer. Our spiritual gift(s) primarily serve for building and benefitting others. But their effectiveness becomes most evident through a believer who regularly prays! So talk to God about your gift and calling.
Yes! You have a wisdom type. Take the free quiz and discover your archetype.
Don’t let doubt and failure shake your confidence. Wisdom isn’t one-size-fits-all. Beyond the traditional “wise sage”, you could shine as a thoughtful processor, deep ponderer, or keen speculator.
Unlock your wisdom archetype with our quick quiz and learn to confidently tackle life’s challenges.
3. Be prepared to be prepared.
Nearly every follower of God went through a time of preparation before they were called by God to carry out specific tasks. Elijah was sent to Cherith and Zarephath. Jesus went out into the desert. David ran for his life from Saul. Moses herded sheep. The disciples sat tucked away in an upper room after three solid years with Jesus. Paul traveled to Arabia and then back to Damascus. God rarely issued a call to men and women and then immediately directed them into action. Most required a season or even years of preparation.
I remember the first time I ever “wrote” anything “for God”. I was working as an elementary teacher and the church needed someone to write curriculum for the 3rd-5th graders. Truthfully, it just felt like what I did at work every day at school. No big spiritual excitement erupted while I dutifully wrote. But I knew the need was there, God had gifted me to teach, so I agreed to do it. I trudged along pounding out lesson plans for Sunday school teachers. At the time I had not the faintest clue that God was equipping me to begin to write women’s Bible studies. And honestly, if He had told me so, I probably would not have believed Him!
For more information on how the Holy Spirit works to prepare you for your calling, check out a free excerpt from my latest study An Unexpected Revival!
Putting Your Spiritual Gifts into Action!
To begin to exercise our gift(s) doesn’t always feel like a big spiritual hurrah. Sometimes it may just feel like work. That doesn’t mean it’s not significant. It could be a spiritual faith-building exercise testing your obedience in the small things. And God won’t necessarily inform you as to how He is using that obedience to prepare you for something else in the future. He simply presents the opportunity to obey and waits to see if we will be faithful.
You have been gifted my friend. Don’t wait for God to ask you to use it in some big, flashy way to feel like, “This is it! This is my calling!”. Just open your heart and eyes to the needs around you. Does the need require someone with your gift(s)? Then pray about jumping in and building your spiritual muscle. Trust God’s admonition that faithfulness and obedience matter. Your willingness to exercise your gift in a small way today may be the beginning to God opening the door to bigger things tomorrow.
Want to learn more about the person and the work of the Holy Spirit? This article will walk you through Who He is and how He fully works in a Christian’s life.
