Wired to Serve: Discover Your Spiritual Gifts
- Roger Barrier
- Jul 1, 2024
- 14 min read
Spiritual gifts are given by God to build up the church and impact the Kingdom of God. The Holy Spirit empowers each believer with distinctive gifts and ministries.
Before Christ we are wired to consume. When we meet Christ we are wired to serve. We have been gifted to make a contribution vs. constantly consuming. The eternal consequences of Christian service compel us to serve around Casas and in the community.
Jesus described Himself as a servant and urged His followers to serve one another (Luke 22:25–27). The apostle Paul connected serving one another to the Great Commandment (Galatians 5:13–14). “Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant” (1 Corinthians 12:1-13).
What is the difference between spiritual gifts and natural talents? Natural talents result from physical creation. Spiritual gifts are given through spiritual re-creation. Natural talents are often the vehicle through which spiritual gifts can be used.
The spiritual gifts are found in three separate passages in the New Testament (Romans 12; 1 Corinthians 12–14; and Ephesians 4). The lists are not exactly identical. Some overlap occurs.
Perhaps we should look for our ministry on the left hand side (Ephesians 4 and Romans 12). Once we find our ministry, we look to the right hand side (1 Corinthians 12)) to see which gifts God may give to help us to carry out our ministries.
“MINISTRIES OF CHRIST”
Ephesians 4:11
(Building and Instructing)
Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastor-Teacher
Romans 12:6-8 (Supporting) Prophecy
Helps
Teaching Encouragement Giving Administration Leadership Mercy
Does Every Believer Have A Gift?
Can A Believer Have More Than One Gift?
“GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT”
1 Corinthians 12:8-10 (Tools For Ministry)
Wisdom
Knowledge
Faith
Healing
Miracles
Prophecy Distinguishing spirits Speaking in tongues Interpreting tongues
1 Corinthians 7:7 Singleness (celibacy)
How Are Spiritual Gifts Given Out?
An Apostle is one who is sent to establish a foothold for Christianity in unevangelized areas by
proclaiming the Gospel and establishing churches.
A Prophet applies a message from God to a particular situation in relevant terms. This is mostly a preaching gift; however, in biblical times it predicts the future.
An Evangelist is spiritually anointed to persuade people through a variety of relevant methods to surrender their lives to the Person of Jesus Christ. They are quite successful at it.
A Pastor-Teacher oversees the care and spiritual feeding of a church congregation. His/her teaching clarifies and preserves the truths of God.
The gift of Helps is a God-given gift for meeting the practical needs of people.
The gift of Encouragement exhorts people to active to Christian living through loving
encouragement and/or firm discipline if and when needed.
The gift Giving is the ability to make money and/or resources and to give them freely away with joy and delight.
The gift of Administration is the spiritual capacity to organize and manage the church. The gift of Leadership is the spiritual capacity to energize people by creating a vision and
inspiring them to make the vision a reality.
The gift of Mercy brings the empathetic love of God to hurting people in practical ways.
The gift of Wisdom synthesizes concepts, facts and truths in order to find a God-inspired solutions.
The gift of the Word Of Knowledge is a supernaturally revealed communication for a particular reason.
The gift of Faith is the spiritual ability to see something that God intends to do and to live accordingly even before God acts.
Miracle gifts are explained in Scripture in this way:
The gift of Healing refers to the healing of physical disease in response to the Holy Spirit’s promptings through confession, laying on of hands and prayer.
The gift of Miracles is a supernatural event to authenticate the Word and/or reality of God. The gift of Distinguishing Between Spirits is the ability to differentiate between holy, human and demonic powers.
The gift of Tongues is the ability to speak fluently in a previously unlearned language (dialektos) or in a Holy Spirit inspired spiritual prayer language (glossalia).
The gift of Interpreting Tongues is the spontaneous ability to translate the language of one who is using the gift of tongues.
What is the purpose of a spiritual gift?
Spiritual gifts are for the common good. For victory, the church body must work together in harmony, fellowship and love under the leadership of the Holy Spirit.
When utilized properly in a church setting, spiritual gifts intertwine to paint a picture of Jesus Christ.
By the way the heed for utilizing spiritual gifts in a group setting speaks forever to the person who wants to go out on the hillside all alone and worship God all by himself/herself as the basis for his/her religion.
WIRED TO SERVE: DISCOVER YOUR SPIRITUAL GIFTS
DR. ROGER BARRIER
♣SLIDE #: Waiter and tray:
♣SLIDE #: Before Christ: Wired to consume.
Ron waiter at Steak And Ale
Terminated
Thought “consume” was a title: use it up and nothing left.
Meet Christ: Wired to serve.
We have been gifted to make a contribution vs. constantly consuming. The eternal consequences
of Christian service compel us to serve around Casas and in the community.
Jesus described Himself as a servant and urged all of His followers to serve one another:
♣SLIDE #: Luke 22:25–27: “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; …but you are not to be like
that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like
the one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is
it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.”
SHOUT: You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free: to do what—to love.
The apostle Paul connected serving one another to the Great Commandment:
♣SLIDE #: Galatians 5:13–14: You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your
freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.”
God does not just tell us to serve; He gives us really special tools for the task.
♣SLIDE #: 1 Corinthians 12:1: Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant.
Why?
Strengthen the local church fellowship
Extend the church's witness and ministry
Paint a relevant picture of Christ
♣SLIDE #: 1 Corinthians 12:4-6: There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are
different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the
same God works all of them in all men.
♣SLIDE #: 1 Corinthians 12:7-9: Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the
common good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the
message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to
another gifts of healing by that one Spirit,
♣SLIDE #: 1 Corinthians 12:10-11: to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another
distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still
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another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and
he gives them to each one, just as he determines.
♣SLIDE #: 1 Corinthians 12:12: The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though
all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ.
The spiritual gifts are found in three separate passages in the New Testament (Romans 12;
Corinthians 12–14; and Ephesians 4). The lists are not exactly identical. Some overlap occurs.
Every Christian is given at least one gift at conversion. You have one. Let’s find out more about it.
♣SLIDE #:
"MINISTRIES OF CHRIST" "GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT"
Ephesians 4:11 1 Corinthians 12:8-10
(Building and Instructing) (Tools for ministry)
Apostles Wisdom
Prophets Knowledge
Evangelists Faith
Pastor-Teacher Healing
Romans 12:6-8 Miracles
(Supporting) Prophecy
Prophecy Distinguishing
spirits
Helps Speaking in tongues
Teaching Interpreting
tongues
Encouragement
Giving
Administration 1 Corinthians 7:7
Leadership Singleness
(celibacy)
Mercy
Let’s reorganize the gifts for a minute. Perhaps we should look for our ministry on the
left hand side (Ephesians 4 and Romans 12). Once we find our ministry, we look
to the right hand side (1 Corinthians 12)) to see which gifts God has given to us
to carry out our ministry.
What Is The Difference Between Spiritual Gifts And Natural Talents?
Born with Natural Talents
Some natural talents might be musical ability, carpentry, mechanical aptitude, and
artistic skills.
Spiritual gifts are given at conversion and are designed to help bring eternal change to
people.
Natural talents are often the vehicle through which spiritual gifts can be used.
A Christian vocalist may have the spiritual gift of evangelism, or prophecy being carried
through the vehicle of musical talent. Ball player: relationship evangelist
Volunteered to teach 6th grade algebra. I can do that. It us a natural talent.
Teach Bible brings a spiritual dimension.
Check zipper
Count pages
Check mike
Pray, Holy Spirit to mouth, to ears to inner spirit.
Does Every Believer Have A Gift?
Let me encourage you. YES!
You Tube: Football Tricks: short, nondescript, 2nd string at Ucon.
Unlock gym door with bounce shot
Knock doll of friends head at 40 yards.
2 balls, backwards swish-frontwards swish at other basket
Skeet shoot
Pizza
Incredible talent—that is his natural gift.
Gift God gives you, when spiritually used—is incredible.
Can A Believer Have More Than One Gift?
Yes, combinations: 2n-1 where n is the number of gifts.
18 GIFTS = 262,144 combinations)
Yes. And more as we mature and our ministry responsibilities increase.
Tool box for use when needed.
Give definitions and make some comments about particular gifts to illustrate how they
all operate.
♣SLIDE #: PreachItTeachIt.org: Home page, Roger’s sermons
♣SLIDE #: An Apostle is one who is sent to establish a foothold for Christianity in
unevangelized areas by proclaiming the Gospel and establishing churches.
Roberto Morales: 80 churches established.
♣SLIDE #: A Prophet applies a message from God to a particular situation in relevant
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terms. This is mostly a preaching gift but on isolated occasions may predict the
future.
♣SLIDE #: An Evangelist is spiritually anointed to persuade people through a variety of
relevant methods to surrender their lives to the Person of Jesus Christ. They are
quite successful at it.
Glenn’s invitation Sundays
All evangelize…
♣SLIDE #: A Pastor-Teacher oversees the care and spiritual feeding of a church
congregation. His/her teaching clarifies and preserves the truths of God.
Jack plays out this role.
♣SLIDE #: The gift of Helps is a God-given gift for meeting the practical needs of
people.
♣SLIDE #: Don Young died. Marilyn Tolson cleaning up kitchen when I arrived.
Saw her in church office Wednesday. "Do you have the gift of helps?"
Puzzled look: "I don't know . . . But if there is something you need help with, let me
know. I will be glad to help you."
♣SLIDE #: The gift of Encouragement has a double use: to comfort or encourage, and
to admonish and rebuke when necessary.
An exhorter is someone with a fantastic ability to help--"Cheer up--Our God is
omnipotent!
You know people who are like that; they're always in the right place at the right time-
other folks are like Job's counselors, or his wife, "Curse God and die".
Several years ago I set a goal to do three encouraging things every day.
At end of day, if have not fulfilled my vow, I can always say something encouraging to
my children. They need it. It is tough growing up.
Smile: all like it. 10 years with my orthodontist.
“You must be so excited about the new baby? When are you due?”
“I’m not pregnant.”
♣SLIDE #: The gift Giving is the ability to make money and/or resources and to give
them freely away with joy and delight.
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Two characteristics of a person who has the gift of giving are: he has resources; he
delights in sharing those resources.
All give
♣SLIDE #: The gift of Administration is the spiritual capacity to organize and manage
the church.
The Greek word for administration is kuberneseis, meaning helmsman or governor. The
administrator is the person who is qualified to steer the ship. Not Captain
♣SLIDE #: The gift of Leadership is the spiritual capacity to energize people by creating
a vision for the future and inspiring them to make the vision a reality.
Children asked to define Leaders:
Out front
Rear end so better seen than their front side
Charts course on star never seen
One who causes conflict, but who changes things
"You know you're a leader when you look around and people are following you."
♣SLIDE #: The gift of Mercy brings the empathetic love of God to hurting people in
practical ways.
In general Christians should be tender-hearted and compassionate to those in need
around them. But some Christians are endowed by God in a special way to sense
and seek out and help those in need.
Whoever has this gift does not steel himself in the face of another's miseries. Rather
he is drawn to his suffering brother. He must do something about it. The gift
involves more than a feeling of pity; it requires action.
SAM HALL
Washcloth pulled off. Member winced. I walked over and put it back in place. "I guess
you have seen a lot of that." Yes. I could put it back without much feeling. He had
all the feelings.
Probably neither of us had the gift of mercy. He had the feelings and I had the action.
Mercy utilizes both.
Mercy is not my major gift. But, I can still do an act of mercy.
♣SLIDE #: The gift of Wisdom synthesizes concepts, facts and truths in order to find a
God-inspired solution for a particular situation.
♣SLIDE #: The gift of the Word Of Knowledge is a supernaturally revealed
communication for a particular reason.
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Acts 5:1-11 Peter's knowledge of God's supernatural judgment.
Heard Of A Pastor’s Experience In Gifts Of Evangelism
I was flying to a speaking engagement in New York. Seated across the aisle from me
was a middle-aged-business man. But in the split second that my eyes happened to
be cast in his direction, I saw written across his face in clear and distinct letters the
word "adultery.” The man had become aware that I was looking at him. "What do
you want?" he snapped.
As he spoke, a woman's name came clearly to mind. I leaned across the aisle and
asked, "Does the name Jane mean anything to you?"
His face turned ashen. "We've got to talk", he stammered.
We were on was a jumbo jet, the kind with a small upstairs cocktail lounge. As I
followed him up the stairs to the lounge, I sensed the Spirit speaking to me yet
again: "Tell him if he doesn't turn from his adultery, I’m going to take him."
We sat down in strained silence. He looked at me suspiciously and then asked, "Who
told you that name?"
"God told me," I blurted out.
"God told you?" He almost shouted—he was so shocked by what I had said.
"Yes," I answered, taking a deep breath. "He also told me to tell you . . . that unless
you turn from this adulterous relationship, he is going to take your life."
I braced myself for what I was sure would be an angry defensive reaction, but this
defensiveness crumbled and his heart melted.
In a choked, desperate voice he asked me, "What should I do?"
I explained to him what it meant to repent and trust Christ and invited him to pray with
me. With hands folded and head bowed, I began to lead him in a quiet prayer. "O
God."
That was as far as I got. With deep conviction bursting into tears, he cried out, "O God,
I'm so sorry" and launched into the most heartrending repentance I had ever heard.
When he finished praying we talked for a while about what had happened to him.
“The reason I was so upset when you mentioned that name to me was that my wife
was sitting in the seat right next to me. I didn't want her to hear."
I knew he wasn't going to like what I said to him next. "You're going to have to tell
her."
"I am? When?"
"Better do it right now," I said gently.
I followed him, back to our seats. I couldn't hear the conversation over the noise of the
plane, but I could see his wife's stunned reaction, not only to his confession of
infidelity, but also to his account of how the stranger sitting across the aisle had
been sent by God to warn him of the consequences of his sin. Eyes wide with she
stared at me, then back at her husband, then back at me.
In the end the man led his wife to accept Christ, right there on the airplane.
♣SLIDE #: The gift of Faith is the spiritual ability to see something that God wants done
and to live accordingly even before God acts.
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Perhaps synonymous with vision. This person has the same problems as all others, but
can see right through the problems to the resources of God.
GEORGE MUELLER, by faith operated an orphanage in Bristol, England. He cared for
l0,000 orphans over a period of 60 years, receiving $5 million in the process.
He began the work with only two shillings in his pocket. Without once making known
any need, he received enough to build five large homes, able to house 2,000
orphans, and to feed the children day by day, all by faith and prayer. Never did
they go without a meal. Often the pantry was bare when the children sat down to
eat, but help always arrived in the nick of time.
One morning when not a speck of food or milk was on hand to feed the hundreds of
hungry orphans seated expectantly at the breakfast table, Mr Mueller prayed,
"Father, we thank Thee for the food Thou are going to give us." Came a knock at
the door. A baker stood there. "I was awakened at 2 a.m. and felt I should bake
some bread for you." A few minutes later came another knock. A milkman said,
"My mild wagon just broke down in front of your place. I must get rid of these
cans of milk before I can take the wagon for repairs. Can you use this milk?"
Some people see that and think, "boy, I wish I could do that. That doesn't happen to
me." Whip themselves because aren't like Mueller, but Mueller had the special gift
of faith. You and I may or may not have that gift of seeing beyond what others can
see.
♣SLIDE #: The gift of Healing refers to the healing of physical disease in response to
the Holy Spirit’s promptings through confession, laying on of hands and prayer.
Healing story
♣SLIDE #: The gift of Miracles is an event of supernatural power, to authenticate the
Word and/or the reality of God.
Campus Crusade missionary:
Witch doctor didn't want Jesus film. Pleaded and threatened. Missionaries showed it
anyway. Set up film and invited neighboring villages and several thousand turned
up. Turned on generator and began film. Fifteen minutes into the film the witch
doctor crept into the darkness, took his machete and crept over to the power cord
and with one quick move, cut the electric cord -- and the movie kept right on
playing. The Jesus film never stopped. "If that is the kind of God you have, we
need him. He became a Christian."
♣SLIDE #: The gift of Distinguishing Between Spirits is the ability to differentiate
between holy, human, and demonic powers.
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♣SLIDE #: The gift of Tongues is the ability to speak fluently in a previously unlearned
language (dialektos) or in a Holy Spirit inspired spiritual prayer language (glossalia).
Unsaved men and women might hear the gospel in their own languages.
Tongues are useful in prayer to express ideas and concepts which are deep in the
human spirit.
Julie using dialektos in Brazil:
Dianne Walter’s broken arm. Tour left Julie all alone to handle it. Alone in a big city.
.Speaking medical terms and directing traffic in Portuguese.
♣SLIDE #: The gift of Interpreting Tongues is the spontaneous ability to translate the
language of one who is using the gift of tongues.
♣SLIDE #: HOW TO UNWRAP YOUR GIFTS
♣SLIDE #: 1. Study the gifts in the Bible and learn how they operate.
♣SLIDE #: 2. Observe the lives of Christians you know to see how gifts operate in them.
♣SLIDE #: 3. Analyze what gifts you recognize developing in yourself.
♣SLIDE #: 4. Seek confirmation of your gift from others--and from god.
(Jake Ellis, well respected teacher at Northway: "roger, you are a wonderful
teacher."
The inner witness of the spirit is not limited to confirming our salvation. He wants
us to know what our gifts are and how to use them.)
♣SLIDE #: 5. Let your successful ministry experiences be a determining factor in
recognizing your gift.
(What ministry is god blessing?
Someone may realize that often when he has prayed for sick people, they have
become well.
Do you see fruit from your teaching?
Are people trusting Christ as a result of your evangelism?)
♣SLIDE #: 6. Practice! Practice! Practice!
♣SLIDE #: John 13:3-5: Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that
he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his
outer clothing, wrapped a towel around his waist, and began to wash his disciples' feet,
drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
♣SLIDE #: John 13:34-35: "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you,
so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love
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one another."
♣SLIDE #: Love and service
Picture this: Wedding: I just want to serve you
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