The bible mentions spiritual gifts and talents over 200 times throughout the Old and New Testament. When we become saved through Jesus, we become a new creation in the spirit, where our old self has died and passed away. As Christians, we are to walk with God in the spirit (Holy Spirit) through our Lord and Savior Jesus as stated in Ephesians 4:22-24, “…put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” Our continued daily devotion and walk with God is when He speaks to us through His word and Holy Spirit. This is when God provides each one of us with at least one spiritual gift with some of us being blessed with multiple gifts and talents for serving Him through Jesus and His Helper, the Holy Spirit. We are to use these spiritual gifts that God has given us for His honor and glory and for the church body as stated in 1 Peter 4:10-11, “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” The bible also tells us that Love is the greatest gift and that if we have other spiritual gifts but do NOT have Love then we are meaningless – 1 Corinthians 13:1-13.
In the body of Christ, we are many different members of the body serving Christ, the head, with diverse talents for the same Holy Spirit and Kingdom of God. Some members of the body are feet, toes, hands, fingers, knees, ribs, tendons, eyes, ears, nose, mouth, etc., but each member although having different functions make up one entire body. Likewise, the body of Christ is made up of many Christians with various spiritual gifts and talents that ALL serve the same God (Father), Jesus (Son), and Holy Spirit (Spirit). As born-again believers, we were all baptized through Jesus into one body, the body of Christ (church), serving the head (Christ) – 1 Corinthians 12:12-29. We are appointed by God to serve the church (body of Christ) according to His purpose and kingdom. As individual members, God has given us each specific gifts according to His will as we read in 1 Corinthians 12:27-31, “Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the higher gifts.” The bible also tells us that as the many members that make up one body, when one member suffers the entire body suffers and if one member is honored, the entire body is honored as stated in 1 Corinthians 12:26, “If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.”
If we are not using our spiritual gifts and talents for His kingdom and purpose, then we are considered as wicked and foolish servants – Matthew 25:14-30. Jesus makes it clear in is His parable concerning the talents with the servant that did NOT use his one talent for His purpose as we read in Matthew 25:24-26, “He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed?” The bible tells us NOT to neglect the gift that is within us – 1 Timothy 4:14. We cannot say, we would use a gift if we had received one from God. We may not know or experience our spiritual gift because we continue to quench the spirit by NOT being in His word daily and by NOT having a daily devotion with God. Jesus calls us to be doers of His word, and NOT just hearers of the word. Jesus teaches us in the sower of the seed parable that we are to be on good soil (good ground) in order to be fruitful, but if we are on rocky ground or amongst weeds then we are tempted by worldly lusts, riches, and pleasures, and therefore, will NOT be fruitful – Luke 8:11-15. If we are on sinking sand and NOT living in the spirit or performing the will of God, then we cannot expect to receive a spiritual gift. God empowers us all with gifts as we are in the spirit as we read in 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.”
We are called to use our spiritual gifts to benefit the body of Christ and others as explained in Romans 12:4-8, “For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.” We are to be servants for Jesus Christ, living in the spirit, and performing good works (spiritual gifts) according to His will and purpose. God’s will for us is to rejoice and pray without ceasing by NOT quenching the spirit, and to test every spirit by resisting all forms of evil. We are to be kept blameless and watchful for the second coming of our Lord and Savior Jesus – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-23. We are to let our light shine before others by spreading the gospel (good news, true salvation) to the world and to expose the darkness as we read in Ephesians 5:8-14, “for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, ‘Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.’ ” As we are redeemed in Christ, we are filled with the fruits of the Spirit as detailed in Galatians 5:22-23, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.”
Watch this inspiring video by Servants for Jesus Christ – Be Filled With The Holy Spirit.
Do you know where you will spend eternity after you die on earth? Will Jesus be your Lord and Savior or your eternal judge – John 3:15-21, Romans 2:16, 2 Timothy 4:1? Jesus says He is the narrow gate to heaven where it is difficult to find and only a few will enter by it where many will enter the easy, wide and broad gate that leads to Hell and destruction – Matthew 7:13-14. Will you experience the second eternal death (spiritual death) – Revelation 2:11, Revelation 20:6, Revelation 21:8? Do you know for sure that you are written in the eternal Lamb’s Book of Life – Revelation 3:5, Revelation 20:12-15? The place called Hell is NOT a myth and is very real and an extremely scary place – Watch this Video!
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