How did you discover ur spiritual gifts?

Thank you, rose, for the post. I really appreciate that. I thought the thread might be helpful, altho what you and others said abt natural gifts, and God enabling the weak and fearful vessels to do His work is true. Maybe some may indeed see the many pp of questions useless or unnecessary, but for me and some others at least, it was a way of pinpointing areas/strengths in life i didnt know were there. It's like one may have writing, speaking, or drawing talents, but not necessarily spiritually used.. That is, some are quick to see, or others easily see some others' giftedness. But for some, it takes a while, like what lynn said perhaps. There's even some kind of trial and error..

In our case, the material was presented like a seminar taking a few weeks to discuss and explore areas God may be able to use us. Personally, i found it helpful, coz we often heard it said, every Christian is a leader, etc. but whatever i did, i did not see that i was! Now Rom. 12 shows leadership is also a spiritual gift, and/but it is not better or less better than other gifts. That is what's good abt this, God shows even the poorest speaker could be merciful, pray for others, or in time speak or teach, as He empowers as He did moses.

Your friend is entitled to her ideas on the test. But it is not like other tests, as the instructions say, that we should be limited to what it says, and does for us. I'll see you again.

For me, it was mostly a matter of just finding myself "doing" it. Since it is the Holy Spirit manifesting through a person, I felt impelled to teach and found that I could. And I felt an anointing (heat) in my hands one day and "knew" I was to pray for healing. Sometimes I just "know" the right word to speak for encouragement, comfort or a word of wisdom. I often "know" the words God would say to someone, and find when I spoke them in faith, they were the exact ones needed.

The gifts seem to just happen. I believe that many many Christians have been used in some of these gifts and didn't recognize what they were. They just acted in faith or felt impelled. Some even just know how to lead, help or organize, not recognizing it is a supernatural gift.

I have learned not to speak of any as my gift. The gift is for the person who needs to receive it. I'm just a vessel that the Holy Spirit uses.

i first came across the notion that i may have a gift when a friend told me i had the gift of evangelism. that made me think about it abit. some time later i saw a broadcast of a preacher on tv talking about the gift of mercy, and i realised i had that gift too, i didnt realise what i experienced was a gift not that i thought it may or may not be, but when the preacher described the gift of Mercy i knew i had it.

I found i had other gifts by the course of time by actively being involved in ministering in some capacity whether it being involved in evangelising or learning i had a teaching gift by the way i talked to others in the church in bible studies and conversations or while evangelising. gift of words of wisdom came up in these times too.

I was overseas in Israel for about 4 months and spent a lot of time in a christian house of prayer there, after spending a lot of time just soaking in gods presence there, i came home to my country and the gift of seeing in the spirit (seer) gift had been activated a long with the gift of discernment of spirits which both started working when i was in israel and was manifested more when i got home i didnt do much to make them work or seek them out them they just became a part of my life at times the holy spirit enabled me to use them.

i also learnt i had the gift of revelation or as i know it the revelatory gift, there are other gifts too that i came to learn i have, mostly they are just things i start to do or experience in a spiritual way and i have come to realise they are a gifts that im have even though at the time i dont always know a certain gift is being used but i can tell at other times when i think about and know i have certain gifts because of what i have been doing, having the seer gift enables me to see in the spirit in my own life to realise i have some gifts, i think i have just started doing certain things that i didnt know how to do before and the holy spirit trains me how to use them, i get feelings or impressions or desires to do or say certain things and they come from those gifts manifesting within me.

i open my pineal gland in my minds eye with music on youtube

Amen..............

Thank you, joie, for sharing your experience on spiritual gifts. I believe it is quite different for different people. It is just that i do know some who have been 'Christian' for so long, and do not seem to know what, how, when and where to use what God has gifted them with. What's not very easy is we may have natural talents which we may not realize are needful in God's body. Esp. if they are not of the leadership, teaching, healing, prophesying type. At some point i thought the gift assessments were developed by some believers as they saw the need to help identify personal spiritual gifts, also for the leaders to understand and assess how to help see the direction the church is going based on the gifts. For example, knowing there are more with leaning on missions, various support can be directed there, etc.

Willie,
I am not sure if you shared abt this in other posts, but if you did, you may want to tell more abt it, thanks.

I hope you share ur own experiences too.

Curry Blake speaks of how He is looking for those who are bold, compassionate, and available to do His will.
He is using me as well to do His good will in my sphere of influence as He speaks, guides and shows what He wants me to do.
blessings

i think maybe its better if others say what they believe God has gifted me with through interaction and evidence


lol i dont want to boast or lie

and im not sure

but i saw your list

and i see God working many of these things in me

not that ive gotten all i need and its a done deal for any of them

i like what tinuviel said...

Good for you, I guess(?)...but wrong thread. :/

Thanks for the anon rep, random person out there...

Hi and thanks for the link as I've never done or seen a test like this one before in church, so will be reading it later.

My first experience was in my later years during a Church small mid week service, vicar was talking about the office being short staffed then I got a feelling of being pushed forward at the back of my shoulders and a pulling on the front of me as to be led by my top as he went on more to say about the office staff moving on so waited till after the service and approached him to chat about my experience not being there before. Overtime I was a regular member in a staff prayer group and stared to see things in my mind as if looking at them while not thinking of any thoughts. I always felt warm and a little tiring from them when we came out of prayer. If I never spoke up what I had seen or felt it would be repeated till I said. I used to get goosebumps when I was near anything positive and have passed on a little info sometimes sounding strange but still learning this.

Hello river2sky,
I sincerely hope such a 'test' would be of help, that you may find and use the gifts from the Lord in His good time. I see ppl can be gifted in many ways, but too afraid, shy or just even ignorant of our gifts that we do not employ them when there is a need or opportunity. Welcome and God bless.

Thanks, and to all who dropped by. I saw there were 'tests' for youth, and our gifts do change, add up, or hopefully not, taken away when we do not use or invest on them. May you be able to identify them in good time so that you may use to serve God and others while you are young. The hymn said, Give of your best to the Master, give of the strength of your youth...

Hi and thanks for replying, I have small amount of the gifts and I do use when and where I can. God bless.

Hi river2sky,

I've been wanting to return to this thread. Even while i pondered on the OP, i was not looking for it but found a booklet at home on Discovering Your Ministry Identity. If you can find, it is only abt 50 pp, and touches on Spiritual gift definitions, characteristics and Bible references.

1) Supporting spiritual gifts (gifts with more action-oriented function) and 2) Equipping spiritual gifts (gifts more verbal in function) are the two categories of gifts the author presents. Since we at cc are a different bunch of ppls, cultures and maturity, let me share some which may be helpful esp for the younger folks searching for which way to go in serving the Lord. The former includes administration, giving, helps, mercy; the latter exhortation, evangelism, faith, leadership, teaching, wisdom. Here are some definitions and descriptions from Paul ford's booklet, as well as possible liabilities/struggles to some.

Giving - the supernatural ability to give freely, cheerfully and sacrificially of one's money or possessions for the sake of Christ and His body.
- The giver's own family may suffer because too much has been given away!
- May give w/o holding the recipient accountable.

Mercy - show great empathy and compassion for those who suffer physically, emotionally or spiritually, and to assist them.
- May be too protective of persons cared for.
- May base decisions on emotion than reason.

Exhortation - supernatural ability to encourage, comfort, challenge or rebuke others to action that they respond.
- May struggle with follow-through w/ an individual or project
- May offer 'quick-fixes' and appear insensitive to longer term needs.
- May jump to conclusions before listening to whole story.

Faith - ability to trust in God w/ extraordinary confidence, knowing He will work out His purposes in every situation.
- May exercise faith w/o love.
- May be impatient when others are more timid or careful.
- May be stubborn or unyielding instead of willing to listen to counsel.

Leadership - ability to provide overall vision and direction for others such they they are willing to follow.
- May become insensitive to individuals carrying out details of vision.
- May become overly dominant or demanding if not sensitive to the Spirit.
- May become prideful of their position of power.

Teaching - ability to clearly and accurately communicate the truths of the Bible in such a way that ppl learn.
- May appear to have all the answers.
- May communicate too much info too quickly for the ave. learner.
- May become prideful of their own learning.