Should one persue spiritual gifts as a christian ?

Hi Everyone

I'm new here I hope you're all well...and basking in Gods wonderful grace ......though I have something pressing on my mind which I am now got the courage to pursue. I have known for quite a while what my spiritual gifts have been though I recently completed a christian spiritual gifts test which confirmed what I already knew. The gifts are Service , Prophecy and Discernment....and with this and knowing it now and accepting it has confused me a little in the past ,I do not know how to strengthen my gifts other than the gift of service which I am already doing.
In the non-christian circles it is regarded as intuitive though how would one use and share these gifts in the church, christian and social/spiritual environment? I don't have a lot of people who can answer these as they are gifted in the more practical gifting and do not know how to answer.
I am sure there are plenty of you out there in Christian chat whom have these gifts too. I'm wondering how have you sought out ways to develop and share the gifts without developing pride, spiritual warfare etc....please ....shed some light

Discernment comes from God. Not you. So what is there to strengthen but listening?
And while I don't believe prophets exist any longer the same would go for prophecy. It's from God, not you. So what's to strengthen?

Personally not a big fan of man made gifts tests.

Hi belinda!

I havent welcomed you here, so here goes: glad to have you with us at cc.

Someone started a thread on spiritual gifts recently, but i know there were a few some mos. (?) ago. It took me a while to know and understand my own gifts, so i could say i really felt i've wasted a lot of time and in fact redeeming time=). Neither can i help you with your questions, except that i think the closer you are to the Lord, the more He can teach and guide you, and help you discern what He will. I understand some people are 'stuck' where they dont know how or why they are not able to serve the Lord, only to realize they werent using or pursuing their gifts.

If one's a gifted teacher, then teaching should come naturally, would it not, and not a big struggle for one. A listener and reader, you could say a person has some qualities that would make for a good teacher, but one needs more than that-- being teachable too, etc. For example, some people have urged me to teach for a long time, but i know in my heart that's not my gift or strength, and even when i prayed to the Lord, am not convinced. I realize there are other things and ways He has called me to serve Him and others with no guilt feelings and the endless tug-of-war i experienced when i was still asking Him about that. It took a while, but He had to check me as when i 'play before the Lord,' that i was not really playing for myself. When i have practiced for say a special number and for some reason it could not push thru, i look at that as the Lord letting me check my heart, as when there is something not acceptable to Him before giving an offering.

Hope that was of help.

hi Belinda777, welcome to CC!

I'd say not to worry too much about whether you're doing your gifts at a particular moment or not. just walk in the spirit, which basically means Walking In Love. focus on how you can edify or build up the other person in any interaction.

At church, focus on what you can do to build up the body. I think you'll find the spirit empowering you to do things, probably even some things you didn't know you had gifts for.

glory to Jesus!

well here I go being a wet blanket

far too many focus on the gifts and not on the giver of those gifts

the scripture that deals with gifts says that it is God who determines who gets what and He places those gifts within the believer and enables them, through His Holy Spirit

there is abuse in many churches with regards to certain of the gifts...especially 'prophecy' and 'teaching'


12 Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. 2 You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. 3 Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them.5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.

7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,[a] and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

I Corinthians 12

apart from my post above, I would question what people think the gift of prophecy in the NT actually is

what do think?

I think prophecy in New Testament times is basically speaking a message from God.

two things to consider

a person can prophesy without realizing it, like the high priest does in the Gospel of John I think it is.

and that the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. Which I take to mean that a prophecy can be colored by a person's own desires or psychology.

You know well enough that you are in relationship with the father. And his holy spirit indwelling you is a precious gift. Like in any relationship you'll find those who are jealous of that. Awareness allows for preparation.

If you're a member of a church you could check with them and see if they have any community outreach programs for their members in need.
In the stillness we can find what God wants us to do. Even in the chaos, when we have the power of discernment we can see what it is God wants us to do in that moment that arrives.

Pray. Journal. I'm big on journaling because as we take that time to ourselves and write from the heart, God can say a word or two and we can see the flow that happens as life itself. And those moments when God stepped in.
Ask him aloud even. Father, thy will be done. Point me to your service.
I have a bible study friend that did that one day as she was tidying her apartment for our weekly meeting. Just after that her phone rang and it was the local hospital volunteer office. She'd forgotten the application she put in to care for babies as a volunteer snuggler. Over a year she'd been on the list and as you can imagine not a lot of people quit a voluntary job where one can snuggle babies and bring them that comfort in a crowded nursery.

God is always with us. He'll always point you in the right direction. It is why he gave you his gifts. So that you have something to work with in his service.
(hugs) May God's light and strength carry you forth.

God gives what you need when you need it. No need to fret or worry. God does not do entertainment or self enrichment.

All Christians are to be witnesses for Christ. To witness and attest to the great gift of salvation that has been given to them.

For the cause of Christ
Roger

well I've heard that before, regarding prophesying and not knowing it...but Christians are supposed to have the Holy Spirit inside...unlike the High Priest...so...not sure what I think about that

bt what you bring up regarding the spirits of the prophets being subject to one another is terribly overlooked and we have all these rogue so called prophets and people go oooo and aaaaa...and just dismiss it when things do not come true

of course a person's personality comes through...for example the OT prophets are easily distinguishable one from the other even though the Holy Spirit is making real to them what the word of the Lord is

one thing is certain though...it seems every second person wants to either be a prophet, thinks they are one or thinks they have some kind of 'prophetic' gift

teaching is another gift that too many think they have

the Bible does say to pray for the gifts though...but prob better not to label yourself...

If you truly have the gift of prophecy (and I'm not saying that you don't)... you would know when, where and who you need to prophesy to because God would be directing you. It's not the type of gift that can be strengthened. You are simply a messenger when God needs you to send a message to someone. There's nothing you can do to make it happen more often or with more detail.

If God grants a gift to a believer then God will continue to cause that believer to be fruitful in that gift for as long as God wills them to bare fruit.. A believer must concern themselves with keeping the Faith and being diligent in growing in the knowledge of salvation / of the will of God..

It is not by our efforts that we become ""better"" or ""greater "" in the gift that God has given us.. God will cause us to be at what ever level He wills us to be and that will be according to His will.. If God does not need us to have a particular gift then we will not receive it.. The gifts are given so that we can serve Gods purpose.. They are not given to serve us, or our purpose..

We can and should ask God for a gift, what so ever gift He wills to give us.. But that should be asked with the attitude of wanting to serve His purpose better rather then wanting to get a top notch gift so that we can be admired and gain some kind of higher status over other Christians.. People need to have the right Spirit in regard to what they wish to have and do..

Oh and PS:: I have no confidence in anything like a gifts tests administered by anyone on earth.. If one is granted a gift from God they will come to know it without needing any human based test on earth..

you say a lot of good stuff there!

I think in 1st Corinthians 14 at least in the King James it talks about how during a prophecy the others are to judge. I grew up in a Pentecostal Church, and I never heard anyone judge a prophecy to be not from God. I certainly don't think that just because someone says they have a message from God, or if they are thought to have a prophetic gift, that their messages should be passed on without judgement. So in some ways, I think many of the Pentecostal churches fall down on that point.

At the same time, I think it does say somewhere in Corinthians that we are earnestly to desire spiritual gifts especially that we may prophesy. is it still for today? I lean towards yes, but I'm not dogmatic about it.

well thanks

on the other hand, I did not grow up in a Pentecostal church but have attended them in times past

and I never heard the so called 'prophecies' done according to scripture

here's a story about one such:

one evening service a person stood up and spoke in tongues and then another stood up to supposedly translate and the so called translator said that the congregation had been asking for signs and wonders (yes he actually used those very words) and now God was going to give them to them ... and the cheering, clapping and dancing around that brought on was something to see

TOTALLY FALSE FALSE FALSE!!! guessing you know what scripture actually states about asking for that?

no one judged that...they cheered it!

and frankly, I believe that most so called prophecies are fake along with the 'prophets'

in post 10 above I alluded to desiring the gifts but it seems nowadays many read that as pick which one appeals to you and go for it

so now they have tests to flatter people...you don't need a test if God decides to extend a spiritual gift to someone. what you actually do need, is accountability and discernment.

people also tend to confuse a word of knowledge and prophecy

most NT testament prophecy is actually forthtelling...proclaiming the word...and not some future event

yes, and maybe I have a broader idea of what I'm calling prophecy than many people.

Say for example I was in a small Bible study. And one person there was distressed because their spouse had talked about the possibility of divorce. And another person said some really helpful, encouraging words to that person, words that also edified the whole group. I would say that in that situation the edifying words would count as a prophecy from God, the gift of Prophecy. Though, I probably wouldn't use those words, that is saying it was a message from God. but I would probably want to say something to indicate that I had judged it such as "that's so true".

and I would fully agree that word of knowledge, and Word of Wsdom often get confused with prophecy. actually, I'm not even sure where the Border would be.

well definately edification from the word would fit into NT prophecy and that is not to say a future event cannot be told but then I would agree with you about 'the border' between word of knowledge...perhaps what you describe would be wisdom? from scripture?

LOL...see? people just are not taught and people often gain knowledge through experience whether they label it correctly or not

I would say a word of knowledge would be knowing about something no one else does or perhaps exposing something someone thinks they are hiding and no way of knowing by yourself

it is more than just saying something is true or not...I think the person themself ... their life...should be confirmation of what they say

people committing sexual sin, for instance, I don't care if they have a 'true' word..Paul had an altercation with a demonic spirit that spoke truth a slave girl

for that matter, just accepting what someone says is not biblical anyway

like a minefield 'out there' LOL!

Hi Belinda, my name Mike, You are to be commended to want to grow your spiritual gift, to want to find your purpose of goal. You have received a lot of good advice from some very helpful people. some of them who have actually helped me with kind of the same question. ( I think some people got off track as to your question but that's ok.) At the risk of being long winded I would like to give you a example. After church service I would always find the preacher something I enjoyed about his sermon. One day he said to me "Mike, I think GOD has given you the gift of encouragement. I thought to myself, what, that's what I do anyway. What I'm trying to say is you don't have to look for your holy spirit just focus on serving GOD, you will see your gift. Preaching and teaching are gifts to be respected but so is the gift of the person who cleans up after the service. Do what you do with all your heart and to the glory of GOD. Maybe you would be surprised what goes on behind the scenes. Focus on serving GOD and I think youll find your gift. GOD bless us!

sounds like we agree that you can't always tell if something is a word of wisdom, word of knowledge, encouragement, prophecy... I don't know if we need to have absolute categories in the end. seems like there could be a lot of overlapping.

I'm not sure if the list in Corinthians is to be taken as a complete list either.

and yes, Satan, demons, demon possessed people can all say things that are true, and that certainly doesn't mean that they are walking in the Holy Spirit.

thanks for the great discussion!