I operate in the gift of teaching - but it came out of constantly reading the bible for years, and God sending me people who actually asked me to study the bible with them. All of a sudden, there was 6 and I seemed to be the one who had the teaching to give. Then there was over 20, and so on.
I operate in the gift of healing - but that happened when one day I heard the Lord speak to my spirit that He wanted to heal someone. I just prayed for them, but didn't ask - instead I found myself just ministering the healing in the name of Jesus. It happens every once in awhile. The gift was for the one sick, and I was just the one who ministered the gift.
I operate in the word of prophecy - and that surprises me when it happens. It is not about the future. It is about what I see the Lord is going to do in a situation or in someone's life. But usually it is just words of comfort or scriptural instruction that the Lord gives me for someone else. It overlaps with operating in the word of knowledge.
I'm just open to what the Lord gives me to do. And you can call it "gifts", but mostly it is that I listen to the Lord a lot, and try to get His heart for people. And minister what He wants to give.
Oh boy, Joidevivre. You added a few more to what I'd originally said to Blain. We need teachers, but while they are asleep, I'm not skurd to do it. Lol. Here is what I have seen in the Bible and life as far as types of gifts:
1. Motivational/Redemptive gifts. (Rom. 12:6-8.)
2. Manifestational. (Rom. 12:7-10.)
3. Ministerial. (Eph. 4:11, 1Cor. 12:28.)
4. Maturing in
Character. This is where though you're born with one motivational gift (usually; it's possible to be born with two but very unusual and uncommon) but grow in the other six. This is because the motivational gifts, unlike the other gifts, are actually fruits of the Spirit or seven facets of the character of Jesus. You may be born with mercy (when you are born again, these are 'redeemed' and are therefore called by some redemptive gifts), but as you grow in Christ, you suddenly also have prophecy or/and service or/and giving. You get the point.
5. Maturing in
Gifts. This is where, as you mentioned a lot, you have one 'manifestational' gift but the Holy Spirit can 'manifest' any of the other gifts you don't specifically have through you.
6. Linked to number 5, you can also mature to the point that gifts not originally yours are added to you. As you use them faithfully, they become yours. Numbers 5 and 6 are what Paul was referring to when he said to desire earnestly the best gifts which, by implication, means
to desire gifts you don't already have.
6. Impartation. Gifts are given by the laying on of hands or through prayer or directly from the Lord. These are often in the area of ministry or are related to ministry. (Epg. 4:11.)
Jesus is multi-faceted. We are not even scratching the surface of what He has planned for us. As the Bible says, no eye has seen and no one can grasp what He has planned for those He loves.