USE YOUR SPIRITUAL

GIFTS
ROMANS 12:3-8.
 3 FOR BY THE GRACE GIVEN ME I SAY TO EVERY
ONE OF YOU: DO NOT THINK OF YOURSELF
MORE HIGHLY THAN YOU OUGHT, BUT RATHER
THINK OF YOURSELF WITH SOBER JUDGMENT, IN
ACCORDANCE WITH THE FAITH GOD HAS
DISTRIBUTED TO EACH OF YOU. 4 FOR JUST AS
EACH OF US HAS ONE BODY WITH MANY
MEMBERS, AND THESE MEMBERS DO NOT ALL
HAVE THE SAME FUNCTION, 5 SO IN CHRIST WE,
THOUGH MANY, FORM ONE BODY, AND EACH
  6 WE HAVE DIFFERENT GIFTS, ACCORDING TO
THE GRACE GIVEN TO EACH OF US. IF YOUR
GIFT IS PROPHESYING, THEN PROPHESY IN
ACCORDANCE WITH YOUR FAITH; 7 IF IT IS
SERVING, THEN SERVE; IF IT IS TEACHING,
THEN TEACH; 8 IF IT IS TO ENCOURAGE, THEN
GIVE ENCOURAGEMENT; IF IT IS GIVING,
THEN GIVE GENEROUSLY; IF IT IS TO LEAD, DO
IT DILIGENTLY; IF IT IS TO SHOW MERCY, DO
 WHAT ARE SPIRITUAL GIFTS?
• THEY ARE GOD-GIVEN, GOD-EMPOWERED
ABILITIES FOR SERVING GOD AND OTHERS
• THEY ARE CALLED GIFTS BECAUSE THEY ARE
GOD-GIVEN. YOU DIDN’T EARN THEM, WORK
FOR THEM OR DESERVE THEM. THEY WERE
SIMPLY GIVEN TO YOU AS A GIFT OF GRACE.
THAT’S WHY YOU SHOULD NEVER BRAG ABOUT
SPIRITUAL GIFTS.
 WHAT ARE SPIRITUAL GIFTS?
• THEY ARE CALLED SPIRITUAL BECAUSE THEY
ARE GOD-EMPOWERED AND ENABLE YOU TO
DO GOD’S WORK. THEY ARE FROM GOD AND
FOR GOD AND EMPOWERED BY GOD
1 CORINTHIANS 12:7 NOW TO EACH ONE THE
MANIFESTATION (GIFTS) OF THE SPIRIT IS GIVEN FOR THE
COMMON GOOD.
1 CORINTHIANS 12:11 ALL THESE (GIFTS) ARE THE WORK
OF ONE AND THE SAME SPIRIT, AND HE GIVES THEM TO
EACH ONE JUST AS HE DETERMINES.
EPHESIANS 4:7 BUT TO EACH ONE OF YOU GRACE (GIFTS)
HAS BEEN GIVEN AS CHRIST APPORTIONED IT.
1 PETER 4:10 EACH ONE SHOULD USE WHATEVER GIFT HE
HAS RECEIVED TO SERVE OTHERS.
 WHAT ARE THESE GIFTS? 
7 ROMANS 12:
• PROPHECY
• SERVING
• TEACHING
• ENCOURAGEMEN
T
• GIVING
• LEADERSHIP
• MERCY
 WHAT ARE THESE GIFTS? 

IN 1 CORINTHIANS 12, THERE ARE 9 IN ONE

LIST:
MESSAGE OF WISDOM, MESSAGE OF
KNOWLEDGE, FAITH, GIFTS OF HEALING,
MIRACULOUS POWERS, PROPHECY,
DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN SPIRITS,
SPEAKING DIFFERENT LANGUAGES,
 WHAT ARE THESE GIFTS? 
AND 8 IN ANOTHER LIST:
APOSTLES, PROPHETS, TEACHERS,
WORKERS OF MIRACLES, GIFTS OF
HEALING, THOSE ABLE TO HELP OTHERS,
GIFTS OF ADMINISTRATION, SPEAKING
DIFFERENT LANGUAGES
 WHAT ARE THESE GIFTS? 
FIVE IN EPHESIANS 4
• APOSTLES
• PROPHETS
• EVANGELISTS
• PASTORS
• TEACHERS
 WHAT ARE THESE GIFTS? 
AND TWO IN 1 PETER 4.
• SPEAKING
• SERVING
 ASSESS YOURSELF CORRECTLY.

FOR BY THE GRACE GIVEN ME I SAY TO EVERY

“3 

ONE OF YOU: DO NOT THINK OF YOURSELF

MORE HIGHLY THAN YOU OUGHT, BUT RATHER
THINK OF YOURSELF WITH SOBER JUDGMENT,
IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FAITH GOD HAS
DISTRIBUTED TO EACH OF YOU”
ROMANS 12:3
• TAKE A SPIRITUAL GIFTS INVENTORY – READ
BOOKS
• EVALUATE YOUR EXPERIENCES - WHAT ARE
YOU GOOD AT?
• ASK FOR FEEDBACK FROM FRIENDS - ASK
SOMEONE ELSE TO EVALUATE YOU. 
• EXPERIMENT - THE BEST WAY TO DISCOVER
YOUR SPIRITUAL GIFTS IS TO TRY DIFFERENT
KINDS OF SERVING.
  UNDERSTAND YOUR ROLE
ON THE TEAM
FOR JUST AS EACH OF US HAS ONE BODY WITH MANY
“4 

MEMBERS, AND THESE MEMBERS DO NOT ALL HAVE

THE SAME FUNCTION, 5 SO IN CHRIST WE, THOUGH
MANY, FORM ONE BODY, AND EACH MEMBER
BELONGS TO ALL THE OTHERS. 6 WE HAVE DIFFERENT
GIFTS, ACCORDING TO THE GRACE GIVEN TO EACH OF
US. IF YOUR GIFT IS PROPHESYING, THEN PROPHESY IN
ACCORDANCE WITH YOUR FAITH” ROMAN
 USE YOUR GIFTS TO SERVE
OTHERS
IF IT IS SERVING, THEN SERVE; IF IT IS
“7 

TEACHING, THEN TEACH; 8 IF IT IS TO

ENCOURAGE, THEN GIVE ENCOURAGEMENT; IF
IT IS GIVING, THEN GIVE GENEROUSLY; IF IT IS
TO LEAD, DO IT DILIGENTLY; IF IT IS TO SHOW
MERCY, DO IT CHEERFULLY”
• PROPHESYING - 1 CORINTHIANS 14:3 SAYS THAT
THOSE WHO PROPHESY “SPEAK TO PEOPLE IN A WAY
THAT STRENGTHENS, ENCOURAGES AND COMFORTS
THEM.” PROPHESYING IS DISCERNING WHAT GOD IS
SAYING RIGHT NOW, AND SAYING IT IN A WAY THAT
BUILDS PEOPLE UP. IT OFTEN INVOLVES PUBLIC
SPEAKING, BUT DOESN’T HAVE TO. YOU CAN SPEAK
GOD’S MESSAGE TO ONE PERSON OVER COFFEE, OR
MANY. BY THE WAY, IT SAYS THAT YOU SHOULD
PROPHESY IN PROPORTION TO YOUR FAITH
• SERVING - SOME PEOPLE FIND GREAT JOY IN DOING
WHATEVER NEEDS TO BE DONE TO ACCOMPLISH THE
TEAM’S GOALS. THE BIBLE IS CLEAR THAT EVERY
CHRISTIAN IS A SERVANT. BUT SOME OF YOU HAVE A
SERVING GIFT. YOU ARE WIRED IN SUCH A WAY THAT
YOU CAN’T WAIT TO HELP, YOU LOOK FOR WAYS TO
SERVE, AND YOU’RE WILLING TO DO ANYTHING
NEEDED. HELP, SERVE, NEEDED. JUST THOSE WORDS
MAKE YOUR ANTENNA GO UP! “SOMEONE NEEDS
HELP?” SERVING: DOING WHATEVER NEEDS TO BE
• TEACHING - IF YOU HAVE A TEACHING GIFT YOU PROBABLY
ENJOY STUDYING, LEARNING, AND THEN SHARING WHAT
YOU KNOW TO HELP OTHER PEOPLE GROW. YOU ARE
MOTIVATED BY SEEING THE LIGHT GO ON FOR SOMEONE
ELSE. TEACHERS ARE LEARNERS FIRST—THEY LOVE TO
LEARN—AND THEN THEY LOVE TO HELP OTHERS LEARN,
AND THEY’RE GOOD AT IT. DON’T THINK JUST OF
CLASSROOMS OR PLATFORMS. LOTS OF TEACHING HAPPENS
ONE-ON-ONE OR IN SMALL GROUPS. YOU MAY COACH OR
MENTOR ONE PERSON AT A TIME AND HAVE A TEACHING
GIFT. TEACHING: HELPING OTHERS LEARN AND GROW.
• ENCOURAGING - SOME PEOPLE HAVE A GIFT FOR
STIRRING UP AND MOTIVATING PEOPLE. THEY PUT
THE WIND BACK IN YOUR SAILS. THEY WARM YOU UP
AND CHEER YOU ON. THEY RENEW YOUR COURAGE.
SOME FOLKS DRAIN YOU; ENCOURAGERS ALWAYS
FILL YOU UP. YOU SEE THEM COMING, AND GET A
SMILE ON YOUR FACE, BECAUSE YOU KNOW YOU’RE
GOING TO GET A BOOST. THE GREEK
WORD, PARAKALEO, MEANS “TO COME ALONGSIDE TO
HELP, ENCOURAGE OR EXHORT.”
• LEADERSHIP - THE GREEK WORD LITERALLY MEANS “TO
STAND BEFORE, TO BE OUT FRONT.” THAT’S WHAT A LEADER
DOES—A LEADER GOES FIRST. A LEADER SETS THE PACE,
LEADS THE WAY, GETS OUT FRONT AND SAYS, “FOLLOW ME.”
GOOD LEADERS NOT ONLY LEAD THE CHARGE, BUT DIRECT
THE ARMY. THE LEADERS MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR ALL THE
OTHER GIFTS TO DO THEIR JOBS IN HARMONY, TO PULL
TOGETHER AND GET IT DONE. WITHOUT LEADERS, YOU HAVE
CHAOS. PAUL SAYS IF YOUR GIFT IS LEADERSHIP, LEAD WITH
DILIGENCE, EARNESTNESS, ZEAL. DON’T DRAG YOUR FEET—
LEAD WITH DILIGENCE. LEADERSHIP: BE OUT FRONT, LEAD
THE WAY AND DIRECT THE TEAM.
• GIVING - EVERY CHRISTIAN IS TO GIVE—
THAT’S CLEAR IN THE BIBLE. BUT SOME
PEOPLE HAVE A GIFT OF GIVING. THEY LOVE TO
GIVE GENEROUSLY TO HELP OTHERS AND SEE
GOD’S WORK ADVANCE.
• MERCY - SOFT HEARTS. PEOPLE WITH THE GIFT OF SHOWING
MERCY HAVE TREMENDOUS COMPASSION. THEY FEEL FOR OTHERS.
WHEN A MERCY PERSON SEES SOMEONE CRYING, THEY WANT TO
CRY TOO, AND THEY CAN’T HELP BUT PUT AN ARM AROUND THE
SHOULDER AND ASK, “DO YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT?” THEY ARE
TERRIFIC LISTENERS AND UNDERSTAND WHAT OTHERS ARE GOING
THROUGH. IF YOU’RE IN THE HOSPITAL, IT’S A MERCY PERSON
THAT’S LIKELY TO COME VISIT YOU. IF YOU’RE SICK, IT’S A MERCY
PERSON WHO WILL SHOW UP TO MOW YOUR LAWN, OR PICK UP YOUR
LOAD AT WORK. PAUL SAYS, “SHOW MERCY WITH CHEERFULNESS.”
PUT A SMILE ON YOUR FACE! MERCY: SOFT HEARTS THAT FEEL
COMPASSION AND SHOW IT IN PRACTICAL WAYS.