WHAT IS A SPIRITUAL GIFT?
It is an ability the spirit of God divinely gives to a believer to enable us to serve other people.
We believe God has given every believer spiritual gifts - whether you believe you're gifted yet, or not.
Who Has Spiritual Gifts?
The ministry of the church isn’t limited to those who are pastors or who are on staff, but entrusted to all followers of Christ. Under the leadership of Red Cedar Church, we want to see you experience full life in Christ. A full life is a life poured out!
The more we fill ourselves with an intimate relationship with Christ and pour ourselves out to others through the spiritual gifts which God has given us, the more abundant our life is. Not abundant in material things, but abundant with what really satisfies the soul. When you use your gifts, you are an active participant in the kingdom of Christ.
How Do I Get A Spiritual Gift?
Spiritual gifts are given to us by the Holy Spirit.
A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge. The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing. He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said. It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. (1 Corinthians 12:7-11, NLT)
God gives us these gifts with the expectation that we are to use them. The more you use your gifts, the more they develop.
In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly. (Romans 12:6-8)
What Is My Spiritual Gift?
There are a variety of spiritual gifts, but each is important. Spiritual gifts are different from talents and abilities, because they are specifically given by God to build up the people of God. This means the best place to discover and use your gift is in the local church. Together, as we combine our unique gifts, we are like a body with parts that are all needed for a specific function.
However, he has given each one of us a special gift through the generosity of Christ… Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. (Ephesians 4: 7, 11-13, NLT)
When you use your spiritual gifts along with your talents and abilities, can you imagine what God can do?