How to Activate Your Spiritual Gifts

by Lori Benka

Have you ever felt like you had no purpose in the church? Maybe you see everyone around you operating in their spiritual giftings while you are wondering if you have any type of gift. I felt this way for a long time. My husband, who is a minister, has a lot of powerful spiritual gifts. He often moves in the giftings of healing, prophecy, word of knowledge, and gifts of encouragement.

I would often feel lost in the shuffle at church because I thought people expected me to move in the Spirit as powerfully as my husband did. I was more introverted, and I didn’t really know what I had to offer anyone. I began to pray and ask God if I even had any spiritual gifts, and He began to show me some powerful insights. One of these insights was that I had been allowing the fear of what others would think of me keep me from moving in my gifting.

{Related – “I Am More Than What You See“}

God would often download a word or phrase into my heart while I was leading worship, but I didn’t really think anything of it. It wasn’t until one Sunday when He told me a word to give to someone that I experienced His boldness. All I had was one word, and I decided I would wait until I received the rest of the sentence. All of a sudden, my heart began to pound, and I felt awful because I wasn’t being obedient. God wanted me to be obedient and walk in faith.

As I stepped out in faith and opened my mouth, sentences began to form and a word of knowledge was going forth for someone to hear. At the end of service, a lady came up to me with tears in her eyes and told me the word I spoke was for her. You see, I had to be obedient and step out in faith to be used by God. If I had held back and not said anything, both she and I would have missed what God was doing in each of our lives. Are you ready to step out of your comfort zone and be used mightily by God?

What are Spiritual Gifts and What is Their Purpose?

We need to be careful not to confuse spiritual gifts with talents. Anyone can have a talent. A talent is something you do well, such as playing an instrument, singing, painting, or dancing. If done well enough, one can benefit financially from their talent. A spiritual gift, on the other hand, is a set of functions given to Christians by God through the Holy Spirit for the edification of the body of Christ. They are something that builds up the church.

1 Corinthians 12:7-11 (NKJV) says:

“But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.”

The Holy Spirit decides which gifts we each should have. It is our responsibility to use and sharpen our God-given gifts. In no way should our spiritual gifts ever draw attention to ourselves. They are always to bring glory to God. -… Click To Tweet

Paul talks a lot about spiritual gifts in his letters to the churches. In Romans12:6-8, he lists the following as gifts of the Spirit…

• Prophecy
• Serving
• Teaching
• Encouragement
• Giving
• Leading
• Mercy

1 Corinthians 12:7-10 tells us about spiritual gifts given to us that we might help one another. These include…

• Wisdom
• Knowledge
• Faith
• Healing
• Performance of Miracles
• Prophecy
• Discernment
• Speaking in Tongues
• Interpretation of Tongues

Every believer in Christ has been given at least one of these gifts. And it is also important to note that these lists are not exhaustive.

Furthermore, in Ephesians 4:11-12, Paul talks about roles God gives people. Their “responsibility is to equip God’s people to do His work and build up the body of Christ.” Some people have called these “ministry gifts.”

• Apostle
• Prophet
• Evangelist
• Pastor
• Teacher

What is My Gift?

Many times we become so consumed with finding our spiritual gift that we don’t even realize we may already be operating in that gifting. For example, if you are a person who loves to make lists and organize your house, you may have the gift of an administrator. An administrator loves to organize, lead, and direct.

Your spiritual gift is something that comes easy to you. You won’t have to strive to operate in the gift given to you by the Holy Spirit. Don’t get caught up in being seen or striving after a gift that gets a lot of attention. God chose to give you the gift He did so you could fulfill your God-given purpose.  

Many times, your gifts may have been evident to you since you were a child. Maybe you were a little leader who always took control of the playground games, or maybe you taught your friend how to do something they were struggling with. Think back on your life to see if there is a pattern you can see that would point to a gift that God gave you.

{Related – “Finding Your Purpose in God“}

If you are unsure about what your spiritual gifts may be, pray about it. Remember, we all have been given a gift to further the Kingdom of God. Don’t get frustrated if you haven’t already identified what your spiritual gift is. There are a variety of ways to identify spiritual gifts.

Many spiritual gift tests are available online that can help you understand where your giftings may be. Confirmation from family or friends can also give light to our spiritual gifts. Many times others may be able to identify a spiritual gift in us that we may have taken for granted or never recognized. Pray to God and ask Him how you are gifted, so you can better use those giftings for His glory.

Romans 12:6 (NKJV) says:

“Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them; if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.”

Remember, your spiritual gifts will be confirmed by time, teaching, and reading your Bible, and, most importantly, by seeking God.

{Related – “Seeking God – Why and How to Do it Today“}

How to Activate Your Spiritual Gifts

The phrase “activating your spiritual gifts” can sound strange and may even turn you off to the idea of spiritual gifts. I get it! All “it “activating” really means is “discovering and learning to use” your spiritual gifts. When you operate in the gifts God has given you, you will find that God will give you the power you need to move boldly in your gifts. How do you go boldly and activate your spiritual gifts?

1. By believing God has called you to a specific job in His kingdom and the Holy Spirit is still at work in the church today. God wants to use each and every one of us to further His kingdom.  
2. Be tuned in to what the Spirit is telling you. Get to know the Holy Spirit and learn how to hear His still, small voice. Begin to understand how He works. Minister Alfie James said: “You and I cannot expect to actively exercise spiritual gifts if we are not tuned into the Holy Spirit.”
3. Be available and willing to be used. Be open to see how, when, and where God wants to use you.  There may be someone hurting in the grocery store wishing God would help them, and God wants to use you to help build them up. Would you be available and willing to minister to them right where you are?  

Begin to take action and use your gifting. 2 Timothy 1:6 (NKJV) tells us:

“Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands.”

Everything in God’s Kingdom is increased by use. Give your gifts back to God by being a good steward of them and helping others. A simple way to activate your spiritual gifts is to take action by beginning to step out in faith in your church, in shopping centers, your workplace, or your neighborhood. The more you are obedient and step out in faith, the more you will see the Hand of God on your life. Don’t allow fear to stop you from functioning in your spiritual gifting. 

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”

2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV)

Don’t allow people to intimidate you and stop you from experiencing God’s purpose for your life. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you overcome the fear of what others may think, so you can continue to do God’s work and further the Kingdom of God.

{Related – “Shut Fear Down for Good w/ 21 Bible Verses About Fear“

Using Your Spiritual Gift

God’s spiritual gifts are for every Christian in the church today. We can begin to learn about and cultivate our gifts by reading the Bible and asking Him to show us where our strengths are. When we learn what our gifts are, we need to always be led by the Holy Spirit and use our gifts, going forth boldly in faith.  The more we step out in faith, the more God will entrust to us. In my own story, I had to step out in faith and begin to speak before God would give me the rest of the word of knowledge. When we are obedient to the small things, God will know He can trust us with the larger things.

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