Opening illustration: Have you ever felt torn in two or more directions when considering how to serve in your church or what job to take? Since you probably can’t do everything you’re asked to do, how do you decide which opportunities for service are best suited for you? Many will be able to relate to the following scenario of a church member, Susan, who is puzzled about where she should serve in her church. Like Susan, maybe you’d like to explore just what your gifts are.
Susan hung up the phone after talking with the chair of the church stewardship committee, who had just asked her to join the committee. Things were starting to get confusing. Last Sunday, the Sunday school coordinator had asked her to consider teaching the junior youth class. Susan was flattered by these requests, but uncertain which to accept. “Why are they asking me?” she wondered. Susan asked her spouse and small group to pray with her to discern God’s will. To her surprise some members of the small group pointedly asked her about what her spiritual gifts are and how could she best use them. She stammered out a response, but ended up admitting she wasn’t sure about her gifts – let alone how to use them!
If we are unaware of what our gifts are, we will just be trying things here and there (hit & trial) and achieving very little. And we will neither have any discernment for that specific calling God has for us to operate our giftings. There’s probably a little of Susan in all of us. However, knowing our gifts can help us focus on what we are passionate about. By allowing God to instill those gifts, our lives are made more whole. It turned out Susan was an excellent organizer and administrator, even though she discounted her abilities. And although she enjoyed being with the junior youth, she struggled at teaching and felt her efforts where inadequate. For Susan, accepting the request to serve on the stewardship committee would have been a wise decision while accepting the Sunday school position would not have – and would have resulted in frustration for her, the youth, and the Sunday school coordinator.
Introduction: Sometimes we are reluctant to know our gifts and abilities. Think of Moses. In Exodus 3 and 4 we find Moses trying every excuse he can to avoid doing what he knew God, present before him in the burning bush, was calling him to do. Moses was pulling back from using the gifts God had given him not realizing that God had already given him all he needed. What God wanted from Moses was obedience. Not all of us have God speak to us through burning foliage, but there are many lessons that can be learned from Moses’ encounter with God.
What are the steps involved for exercising the Gifts of the Holy Spirit?
1. Accessing: [availability ~ Exodus 3: 4]
When the Lord saw that he turned aside to see it, God called to him - If he had carelessly neglected it, it is likely God had departed and said nothing to him. God called and said, Moses, Moses - This which he heard could not but surprise him much more than what he saw. Divine calls are then effectual, when the spirit of God makes them particular, and calls us as by name. Moses now had access to operate in the Spirit just because he was ready to hear what God had to say and to obey whatever was commanded.
Illustration: We being available to God whole-heartedly, with no strings attached.
2. Discerning: [plans disclosed ~ Exodus 3: 7 – 10]
Finding Godly fulfillment and making your call and election sure is only possible by discerning your spiritual gift: Each of us has a desire for meaningful achievement. The ultimate of this is having a significant part in a divine program. This divine program is being carried through the Body of Christ by the proper functioning of each person’s gift.
Illustration: When we are unable to discern our call or giftings, you can call on your mentor or elders to walk you through. Spending time with God is apparently the key to knowing your giftings.
3. Moving: [presence of God ~ Exodus 3: 12 – 15]
Two names God would now be known by. A name that speaks what he is in himself, I am that I am - This explains his name Jehovah, and signifies, (a) That he is self-existent; he has his being of himself, and has no dependence upon any other. And being self-existent he cannot but be self - sufficient, and therefore all - sufficient, and the inexhaustible fountain of being and bliss. (b) That he is eternal and unchangeable, always the same, yesterday today, and for ever: he will be what he will be, and what he is. (c) That he is faithful and true to all his promises, unchangeable in his word as well as in his nature, and not a man that he should lie. Let Israel know this, I am hath sent me unto you. A name that speaks what he is to his people. Lest that name I am should puzzle them, he is farther directed to make use of another name of God, more familiar. We see that God promised Moses that he would be identified and move with the presence of God wherever he went. The name I AM would go with him. The same promise was with the Israelites when they were in the wilderness for 40 years (pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night). Moving continually with and in the presence of God made Moses to have access to the spiritual gifts and operate them powerfully.
Illustration: Being sensitive to the Holy Spirit, talking to God your Father is moving in the Spirit. Lining up with scripture and the manifestation of the Holy Spirit through the operating of the gifts bears a testimony to that fact.
4. Depending: [God’s hard work ~ Exodus 3: 18 – 22]
Moses’ success with the elders of Israel would be good. God, who, by his grace, inclines the heart, and opens the ear, could say beforehand, they shall hearken to thy voice; for he would make them willing in this day of power. As to Pharaoh, Moses is here told that petitions and persuasions, and humble complaints, would not prevail with him; nor a mighty hand stretched out in signs and wonders. But those will certainly be broken by the power of God’s hand, who will not bow to the power of his word. God’s deal with Moses was that he would have to be sensitive to God’s call, heed to it and be obedient to every word that He spoke. Rest all God would take care of. How many of us would walk that faith road? All the hard work was being done by God, for Moses is was more or less a joy ride knowing that God would protect and deal with every adverse situation in his life. He had complete (full) dependence on God alone and no one or nothing else.
5. Operating: [Providence of gifts & additional gifts ~ Exodus 4: 1 – 9]
Moses objects, that the people would not take his word, unless he showed them some sign. God gives him power to work miracles. But those who are now employed to deliver God’s messages to men need not the power to work miracles: their character and their doctrines are to be tried by that word of God to which they appeal. These miracles especially referred to the miracles of the Lord Jesus Christ. It belonged to Him only, to cast the power of the devil out of the soul, and to heal the soul of the leprosy of sin; and so it was for Him first to cast the devil out of the body, and to heal the leprosy of the body. God provided Moses with the gifts he needed for the deliverance of the Israelites from Egypt. He also had back-up gifts lined up for Moses to operate if Pharaoh’s heart continued to harden. God can go to any lengths to make His will work accordingly. The issue here is ~ do we line up in obedience to God so that He can use us as a perfect vessel for the manifestation of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit and His glory? Moses is over-whelmed with God’s ways and is ready to walk out on Him.
Conclusion: Evaluating - some questions to reflect upon
We should strive to flourish under the power of the Holy Spirit, rather then our own strength. For this reason, we should examine the “gifts” we have. We should make sure they are from the Holy Spirit and not our own will and determination. If we don’t have the fruit of the Spirit, but have the fruit of the flesh, then we really need to question, the source of our “gift”. On the other hand, if we are in the “Spirit”, then the progression of the Spirit is for the body, the church to receive the benefit. Therefore the Holy Spirit has a gift prepared for us, to serve and help the church advance the Kingdom of God.
(a) Do I have fruits of the Spirit in my life?
Love, Joy, Peace, Longsuffering... Where do I stand with the Spirit of God, Do I have the fruit of the Spirit in my life?
(b) Do I have a “Calling” from within?
Is my calling from God, or am I working out of my flesh?
© Is there visible evidence of the Holy Spirit is at work?
Are lives being impacted (transformed) in my ministry?
(d) Do I need to be persistent in my ministry?
Is God molding me into the worker he needs, and I am just not patient enough? Do I need to pray for patience and allow God to instill the “Gift(s)?”
(e) Am I in the right place?
Has God called me to another area, another aspect of ministry? Do I need to teach adults instead of kids, or kids rather than adults or the youth?
(f) Is God vindicating Himself?
Is the purpose of my ministry to proclaim a message, which would be rejected! Amos declared a message to those who did not want to hear it.
