SPIRITUAL GIFTS
By
Jerry Falwell
A. INTRODUCTION: Four Truths About Your Spiritual Gifts
Key Verse: "Every man hath his proper gift from God"
(I Cor. 7:7). The new Contemporary English Version (Thomas Nelson’s version of the Living Bible) translates it, "God has given different gifts to each of us." Four truths from this verse:
1. Every believer has a spiritual gift. There is no such thing as a little believer without any gifts who just comes to church and loves God. Peter teaches, "As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another" (I Peter 4:10 NKJV).
2. "Proper" means "fitted." When you buy shoes, the salesman tells you, "We’ve got a shoe to perfectly fit your size that will perfectly suit your style of life."
a. God has a perfect gift for all people that perfectly fits their lifestyle.
b. Your gifts are unique to you. Your gifts are different from others "having then gifts differing" (Romans 12:6).
3. A gift is an ability to do God’s work. In the parable of the property owner, he gave different amounts of money for investment before he went on a trip. The property owner determined the amount of money he would risk on a worker, "To each according to his own ability" (Matt. 25:15 NKJV). God gives us gifts according to our ability.
4. Your gifts come from God. I want to read from an expanded version how God has given these gifts to His people. "There are different gifts, given to each by the Holy Spirit. There are different ways each person gets these gifts, even though the same Lord gave them to us. There are different uses of these gifts in the lives of people, but it is the same God who works through these gifts" (I Cor. 12:4-6, expanded translation).
Review:
First, everyone has gifts.
Second, the gifts are unique to each.
Third, the gift is an ability.
Fourth, the gift comes from God
B. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU USE YOUR GIFTS?
1. You will have greater results in service when you use your giftedness. The servants were given talents (remember a talent was an amount of money in Bible times but is interpreted as a human talent). When the servant used his five talents faithfully, he was rewarded with five more. "Well done, thou good and faithful servant, thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things" (Matt. 25:21).
2. When you use your gifts, you will be obedient. The parable of the pounds also teaches the proper use of our assets for God. "He (the landowner) called his ten servants and delivered them ten pounds and said unto them, occupy till I come" (Luke 19:13). When we "occupy" we are obedient to God.
If you are busy doing anything for God . . . good. If you are busy doing your gift . . . better. If you are developing and doing your gift . . . best.
3. You will lose the gifts you don’t use. I call God’s spiritual law, "Use ’em or lose ’em." This is a law of nature, if you don’t use an arm or leg, you’ll lose its use. Tie an arm to your side with adhesive tape and eventually lose it. If you have a farm and don’t plow, plant and tend it constantly, you’ll lose that ground to weeds and trees.
So God commands, "neglect not the gift that is in thee"
(I Tim. 4:14). The landowner took talents from those who didn’t use them, "thou wicked and slothful servant, . . . thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and that at my coming, I should have received mine own with interest. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents" (Matt. 25:26-28).
4. When you use your gifts, you will grow more gifts. When you faithfully use your spiritual gifts, you will get more gifts you don’t have, or you will grow in the effectiveness of your present gifts.
a. You can get other gifts. "Desire earnestly the best gifts" (I Cor. 12:31). Paul wrote to the Romans that he wanted to come see them and help them get some spiritual gifts they didn’t have. "I long to see you that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift" (Romans 1:11).
b. You can grow your present gifts. This means you can become more effective. Paul was not satisfied with Timothy’s use of his gifts, "Stir up the gift of God which is in thee" (II Tim. 1:6). This is a picture of stirring up the coals of fire to make it hotter.
5. When you don’t use your gifts, you feel guilty. The man who was given one talent didn’t use it. He told his boss, "I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth" (Matt. 25:23). He didn’t do what he was supposed to do. He wasted the talent, so it was taken from him.
C. HOW TO FIND AND USE YOUR SPIRITUAL GIFTS.
1. Know what the Word of God says about gifts. "Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant" (I Coy. 12:1).
2. Do everything you can and do everything you have the opportunity to do. Don’t wait to take a survey before serving God. Don’t wait for other people to ask you to serve. Don’t wait till you feel better, . . . know more
. . . or you are better trained. Remember, the NIKE commercial, "Just do it." Remember, God’s promise, "Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it" I Thess. 5:24).
3. If you have a desire to serve, do it. Over the years I have followed and taught the following rule:
If God gives you a desire for ministry God has given you a spiritual gift to get the ministry done.
4. Serving God with a gift will grow your gift. "Stir up the gift of God which is within thee" (II Tim. 1:6). Growing your spiritual gift is like learning to play the piano. The more you practice the piano, the better you will play. The same is true with any sport, musical instrument, the bicycle or a computer. First God gives you an ability, but second, you must practice to perfect it. The more you teach Sunday School, the better teacher you will become.
5. Use a Spiritual Gift Inventory. The one I’m offering will change your life and change your ministry.
a. It is practical. This Spiritual Gift Inventory is easy to use. Everything you need is found in one place.
b. It is personal. You don’t need someone to interpret your gifts to you. You can take this inventory by yourself and grade it by yourself and discover your strengths by yourself.
c. It is objective. You don’t have to go by feelings or subjective insight. It is not what others think you can or cannot do. It is based on the Bible and you can find out what the Bible says about your gifts.
d. It is comprehensive. You will measure yourself by the broad listing of spiritual gifts. You’ll get the BIG picture of what God is doing. Rather than being limited to your thinking, this survey will measure you to objective standards.
D. WHAT ARE THE NINE SPIRITUAL GIFTS?
I want to briefly explain the list of 9 spiritual gifts that are generally recognized by almost all evangelicals and fundamentalists. This list comes from the Spiritual Gift Inventory we’re offering through the Old Time Gospel Hour.
1. Prophecy. My wife calls this the Jerry Falwell Gift. I could call it the Bev LaHaye Gift or the Dennis Johnson Gift. The gift of prophecy is the spiritual ability to know the moral issues of our times (i.e. the threat of abortion or homosexuality) and to warn others of their disobedience to God’s standard. Prophets usually use negative motivation to warn other people. "And he gave some . . . prophets" (Eph. 4:11). "Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy" (Rom 12:6).
2. Helps. I call this the George McGann Gift. He knows how to help a preacher and help everyone in the church. The gift of helps is an ability to do things for God, such as ones who use their hands, their feet for the physical tasks that need to be done. This spiritual gift is also called ministry, doing or serving. Paul said, "Of ministry, let us wait on our ministering" (Romans 12:7).
3. Teaching. I call this the Elmer Towns Gift. He’d rather teach than do anything else. He’s a gifted man and would do many things, but he loves to teach. The gift of teaching is the spiritual ability to study and share your findings with other people. "And he gave some . . . teachers" (Eph. 4:11). Also, "Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us . . . he that teacheth (let him use) teaching" (Rom. 12:6, 7).
4. Exhortation. I call this the Jim Moon Gift. When he preaches, he is practical . . . it comes from, "How to do it" and "Let’s do it." The spiritual gift of exhortation is motivating people to live out their Christianity. This is the gift of being positive and practical. "Having then gifts
. . . he that exhorteth, in exhortation" (Rom. 12:6, 8).
5. Giving. I call this the Arthur DeMoss Gift. I could call another ten or hundred or thousand people who have given to Liberty University. These were crucial gifts in the early days that got us over insurmountable obstacles. By today’s standards, they are small gifts, but back then they were as big as the world because we faced the world. Early gifts from Raymond Mays, Wayne Booth, Joe Leonard, Dewitt Braud and Bill Burris were crucial. Later gifts came from A. L. Williams, Bo Calloway, Earl Shilling, and Dan Reber and Jimmy Thomas. Every gift was necessary and I am grateful for each. But at a defining moment Arthur DeMoss gave us money and wisdom. His gift moved us from a small college into the international spotlight.
The gift of giving involves money but more than money. It is a gift given in the power of God that moves the work of God forward. "He that giveth, let him do it with simplicity" (Rom. 12:8).
6. Administration. I call this the Pierre Guillermin Gift. More than any other administrator, he gives structure and organization to Liberty University. I have more confidence in him to solve a problem than in any other. This is called the gift of ruling . . . administration . . . organization
. . . or management. "He that ruleth (let him do it) with diligence" (Rom. 12:8). "God hath set some in the church . . . governments" (I Cor. 12:28).
7. Mercy showing. I call this the Charlie Harbin Gift. Wherever there is a need, he is there with mercy and help. The mercy showing gift is the ability to empathize with people like those who visit the sick or sympathize or those who identify with hurting people and by counseling, helping them work through their problems. There is a list of spiritual gifts in Romans 12; the last on the list is, "He that showeth mercy, with cheerfulness" (Rom. 12:8).
8. Evangelism. I call this the Brother Worley Gift. The gift of evangelism is the spiritual ability to get people to make a salvation decision. "And he gave some . . . evangelist" (Eph 4:11).
9. Shepherding. I call this the Dr. Dowell Gift. He was my pastor at Springfield, Missouri. He influenced my attitude toward pastoring a church. He is a great shepherd-leader. The gift of shepherding is the gift of group leadership. This could be leading a Sunday School class, or leading a family, or leading any group of people.
E. THINGS TO TAKE AWAY
1. You will be most effective when you know and use your gifts.
2. You have more than one gift.
3. You have a dominant gift, i.e. a gift by which you are known. Let the focus of your service be your unique or dominant gift.
4. There is a GIFT MIX. Know how your gifts mix together within your personality and maturity.
5. Add godliness to your gift for maximum results.
6. Continue to get better in your Christian service, i.e. grow your gifts.
7. "Do everything you can till you are 40, then settle down and do what you do best" (quote from Elmer Towns).
If you have never really accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, would you do it right now? Do not delay or put it off. If you would like to receive Christ by faith, pray this simple prayer in your heart:
Dear Lord, I acknowledge that I am a sinner. I believe Jesus died for my sins on the cross, and rose again the third day. I repent of my sins. By faith I receive the Lord Jesus as my Savior. You promised to save me, and I believe You, because You are God and cannot lie. I believe right now that the Lord Jesus is my personal Savior, and that all my sins are forgiven through His precious blood. I thank You, dear Lord, for saving me. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
If you prayed that prayer, God heard you and saved you. I personally want to welcome you to the family of God. Contact us and ask for a copy of The How To Book or use The How To Book Online (Falwell.com). It is a booklet that will answer many of the questions you are sure to have about living the Christian life. And when you contact us, tell us about your salvation experience so that we can rejoice with you.
