Title: “Where Do You Fit In”?
Text: Romans 12:3-6
I like how Paul starts out in verse 3. Paul says, “Don’t think of yourself more highly than you need to, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.”
He said, “There are many members in the body & every member is needed.” But the members need to recognize that we aren’t all the same because we have been given different functions by God.
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In order for the body to be Healthy, it needs to work together as one. One member can’t say, “This is my Spiritual Gift & I am going to do my Thing.” But the various parts works together!
I like how Paul starts out in 1 Corinthians 12: 1. He said, “Now concerning Spiritual Gifts brethren, I don’t want you to be Ignorant.” Paul used the same Greek work in 1 Thess. 4:13
1 Thessalonians 4:14
“But I would not have you to be Ignorant brethren, concerning them which are Asleep, that you sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.”
The Thessalonian Christians were very concerned about their fellow Christian friends that had died before Christ came back. Paul said, “I don’t want you to be Ignorant about these things.”
Ignorant- Lack of Information, to ignore, to
Not understand, unknown.
I say this not to be Critical but to be very Truthful. I believe that many times we are ignorant of the various gifts that God has placed within the Body of Christ, & because of this it creates problems & tension.
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I. God Wants to bless the Body with Various
Gifts.
So many times I hear people say things like;
1. If God wants me to have the Baptism in the
Holy Spirit then He will give “It” to me. Wrong!
2. If God wants to me one of the Gifts or use
me in one of the Gifts then He will
give “It” to me. Wrong!
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It doesn’t work that way. This is almost like someone saying, “If God wants me to be Saved, then I will be Saved.” God wants everyone to be Saved, but there are still many people who are Lost.
John 3:16
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son……”
Receiving the Baptism in the Holy Spirit & being used by God in one of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit is God’s Will for our Lives. But;
-We have to Ask.
-We have to Believe they are for us.
-We have to be Thirsty.
Luke 11:13
“If you then, being Evil, know how to give good gifts unto your Children; how much more shall your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that Ask Him.”
John 7:37-38
“If any man Thirst, let him come unto Me, & Drink.
“He that believes on Me as the Scriptures have said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of Living Water.”
God has placed these Gifts within the Body for us. Have you ever known of a Child that didn’t want a Gift? It is time to begin to seek God for the Gifts that He has placed within the Body!
Pastor, are these Gifts essential for our Salvation? No! Then why do we want them? Because they;
-Edify the Body of Christ.
-They lift up a Brother.
-They give us Direction.
-They make the Body Stronger.
-They are of God.
-They Equip for the Body for Ministry.
Many times when we don’t understand something, we have a Tendency to Ignore it or say this just isn’t for me! But God tells us to Desire or Pursue after Spiritual Gifts!
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When we pray, we need to say, “Holy Spirit use me in the Gifts that you have placed within the Church.” Ask the Holy Spirit, “What are the Gifts that this Body needs right now?”
God doesn’t give you these Gifts to Glorify you & to make you stand out, but He gives us these gifts to build up the Body. The Church at Corith didn’t always understand this principle.
II. There are Three Different Kinds of Gifts
That God has placed within the Body.
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1. The Support Gifts.
Ephesians 4:11
“And He gave some Apostles; & some Prophets, & some Evangelists, & some Pastors & Teachers.
“For the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the Ministry, for the Edifying of the Body of Christ.” I believe in the 5 Fold Ministry Gifts.
2. Motivational Gifts. Romans 12:6-8
A. Prophesy- The Ability to declare God’s truth which touches the heart
& brings Conviction.
B. Serving- The Ability to show Love by meeting the practical needs of others.
C. Teaching- The Ability to Clarify Truth after Thorough Study & Research.
D. Exhortation-The Ability to Encourage others to grow Spiritually, even during difficult times.
E. Giving- The Ability to Contribute Generously of Financial & Material Resources for the Lord’s Work.
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F. Leadership- The Ability to Lead a Person or a group of people & take them to a certain destination. This person is very goal oriented.
G. Mercy- The Ability to Identify with & Comfort those who are in Distress. This person gravitates towards hurting people.
When these Gifts are being used the Body
of Christ is going to know it, because
needs are going to be met in the Body &
God is going to use you to meet the
Need.
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3. Supernatural Gifts. 1 Cor. 12:7-10
It breaks my heart when people say that
These Gifts are not for Today! They are
Very much for Today, but people have got
To Learn to Flow in Their Gifts & To
To Work with the Body! God did not
Call you to be the Lone-Ranger!
A. Word of Knowledge.
B. Word of Wisdom.
C. Gift of Faith.
D. Gift of Healing.
E. Working of Miracles.
F. Prophecy.
G. Discerning of Spirits.
H. Tongues.
I. Interpretation of Tongues.
III. God wants to use you in the Gifts!
It is very important that you hear my heart
Because if you don’t I’ll Lose you right
Now. The Corinthian Church did not
Understand “The Gifts”. This is the reason
Why Paul spends so much time on this
Subject.
Tonight we are going to be looking at the
Motivational Gifts mentioned in Romans 12.
If these gifts are used properly, the body
Is blessed and a lot of things get
Accomplished.
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Why is it important that all of these Gifts
Are Functioning? If there was a family
In the Church that had a Genuine Need,
We would want to help them. But you
Can help someone in more ways than one.
-one person is putting their arms around them.
-one is buying them Groceries.
-one says, “Lets teach them how to Budget…”
-one says, “Let encourage them to get a Job”.
-Some people are Strong in Mercy.
-Some people are Strong in Teaching.
-Some people are Strong Administrators.
-Some people are Strong in Seeing a Need.
-And all of these people are Needed.
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When you find your Gift in the Body, you
Aren’t just helping yourself, but you are
Helping the Entire Body! Let me give you
A Word from the Lord;
-Quit comparing yourself to Others.
-Quit trying to be someone who Aren’t.
-Be the Person that God created you to be.
-But learn to function as a Team Player.
1. The Prophetic Insight Person.
This isn’t the Gift of Prophecy where
Someone stands up in Church & says, “Thus
Says the Lord.”
But it is a person in the Body that God has
Gifted to see things more Readily & more
Easily & more Clearly than a lot of us
In the Body can see them at Times.
These people are Valuable to the Body. You are Blessed if you have one of these people as a Friend, because Prophetic Insight People love you enough to tell you the Truth.
-When you get out of Line, they let you know.
-When you aren’t doing good Spiritually……
-When you have things in your Life.
-These people care enough to Confront.
-If we aren’t careful we are Critical of them
-But thank God for this Person.
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They say things to us at times Like;
-I’ve been noticing that you aren’t in Church…
-I’ve been noticing your Language.
-I’ve been noticing the way your Family.
-We all need a person like this…..
-They won’t let you Coast!
Prophetic Insight people have a Gift to see where you are really at. They can see past the Facads that we create. They are an important part of the body of Christ.
I have heard of a Husband going to Church with his wife & the preacher preached right to him. I mean he read the man’s mail. The man goes home & he says, “Have you been talking to that Preacher”?
She says, “Not at all Sweetheart.” But God gave that individual the ability to ready your mail & it’s for your good!
All of these Gifts will flow in your Life at various times. But there is one Gift that motivates you more than the others. This is the reason why they are called “Motivational Gifts”.
2. Five Specific manifestations of this Gift are
mentioned in 1 Cor. 14.
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A. It brings people to Accountability.
B. It Reveals Inner-Heart Motivation.
C. It brings Inner Conviction.
D. It brings an awareness of God’s Presence.
E. It makes people fall on their faces or knees
In Repentance.
My pastor as a boy was preaching a Summer Camp & God spoke to his heart that there was a Preacher there that was Living a Lie. He confronted the man & the man Repented.
A prophetic-insight person is like Nathan in the Bible that when God spoke to his heart about David, he approached David & said, “You are the Man.”
John the Baptist is a good picture of the Prophetic Insight Person. If you look at Luke 3:3-9. He said in v.7, “You generation of Vipers, who has warned you to flee the wrath to come.”
-What a way to start a Baptismal Service.
-He was a Black & White type of Guy.
-He saw right through their Hypocrisy.
-He wasn’t out for a popularity contest.
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A. The Prophetic Insight Person is usually Frank
-You are a Bunch of Snakes.
-You are White Washed Tombs.
B. The Prophetic Insight Person Sees Past
Your Mask!
This person sees a lot of things in you, but they also see things in themselves! It was John who said, “I’m not even worthy to untie His Sandles.”
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C. They can be Direct & Frank in their
Speaking.
You don’t have to guess where they are coming from, because they are pretty Black & White. As they mature in their Walk they need to be careful how they come across……
D. They quickly identify Good & Evil.
E. As Frank & Rough as they may appear
They can also Cry with you!
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F. They have a Sensitive Side to Them.
Under their Tough Exterior, they are Human people with Feelings. Sometimes we think, “These people don’t even have a Heart.” But they do!
G. They can’t set back on the Side-Lines and
Watch you mess up your Life.
H. Their Burden is Lifted once the Sin or
Situation has been Exposed.
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IV. Pollutions of this Gift.
1. They tend to make quick Evaluations on
on people.
-They are very Loyal Friends.
-They are very Loyal to their Family.
-They are very Loyal to God.
When this Gift isn’t flowing under the Control of the Holy Spirit, you had better watch out, because they can Hurt you!
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2. They can wound you with their Words.
-Sometimes they persuade instead of the H.S.
-They can take matters into their own hands.
-They try to take over & manipulate you.
-Their Frankness can become Harsh.
-They can be very Critical & Negative.
3. They can be Judgmental if they are not
Careful.
4. They can get ahead of God. Learn to
flow in your Gift. But don’t speak until He tells you to Speak.
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5. They Can Come Across as very
Insensitive.
Some of you might be married to a Prophetic Insight person & you think, “this man or woman is so Hard, they don’t even have any feelings.”
God made us all Different. You are probably married to a person who is different than you are, “Thank-God”. If you are married to a “Mercy Person”, please don’t look at them as Weak! But if you are a “Mercy Person”, don’t look at your Spouse as not having a Heart.
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