The Gifts of the Spirit: Unlocking Your Spiritual Purpose

Have you ever felt that God has something special planned for your life? I believe with all my heart that each person reading this has been blessed with unique spiritual gifts, and God is calling you to a greater purpose. No matter where you are in your journey, remember this: God is not done with you. In fact, He’s just getting started.

A New Season of Victory

Our church group has been through its own journey of growth. My wife Jeannine and I tried to start a church once before, and while that initial effort didn’t flourish as we hoped, I don’t consider it a failure. As I often say, you never truly fail unless you give up. Back then, we lacked the right mentorship, support system, and most importantly, we hadn’t fully embraced the gifts of the Holy Spirit as we have now.

Today, I believe God is looking to bless our congregation in powerful ways, and every single person has an important role to play. This is why understanding the gifts of the Spirit is so crucial for believers today.

My Personal Journey

I’ll be honest with you – I wasn’t always open to these spiritual gifts. In fact, I spent nearly 15 years walking away from God and the church. It wasn’t that I was angry; I simply didn’t feel used, needed, or wanted. But I’ve discovered that when you unlock your spiritual gifts, you always feel like you have a purpose in God’s kingdom. Church transforms from something routine into something extraordinary.

There was a time when I thought people who believed in the baptism of the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues were, well, a bit crazy. I even considered these practices potentially demonic. I recall a conversation with another pastor where we discussed “calling out” someone for speaking in tongues. His response stuck with me: “If that gives someone greater faith, don’t try to take that faith away from them.”

I remembered that conversation when I first met Pastor Rodger. Instead of criticizing his faith, I kept an open mind. Still, I struggled with a fundamental question: If I attend a solid Bible-believing church with good Christian leaders, why don’t they pray in tongues? Why do these spiritual manifestations seem limited to certain denominations?

Everything changed when I reached a point of desperate need. I needed to feel God’s power like never before. Despite my small faith, I asked God for the gift of praying in tongues. That prayer has strengthened my spirit ever since.

Eagerly Desire the Gifts

The Bible tells us in 1 Corinthians 14:1: “Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy.” (NIV)

Here’s something profound: God isn’t going to bless you with gifts you don’t ask for. The reason some churches or individuals don’t experience these spiritual manifestations is simple – they’re not eagerly desiring them. You have to want it. You have to pursue it. And then, you need to receive it.

A few weeks ago, we discussed the anointing of healing. We brought Leo forward for prayer for his shoulder. I encouraged people to step up as prayer warriors, and Ben came forward. He laid hands on Leo and prayed with such faith, power, and authority that I truly felt God’s presence. I sensed that Ben had a special anointing for healing.

Later, Ben told me it was the first time he had ever prayed for someone like that. In the weeks since, I’ve watched him pray for others, and I know God gave him a special gift. But here’s the key – Ben stepped out in faith and received that gift that night.

The Nine Gifts of the Spirit

In 1 Corinthians 12:8-10 (NIV), Paul lists nine supernatural gifts:

Revelation Gifts (Knowing)

• Word of Wisdom – Supernatural insight into applying God’s wisdom
• Word of Knowledge – Divine revelation of facts not known naturally
• Discerning of Spirits – Ability to distinguish between the Holy Spirit, human spirit, or demonic spirits

Power Gifts (Doing)

• Faith – A supernatural confidence in God for the impossible
• Gifts of Healing – Miraculous healing through the Holy Spirit’s power
• Working of Miracles – Extraordinary supernatural acts

Speaking Gifts (Speaking)

• Prophecy – Speaking a message from God to edify, exhort, or comfort
• Tongues – Speaking in an unknown language by the Spirit
• Interpretation of Tongues – Interpreting a message spoken in tongues

You don’t need to be the smartest or most accomplished Christian to receive these gifts. Studying theology, learning Greek and Hebrew, or attending seminary won’t necessarily fast-track you to these gifts. What matters is your desire and your willingness to receive them by faith.

When my own faith was small, I received the gift of Faith – a supernatural confidence in God for the impossible.

Why Prophecy Matters

Paul emphasizes that spiritual gifts are given for the common good (1 Corinthians 12:7) and should be used in love and order. When he urges us to “eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy” (1 Corinthians 14:1), he’s encouraging the entire church community to seek and operate in these gifts.

Why does Paul highlight prophecy? Because it has unique power to edify, encourage, and comfort the church. The gift of prophecy is a supernatural ability to speak God’s message – not just predicting the future, but revealing God’s heart and will.

As Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 14:3: “But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort.”

Prophecy’s Priority

Paul contrasts prophecy with speaking in tongues because prophecy directly benefits the entire congregation:

• It strengthens the church: “The one who prophesies edifies the church” (1 Corinthians 14:4)
• It is immediately understandable, unlike tongues which require interpretation
• It brings conviction and guidance: “But if an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in while everyone is prophesying, they are convicted of sin” (1 Corinthians 14:24)
• It reveals God’s presence: “So they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, ‘God is really among you!'” (1 Corinthians 14:25)

This doesn’t mean other gifts are unimportant, but prophecy has an immediate impact on the church’s growth and unity.

Living in the Gifts Today

Paul teaches in 1 Corinthians 12-14 that these gifts remain active and necessary for today’s Church. They work together to strengthen believers and bring people closer to Jesus.

And yes, a Christian can have multiple gifts! As 1 Corinthians 12:11 explains, the Holy Spirit distributes gifts as He wills—some believers may operate in different gifts at different times.

I encourage you today: eagerly desire these spiritual gifts. Ask God for them. Step out in faith. And watch as He transforms not only your life but the lives of those around you through His supernatural power.

What spiritual gift are you asking God for today?