Knowing and Operating in Your Spiritual Gifts

Apostleship (Pioneering)

Prophesy

Evangelism

Pastoring (Pastoral Care)

Teaching

The special ability to give wisely to support the Lord’s work; individually and collectively. Often accompanied by the ability to earn money and manage it well. Active Ideal: Sincere stewardship, without financial manipulation or harassment. Trap to Avoid: The power of money. Verses: Romans 12:6-8; Acts 4:32-35; 2 Corinthians 9:7-8

The special ability to provide a warm, welcoming environment. Often accompanied by food, lodging and fellowship. Bruised individuals will also often find refuge. Active Ideal: Highly sociable. Supports fellowship activities without sacrificing personal and family time. Trap to Avoid: Taking on too much and becoming exhausted. Verses:  1 Peter 4:9-10; Acts 16:13-15; Luke 14:12-14

The special ability to aid the suffering or undeserving, desiring to spare them from penalties or punishment that may be justly deserved. Also known as the gift of compassion. Active Ideal: Caring and wise insights without foolish responses. Trap to Avoid: Sometimes too sensitive. Verses: Romans 12:6-8; Matthew 5:7

The special ability to provide timely assistance that supports the release of fellow Christian workers into other needed areas of spiritual giftedness. May include the supernatural energy needed to sustain a prolonged effort. Also known as the gift of Ministry or Helps. Active Ideal: Selfless servant's heart, but not to the point of martyr. Trap to Avoid: Overextending oneself or underestimating the time demands. Verses: 1 Corinthians 12:28; Acts 6:1-3; Romans 16:1-2

The special ability of enthusiastically working with, as well as through, fellow believers toward achieving biblical goals and organizational objectives within the body of Christ. Especially gifted in moving groups forward. Active Ideal: An initiator who leads by example. Trap to Avoid: Leading by manipulation or expecting too much from those you serve with. Verses: Romans 12:6-8 (v.8); 1 Corinthians 12:28, Acts 6:1-6

The special ability to come alongside another in need of encouragement, challenge, or earnest advice, from a God-given perspective. Active Ideal: Encourage action toward an applied truth without creating expectations. Trap to Avoid: Talking too much, not listening enough. Verses: Romans 12:6-8 (v.8); Acts 11:23-24; Hebrews 10:24-25

The special ability to trust deeply in the presence and power of God, and the willingness to act on this trust; often stretching the faith and commitment of others. Active Ideal: Optimistically combines faith and works and learns to be patient with others. Trap to Avoid: Overly trusting of others. Inwardly proud of one's faith as compared to others. Verses: 1 Corinthians 12:7-9; Matthew 8:5-16; Hebrews 11:1

The special ability to give a detailed understanding of biblical truths to those willing to learn. Usually loves in-depth study, searching patiently and persistently. Active Ideal: Reveal truth, but don't exhaust others by pressing for understanding. Trap to Avoid: Digging too deeply into seemingly insignificant details. Verses: Romans 12:6-8 (v.7b); Colossians 3:16; James 3:1; 2 Timothy 2:2

The special ability to distinguish between truth and error, including the distinction between what is good and what is best. Also includes the ability to distinguish between the Spirit of God and evil, demonic spiritual influences and manifestations. Active Ideal: Ideal: Listen carefully to perceive accurately. Trap to Avoid: Being too critical or too quick to share. Verses: 1 Corinthians 12:7-10 (v.10b); 1 Corinthians 2:14

The special ability to act as a productive instrument of God, in the activity of soul-winning. As the people of God, we can "win" in many ways, while only God saves. The worth of souls and concern for a lost and dying world highly motivates this gift. Active Ideal: Win disciples without concern for number counting and statistics. Trap to Avoid: Be careful not to be over zealous. Verses: Ephesians 4:11; Acts 8:26-40; Luke 19:1-10

The special ability to pray and see people healed: physically, mentally, and emotionally. People with the gift of healing have unusual faith that God can heal anyone. Active Ideal: A restorer focused on God's power and not their gift to heal. Trap to Avoid: Teaching everyone should be healed. Verses: 1 Corinthians 12:9, 28, 30; Acts 3:1-16; Mark 2:1-12

The special ability to effectively guide, feed, and protect a flock of followers in Christ – also known as "pastoring" or "shepherding." It is likely exercised in today's church office of Pastor. Active Ideal: Ideal: Strong leadership without the use of manipulation or guilt. Trap to Avoid: Taking advantage of others' trust or vulnerability. Verses: Eph. 4:11; 1 Peter 5:2-4

The special ability to cause the authoritative word of God’s truth to shine. It may be expressed in both preaching and extemporary utterances to explain and apply God’s revelation for correction and edification. From a New Testament perspective the purpose of the gift is less foretelling the future than the telling of the heart of God for a particular person. Active Ideal: Bold declaration of God's truth, without causing division. Trap to Avoid: Becoming a fighter. Verses: Eph. 4:11; 1 Cor. 14:1-3; 2 Peter 1:19-21

A special ability to use knowledge effectively for the building up of the body of Christ. The reverential awe and healthy-fear of God is its true foundation. Active Ideal: Be perceptive and consistently seek truth. Trap to Avoid: Speaking down to other people. Verses: 1 Cor. 12:7-8; James 3:13-18

The special ability to authenticate a specific ministry or message of God. Those used in this powerful intervention of God, demonstrate tremendous faith in God's power and always glorify Him rather than self. Active Ideal: Ideal: Point people to Christ and not to the "miracle worker." Trap to Avoid: Emotionally manipulating an audience or relying on showmanship. Verses: 1 Corinthians 12:10, 28-29; John 2:1-11; Luke 5:1-11

TONGUES is the special ability to speak in languages that may not be understood by most everyone present. The gift may manifest in three ways: 1) Speaking in a foreign language that the speaker does not understand but that others who are present do understand. 2) Speaking in a non-intelligible language known only to God. 3) Praying with words that only the Holy Spirit can understand. INTERPRETATION is the special ability to understand what has been spoken in tongues and to make it understandable to others present. Active Ideal: Edify believers through positive messages. Trap to Avoid: Being disruptive, overbearing, confusing, or elitist. Respective Verses: 1) Acts 2:1-12 (Pentacost); 2) 1 Corinthians 14:4-19; 3) I Corinthians 14:28

Technically speaking, there are no scripture passages that uniquely define intercession as a Sprit-empowered gift. Instead, there is a general call for all believers to faithfully petition God on behalf of others, i.e. intercede. Some qualities we see, and that are reported by those drawn to intercession:

• • Deep belief and an extra measure of faith that God will moves in response.
• • Offers daily, steadfast prayers for people or situations.
• • Often experiences heartfelt empathy and passion toward each prayer point.
• • Often burdened by a specific need of another, or by God for a situation.
• • Often enjoy joining with other intercessors to collectively petition God.

Active Ideal: Confirm God's specific calling before dedicating oneself to a particular prayer effort. Trap to Avoid: Neglecting other needs or responsibilities. Being pushy or feeling superior. Verses: 1 Timothy 2:1-2 NOTE: If not a gift in itself, intercession can clearly be seen as a personal calling or ministry Spirit-empowered by one or more of other spiritual gifts.