--a spiritual gift is an expression of faith which aims to strengthen faith. It is activated from faith in us and aims for faith in another. (Piper, 1997)
Another way to put it would be this: A spiritual gift is an ability given by the Holy Spirit to express our faith effectively (in word or deed) for the strengthening of someone else's faith.WOW! Can he put make things easy or what?!?
Basically, we are all given certain talents from the Holy Spirit. We are to learn what these are, pursue them, encourage their growth, and use to strengthen our faith and instill faith in others.
The best place to start is in the beginning: What's your gift?
Paul speaks of the gifts in various passages in the NT:
Romans 1:11-12 (New International Version)
11I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong— 12 that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith.
Romans 12:3-8
By the grace given to me I bid every one among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith which God has assigned him... (v.3). Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith, if service, in our serving; he who teaches in his teaching; he who exhorts in his exhortation; he who contributes in liberality; he who gives aid with zeal; he who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness (vv. 6-8).
7Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,[a] and to still another the interpretation of tongues.[b] 11All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.
Repeatedly we see the use of the term unity through diversity. Even though there are only a certain number of gifts, God uses them in innumerable ways through each believer.
If you have never taken a group or class on Spiritual gifts try these fun web-sites that offer FREE assessments. I took all three to get the best overall assessment. They each have a lot of questions which makes them that much more accurate, plan on about 10-15 minutes each.
This one is from Ken Ellis:
This one is by the Evan. Lutheran Church of America:
This one is from Ephesians Four Ministries:
Keep studying and polishing your gifts.
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