ROMANS 11:29; ROMANS 12:6-8; EPHESIANS 4:8
1 Corinthians 12:4-7(KJV): "Now there are Diversities of Gifts, but the Same Spirit. And there are Differences of Administrations, but the Same Lord. And there are Diversities of Operations, but it is the Same God Which worketh all in all. But the Manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal."
Spiritual Gifts are Supernatural Abilities given to believers to enable them fulfill the Mission of the Church and their God-given life assignments. God does not give people an assignment to accomplish or a responsibility to carry out without giving them the corresponding authority and enablement to accomplish it. Simply put, there is no believer without an assignment and a Spiritual Gift to back it. (1Cor.12:7). The difference is the extent to which it has been developed and the extent to which it has been used.
From 1Corinthians 12:4-7 it is clear that there are Three Main Categories of Spiritual Gifts:
(1.) The Gifts of the Spirit: They are nine in number and fall under the Jurisdiction of God the Holy Spirit. (1Cor. 12:8-11)
(2.) The Administrations of the Lord: Also known as Ministry Gifts, these are five in number (Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers) and fall under the Jurisdiction of God the Son. (Eph. 4:8-11)
(3.) The Operations of God the Father: These are seven in number (the Seven Mountains or Spheres of Society) and fall under the Jurisdiction of God the Father. (Rom. 12:6-8)
The Purpose of Spiritual Gifts is manifold i.e., for ministry, for serving humanity, evangelizing the world and saving men's lives and destinies. There is no one in Christ without a ministry. Your Spiritual Gifts are one of the Major Pointers of the particular ministry or office that God has called you into. The Nine Gifts of the Spirit are given to the individual believer who is equipped with a specific combination of Spiritual Gifts is given to the Church as a Ministry Gift. Then the Church with all the individuals inside it is now given to the world to bring God's Kingdom and Influence into the different spheres of society. You have to pay the price in the place of prayer, a meditation on God's Word and consecration to discover your Spiritual Gifts, develop them and begin to use them to do the Work of the Ministry.
PRAYER: Dear Lord, please open our eyes to the different Spiritual Gifts You have endowed us with and the areas of Divine Assignment You have called us to serve in. May we continually pay the price to develop these Spiritual Gifts even as we continually deploy them in the service of the Kingdom in Jesus' Mighty Name. Amen
