How Do We Pursue Spiritual Gifts?
by David K. Bernard
Podcast recording (no venue stated in the delivered transcript)
Kind: teaching
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 14:1, Ephesians 4, Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, Hebrews 12:14, Galatians 5:22-23

Source: https://acts238.life/repository/sermons/david-k-bernard--how-do-we-pursue-spiritual-gifts
Published by Acts 2:38 Life from the sermon transcript on that page.
Free to copy and share with attribution.

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to answer your question let me uh refer you for further study I wrote a book called spiritual gifts so if you want an in-depth study of spiritual gifts in the scripture especially the supernatural spiritual gifts of First Corinthians chapter 12 then I encourage you to get my book spiritual gifts when we talk about spiritual gifts there are several different categories in Ephesians 4 it talks about ministerial offices certain people who are called by God as preachers teachers leaders of the church they're God's gifts to the church those are the ones who are called to these special offices or Ministries these are the people to whom the upci would give a ministerial credentials so that's not everyone but then Romans 12 talks about what we can call the service gifts it talks about different people have different abilities and they correspond to natural abilities but of course God created us and no ability is strictly secular all of our abilities come from God and I do believe in Romans 12 it gives examples that everybody in the church has some role in the body in fact Romans 12 uses the illustration or the analogy that that the church is like a human body there are different members that have different functions but all these members work together for the good of the body that that analogy is also brought out uh more in more depth in First Corinthians chapter 12.

so if you look at the list in Romans 12 it talks about different people uh have a gift of speaking a gift of leadership a gift of generosity they're blessed financially uh gift of showing mercy and to some extent all of us should support the church should uh witness should you know should be able to share our testimony should be merciful Etc but we recognize some people are greatly used have special abilities which may be inherent in their personality or in their upbringing in their background but they're enhanced by being filled with the spirit and so we can Regard in some sense even our natural abilities uh are that come genetically are from God and our abilities that are enhanced by being filled with the spirit they certainly come from God so Romans 12 indicates every one of us should identify what gifts and talents do we have what makes us different perhaps from someone else what can we contribute uh in in a way that someone else isn't as good at or doesn't do as effectively and so every one of us should think I have some gifts that already exist based on my personality my genetics my upbringing my education and the work of God in my life the experiences of my life what are those and then I need to use them and maximize them so it's more of a discovering what's already in your life but then in First Corinthians 12 we have a list of nine Supernatural spiritual gifts they go beyond natural abilities and they are examples of something God miraculously imparts and there are examples such as the word of wisdom word of knowledge so you know every one of us should can acquire wisdom and knowledge just on a human level even non-believers can acquire some level of wisdom and knowledge and then in our spiritual life every child of God should acquire spiritual wisdom and spiritual knowledge uh and but then there are certain times of need where God will intervene with a miracle and will give you wisdom to deal with the situation otherwise you would have had no ability to deal with it's not all the wisdom of the world or all the wisdom of God but it's a word of wisdom for that specific need likewise a word of knowledge is not all the knowledge in the world or all the knowledge in scripture or all of the knowledge in God's mind but for you to accomplish a certain person purpose God's supernaturally reveals some knowledge to you so that's a word of knowledge those are Supernatural spiritual gifts so if we want to seek them I think we have to focus not first on those gifts but Focus first on a healthy spiritual life spiritual disciplines daily life of prayer studying God's word going to church Faithfully having fellowship with God's people hearing the preaching and teaching of the word supporting their church with ties and offering sharing Our Testimony all of these normal things bearing the fruit of the spirit I think it's much more important to focus on pursuing Holiness which is commanded in Hebrews 12 14 bearing the fruit of the spirit Galatians 5 22-23 and in fact the text you talked about in in Corinth First Corinthians 12-14 it talks about the supernatural spiritual gifts but right in the middle chapter 13 it shows the priority of love the most important thing is love if you don't have love all the spiritual gifts are useless so I think what we should work on is developing maturity in our spiritual life being led by the spirit pursuing Holiness developing the fruit of the spirit and then in that context then we can desire to be used of God now I believe that anybody that's filled with the spirit could potentially use any spiritual gift as the need arises and as God enables not everybody is going to have all the gifts but you can be used repeatedly in certain gifts because you learn to yield and surrender to them and you have faith for them and once God has used you it's much easier to recognize God's work and have faith for it and yield and surrender to that but I think the focus once again is not on our personal ownership but it's on the spirit has all the gifts so if there's a need God will use you so in a practical way if you'd like to be used in one or more of these Supernatural spiritual gifts of First Corinthians 12 are other miraculous signs and wonders and miracles uh if you have that desire I would say first of all develop your spiritual disciplines develop spiritual fruit you should not seek Supernatural spiritual gifts in and of themselves you should seek God you should seek a relationship with God you should seek the priorities of loving God and loving people serving people ministering to people that should be the priority because if you seek the gifts directly for their own sake there's a danger of pride second so you first of all just develop your overall spiritual life and spiritual fruit but then second you can make it a matter of prayer if you haven't been used in miraculous ways then pray and again God has to impart this so you don't need techniques or special prayers or or getting someone to uh you know impart something to you that's not really what you should do you should pray and say God give me the Liberty when the time comes when the need arises I want to be a vessel I want to be used uh use me according to your will and this leave it up to God let God do it then third I would say find ways to minister to people because the gifts will be used when the need arises and if your focus is on yourself and developing gifts it may never happen but if your focus is on helping others then when the time comes let's say someone is sick and you're witnessing to them and they have an urgent need you can certainly you can say I'll pray for you in my personal prayer life I'll send my prayer the prayer request to the church or if you come to my church my pastor will pray for you all that's great but when the need is urgent and personal and direct what you could say is would it be okay if I prayed for you right now and at that moment God could heal that person you could be used to the gifts of healing so in that example it's based on the need it's not based on your ego or you're wanting it uh but it's based on there's a real need of ministry so God is going to impart this gift to you and use you so you can help someone so the more you're involved in sharing your testimony teaching Bible studies trying to win souls trying to disciple people loving people caring for people the more likely it is that there will be a genuine urgent need that a supernatural spiritual gift will address and God will use you since you're the person there since you're the person with the burden since you're the visible conduit and vessel God will use you so if you really want to be used in spiritual gifts number one focus on your personal spiritual life number two seek God In Prayer and number three get out there and Minister and let the needs arise and God will use you as he wishes