WHICH GIFTS ARE MENTIONED IN THE BIBLE?
The various gifts listed in the Bible can be classified as follows:
- Gifts of revelation
- Gifts of powers
- Gifts of speech
- Gifts of ministration
- Gifts of managing and support
Each of these will now be discussed and explained with reference to the Bible.
GIFTS OF REVELATION
WISDOM – this is that special ability endowed by God to certain Christians to know the thoughts of the Holy Spirit: The Godly insight, knowledge, vision, and their application towards supplying in people’s specific needs. Refer to these texts:
“Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him.”
“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.”
The person endowed with the gift of wisdom knows to get to the core of a problem and how to solve it.
KNOWLEDGE – a Godly endowment to certain people to discover and analyze information and ideas and to make them clear to man, towards the benefit of his growth and wellbeing. Knowledge concerns facts. Facts are truth, but we must speak the truth in love. We shall know truth, and truth will free us. Examples for reference:
“I myself am convinced, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with knowledge and competent to instruct one another.”
“Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth.”
DISCERNING BETWEEN SPIRITS – to know with certainty when certain patterns or manifestations of behaviour are from God or from Satan. This gift is given purposefully to ensure that God’s children are not misled by deceptive spirits. Texts for reference:
“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore, they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.”
“To another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.”
GIFTS OF POWERS
FAITH – to discern, with exceptional trust, God’s will and purpose about the outcome of His work. This comprises a superhuman trust in God for His miracles. Texts for reference:
“To another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit.”
“Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, so shall thy seed be. And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about a hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah’s womb. He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.”
MIRACLES – a supernatural, out-of-the-normal change, accomplished by God through the believer. Natural scientists may confirm, but not explain it. The true believer sees it as a miracle from God. Texts for reference:
“To another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.”
“I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done.”
HEALING – the special competence through human channels to healing those who God wants to through faith. Medication and other means play no role whatsoever in faith healing. This also applies to mental, emotional, or other spiritual afflictions. Texts for reference:
“They will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”
“To another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit.”
GIFTS OF SPEECH
PROPHECY – this is the special competence to impart a message from God to His children, through a Godly anointment and expression at that moment. It is meant to guide God’s children, to encourage them and to edify them. With regard to personal prophecies, extreme cautiousness should be exercised, as people may be misled by false prophets or desires of the flesh. All prophecy must be verified in accordance with God’s Word. Texts for reference:
“But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.”
“We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith.”
TONGUES – an exceptional ability imparted by God onto particular Christians to talk to Him in a language completely unknown to the person. Conversely, it is also meant to impart a message received from God to the congregation/His children, in an unknown language. It also serves as an anointment of God of His children. Speaking in unknown languages enables the Christian to communicate with God, through his/her spirit, on a supernatural level, far above that of the human mind.
- It releases God’s Spirit in the Christian
- It allows God’s Spirit its rightful place in the soul and body of God’s child
- It is also God’s way of providing catharsis (release of stress), being healthy and providential to the person’s mental condition
- It provides in the Christian’s need of a deeper praise giving, adoration and prayer, to the honour and glory of the Father.
Therefore, we are admonished not to prohibit it! Texts for reference:
“To another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.”
“On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.”
INTERPRETING TONGUES – the gift of interpreting tongues is that competency bestowed by God to Christians to interpret and clarify, in a language familiar to the audience, a message from God brought by some person but in an unknown language. Text for reference:
“For this reason, the one who speaks in a tongue should pray that they may interpret what they say.”
GIFTS OF MINISTRATION
EVANGELIST – to implement the gift of evangelism is to impart the Gospel with unbelievers in such a way that they will become not only disciples of Jesus, but also full-fledged members of His body. Every Christian should be an evangelist, i.e. a witness of the Gospel. Research has shown, however, that only some ten per cent (10%) of believers are gifted with this skill, of whom only 0.5 per cent practice it actively. Texts for reference:
“So, Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers.”
“But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.”
PASTOR – this gift enables the recipient to accept long-term personal responsibility for the spiritual wellbeing of a group of believers. Texts for reference:
“I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me. Just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.”
“He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.”
PREACHER – the Christian gifted thus has the proficiency of explaining the deeper truths of Scripture to his audience so that they can understand them better and know how to bring them into practice for their own spiritual growth. Text for reference:
“And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues.”
PROPHET – having been gifted as a prophet, the person is able to give anointed expression, on a regular basis, of God’s will in terms of coming happenings or actions, in such way that the pronouncement come true and that the congregation will be strengthened, living closer to God’s will. True and false prophets are tested in accordance with their prophecies and the outcome thereof. Therefore, this gift is one of extreme responsibility to God and the congregation. Text for reference:
“Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said.”
APOSTLE/MISSIONARY – the gift of becoming an apostle or missionary of God enables the person to establish a Christian culture, breaking fallow land in new regions, and assisting the new Christians with the gifts and working of God’s Spirit. The apostle is also responsible to help develop new young Christian leaders, to guide them, train and educate them, up to the stage that they will be able to take over as proficient leaders themselves. Texts for reference:
“And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”
“And to make all men see what the fellowship of the mystery is, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ.”
GIFTS OF MANAGING AND SUPPORT
SUPPORT – Christians having received the gift of support will make their talents available in the service of others so that they will be able to use their spiritual gifts more effectively. Texts for reference:
“I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deacon of the church in Cenchreae. I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of his people and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been the benefactor of many people, including me.”
“In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor. About that time, she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, “Please come at once!””
LEADERSHIP – this gift embodies setting up objectives in accordance with God’s will for the future and to share them with others, so that they will be desirous of cooperating of their free will towards achieving the objectives. Texts for reference:
“If it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.”
“Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.”
MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATION – this gift enables the recipient to understand both the short and long-term objectives of the Church, to plan accordingly, and to execute them. Texts for reference:
“But the centurion, instead of listening to what Paul said, followed the advice of the pilot and of the owner of the ship.”
“Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.”
GIVING – to contribute liberally, both materially and financially, towards the expansion of God’s Kingdom. Text for reference:
“And now, brothers and sisters, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the Lord’s people. And they exceeded our expectations: They gave themselves first of all to the Lord, and then by the will of God also to us. So we urged Titus, just as he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you[a]—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.”
HOSPITALITY – recipients of hospitality are Christians who throw their homes wide open to all God’s children, whether familiar or not, in executing their imposed calling. Texts for reference:
“Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.”
“Rather, he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined.”
DR KRIGE AND HOUSE REGENERATION
This adapted content was extracted from Make your Stand, authored by Dr Ado Krige, the Founding Director of House Regeneration, a South African drug rehabilitation centre offering a comprehensive discipleship training program. By applying principles of Biblical Therapy, using the Scriptures to teach, rebuke, correct, and train in righteousness, House Regeneration counsellors show anyone who has suffered from addiction how to fully understand why they do what they do and how to bring their belief systems in line with the Word of God.
