Discerning Your Spiritual Gifts

Here are some simple thoughts on how to discern the spiritual gifts God is entrusting to you...

1) Other believers and leaders can bear witness to the gifts in you, especially as leaders are called to equip the saints for ministry. Ask those around you. Get the discussion flowing! See Ephesians 4.

2) Your desires often lead to your gifts. God often gives the gift in seed form, in your desires. See Psalm 37.

3) God has probably been developing gifts in you for years, so ask about the journey He has had you on. How has providence been shaping your gifts? How has providence started to suggest your gifts?

4) The baptism in the Spirit activates the gifts, so seek the baptism in the Spirit BEFORE seeking gifts. Even more importantly: seek intimacy with the Spirit, and from that place the gifts flow naturally, as the Spirit sovereignly distributes gifts as we partner with Him. See Acts 2 and 1 Corinthians 12.

5) Confess points of resistance, and ask Jesus to free you from these blockages. Being open to all gifts is the ideal place from which to discern your gifts, rather than merely trying to pick the ones that suit you.

For example, if someone is resistant to public tongues or prophecy, they are often closing off or trying to control other gifts too. You might hear something like, “I ONLY have the gift of hospitality,” but what that really means is, “I am not interested in the weirder gifts," or, "I have a false sense of humility and it is keeping me from diving in to fulness.” If one is trying to control one’s gifts to stay in one’s lane or stay in one’s comfort zone, that usually flies in the face of the Spirit’s sovereign distribution of gifts, as pictured in 1 Corinthians 12.

6) Joy and flow in the Spirit come when one is walking in his/her gifts. Look for joy and flow to be present when you step into what God has for you.

7) That said, there can also be a time of testing, development, and trying things out when we start to walk in our gifting. So don’t always look for “joy and flow” to be easy. For example, there could be a large element of death to self or conformity to Christ’s sufferings as a gift is developed and practiced. One gifted in teaching might still feel awful after giving a sermon! One gifted in public tongues might still need to step out in boldness. One gifted in hospitality might still have a struggle in sharing their living space with another. So don't let trials and stretching deter you from stepping into your gifts!

8) God often calls forth your gift through LACK in the kingdom work around you. Maybe nobody is prophesying... so you might have to! Nobody is teaching, so you might want to. Nobody else is reaching out to this newcomer, you might need to take them out for coffee! And all of a sudden you realize you have some hospitality gifting and it is enjoyable.

That type of thing is often the finger of God.