Romans 12:6 “Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.” 

The reason Jesus died on the cross, the reason His blood was shed for us and the reason He rose again was not just so we could enter the gates of heaven. It was so that we could have intimacy with Him, so that He could tear down the veil that stood between the Holy of Holies and draw us into the holy place where we can experience true intimacy. In this place there is no bitterness, jealousy or strife. It is a place we can function as His Body, with many members, with many giftings, all within one Body, intended to represent Christ to the world.

Paul in Romans 12:6 speaks of the giftings God has given the members of His body. This word “gifts” denotes extraordinary powers, distinguishing certain Christians and enabling them to serve the Church of Christ, the reception of which is due to the power of divine grace operating in their souls, by the Holy Spirit. That word “gift” is a powerful one. It is a spiritual thing. It is granted. It is imparted through divine grace and functions in our souls by the Holy Spirit. Whatever gifts He has given us, He, the Holy Spirit, functions through us with those gifts. You see, this is not “us,” it is “Him.” We are only the vessel, and when we clear all the blockages, get rid of all the roots and the garbage that has been packed in there, we can be an open vessel with the Spirit flowing unrestricted through us into the Body of Christ. 

The Spirit deposits the gifts and we give out of that deposit. We use them for the edification and the glorification of our Lord., the edification and the building up of our Church---the Body of Christ. That is the purpose of the gifts. Some people can get offended because God chose to give certain gifts to certain people and they do not have that gift they wanted. They can even get hurt. “Why did You not give me that gift, Lord? I would rather be the teacher. I would rather be the prophet. I would rather be the servant. Why can’t I have a different gifting? Because He created each of us to function in a certain way and He has only given us the grace to function in that particular area. It’s not a preference per se; it’s about protecting the gifting and the individual He’s given the gift to. Why? To ensure it is used properly within the Body of Christ. 

There is a book called, Self-Esteem, A Gift from God. It contains a powerful message to teach each of us to appreciate who we are so that we might serve as God created us to serve. When we see what our gifts are, when we see what our personality type is, we gain appreciation for the person God created us to be and we can come to understand and really embrace in faith who we are in God. Ultimately, this brings freedom for us to function in the capacity that He created us to function in. 

1 Corinthians 12:3-6 “Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. 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.”

Whatever gift we have been given by God, it is the same Lord that gave us our gift and gave our brother his gift. We can only function in that gift according to the Holy Spirit and according to the grace God has given to us. 

As bearers of those gifts, it’s important that we embrace the purpose of those gifts. In 1 Corinthians 12:3-6, the word “diversity” and “differences,” referring to the distribution of His gifts to His children, means “through or reaching across and making a personal choice.” Now, when we first hear that definition, we might think, “Oh, so we can survey the landscape of functions in the Church and pick which one we want to do.” However, this isn’t what “diversity” means. ‘Diversities’ means is “it is God’s choice to give sovereign endowments of grace to His people, so they can reach out across to others as His hands extended to them.” 

In other words, God gives us a variety of gifts, so that we (His Body) can reach out across, as His hands extended to others. Whatever gift He has given us, is to be used to reach out and touch others. In verse four, it says, “the diversity (variety) of gifts.” This word “gifts” is charisma, spiritual gifts. In the technical Pauline sense, “gifts” denotes “extraordinary powers, distinguishing certain Christians and enabling them to serve the church of Christ, the reception of which is due to the power of divine grace operating in their souls by the Holy Spirit."

Whichever gift you are granted, embrace it wholeheartedly. At the end of the refining process, God is going to call you to arise and step into the fullness of your spiritual gifting. If we have not allowed Him to rip out blockages and grind up the roots, roots of envy, bitterness, strife, carnality—all the roots that cause us to walk in the flesh—then we have not allowed Him to clean us out. If we have not allowed Him to really refine us and do the depth of work He is longing to do in us, we will not be able to function in the giftings He has selected for us.

To be continued next week…

Blessings and Love,

Ricci Johnson-Wilson