Your Divine Design - How to Discover Your Primary Spiritual Gift, Part 2

Have you ever wondered why you do what you do. I mean, why is it certain ministries will resonate with your heart, and others. Another important but they just don't motivate you at all will, there's a good reason for that. And today, all share with you, straight from the New Testament how you can begin to put the pieces of your spiritual gift puzzle together and do it in a way that will bring you great joy and bless other people to process. Thanks for listening to this Edition of Living on the Edge Swift shipping Living on the Edges of international discipleship ministry between the daily Bible in a minute will pick up where we left off in our series your divine design strictures part two of his message to discover your very spiritual but before he does that.

This is your first time listening, Living on the Edge you just want to learn more about what we do go to Living on the Edge.a large burial 5 tons of resources on a wide range of topics, and countless programs to enjoy over that. Let's join Chip as he dives right in today by unpacking for us the details of each spiritual gift laid out in Scripture walk-through. Specifically, each one of these gifts and here's how to do it. I'm going to give you written definition that you can see there then I'm going to give you some quick characteristics and by the way, don't try and write these down all make you nuts if you're obsessive-compulsive just leaned back and then here's what I want you to do underneath in your notes.

Words of prophecy. I want you to write the words. Yes no maybe and then when I get done just got reaction circle yes no or maybe I saw give you the definition I give you few characteristics and then we'll do a quick application prophecy motivational gift from Romans 12, 6 to 8. The divine enablement to proclaim God's truth with power and clarity in a timely and culturally sensitive fashion, for correction, repentance, or edification. It's the ability to reveal God's word accurately. I want a good test is people with this gift often intuitively ask about almost every situation. What went wrong. What caused this by way of definition as well.

In the Old Testament. Obviously prophets were telling the future and forth telling or preaching in the New Testament we get some rare occasions where there are telling the future, but the primary nature of this gift will discuss this later on this issue is the fourth telling, or the culturally accurate preaching of God's word. It's the ability and consuming desire to reveal the truth of God that it might impact lives I found a little quote. You know those scholarly books with the have the print that seem like microscopic. I cut this out and paste it in my notes and this is by an older fellow named Darby I love description of this, he says, by a special energy of the spirit. Doesn't that sound like old-school by a special energy of the spirit. It can unfold and communicate the mind of Christ with the church is ignorant of it, though it says this treasure is already found in Scripture, it brings truth hidden previously from the knowledge of the church in the power and the testimony of the Spirit of God to bear on the present circumstances of the church and the future prospects of of the world and thus it practically is prophetic, though there may be no necessary new information or revelation.

It's someone who has a sense of the culture and the needs of the church and God gives it where there's an alignment so when they speak they speak to where the real issues are of what we need to address characteristics they tend to be persuasive speakers. They can read people that often are opinionated, very black-and-white, they often like large groups rather than one on one people at this get gift often I been with people that I mean you fill a stadium and you feel like you're the best friend you sit next to him on the airplane and you say hey how you doing fine and you thinking, but I just had this warm, wonderful experience with 50,000 people in the stadium house gone great. I mean there's just something about some people. This gift is I don't necessarily like the one-on-one stuff, some of the dangers of this gift, there can be a tendency to be proud of their speaking ability. Depending on the speaking ability rather than on the power the Holy Spirit and people with prophetic gift want to make it right can be insensitive to the feelings of other people. Okay, how about you yes no maybe does that can describe you just take a quick shot in the dark. Don't over analyze it.

Gift number two is service. It's the divine enablement to attach spiritual value to the accomplishment of physical tasks within the body of Christ. It's the ability to demonstrate love by meeting practical needs that releases other Christians for direct spiritual ministry.

The question these people intuitively ask, because of their gift is what can I do to help. What can I do to help the gift of word here is our word diaconate on it is translated Deacon.

It literally means to serve or to wait on tables. Some characteristics of this person doesn't need much public recognition. These people don't seek the limelight their content to work behind the scenes, they often like manual projects, and use it the usual ability to detect people's personal needs. These are the kind of people walk in your house and there's little conversation and they come back around later and they give you something you think it will.

How did you even know about that what you mentioned it three months ago when we had dinner and you're going out even though I knew that that they just really attuned to meeting the practical needs of people. Other able to overlook personal discomfort in order to meet other people's needs and will often use their own funds to make things happen is that they just want to serve as some of the dangers they can be bitter when their deeds are not recognized. They don't need a lot of limelight, but when they get none. It's kind like hey does anybody care and by the way, these are the most neglected people in the body of Christ and the church. These are the people that I'll tell you what.

When you go to your church this weekend. You don't see them but they really make it happen.

Someone got in early someone turned on the light some unclean thing someone pulled the bulletin someone type something someone is watching the kids. Someone fix the buses so much helping single mom, someone's doing repairs at night.

These are the kind of people that were the spirit of God with the rubber meets the road practically in my mind, these are heroes. In fact, Paul says, you know, the more unseemly, less visible members. We need to exalt that's this gift. Another dangerous putting in over emphasis on practical needs to the exclusion of spiritual needs in my life.

There's a guy named Dick. Dick was a schoolteacher Dick retired Dick found a group of eight or 10 retired guys and we had one was a plumber. One was a carpenter and I mean we fixed single moms cars they fixed everything around the church, you know that verse we can overlook and James true religion is caring for widows and orphans.

Dick thought that was in the Bible we actually do it and he developed the team of people and I mean we just did practical certainty was an elder and in every elders meeting what I know no matter what we talked about before Dick was in a come back to bank is to hear that you understand about what you bring in every discussion, every decision it's the lens you look through. I don't care what were talking about. We can talk about money.

We can talk about church. We can talk about families what the lens I'm gonna look through his hey what went wrong.

Talk we make it better.

How do we help people reach your full potential as a prophet. Other people going to be the lens you look through his servant. How can we help them. Third gift of a ready yes no maybe circle it or just write that word third motivational gift is teaching.

It's the divine enablement to understand and give detailed explanation of biblical truth is the ability to search out and validate truth which has been presented a people at this gift are asking the question what is truth but where did you get that why it's the classical Greek word here is to impart information in order to develop talent and potential it's the motivation and power to present with clarity the truth of God's word people with the gift of teaching few characteristics here. They love to do research. They love to study and they like to study down to the minute ship.

I mean stuff that you and I think aren't that important. It matters to them.

I mean, you know, the people make all those long charts if your pastor the pert people to come up and ask questions like a member when gusset do you think Daniel was a eunuch. I'm thinking I stayed up nights on that one, but I really have a come to conclusion any city in the last week is on a business trip and took my laptop and I put about 25 hours research into it and you know in the Mesopotamian culture this happen in the course. Daniel was over here in this other in the I'm looking at the history of the unit can you know what I think about what was going on in the culture and not going to come to the conclusion what you think, Chip, and I'm thinking immediate reaction.

I don't care. You know, I really don't. In my second is is how could anyone spend 25 hours studying on what's a eunuch, but that same guy's name is called Bill Carter, Bill Carter had the gift of teaching Bill Carter was the first one in his word.

Sue opened up spiritual gifts to me to say.

Have you ever considered looking at it through this paradigm of motivation, ministry and manifestation in a chip I been doing some work.

I spent 120 hours Equitrac. I don't know why. I guess these got the gift of teaching and he said you know as I've been tracing it through and you know what I begin, I just learned from it.

He asked me questions, he thought as I went to seminary I knew I was the I got to where he bill that's really great question before answer that. Could you answer this one because he actually knew the Bible far better than me when you have the gift of teaching very content very doctrine oriented you love the researcher love to study. These are the kind of people to when someone teaches. If you have the gift of teaching your lights are going off like crazy when I'm teaching thing thing is true, what about this were to get that.

What about this what about this one unit word. I've heard it means coming this network.

I mean it is like where's the research you show me the meat enough to show me where you got that. That's the gift of teaching the danger of this gift is to concentrate too much on content to the exclusion of application a dangerous boasting getting proud about their knowledge. Knowledge puffs up another dangerous being inattentive to the response of students. See if you got the gift of teaching the truth is so wonderful that they dislike they swim in the truth. The truth is so wonderful they can get up and study and study and study and they can give it. And like the back row can be asleep.

So what I'm either just missing out the trailer and did anybody apply and who cares only to go back and study Nino. That's why we need the body.

Okay, what yes no or maybe got the gift of teaching could be. Could that be your primary motivation. Next is the gift motivational gift of exultation. It's the divine enablement or power to come alongside another need of encouragement to reassure strengthen a firm and noticed challenge those who discourage are wavering in their faith. It's the ability to stimulate the faith of others. People with this gift, ask what must be done to fix this.

These are fix-it people and then next.

How can we move this person to wholeness. This gift of exhortation, the biblical word you know when it says another comforter will come. The Holy Spirit, the word is par alongside Colette Collado called alongside para-Calypso. This word exultation same word. This person is called alongside other people and in the best way to get the definition of this. It's interesting because it's like a coin with two sides. Their goal is to bring wholeness and fix things and often it's comforting loving affirming of you been through it that the great counselors. All events are a hard time but if the people don't change, or if they're messing around. They also the flipside of that coin is not just all the comfort it's challenge and no get in your face and say you know something we meeting for 11 weeks now, and even telling them in a terrible marriage. I'm a terrible marriage.

I'm a terrible marriage in a terrible marriage and some Darrell marriage. I got the part about your terrible marriage. Now you know what we gave you some assignments. You did half of the first one you did part of the second one we prayed the last three could you cry through those okay if you want to have a session 12, honey, you better get off your terrible marriage and ask God what to do and you to make this marriage better than what needs to happen him to understand and people to gift exultation to do that they have a long fuse there very loving very affirming, but their goal is to help you get whole and if you don't want to get whole. After a while though kinda cut you loose this characteristics of a person there gifted in counseling. They see practical application from Scripture, a member I shared in another message.

Ron went for counseling early in our marriage because we both come from pagan backgrounds and the know-how to communicate and a guy name Richard Meyer. He was a senior pastor for 20 some years and they went back got training in counseling.

He had this gift he help my wife and I see different things and then he would give us a biblical passage. But then he would give us this very practical specific things. The actual from that passage work on and it's a phenomenal gift. People like with this gift. See practically how to put that the Scripture and the truth applied to your life. They call us the godly living. They initiate they implore they request they entreat. These are great people to have his friends the dangers of this gift.

They spent much time with people who only want temporary solutions to their problems. See the care so much as like you know maybe they should've said that it at session 6 and set a session 11 you know I'm a terrible marriage. Well, okay. Another danger is they can become discouraged from lack of results from people who their ministering to these people. They've gotta see people's lives change if people don't like change to get really discouraged. Let me know what's the deal.

Am I doing something wrong. So how about you gift of exultation are you motivated to to ask a high Libra how I fix this, how to bring this person to wholeness. Yes, no or maybe next gift is the motivational gift of giving. This is the divine enablement to earn money, manage it well and wisely contribute to the work of the Lord with cheerfulness and liberality. It's the ability to entrust personal assets to others for the furtherance of their ministry people with this gift asked this question. What can I give to meet the needs. What can I give to meet the needs. The word here is to share or to give it's not necessarily money but primarily it shows up in people's finances, but this is a person with with generosity.

Notice Romans 12 let her give give it liberally. The word is Loss. It's a word for having a single eye. These characteristic.

These people don't like the limelight. These people like to give anonymously these people like to have a single focus.

These people are know what the ROI is on the gift to me that I mean hey you don't know what I want to know is so okay I give you hundred thousand dollars to do this do this did this this this and this happen and if not I'm to give my gift next week somewhere else. These people hate high pressure tactics they smell manipulation in a New York minute.

They can tell when people are trying to calm them and put them on and what they have is an ability to earn money management wisely and they see opportunities and they see you, not with this much money. This is what could really happen those of the basic characteristics of someone with the gift of giving. They do not have to be wealthy. Obviously, this gift is operating in the Third World. You can have the gift of giving in Haiti, and you may not have but two coconuts, but you're willing to give Fino one 1/2 years away.

The danger of this gift is there can be a tendency to be proud of it as is evidenced by this gift was given by Mr. and Mrs. so-and-so and so-and-so and here's the plaque and see that for every great gift there's always a danger there can be a danger that you want people to know what you gave it in a sort of in a nice sophisticated Christian you don't want people to know too much. We want to know just enough. Not that you're proud, but that your wonderful. Another danger is over emphasize excising material needs to the exclusion of spiritual needs and judging others spiritually by their bank account see again you look at others through this lens and and it's so easy for you to make money.

It's so easy for you to do stuff.

It's like my lands, I mean the guys got the gift of service and even working that job for 11 years. I appreciate the guy that's must beat up dump truck. His kids are still riding back and that's dangerous my lands save so much. Start with tithing do this set aside some get yourself get your finances in order. What's wrong with you mean they just go nuts when they see financial mismanagement because to them. It's just, you know, so natural how you operate your life. How about you yes no or maybe next motivational gift is that of leadership is the divine enablement to notice see what needs to be done set goals and then attract lead and motivate people to accomplish the work of the ministry's ability to coordinate the activities of others for the achievement of common goals.

People with this gift are asking what's the goal where you trying to go.

What's the target on the wall and the other thing was asking what the results cannot this activity find activity you're saying you doing this doing this to show me what did you accomplish what's the goal it's interesting in terms of definition. This is a person who gives vision and direction can mobilize other people. It originally has the idea of someone who stands in front its ability to lead and delegate they take charge. They enjoy responsibility a bit. This is the guy that wants to take the shot. The last shot and again at the Mrs. and Mrs. but he wants the ball in his hands when there's a vacuum and nothing's happening person with the gift of leadership just frustrated the death is disorganize is going nowhere, what they want to say luck okay if no one else is going to do this. Okay, look at, say what you see and be good at this good at this. Let's come up with a plan. There's a target on the wall for the next six weeks. Let's go for it. Does everyone agree and will go so yeah I don't know why we didn't know do that just makes sense.

And so that's what they are. They stand in front it's it's a person has ability to see how things fit together what needs to be done.

How can be accomplished and and they have a way of doing it. Where people are attracted to them and they see the big picture and they mobilize people and getting them in the strengths of the danger is, they can use people to achieve their goals. Danger is they can get proud or pushy, and with the power that's given with revolving around leaders that know God.

We wish they knew them a little better and that they get little grace with all that drive intensity, and sometimes they forget the purpose of the project Munich it's gonna get done. Got a get done. Got a bill that builds billing about the spelling what's wrong with you. You need to give more wire to get work on these contractors.

They were written 4% over budget.

What's wrong with this committee and we start on, get the same gun and and so-and-so then wire the spelling of your love people and then we ought to start this committee. Okay, this is one of the dangers, you leadership yes no maybe the final one is a gift of mercy. It's the divine enablement to minister cheerfully and appropriately to people who are suffering or undeserving and to spare them the punishment or the consequences they justly deserve. In this and is a wonderful gift. This is those people that you blown it and you really blown it and you know you can blame others, but it really is your fault and something in them not only wants to help you, but they don't want you to have to suffer the consequences that you really ought to get, like God is a gift of mercy it's it's a gift of of wanting to withhold just consequences from those who deserve it. There always asking the question, how can I make them feel better as a high identification with people's hurts and in people's needs and and what they're going through. The definition of this word. At the heart of it is an emotion that is aroused by the affliction or the needs of others that gets translated into action.

There's just something in the heart. This compassion, the sympathy and empathy that wants to reach out and help people. The characteristics they are able to detect and discern people's feelings.

I mean I've never ever been there. You know where you was somewhat the gift of mercy and and actually your talk and you go to the meeting and you think wow that was a good meeting you walk out and walk out with some of the gift of mercy as a man willing to pray for that guy. Why that is.

Good meeting. You can pick up on it become what it is. Marriage is in trouble when he and his marriage is in trouble. I we were taught about marriage or try to get a building built did you pick up on the signals.

He said this, he said that when you ask about his family quickly. We went around shared his countenance fell in these people manages get the got the Santana they got this radar when there's needs when there's hurts and when there's they pick up on it and and then they're drawn to it and they want to help and they want to care, and other characteristics here. Not only are they detect and discerning their very sensitive there sensitive to the point of action.

They want direct, personal ministry, the gift of mercy. They don't delegate this, they are moved highly by the world vision or the food for the hungry commercials and their glad to give, but they want hands on helping people with very specific needs. The dangers here, they tend to have a hard time to be firm when necessary mean they look at life, especially in the parenting get the gift of mercy being very distant disciplinarian is pretty tough with the gift of mercy resentment for those who don't have this gift for the gift of mercy people gift of leadership can have significant problems in the body of Christ and God's goal is that this person does this out of his grace and this person does this out of his grace and the leadership becomes more merciful and the merciful person learns to lead with clarity and direction and apply their gift much better. They often are misunderstood by people of the opposite sex. If you have this gift, you be careful because you someone's really hurt and in your woman or vice versa man, woman, and you reach out to help them and you know the guy or the gal goes is pretty cool I think she's kinda coming on to me or he's coming on to me, none is the you have not, I see your need. I see your pain.

People often with this gift and up in very dysfunctional relationships because of trying to rescue people and they get involved emotionally and helping people. They should be helping what you needed to find another sister to you know help that gal or a brother to help that brother on these con issues. Yes no or maybe will those of the seven motivational gifts and that someone is I think rightly said, often a picture is worth a thousand words. And I got this from a buddy and I don't know where he got it. I got a little page that they do in their spiritual gifting networking class in California and he he tells a story about a waiter whose at a Christian banquet and is a big Christian banquet and there's a big front table up here and believe it or not there's exactly 7 L and each leader has a different one of the motivational gifts and it's a big Christian banquet and they're all godly so they operate in the gifts controlled by the spirit of God, and it's a huge banquet in their raise a lot of money and doing great things all over the world and their clearing away the tables and as they're doing at the desert is coming out and there's a very nice waiter. He's been serving them and he comes and he's got this huge plate of desserts and see. Come see her son was clearing a table day Bob it goes splat goes everywhere.

It's in front of everyone. Microphone goes over – everyone's every eye looks up the waiters there.

He's got ice cream and chocolate and sundaes all over him.

The main speaker looks like he's been you know address for a dog to lick you know chocolate off his vest and then the gifts go into action, and so the person with the gift of prophecy gets up and says I can see this coming was a mistake from the very beginning. Tell you what you cannot take away plates and bring dessert at the same time motivation is to correct his life. The person with the mercy jumps up so badly. It could have happened to anyone. It's okay motivation. How can I relieve the embarrassment the person with the gift of serving to so let me help me help.

She gripping can I wipe the soft and cheese, picking up or he's picking up what's falling down.

The motivation is to fulfill a need. The person with the gift of teaching backs off they would think the gift is most important in these situations and they step back and say you know the real reason this happened was not as you thought that they were taking away the plates and bringing in the desert. The real reason I vandalize this and what you see is if you have seven desserts on one time and five desserts on the other side the equity equally or Librium, and the balance, if you wear those kind of shoes on this type of cloth will cause a tilting and the goal is to motivate and to discover why it happened. The person with the gift of exultation just jumps up and says hey next time I got an idea why she just serve the desert with the meal and his motivation is what is practice for the future. The person with the giftgiving looks and goes okay I got a suit that's ruined a get a microphone that's broken.

I got carpet. This destroyed. We've rented the church and he goes a Taylor guys, I'm not sure what we need to do on this but I'll tell you what if you go ahead and speak. Here's my jacket and I'll buy you a new suit and is something this is a nice church. We rented this carpet has been needed replacing.

Probably for years. I'll tell you what all thrown the first $5000 at the rest of you will jump in with me and his motivation is to give, to relieve the need and then finally you have the person with leadership as people were doing this he steps up and goes hi Jim, could you get a mop soon. Would you please help pick up Mary. I would get one more dessert. I'll tell you what I lets make an ounce Bobby a table you know that song he did earlier. Do it again and do it again right now. Okay, we can clean this up right now.

Thanks you get the jacket. Okay, everybody in about 15 minutes will be ready to go. I believe that God has given everyone in this room. One primary motivational gift which one of those seven did you most resonate. If you were at that table. What would you naturally jump up and want to do or want to solve top one or two because what I'm gonna say to you is that you are a workmanship.

You are a piece of art. God has given you gifts of different nature and cash shoes that he wants to paint out of his grace into the lives of other people and if you think you're this and God wants you to be. This not only are you frustrated but think of what's happening the body of Christ who need your gift of leadership for your gift of mercy for your gift of exhortation and when you understand that their primary motivations and then that motivation will play out in different ministries at different times at different seasons in your development and the development of the ministry that you called them what will learn is how you develop those ministry gifts and how all those other manifestation gifts operate in the body of Christ because latte what God wants you to walk in the good works that he before ordained from the foundation of the earth that you should do those good works, and I'm gonna tell you when you do you get the double F in your life on believable fulfillment and unbelievable fruitfulness. Did you get maybe just a tiny little inkling that we learn some things about God's word, but one guy in the room had a lot of fun. Unashamedly I just had a blast. You know why because I just did what God made me to do. I'm not special I'm not smart I'm not more important. I'm not more home.

I just understand this is what my dream will discover will be right back with this application. This message how to discover your primary spiritual gift series your divine design. Did you know God has given you a set of spiritual gifts for tools to help you fulfill his calling on your life. Are you actively using them or are you unsure what they even are in the series triple help you discover, develop, and deploy your spiritual gifts to make an eternal impact and if you want to dive deeper into this meaningful topic. Let me encourage you to order chips. Book your divine design.

It really open your eyes to the incredible blessing and responsibility of your unique gifts to get your hands on this new book go to LivingontheEdge.org call AAA 333-6003 app listeners tap special offers will chips with me in studio now to assure a quick word. Thanks Dave, I just wanted to take a minute before we go on in today's teaching and talk to a group of people that have supported us at Living on the Edge in prayer and supported us financially if that group of people that may be during one of these matches were spontaneously you know God speaks to them they give the gift here gift there and it is so deeply appreciated. What I want you to know is that we have exploded in terms of impact Living on the Edge training pastors all around the world and doing some digital things for the next generation that are extremely expensive but also warned such fruit, and so here's my request. We know you care. You've already given.

Would you prayerfully consider supporting us on a monthly basis and it doesn't really have to be a lot we need thousands of people to step up and say you know $20 or $30 or $50. Whatever you'd be comfortable with.

I could do that each month and it would help us. So in terms of our planning and knowing as we go around the world. And as we create new discipleship resources.

Knowing that we can count on you would help us more than you could ever imagine. Would you just pray about it and then would you do whatever the Lord shows you.

Thanks so much. Thanks, Chip will of joining the Living on the Edge team is an idea that makes sense to you. Let me encourage you to become a monthly partner you can do that today@livingontheedge.org or via the chipping roadmap with just a few clicks, you can set up a recurring donation and help others benefit from this ministry orbits easier text the word donate to 741 41 that's donate 741 41 thanks in advance for supporting us anywhere you can well here's chip with some final thoughts he'd like to leave you with okay today is an important day. I mean what I want you to do is don't think too much. Don't let too much get inside your head.

Don't try and remember every specific point about each gift I'm going to name the seven motivational gifts at all and want you to do right where you're at. Give me 22 seconds and then the first two that come to your mind that you think yourself. Yeah, you know that that's kind of sounds like me don't be critical. Just yeah yes or no. So are you ready let me go to the seven prophecy service teaching exhortation giving leadership mercy which to just pop to the top for you if you got it. Now what I want to tell you is if you will go to the Internet LivingontheEdge.org I have these gifts listed. I have a description of them.

It will say people with this gift will ask certain questions. The questions are there.

Here's my heart just read through these prayerfully and then who's your best friend that you can talk about this stuff with it might be a guy at work, you might be your maid. It might be someone in a Bible study take these notes lame down on the table, open the Bible and read where these gifts come from and just say hey you know what you just between you and me.

If you had to choose to these unlocking to tell you what I was thinking, but which to these do you think might be me and not say what you get a little feedback you look at the Scripture. Yes, the spirit of God to show you I'm gonna tell you it will help you like never before to start to narrow down the core primary motivational gift God's given you. Now if you really want to take this to the next level. This is so critical. We filmed this and put it on DVD in a very inexpensive format with all the notes and all the material were I mean you can get it live and see the charts and see the whole 9 yards. I believe this is one of those kind of breakthrough type things for the average believer fixture will if you'd like to get plugged in with any of the resources Chip just mentioned, go to LivingontheEdge.org. There you can download our message notes. Check out our small group studies order chips newest book your divine design. We want to help you grow in your walk with Jesus and the resources for the series are great place to start over all of us here.

I'm really thinking you were listening to this Edition of Living on the Edge