Four Ways to Use Your Spiritual Gifts
By Rick Warren
“Give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God” (Romans 6:13b NLT).
How do you start using the spiritual gifts God put inside of you? Here are four ways to get started:
1. Discover your gifts.
You’ve got to know what your gifts are before you can use them. Stop neglecting the fact that inside of you are some dormant gifts that you’re not even using, and figure out what God has put in you. The Bible says in 1 Timothy 4:14a, “Do not neglect the spiritual gift that is in you” (GNT).
2. Dedicate your gifts to God.
The Bible says in Romans 6:13b, “Give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God” (NLT).
Maybe you already know what you’re good at, but you’re just not using it for the Lord. You’re using it for yourself. You need to humble yourself and dedicate to the Lord every gift you have. Push all of your excuses out of the way, and say, “God, I dedicate what you gave to me back to you.”
3. Develop your gifts.
Gifts are like muscles: The more you use them, the bigger they get. You can strengthen and develop and grow what God has given you. Any gift that God gives you can and should be developed. You get better at it by practice, studying, and learning from other people who have the same gift.
I’ve learned that when God gives you something, he will give you even more of it if you use it well — more talent, money, influence, relationships, or responsibility. He says, “I can trust that person. I’m going to give that person more and more and more.”
4. Deploy your spiritual gifts.
“Deploy” means to put into service. You get out on the field, and you start doing something. Romans 12:6 says this: “We are to use our different gifts in accordance with the grace that God has given us. If our gift is to speak God’s message, we should do it according to the faith that we have” (GNT).
What’s the best way to discover and dedicate and develop and deploy your spiritual gifts? In a small group. It’s a testing ground! If you are not in a small group, I encourage you to get connected to one this week so that you can test and develop your spiritual gifts in the safe and supportive environment of friends who will encourage you.
Would you pray this prayer today? “Thank you, God, for forgetting everything I’ve ever done wrong. I’m putting my trust in your grace. Today I accept your free gift of eternal life in Jesus Christ because of what he did for me. I know I can’t earn my way to Heaven. I accept this free gift of your Spirit into my life. Live through me, and fill me with your love and joy and peace and patience. God, I accept the gift of special abilities you put in my life. Help me to discover them, dedicate them, develop them, and deploy them to be the person you created me to be. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”
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This devotional © 2017 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
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