How to Use Spiritual Gifts

Knowing how to use spiritual gifts enables you to help build up the Body of Christ and manifest the Kingdom of God to the waiting world through accompanying signs and wonders. Activate your Kingdom anointing.

Unleashing Your Spiritual Gifts: A Beginner's Guide

Part 9 of 9 by Don Bell | ⏱️ 11 minute read

Knowing how to use spiritual gifts effectively is crucial for every believer's life and ministry. These supernatural abilities, given by the Holy Spirit, enable you to build up the Body of Christ and demonstrate God's Kingdom power through signs and wonders.

Whether you're new to the gifts of the Spirit or seeking to deepen your understanding, this article will help you recognize, develop, and confidently exercise these divine gifts for Kingdom impact.

Serving the Church Through Spiritual Gifts

Paul writes, "One and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to EACH ONE individually as He wills" (1 Corinthians 12:11, emphasis added). When the Holy Spirit is allowed to operate freely in a gathering of believers, He hovers over those assembled and distributes His gifts (charismata) to meet specific needs of the Body of Christ.

Scripture says, "As EACH ONE has received a GIFT, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with THE ABILITY WHICH GOD SUPPLIES, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen" (1 Peter 4:10–11, emphasis added).

We always have within us a gift of the Spirit (supernatural ability) to meet someone's specific need, and we are called to manifest it through agape love, as a good steward of God's grace. Clearly, the Holy Spirit desires to manifest His gifts through EACH believer for the benefit of all. Therefore, we need to know how to use spiritual gifts.

Understanding the Holy Spirit's Prompting System

The Holy Spirit will gently nudge (quicken) someone in the gathering to give a word of prophecy, and if that person doesn't respond, He'll move on to nudge someone else to give it, and so on until someone chooses to obey and speak the prophetic word to those assembled.

He might also nudge someone to dispense a gift of healing and nudge someone else to speak an unknown tongue and give its interpretation. Each gift is manifested in turn at the time it's needed, and the Holy Spirit decides which gift is needed, and whom he will nudge to manifest it.

While we always have the choice to respond or not, choosing to step out in faith keeps us sensitive to His leading and opens rivers of blessing to flow. As Paul counsels, "Do not quench the Spirit" (1 Thessalonians 5:19), for each prompting represents a divine appointment to be a channel of God's grace to someone in need.

Paul writes, "The manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all" (1 Corinthians 12:7, emphasis added). The Greek word συμφέρω (sympherō), translated as "for the profit of all," means to bring together, to contribute in order to help.

Wonderful opportunities for blessing unfold when we respond to the Holy Spirit's gentle nudges and step out in faith, both for Church gatherings, and for individuals. We become channels of God's intended help and blessings to others in need.

Your Role in the Body's Gift Ministry

Clearly, the Holy Spirit's gifts are available to EACH believer for the benefit of everyone by uniting believers in the faith and building up the Body of Christ.

Paul writes, "How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, EACH OF YOU has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification" (1 Corinthians 14:26, emphasis added).

Paul encourages us by saying, "Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts …" (1 Corinthians 14:1). That's the believer's role in a nutshell. Therefore, having love for our fellow believers and a desire to strengthen the Body of Christ, let's learn how to use spiritual gifts and arrive at meetings with our faith built up, ready to exercise the nine gifts of the Spirit.

Personal Ministry: One-on-One Gift Application

There are times when the Holy Spirit might call on you to minister to an individual. It might be someone in your local Church, your workplace, your circle of friends, your family, or a stranger on the street.

Sometimes, several gifts of the Spirit might be needed, because each gift has its unique characteristics. For example, you might give a word of prophecy, or a word of knowledge accompanied by a word of wisdom, or maybe discernment of spirits with a word of wisdom, followed by a miracle when an evil spirit is dispensed with.

The nine gifts can be likened to the instruments in a nine-piece band. The band leader can call on one or several instruments at any given time to perform the musical number.

Similarly, you have nine gifts of the Spirit ready for immediate use, and the Holy Spirit can call on one or several gifts at any time to perform the work that's needed.

Jesus' Model for Using Spiritual Gifts

Let's consider the miracle that Jesus performed in Capernaum while staying at Simon Peter's house. Jesus was teaching, and the crowd not only filled the modest house, but people gathered outside in the street eager to hear His message.

Four men had carried their paralytic friend to Peter's house believing that Jesus would heal him. Seeing the crowd of people, they carried him up the outside stairway and onto the roof where they removed a section of the covering and lowered the young man on his mat down to where Jesus was seated.

Carefully read the following Scripture and see how many gifts of the Spirit you can identify:

Understanding Spiritual Gifts Through Jesus' Ministry

• Word of knowledge: The Holy Spirit ministers to the heart of the matter, so Jesus received a word of knowledge revealing the paralytic man's underlying spiritual condition. He forgave the man's sin bringing restoration and relief, so the paralytic could now believe himself worthy to release faith and accept healing for his body.
• Discerning of spirits: Jesus then "perceived in His spirit" that some of the scribes were accusing Him of blasphemy. The Greek word ἐπιγινώσκω (epiginōskō) translated perceive means to gain knowledge, to be fully acquainted in a discerning manner.
• Word of wisdom: Blasphemy could lead to a serious charge that was punishable by death, so the Holy Spirit gave Jesus wisdom on how to best respond to the serious situation developing. He presented the scribes with a trick question for which they'd be unable to give a clear answer.
• Working of Miracles: Jesus then performed a miracle, and the man's physical mobility was restored. It was not a "gift of healing" since the cure was instant. The miracle sealed Jesus' right to pardon the man, and it silenced the scribes.

The crowd merely saw the man pick up his sleeping mat and walk home healed. They would only have said that an amazing miracle had taken place. They would not have realized that Jesus was using spiritual gifts given by the Holy Spirit to do the miraculous work.

We read in Scripture, "how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him" (Acts 10:38).

Remember, Jesus did not perform miracles through His deity; He performed miracles through His Spirit-filled humanity. Not only did He call on us to do His works (John 14:12), but he demonstrated how we're to do them.

After you've examined how each gift of the Holy Spirit operates (see related articles elsewhere on this site), you'll be able to read other miraculous accounts throughout the Bible and identify the various gifts working in concert to meet the need.

While some suggest that the operation of gifts cannot be defined, Scripture shows us that each gift of the Spirit has distinctive characteristics. Paul clearly outlined them, and understanding their function helps us operate more effectively in them.

Moving Beyond the Basics: Developing Natural Flow in Using the Gifts of the Spirit

You will be conscious of each gift and its operation at the beginning, but as you gain understanding in how to use spiritual gifts, and as your spiritual senses become sharpened through experience, the gifts of the Spirit will begin to flow automatically without you having to think about them.

When you encounter a sudden need, you won't ask, "Holy Spirit, what gift should I use?" You will immediately minister to the need as the Spirit prompts, using the supernatural abilities that He supplies. The nine gifts of the Spirit flow seamlessly the moment they're needed.

Scripture says, "But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who BY REASON OF USE have their SENSES EXERCISED to discern both good and evil" (Hebrews 5:14, emphasis added).

Developing Your Spiritual Sensitivity

The more your spiritual sight and hearing are used, the more you'll become acutely aware of the Holy Spirit's promptings. That's why you should seek to operate the gifts in public whenever you get the opportunity, so you can grow in faith and confidence.

For example, when the Holy Spirit gently nudges (prompts) you to prophesy in a gathering, don't sit waiting for a confirmation from Heaven or hoping for someone else to begin speaking. God is wanting YOU to speak. Just step out in faith and prophesy when there's an opening!

You say, "But my heart's really pounding, and while I'm pretty sure it's the Holy Spirit, it might be me!" This is a common experience that many believers face when starting out. I know I did. That's why it's called stepping out in faith!

I would love to promise that stepping out will become easier, and it will to a point, given experience. However, despite your knowing how to use spiritual gifts, faith will ALWAYS be required when using them.

We read in Scripture, "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him" (Hebrews 11:6).

So, BELIEVE in God. HAVE FAITH that He won't leave you empty handed! Believe me, He won't let you down!

How to Use Spiritual Gifts in Daily Ministry

God has made each of us a unique individual, and He will always manifest His gifts through our uniqueness. For that reason, neither I nor anyone else can teach you step-by-step how to exercise any of the nine spiritual gifts. Holy Spirit will lead and guide you in how to operate them.

However, what I can do is share what the gifts are and what they are not, so you can better understand their functioning. Then, whenever the Holy Spirit nudges (quickens) you to manifest a gift to meet the needs of an individual, or to bless a gathering of believers, you can obediently step out in faith and manifest that gift.

When you're learning how to use spiritual gifts, it's always best to begin ministering in a group of like-minded believers and to have someone seasoned in the gifts of the Spirit present, so there's both support and correction available if needed.

Proficiency in the gifts requires time and practice; it doesn't happen overnight. Expect God to give you many opportunities to exercise the gifts of the Spirit. Trust the Holy Spirit's promptings knowing that He won't ask you to step out beyond your capability. However, He will ask you to step out beyond your comfort zone in faith. So, be obedient when He nudges.

Paul also writes, "And yet I show you a more excellent way" (1 Corinthians 12:31), and he immediately follows with 1 Corinthians, Chapter 13, the familiar Love Chapter.

God's agape love is our MOTIVATION for activating spiritual gifts. Since we are ambassadors of God's Kingdom, we are called to expend ourselves by manifesting the gifts of the Spirit so the signs and wonders will point people to Jesus and His Kingdom.

After Paul's teaching on the gifts of the Spirit, he writes, "If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord. But if anyone is ignorant, let him be ignorant. Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues. Let all things be done decently and in order" (1 Corinthians 14:37–40, emphasis added).

I encourage you to take the next step with what you've learned. Your interest in knowing how to use spiritual gifts may well be the Holy Spirit's invitation to a deeper walk in ministering to others.

God desires YOU to become proficient in ministering through spiritual gifts, so you can do the works of Jesus to build up the Body of Christ and advance the Kingdom of God.

Endnote

¹ "The House of Peter: The Home of Jesus in Capernaum?" biblicalarchaeology.org. Biblical Archaeology Society Staff, 12 Oct. 2023, Web. 7 Apr. 2024.

End of This 9-Part Series

If you missed it, Part 1: Nine Gifts of the Holy Spirit

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About the Author

Don Bell is the creator of the Kingdom Anointing website, and a dedicated follower of Jesus Christ. He shares insights from his spiritual journey to encourage ordinary believers to seek God's Kingdom and lead extraordinary lives in the Holy Spirit.

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Hi, I'm Don, and my prayer is that Kingdom Anointing™ will help you build faith, walk confidently in the nine gifts of the Holy Spirit, and realize your full potential in the Kingdom of God.