Biblical Success - Running Our Race With Our Helper's GiftsSample

The chances are very good that, as Christ-follower, you have experienced the Helper working through you many times and may not have recognized it as such. You may never have asked Him to help you or realized that He wants to help and will. For example:

Have you ever had a scripture verse pop into your mind when you needed it and later realized that you have never memorized it? Or been thumbing through the Bible only to “stumble on” the exact verse or section you were looking for? (John 14:26) Who does that?

Or have you ever been asked by a friend for advice, speak to them about the subject, and later, after finding out that you nailed it, realized that you had never looked at a situation like that before? Or been trained to? (Words of wisdom or knowledge) Where did that come from?

Have you ever met someone who made the hair at the back of your neck stand up only to find out later that the person was up to no good maybe even evil? (Discerning spirits) Yep, that’s Him!

Or have you heard someone quote scripture or apply it in a way that “just didn’t sound right to you at the time” check it out later and find that indeed it was in error? (Words of knowledge or discernment) Are you getting this now?

Have you ever thought that you should call or contact someone that you hadn’t a known reason for calling only to find out that they needed encouragement? (Ministry) But wait! There’s more!

How about a sense that you should give an offering to a person that you don’t know when you don’t have “extra” to give but given it anyway? Does this happen to you often or regularly? (Giving) Out of a thankful and Spirit-filled heart!

Do you have a love for Scripture and especially to share the application of it with others? (Teaching) The joy of seeing others grow in their faith! He loves that too!

Ever have a recurring sense that you need to reach out to a lost friend or relative? Do it!!! It’s Him!!!

These are all simple and everyday examples of the guidance the Spirit gives us in daily life. He speaks to us in thoughts and impressions that are not the result of our natural learning or past experience or education. He would like to do much more and will if we truly want Him to.

Let’s consider an edited list of the gifts found in I Corinthians 12 and Romans 14. Some of the many other gifts listed in scripture are controversial to some of our different doctrinal understandings, so, for that reason, but making no judgment one way or another, we won’t use them in our discussions in this study.

The list for our discussion includes; words of wisdom, words of knowledge, ministry, gifts of faith, teaching, healing, exhortation, giving, leadership, discerning spirits, and the gift of mercy. We can sharpen the use and application of our gifts and more fully develop them. God’s Word speaks of believers whose senses are exercised or sharpened to discern both good and evil by “reason of use.”(Hebrews 5:14) Almost like an athletic ability or musical talent is developed, focus on our ability to understand, apply or develop a spiritual gift increases with practice. But nothing helps more than growing in intimacy with Jesus and His Word coupled with obedience. Practice and application build our spiritual faith in ways that simple knowledge can’t. Shortly after Jesus returned to heaven God sent His Holy Spirit to live in His followers, never to leave us, as a Helper and guide from our first stride to our last breath.