Knowing GOD's Spiritual Gift for You

Are you searching to better understand the gift that the Holy Spirit wants to use in you? This Work sheet will help you discover your gifts. To take this Spiritual Gifts Inventory click here

Below are some thoughts on the Gifts of the Holy Spirit
(Keep in mind that there may be more gifts than those listed here)


1. CONCERNING what subject ought we to be informed?
"Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant." 1 Cor. 12:1.

2. When Christ ascended, what did He give to men?
"Wherefore He saith, When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive [margin, a multitude of captives], and gave gifts unto men." Eph. 4:8.

3. What were these gifts that Christ gave to men?
"And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers." Verse 11.

4. How are these gifts elsewhere spoken of?
"And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues." 1 Cor. 12:28.

5. For what purpose were these gifts bestowed upon the church?
"For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: . . . that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; but speaking the truth in love, may grow up into Him in all things, which is the head, even Christ," Eph. 4:12-15.

6. What result is to be obtained by the exercise of the gifts in the church?
"Till we all come in [into, margin] the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ." Verse 13.

7. How is unity preserved in the diversities of gifts?
"Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit." 1 Cor. 12:4,

8. For what purpose is the manifestation of this one Spirit given?
"But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues." Verses 7-10.

9. Who controls the distribution of the gifts of the Spirit?
"But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as He will." Verse 11.

10. Was it God's design that all should possess the same gifts?
"Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?" Verses 29,30.

11. Were the gifts of the Spirit to continue forever?
"Whether there be prophecies, they shall be done away; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall be done away." 1 Cor. 13:8, R.V.

12. When will the gifts of the Spirit be no longer needed?
"When that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away." Verse 10

Holy Spirit's Gift of Prophecy

1. How did God communicate with man in Eden?
"And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?" Gen. 3:9.

2. Since the fall, by what means has God generally made known His will to man?
"I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and used similitudes, by the ministry of the prophets." Hosea 12:10.

3. What things belong to God, and what to us?
"The secret things belong unto the Lord our God; but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children forever." Deut. 29:29.

4. How fully and to whom does God reveal His purposes?
"Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but He revealeth His secret unto His servants the prophets." Amos 3:7.

5. Can the wise men of the world foretell the future?
"Daniel answered before the king, and said, The secret which the king hath demanded can neither wise men, enchanters, magicians, nor soothsayers, show unto the king." Dan.2:27, R.V. See notes on question 6. of chapter 47 of this book.

6. Who did Daniel say could reveal secrets?
"But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets and maketh known to the king Nebuchadnezzar what shall be in the latter days." Verse 28.

7. How did the prophet Daniel acknowledge the insufficiency of human wisdom?
"As for me, this secret is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have more than any living, but for their sakes that shall make known the interpretation to the king, and that thou mightest know the thoughts of thy heart." Verse 30.

8. After revealing and interpreting the dream, what did Daniel say?
"The great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter." Verse 45.

9. How does God show His foreknowledge?
"Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them." Isa. 42:9.

10. How does the Lord reveal Himself to His prophets?
"If there be a prophet among you, I the Lord will make Myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream." Num. 12:6.

11. Under what influence did the prophets of old speak?
"For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." 2 Peter 1:21. See 2 Sam. 23:2.

12. How are both the origin of prophecy and the means of communicating it still further shown?
"The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto Him, to show unto His servants things which must shortly come to pass; and He sent and signified it by His angel unto His servant John." Rev. 1:1.

13. What angel revealed to Daniel his visions and dreams?
"Whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation. And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding." Dan. 9:21,22. See also chapter 10, and Rev. 22:9,10.

14. What Spirit was in the prophets inditing their utterances?
"O which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow." 1 Peter 1:10,11.

15. How were the Lord's words to the prophets preserved?
"Daniel had a dream and visions of his head upon his bed: then he wrote the dream, and told the sum of the matters." Dan. 7:1. See Jer. 51:60; Rev. 1:10,11.

16. By whom has God spoken to us in these last days?
"God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son." Heb. 1:1,2.

17. What was one of the offices to be filled by the Messiah?
"The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto Him ye shall harken." Deut. 18:15.

18. What was foretold through the prophet Joel?
"And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions." Joel 2:28.

19. When did this prediction begin to be fulfilled?
"But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams." Acts 2:16,17.

20. What were some of the gifts Christ gave to His church?
"When He ascended up on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. . . . And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers." Eph. 4:8-11.

21. By what means did God deliver and preserve Israel?
"By a prophet the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he preserved." Hosea 12:13.

22. When Moses complained of his slowness of speech, what did God say Aaron should be to him?
"And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God." Ex. 4:16.

23. What did God afterward call Aaron?
"And the Lord said unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet." Ex. 7:1.

24. What is one test by which to detect false prophets?
"When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him." Deut. 18:22.

25. What other test should be applied in determining the validity of the claims of a prophet?
"If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; thou shalt not harken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the Lord your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Ye shall walk after the Lord your God, and fear Him, and keep His commandments, and obey His voice, and ye shall serve Him, and cleave unto Him." Deut. 13:1-4.

NOTE.-From these scriptures it will be seen that, in the first place, if a prophet's words do not prove to be true, it is evidence that God has not sent that prophet. On the other hand, even though the thing predicted comes to pass, if the pretended prophet seeks to lead others to break God's commandments, this, regardless of all signs, should be positive evidence that he is not a true prophet.

26. What rule did Christ give for distinguishing between true and false prophets?
"By their fruits ye shall know them." Matt. 7:20.

27. What general rule is laid down for testing all prophets?
"To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." Isa. 8:20.

28. How did God's prophets anciently use the words of former prophets in exhorting the people to obedience?
"Should ye not hear the words which the Lord hath cried by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity?" Zech. 7:7.

29. What is the promised result of believing God's prophets?
"Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe His prophets, so shall ye prosper." 2 Chron. 20:20.

30. What admonition is given regarding the gift of prophecy?
"Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." 1 Thess. 5:20,21.

31. What will characterize the last, or remnant, church?
"And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." Rev. 12:17.

32. What is the "testimony of Jesus"?
"The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." Rev. 19:10. See Rev. 1:9.

33. What results when this gift is absent?
"Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he." Prov. 29:18. See also Ps. 74:9.

GOD's Spiritual Gifts

How did God communicate with man in the Eden?
"And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?" Gen. 3:9.

Since the fall, how has God made known His will?
"God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets." Heb. 1:1.

What was the object of speaking "by the prophets?"
"Surely the Lord God will do nothing but He revealeth His secret unto His servants the prophets." Amos 3:7.

By what influence did the prophets reveal God's will?
"For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. " 2 Peter 1:21 (2 Sam. 23:2).

Then what may the gift of prophecy be called?
A gift of the Holy Spirit, or a spiritual gift.

What was said regarding the words of God's prophets?
"If there be a prophet among you, I the Lord will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream." Num. 12:6.

How were the Lord's words preserved to the people?
"Daniel had a dream and visions of his head upon his bed: then he wrote the dream, and told the sum of the matters." Dan. 7:1 (Jer. 51:60, 61).

What had these writings to do with the people's understanding future events?
"I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet, that He would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem." Dan.9:2.

How did God's ministers use the words of the prophets in exhorting the people to obedience?
"Should ye not hear the words which the Lord hath cried by the former prophets, when Jerusalem was inhabited and in prosperity?" Zech. 7:7 (2 Chron. 20:20).

How were people to know whether or not the words of prophets were from the Lord?
"When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously; thou shalt not be afraid of him." Deut. 18:22.

What was considered a still better test on this point?
"If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the Lord your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul." Deut. 13:1-3.
NOTE: It will be seen by these scriptures, that, in the first place, if a prophet's words did not prove to be true, it was evidence that God had not sent that prophet. On the other hand, even though the thing predicted did come to pass, if the pretended prophet did not keep God's commandments, but instead led others to break them, then it would be positively known that he was not a true prophet. To obey God is the first duty of all; hence he who does not obey Him cannot know the mind of God, to teach it to the people. God sometimes suffers the predictions of such to come to pass, to see whether or not the people will follow His word. See Deut. 13:4, 5.

"God permits such impostors to arise to try the faith of His followers, and to put their religious experience to the test; for he who experimentally knows God, cannot be drawn away after idols." -- Dr. Clarke, on Deut. 13:3.

What was predicted concerning the spirit of prophecy in the last days?
"And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions." Joel 2:28.

When did this prediction commence to be fulfilled?
"But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams." Acts 2:16, 17.

To whom was this promise to extend?
"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." Acts 2:38, 39.

What relation should the Christian church sustain toward these spiritual gifts?
"Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant." 1 Cor. 12:1.

What is the object of these gifts?
"But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal." 1 Cor. 12:7.

What are some of these gifts?
"For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom;... to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of Spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues." 1 Cor. 12:8-10.

Which one of these does the apostle say is especially desirable?
"Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy." 1 Cor. 14:1.
NOTE: "This refers not to ordinary religious discourses for the edification of the church, but to such a forthspeaking of the mind of God in relation to truth, duty, or coming events as the inward action of the Holy Spirit on the mind may produce." --M'Clintock and Strong's Biblical Cyclopedia, art. Spiritual Gifts.

"The gift of prophecy was that charism which enabled its possessors to utter, with the authority of inspiration, divine strains of warning, exhortation, encouragement, or rebuke; and to teach and enforce the truths of Christianity with supernatural energy and effect." -- Conybeare and Howson's Life of Paul, p. 375, people's edition.

Whom was this gift designed to benefit?
"Prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe." 1 Cor. 14:22.

What effect is the exercise of these gifts to have upon the church?
"And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ; till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." Eph. 4:11-13.

Where did God place these gifts?
"And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues." 1 Cor. 12:28.

Who came down from Judea to Ceasarea while Paul was there?
"And as we tarried there many days, there came down from Judaea a certain prophet, named Agabus." Acts 21:10.

What did he do as soon as he saw the apostle?
"And when he was come unto us, he took Paul's girdle, and bound his own hands and feet, and said, Thus saith the Holy Ghost, So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man that owneth this girdle, and shall deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles." Acts 21:11.
NOTE: The verses immediately following this last quotation show that while Paul did not disbelieve the testimony of Agabus, he would not be dissuaded from going on his mission to Jerusalem. It is, then, very evident that God desired him to go, and sent this warning to him to prepare his mind for the trials he was sure to meet.

At a later period, what did Paul say these trials had wrought?
"But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel." Phil. 1:12.

How long was it designed that these gifts should last?
"For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away." 1 Cor.13:9, 10.
NOTE: "It will not do to say that these gifts were restricted in their bestowment to the apostles and early Christians. All will allow that what Paul says of 'charity' or love, 'the more excellent way,' in 1 Cor. 13, applies to Christians in all subsequent time, and yet he immediately exhorts to 'covet earnestly the best gifts.' The truth is, the church needs these gifts at this day to battle against error in its various forms. She needs them to preserve in her own mind the idea of the spiritual, the supernatural. She needs them as ornaments to supersede her jewelry. Let her 'covet earnestly' these gifts, and there would be less covetousness of worldly riches and honor; less covetousness of worldly display." -- Wm. Eddy, in Northwestern Christian Advocate, 1855.

What admonition does Paul give respecting the gift of Prophecy?
"Despise not prophesyings." 1 Thess. 5:20.

What is the "testimony of Jesus?"
"The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." Rev. 19:10.

Why is it necessary for the church now to have confirmed in it the testimony of Christ?
"Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: so that ye come behind in no gift, waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Cor. 1:6, 7.

What will characterize the last, or "remnant," church?
"And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." Rev. 12:17.

The Problem and Solution for Willful Sin

John 8:1-11
1 Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, 2 but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them. 3 As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and Pharisees brought a woman they had caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd. 4 "Teacher," they said to Jesus, "this woman was caught in the very act of adultery. 5 The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?" 6 They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. 7 They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, "All right, stone her. But let those who have never sinned throw the first stones!" 8 Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust. 9 When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. 10 Then Jesus stood up again and said to her, "Where are your accusers? Didn't even one of them condemn you?" 11 "No, Lord," she said. And Jesus said, "Neither do I. Go and sin no more."
The New Living Translation

Hebrews 10:26
10:26
Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received a full knowledge of the truth, there is no other sacrifice that will cover these sins.

If and when we sin on purpose (willful sin) we are fighting against our own knowledge of what sin is and agains the Holy Spirit and all heaven. We are backsliding. We are in endanger of resisting the leading of the Holy Spirit more and more until we may not be able to hear Him at all. He will continue to call us to repentance, no matter what, yet He will not force us to repent. He will not force us to hat our sin. He will not force us to trun away from our sin. He forgives us when we ask and then calls upon us, "Go and sin no more".

James 4:17
Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.

Are you Backslidden?

`Have you wandered far from God? Arise and go to your Father. He will meet you a great way off. If you take even one step toward Him in repentance, He will hasten to enfold you in His arms of infinite love. His ear is open to the cry of the contrite soul. The very first reaching out of the heart after God is known to Him. Never a prayer is offered, however faltering, never a tear is shed, however secret, never a sincere desire after God is cherished, however feeble, but the Spirit of God goes forth to meet it. Even before the prayer is uttered or the yearning of the heart made known, grace from Christ goes forth to meet the grace that is working upon the human soul.’ (COL205-6)

`What sins are too great for His pardon? He is merciful, and as such is infinitely more ready and more pleased to pardon than to condemn.' (2SM231)

`Desponding soul, take courage, even though you have done wickedly. Do not think that perhaps God will pardon your transgressions and permit you to come into His presence. God has made the first advance. While you were in rebellion against Him, He went forth to seek you. . . . The soul, bruised and wounded and ready to perish, He encircles in His arms of love and joyfully bears it to the fold of safety.' (COL188/9)

`Do not listen to the enemy's suggestion to stay away from Christ until you have made yourself better; until you are good enough to come to God. If you wait until then, you will never come. When Satan points to your filthy garments, repeat the promise of Jesus, "Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out." John 6:37.’ (COL205)

`The Lord is full of compassion for His suffering ones. What sins are too great for His pardon? He is merciful, and as such is infinitely more ready and more pleased to pardon than to condemn. He is gracious, not looking for wrong in us; He knoweth our frame; He remembereth that we are but dust. In His boundless compassion and mercy He heals all our backslidings, loving us freely while we are yet sinners, withdrawing not His light, but shining on us for Christ's sake.’ (2SM231)

`Now He invites you. Now, just now, He calls upon you to return unto Him without delay, and He will graciously pardon and heal all your backslidings.’ (1T430)

`Return faithless people; I will cure you of your backsliding.' (Jeremiah 3:22)

`The shepherd who discovers that one of his sheep is missing does not look carelessly upon the flock that is safely housed, and say, "I have ninety and nine, and it will cost me too much trouble to go in search of the straying one. Let him come back, and I will open the door of the sheepfold, and let him in." No; no sooner does the sheep go astray than the shepherd is filled with grief and anxiety. He counts and recounts the flock. When he is sure that one sheep is lost, he slumbers not. He leaves the ninety and nine with the fold, and goes in search of the straying sheep. The darker and more tempestuous the night and the more perilous the way, the greater is the shepherd's anxiety and the more earnest his search. He makes every effort to find that one lost sheep.

`With what relief he hears in the distance its first faint cry. Following the sound, he climbs the steepest heights, he goes to the very edge of the precipice, at the risk of his own life. Thus he searches, while the cry, growing fainter, tells him that his sheep is ready to die. At last his effort is rewarded; the lost is found. Then he does not scold it because it has caused him so much trouble. He does not drive it with a whip. He does not even try to lead it home. In his joy he takes the trembling creature upon his shoulders; if it is bruised and wounded, he gathers it in his arms, pressing it close to his bosom, that the warmth of his own heart may give it life. With gratitude that his search has not been in vain, he bears it back to the fold.’ (COL187-8)

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`The blood of Jesus is pleading with power and efficacy for those who are back-slidden, for those who are rebellious, for those who sin against great light and love. Satan stands at our right hand to accuse us, and our Advocate stands at God's right hand to plead for us. He has never lost a case that has been committed to Him. We may trust in our Advocate; for He pleads His own merits in our behalf. Hear His prayer before His betrayal and trial. Listen to His prayer for us; for He had us in remembrance.’ (7BC948)

Welcome back to the fold - dear friend. Always remember that the church is a hospital for sick people - and we all are sick - no exceptions. If you never realised that, read Romans 3:10-18.