Each To Serve Faithfully.

There are two things common to all of us of faith: Jesus Christ and daily struggle. If you are in Christ, you struggle in the most unique and difficult ways. This is the reality of following Jesus. In 1 Peter 4:10-11, we see that a common Christ and a common struggle causes us to embrace a common encouragement in all of its varied and wonderful forms.

Divinely Gifted

Each of us is divinely gifted for the encouragement in perseverance of one another and for the glory of God by Jesus Christ. Those who speak are speaking on behalf of God, and those who serve are serving by the strength of God (1 Peter 4:11). These abilities are sourced in the grace of God (1 Peter 4:10) so that in everything God may be glorified (1 Peter 4:11, 1 Cor 10:31). Because we know the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, we are able to glorify God by the grace, utterances, and strength that He provides. God is the superhero, not any of us.

The glory of God is His attributes speaking through each of us as a gifted Christian in a specific moment. God has designed us to be the channel for demonstrating His peace. In that moment of encouraging a brother or sister in Christ, we are the glory of God and the strength of God and the grace of God. We become the essential tool which God uses to keep that soul persevering.

When we are born again, we are all baptized by the Spirit of God into Christ (1 Cor 12:13), and at that moment, we are all given at least one spiritual ability (1 Cor 12:4-11). All these gifts are to be used to encourage the flock (1 Cor 12:7). We all share a common ability to help one another walk in common encouragement. In the doing and the practicing of the gifts God gives each of us, the very attributes of God are manifested through us which is His glory at that moment. That is what makes it so divine and transcendent.

Practicing Our Spiritual Gift(s)

How do we practice these gifts? It is all sourced in God. We are able to live out the doing of these special abilities by the indwelling of God the Spirit and given a disposition and a way to do it (Galatians 5:22-25). Whether we help, administer, give, teach, shepherd, or express mercy, it is all sourced in Him.

We are governed by the Spirit so we can do His bidding His way. Galatians 5:25 teaches, “If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.” We are going to practice things the Spirit of God encourages us to do.

We are encouraged to do all these things even if we are not specifically gifted. While Paul says we are ministering these gifts to one another all the time, Peter says in times of crisis the gifted ones stand out. And that is each of us! God stands out through each of us in a time of crisis. Each of us is needed and essential. God would have us own this truth. There are no all-stars in the church, just gifted people governed by the Spirit. All hands are lovingly on-deck because the personal and corporate perseverance of the flock in times of crisis makes each of us essential to the body.

Purpose of Our Spiritual Gift(s)

A spiritual gift is not ours to choose to use when we feel like it. It is God’s property on loan to us. We are to be good stewards (1 Peter 4:10) of the manifold grace of God. Living out our gifting in a time of crisis includes everyone. If you have not been walking with the Lord like we should, repent and come back to fellowship (1 John 1:9)!

The grace of God compels us to minister our gifts, especially in a time of crisis, regardless of our physical weakness (1 Cor 2:1-5). We are part of Christ's Body now for eternal purposes, for the mutual encouragement of the saints. We minister to one another because the Body needs strengthened for its mission.

Application Points

• Do you know what your spiritual gift(s) is?
• Are you obediently using your spiritual gift(s) for the encouragement of the saints and the glory of God?
• Is sin keeping you from walking in right relationship with the Lord and the church body?
• Are you distracted by the things of this world from faithfully practicing your spiritual gift(s)?

Tools for Further Study

Cross References to Explore

• 1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12:3-8 – Spiritual Gifts