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The 2 most important questions of your life are:

Who are you?

Who is God to you?

Every attack on your life will have something to do with these two questions. Every purpose and meaning for your life, will have something to do with these two questions.

How we answer and live these 2 questions out is why God gave spiritual gifts. 

Jesus said of God His Father, “God is Spirit and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth. (John 4: 24) Jesus defined who God is. He is Spirit and he loves to be revealed and adored.

When we operate in the spiritual gifts that we are given by Him, we are empowered to be who God created us to be and to reveal Him. The spiritual gifts don’t define who we are, just who’s we are.

WHY THEY IMPORTANT

Spiritual gifts reveal God, they reveal who He is and provide an encounter with His presence.

The focus of the spiritual gifts is not about revealing us, it is about revealing Him, His nature, His heart. They not only reveal but release His presence and person. They make possible what was impossible. They connect heaven with earth.

In many ways they are a ‘thin place’, where the space between heaven and earth is incredibly thin and another realm, another kingdom, another life force is encountered.

In these moments, we are reminded that there is a reality greater than what we can understand, what we currently know about. There is a realm outside of ourselves and our accumulation of experiences and knowledge. There is something bigger than us and our reality.

Spiritual gifts are the gifts from a generous God, a God who knows no limitation in His love for us, His power and His understanding. No realms or realities limit Him. These gifts connect us and protect our connection with the Spirit of God and once given, they are never recalled or revoked. (Romans 11:29) When He gives a gift, it is given.

7 SPIRITS OF GOD

Isaiah 11:2 says “The Spirit of the Lord shall rest on Him (Jesus)” Isaiah then prophesies the 7 spirits of the Spirit of the Lord – Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding, Spirit of Counsel and Might, Spirit of Knowledge and Fear of the Lord. The Spirit of God is one but revealed in 7 dimensions. 

In the Tabernacle the Golden Lampstand stood with 7 branches. One Spirit of the Lord, revealed in 7 dimensions. 

There are some interesting pairings there. 

The Spirit of Wisdom is the Spirit of Skillfulness. This was the Spirit that rested on Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. They were filled with the “Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills— to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of crafts.” (Ex 31: 2-5)

The Spirit of Understanding is about Intelligent Insight. Daniel had this rest heavily on him as he discerned truth, meaning of riddles, parables and allegories as he served the Political rulers of His day with excellence. (Dan 1:7, 5:11-12, 9:21-22)

In the Spirit of the Lord is the Spirit of Counsel and Might. Etsah is the Hebrew word that is used here for the Spirit of Guidance. When this was activated, advice or purpose was revealed. This word is used for steering a ship, imparting wisdom and counsel needed for spiritual leadership.

Paired with this is the Spirit of a Mighty Warrior – Spirit of Might. We are in a spiritual war. I have seen spiritual gifts used and shift in one moment a war over an entire group of people.

Spiritual gifts reveal the Spirit of our Mighty Warrior God. Isaiah 43 says, “The Lord will go forth like a warrior, He will arouse His zeal like a man of war. He will utter a shout, yes, He will raise a war cry. He will prevail against His enemies.” (43:13)

Finally the Spirit of Knowledge and a Fear of the Lord. This knowledge is not something that comes from books or study but from experiencing intimacy with the Lord. It is not about a function but relationship. This is vital to understand as we exercise the gifts God has given us.

The Fear of the Lord is the beginning not only of wisdom but relationship. It acknowledges that God is God, a Holy God. In the Fear of the Lord, He is differentiated from us. While we are made in the image of God, we are not God. There is the otherness of God we come to grips with here when we encounter the Spirit of the Fear of the Lord.

When we operate in our spiritual gifts, it’s from relationship. It is the fruit of relationship. Gifts reveal encounters and experience with God. Spiritual gifts reveal God, who He is and who HE wants to be for us in every moment of the day, in every season and as He is revealed, we come into a greater understanding of who we are.

TAKE THE SPIRITUAL GIFTS TEST

👉 So take a look at what your spiritual gifts are here in the Spiritual Gifts Test. While this is not an exhaustive test, it will give you an idea.

DISCOVER MORE ABOUT YOUR SPIRITUAL GIFTS

👉 Download here the Spiritual Gifts Def PDF and get into practicing using your gift. 

Don’t be afraid to practice and get around others who also are using their gifts. Keep learning. Keep humble. Keep stirring up your spirit and your gift! God gave it to you for such a time as this.  

Stir up your faith. An act of faith is any action on the outside that demonstrates the faith on the inside.

As we use these gifts from God, we make Him known. We give heaven a target on earth and open up atmospheres for change and for love to rush in and cast out fear. (1 John 4:18)