Bible Reading: Numbers 26; Psalm 69; Isaiah 16; 1 Peter 4
As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 4:10-11)
Peter does not so much focus on the 'gifts' of the Holy Spirit. He tells us that every man has received 'the gift' of the Holy Spirit. This is so important to understand. Many times people take spiritual gift inventories trying to recognize what their gifts are. Peter helps us realize that everyone who is born again has received the gift of the Holy Spirit and he can manifest himself in you as he sees fit. The Holy Spirit is in you, now you are to minister the gift to one another. In another place the Bible reminds us of the same aspect of ministry:
But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. (1 Corinthians 12:7)
Your gift is given so you can serve. We are to be good stewards of the manifold grace of God. God has graciously poured out his Spirit upon us and we are to allow the Holy Spirit to empower us to serve one another in the body of Christ. Peter makes the diversities of gifts that the Holy Spirit can manifest in a believer's life very easy to understand. He divides them into two categories, speaking and serving.
If the Holy Spirit in you is gifting your to speak do it as if you are speaking the oracles of God. In other words, realize that you are a messenger for the King of Kings and speak his word to the hearers. If the Holy Spirit empowers you to minister or serve, do it with the ability that God gives you. Either way, it is God working in you to bless others through you.
When I think of serving, I think of Bezaleel and Aholiab. God gifted them to build the furniture for the tabernacle.
Then wrought Bezaleel and Aholiab, and every wise hearted man, in whom the LORD put wisdom and understanding to know how to work all manner of work for the service of the sanctuary, according to all that the LORD had commanded. (Exodus 36:1)
It does not matter how God works through you. What matters is that you let him and that he gets all the glory. He has given you his Spirit and he can work in you any way he wants. When you yield yourself to God and put no limits on your service, you will see that God can do amazing things through your life.
In Christ,
Rody
