THE SPIRIT, GIFTS AND THE CALL
Naturally, your prayer life will change you in ways you likely never imagined. Traits and flaws, seemingly permanent qualities, will yield to transformation as you continue to explore the depths of prayer and grow in your friendship with the Holy Spirit.
As the work of sanctification causes you to bear the marks and image of Christ, you become more suitable for use in the ministry. Your spiritual maturity presents more than just personal benefit, for it makes you a fit tool in the hand of your Maker. You become a benefit to those around you and the body of Christ.
All spiritual progress eventually leads one to become a reference point for others, a spiritual leader of one sort or another. Because of God’s grace, even the seemingly insignificant become powerful servants of the Lord. The grace of God is the glue that holds together an otherwise shattered vessel; His presence is what fills it. Of this vessel (you) God makes good use.
“Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful.”
~ 1 Corinthians 1:26-27
I recall a certain remark made of me by an atheist. Because of me, the atheist came to an odd conclusion about God. In so many words, he communicated this thought: “If God were to actually exist, he would not be using someone as pitiful as David Diga Hernandez. The fact that David is in the ministry leads me to believe that there is no God.”
The atheist, I’m sure, intended his words to be harsh. Yet, in a peculiar way, I took them to be quite encouraging. For, in fact, God chooses those deemed least likely to succeed as His chosen instruments. This is not to say that the talented cannot be used of God. All it really means is that God can only make use of those who have humbled themselves, of those who have surrendered. For the very weakness in you is the point of use, the very thing God will use to touch the world.
But why?
“…and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God.”
~ 1 Corinthians 1:28-29
God chooses the foolish things of this world for the same reason He decides to “show up” when situations look nearest impossible. Before acting, God will wait until you have exhausted all effort and resource, so that you may know the accomplishment does not rest in your ability. Before He takes action, God will allow you to first diminish every bit of your enthusiasm. Why? For the same purpose, God chooses to use the seemingly unusable. The reason is so that not a single one can receive glory except Him. God is very generous, but He will not share His glory. In reality, we couldn’t handle it. Men become most fragile when they are given glory.
However, the Spirit of the Living God resides in each believer. No matter your past, level of ability or amount of talent—your life can be used of God, so long as the Holy Spirit takes up residence in you. The Holy Spirit Himself is your qualification for ministry.
King David was an adulterous conspirator and a scheming murderer. Noah got drunk, Moses stuttered, Paul persecuted the Church, Peter betrayed Jesus, Isaiah had a filthy mouth, Thomas doubted and Jonah deliberately rebelled. Yet God used each one to great capacity. Your past is no match for God’s redemptive power. The only one that God cannot use is the one who won’t surrender.
Being used by God does not necessarily depend upon your ability. It depends upon your obedience. Amazingly, even seasons of rebellion are met with God’s redemptive faithfulness.
“If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny who he is.”
~ 2 Timothy 2:13
When it comes to the call of God, it’s not about how gifted you are, how talented you are, how charismatic you are or even how intelligent you are. It’s about how surrendered you are. The life that is surrendered is made ready for God’s use. We must all surrender, for all of us serve a purpose in the body.
The Body
“The body” is another name for the Church or the global collective of believers. Though many denominations, doctrines, factions and groups exist by name, all division is superseded by our love for Christ and one another.
There are many personalities but one Lord. There are many cultures but one God. There are many styles but the same Spirit resides in us all. Anyone who is for Christ is with us.
“Anyone who is not against us is for us.”
~ Mark 9:40
It is my fervent prayer that my generation would see a more united Church. Much name-calling and disagreement has kept the Church at large from reaching her full potential. Maturity knows and accepts the various expressions of the Church. Methods may vary, but our message remains the same: Jesus Christ.
We need everyone—from the street preacher to the television preacher. Some are gentle. Some are seemingly harsh. Some mostly preach about grace. Some often preach about Hell. Some are solemn. Some are flashy. Some are pleasant. Some are abrasive. But so long as the gospel is being preached, we must seek no quarrel. It seems that the opposite ends of the spectrum are very critical of one another. Often, one side or the other will extend accusations of “watering down the Gospel” or “turning people off”. But the Scripture eases such concerns.
“For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth.”
~ 2 Corinthians 13:8
Does this mean that there is no such thing as a false teacher? No. It just means that we do not need to waste our time hunting for heretics. Nor must we waste our time attacking one another. For Jesus told us of the way to truly make an impression:
“Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”
~ John 13:35
That salvation is found exclusively in Jesus Christ, God in the flesh, should be the unifying point. Christ is the cornerstone. When we are able to move beyond criticism, we step into usefulness. Each of us has a role to play in the function of the body of Christ.
“But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. How strange a body would be if it had only one part! Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. The eye can never say to the hand, ‘I don’t need you.’ The head can’t say to the feet, ‘I don’t need you.’ In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen, while the more honorable parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.”
~ 1 Corinthians 12:18-27
That’s quite an insightful text. Whatever part you might be, you are needed. Let the eye focus on seeing. Let the hand focus on handling. Never should we criticize or dislike a believer simply because they do not focus on the tasks that we deem to be the most important. For each one of us, there are certain points of emphasis, specific purposes. Whereas I might focus on preaching a message of salvation to sinners, another might focus on a message of holiness to the Church. Each and every emphasis is needed.
We must move beyond the tolerance of one another and into a celebration of one another. That is how the Holy Spirit prefers it to be. We need every proclaimer of truth. We even need those with whom we strongly disagree. You cannot tell another believer that they (or their points of emphasis) are unnecessary.
“The eye can never say to the hand, ‘I don’t need you.’ The head can’t say to the feet, ‘I don’t need you.’”
~ 1 Corinthians 12:21
Often, we attribute our own preferences to the Spirit’s voice. Whereas our dislikes are our own, we, likely out of emotion, speak of our dislikes as if the Holy Spirit shares them. Like bratty children, we ask our Father to side with us. Our disputes are too many times founded of our own preference. Many become uncomfortable with believers who don’t sound enough like them, but Jesus expresses His will concerning our unity.
“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.”
~ John 13:34
The closer you become to the Holy Spirit, the easier it is for you to get along with other members of the body. The Spirit’s presence brings unity among us. We find our unity in the realm of the spirit. That’s how you know you’ve truly been spending time with Him. You become less critical and more understanding. You become less combative and more graceful. You become less cynical and more open to others.
Often, I observe the oneness with which many false world religions carry out their tasks. While our division is obvious to even skeptical non-believers, religions of the world pull together their finances, resources and abilities. Why do they seem to have such consistency? Why do they seem to be of one mind and goal? I’ll tell you what I think. I think they enjoy such oneness, because the enemy doesn’t mind them being united to accomplish their goals. That we have such a difficult time with unity leads me to believe that we are being fought on that important point.
We must come to both understand and appreciate that each of us is needed. For to each of us, a very precious gift has been given—even multiple gifts.
Super Powers
Believe it or not, super powers, by definition, exist. That is to say this: abilities, normally impossible, become possible with the help of the Holy Spirit. They are super because they are beyond us. They are powers in that they are abilities. However, these abilities are given to us for service, not superiority.
Mention of these abilities is made in the revelatory writing of Paul the Apostle.
“Now, dear brothers and sisters, regarding your question about the special abilities the Spirit gives us. I don’t want you to misunderstand this. You know that when you were still pagans, you were led astray and swept along in worshiping speechless idols. So I want you to know that no one speaking by the Spirit of God will curse Jesus, and no one can say Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit.”
~ 1 Corinthians 12:1-3
When writing of the spiritual gifts, Paul the Apostle expresses his concern with the believers, former pagans. He is concerned that they might misunderstand the spiritual abilities. The power of the Holy Spirit is not to be confused with that of idols or demonic powers. I don’t think He would have written such a warning had there not have been such a close resemblance between the spiritual gifts and the counterfeit workings of paganism. This close resemblance has led some, even in this day, as they did in Paul’s day, to attribute the modern working of the Holy Spirit to demonic paganism. That is why Paul gives us, within the very same context, the standard by which we can distinguish the work of the Holy Spirit and the work of the occult: “…no one speaking by the Spirit of God will curse Jesus, and no one can say Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit.” We can discern such things, not necessarily by looking at the ability itself, but by where the demonstration of such ability points. If a demonstration points solely to Christ, it is legitimate.
I want to point out the fact that it is, indeed, the Holy Spirit Who gives us special abilities—“the Spirit gives us…” The Holy Spirit is the source of the gifts.
“It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.”
~ 1 Corinthians 12:11
But this does not mean that there is no such thing as the counterfeit. Why else would Paul reference the former paganism of his letter’s recipients? The existence of the counterfeit implies the existence of the authentic. A gift’s authenticity is indicated by its message. If the true Christ is the message, it’s real. Paul goes on to clarify on the source of these abilities.
“There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us.”
~ 1 Corinthians 12:4-6
Take notice of a couple things.
Firstly, the Spirit is the source of the gift. The gifts of the Holy Spirit emerge from the inner man. This means that all spiritual growth indirectly increases the potency of the spiritual gifts.
Secondly, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are all three mentioned. It is no coincidence that the book, in which Paul later addresses Church unity, makes mention of the Trinity, the all-time greatest example of unity.
Trinity…
Tri—unity…
Three as One…
Furthermore, the gifts you have been given were granted by a unanimous vote. Before you were born, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit together decided what gifts to give to you. And any decision they make in unity can never be undone or altered. Your gift’s irreversibility is why the Scripture says,
“For God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn.”
~ Romans 11:29
Whether or not you have a gift isn’t the question. For the Bible says,
“Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.”
~ 1 Corinthians 12:7
“Each one…” of us has received a gift for the purpose of the common good, for the purpose of serving each other and God. If you believe the Bible, then you cannot dismiss yourself from its truth. You cannot say that you have no gift.
So how do you know what gifts you have?
How exactly do you begin to use them?
Before those questions are answered, I first want to list the gifts. Let’s take a look at each gift mentioned in scripture. As you read about them, remember that the Holy Spirit’s involvement is necessary for operation. His power is like gasoline. We drive different vehicles, but all vehicles run on the same source.
These are the spiritual gifts:
Exhortation (Romans 12:8)
Giving (Romans 12:8)
Leadership (Romans 12:8; 1 Corinthians 12:28)
Prophecy (Romans 12:6; 1 Corinthians 12:10)
Service (Romans 12:7)
Administration / Helps (1 Corinthians 12:28)
Discernment (1 Corinthians 12:10)
Faith (1 Corinthians 12:9)
Healing (1 Corinthians 12:10)
Word of Knowledge (1 Corinthians 12:8)
Word of Wisdom (1 Corinthians 12:8)
Miracles (1 Corinthians 12:10)
Tongues (1 Corinthians 12:10)
Tongues Interpretation (1 Corinthians 12:10)
Evangelist (Ephesians 4:11)
Pastor (Ephesians 4:11)
Teacher (Romans 12:7; Ephesians 4:11)
Apostle (Ephesians 4:11)
Prophet (Ephesians 4:11)
These gifts are not just abilities. They are given special mention as spiritual abilities. This means that they are supernatural in nature. For example, the gift of administration isn’t just the ordinary ability to organize and accomplish. It is administration that is empowered by the Spirit—it has a spiritual edge to it.
I have come to classify the gifts into three categories:
Don’t be thrown off by my use of the term “Service Gifts”. Of course, all of the spiritual gifts are given for service. All spiritual gifts are of equal importance. It is merely for the sake of categorization that I make use of the term.
The Office Gifts
The Office Gifts: Prophet, Pastor, Evangelist, Teacher and Apostle. According to scripture, these gifts are given to the Church for the purpose of leadership and structure.
“Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.”
~ Ephesians 4:11-12
A prophet is one who is raised by God as a mouthpiece of Heaven. The prophet’s ministry is to express the heart of God to people. A prophet can hear from God clearly and faithfully repeat what God has spoken. A prophet will typically have an assigned message for a specific person or group of people. My friend, Prophet Robert Sanchez, says, “Prophets are called to make known the mysteries of Heaven on the earth.”
A prophet is especially gifted at hearing God.
A pastor is gifted by the Holy Spirit to shepherd people and build them to their full potential in Christ. A pastor is a protective overseer of souls. He counsels, preaches, advises, corrects and leads a group of believers.
A pastor is especially gifted at making disciples.
An evangelist is one who is empowered by God to turn hearts toward Jesus with the gospel message. An evangelist is primarily a soul-winner. Evangelists carry an especially heavy, heartfelt burden for the lost and specify their focus of ministry to winning them over to the Truth.
An evangelist is especially gifted at winning souls.
A teacher is gifted by the Spirit to teach the Word of God with both revelatory and applicable precision. The teacher helps members of the body to come into a greater understanding of God’s Word.
A teacher is especially gifted at helping believers understand Biblical truths and concepts.
An apostle is one who establishes churches and ministry works. Because of the nature of their gifting, apostles often come to oversee other Office Gifts. But an apostle isn’t just a “pastor of pastors”. An apostle is a ministry and church pioneer. As the apostle continues to build works, it just so happens that he comes to oversee multiple ministries.
An apostle is especially gifted in establishing ministries and churches. It’s very important that we do not confuse an “office” with a “function”. Though we do not all hold the “office”, we all, to some degree, must function in the abilities of the “Office Gifts”.
For example, though we are not all evangelists, the Scripture tells us to do the work of an evangelist.
“But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you.”
~ 2 Timothy 4:5
The great commission is the responsibility of every believer. All of us are called to evangelize, but not all of us are called to be evangelists. The “Office Gifts” have to do with church authority and leadership. While all believers are called to evangelize, not all of us are called to hold a leadership ministry with a special emphasis on soul winning. The same reasoning would apply to all of the other spiritual gifts.
Here’s a parallel:
Practically, it would be like the difference between a profession and a hobby. You may be able to fix things around the house, but that doesn’t make you a contractor. You may know first aid and CPR, but that doesn’t make you a paramedic. You may know how to do graphic design, but that doesn’t make you a marketing expert. You might like to cook, but that doesn’t make you a chef.
In the same way, all of us are called to study and explain God’s Word, but not all of us are called to be teachers. All of us have the ability to hear God, but not all of us are called to be prophets. All of us are called to help build ministries, but not all of us are called to be apostles. All of us are called to make disciples, but not all of us are called to be pastors. Do not confuse the “office” with the “function”.
The Service Gifts
While the Office Gifts are given to those who are called as leaders of the Church, Service Gifts are given to those who are to function within the Church. It’s clear that the Church has a Biblical structure, a well-organized framework. (See: Acts 6:1-7; Ephesians 4:11-12; 1 Timothy 3:1-13;Acts 14:23; Titus 1:5; 1 Timothy 5:22; James 3:1; Hebrews 13:17). Again, all gifts are for service, but, for the sake of classification, I use am using the term, “Service Gifts”.
While we all serve in different capacities, all of us are important. And, though some dislike the idea that the Church is meant to be an organized unit, the idea is a Biblical one. What has God ever created that isn’t systemized? Can anything that isn’t organized be truly effective? Instead, do we prefer to have an “organic” church? If so, can one name anything organic that isn’t naturally organized or structured?
Bottom line: The Scripture calls for structure in the Church. The Holy Spirit leads the Church in an organized manner. It is a privilege to serve in His Church. Also, it’s important to know that a single individual can have more than one gift.
Let’s now explore the Service Gifts.
The gift of exhortation is the Spirit-empowered ability to encourage and embolden people, to lift them. I must emphasize that this is not just normal encouragement. It is both Spirit-led and Spirit-empowered. This same principle applies to all of the Service Gifts: they have a spiritual edge to them and specifically serve the Church.
The gift of giving is spirit-empowered generosity.
The gift of leadership is spirit-empowered leadership.
The gift of helps is spirit-empowered helpfulness or servant hood. The gift of administration is spirit-empowered administrative ability. Those who carry the gift of administration are especially gifted for organization, planning and implementation. In fact, I have come to strongly suspect that the gift of administration includes business wisdom. Though ministry is not a business, the same governmental principles that cause a business to succeed also work for the practical operations of ministry. Businessmen and ministers should harmoniously work side-by-side, implementing Kingdom strategies that are supported by Kingdom Resources (2 Corinthians 9:12 / KJV).
The gift of administration implements the vision.
The Power Gifts
The gift of prophecy enables one to hear and communicate God’s thoughts, words and agendas. The one who prophesies can sometimes see the future. The gift of prophecy enables one to do what a prophet can do, except that this gift does not necessarily have to become an “Office Gift” or emphasis of ministry expression. Not everyone who prophesies is a prophet, but every believer can, to some degree, prophesy.
The gift of discernment or “the discerning of spirits” is the ability to tell whether or not a spirit is of God. Those with discernment can see demonic spirits in people. Those with discernment are gifted at reading intentions, and they can tell if a spirit is of God or not, especially before others can tell.
Simply put, the gift of healing is the special grace that God places on an individual, the Spirit-empowered ability to heal the sick.
The gift of miracles is like unto the gift of healing. I teach that the two gifts come hand-in-hand, for the healing of the sick is miraculous. The gift of miracles is the Spirit-empowered ability to work miracles (usually with an evangelistic intent): multiplying food, opening blind eyes, etc. Miracles help to advance the gospel message by endorsing it. We must return to a place, as the Church, where miracles are a primary means by which we demonstrate the gospel.
The Word of Knowledge is supernaturally acquired knowledge, information you should not otherwise know. For example, one with the word of knowledge can just know a person’s name, current predicament and a variety of other personal, specific information. I have personally witnessed people use the Word of Knowledge, and it is astonishing to see in action.
The Word of Wisdom is like unto the word of knowledge—it’s similar. It is the ability to advise others in God’s wisdom. Those with this gift can help other believers navigate difficult circumstances. They receive wisdom that they should not otherwise possess.
The gift of faith is different from the faith that we are given for salvation. There is the measure of faith (Romans 12:3), and then there is the gift of faith (1 Corinthians 12:9). All spiritual gifts are given and used for the benefit of others. So the gift of faith is the ability to raise another’s faith level. The gift of faith is like a boost or enhancement. It is a heightened spirituality that aids in a particularly challenging time or predicament. In my experience with the gift of faith, I have observed that it works closely with the gift of miracles and the gift of healing. Before attempting to work a miracle or heal the sick, the one with the gift of faith can use said gift to raise someone’s faith level. The gift of faith paves the way for the supernatural.
Finally, there is the gift of tongues and the interpretation of tongues.
The Gift of Tongues
Though I would categorize the gift of tongues as one of the Power Gifts, I want to devote more emphasis to this gift in particular. I think it is necessary to dig deeper in this case, primarily because of the negative misunderstandings and prejudices that many people hold against the beautiful gift of speaking in tongues. Many people think that speaking in tongues is just for Charismatics or Pentecostals. Amazingly, some actually even believe that the gift has somehow vanished from the Church. In more extreme views, some consider it to be wacky, bizarre or even demonic.
Admittedly, I understand that many believers have become disinterested in the gift of tongues for having seen horrendous misuses and abuses of the gift. But I do caution you, dear reader, to not reject what God offers on account of the foolishness of others. That would be to punish God for the mistakes of men.
Furthermore, the gift of tongues is certainly not exclusively a Charismatic expression or even a Pentecostal expression. It is a Spirit expression. The truth is that, if you want to experience all that God has for you, you must find the courage to move beyond emotional hesitations and mental reservations. You can trust that God will not give you something harmful.
Speaking in tongues is essentially speaking spirit. Tongues is the language of the Holy Spirit. Sure, He can communicate with you in your own, earthly dialect. But when you pray in tongues, something deeper is happening.
“No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.”
~ 1 Corinthians 2:11-12
Nobody can know you better than your own spirit. Nobody can know God better than His Spirit, the Holy Spirit. Remember that your spirit is your God-connection. We have fellowship with God—spirit to Spirit. The deepest part of your being fellowships with the deepest part of God’s being. And between the two of you, even as you might be unaware, there is a friendly celestial conversation occurring in Heavenly dimensions. This is how we are able to “pray without ceasing” as the Scripture instructs.
“…pray without ceasing…”
~ 1 Thessalonians 5:17
That spirit-to-Spirit communication is ongoing, twenty-four seven. There is an internal, spiritual language being spoken. The following scripture alludes to such a reality:
“And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.”
~ Romans 8:26
Think about that! The Holy Spirit prays for you Himself. I’ve often sought impartation from anointed men and women of God. And there is no shame in wanting other Spirit-filled believers to lay hands on you. But the Holy Spirit wants to pray for you! He does so with an internal groaning that cannot be put into words.
Those internal, spiritual prayers are expressed aloud when you pray in the language of the Holy Spirit. His Words are deeper than yours. His communication is higher than yours. Don’t you want to learn to speak in His language?
The gift of tongues isn’t just a Heavenly language—it is the allowing of the Holy Spirit to pray and speak through you. When you pray in tongues, you are allowing the Holy Spirit Himself to pray over you. And, because of the nature of the gift of tongues, you can receive prayer from the Holy Spirit anytime you wish.
Speaking in tongues is a peculiar, unearthly act. To some, it sounds like gibberish. Praying in tongues is like giving the alphabet to a writer. The writer is free to organize the letters at will and add meaning however he might wish. Though the writer might have only twenty-six letters with which he can create, he is able to make masterpieces.
In the same way, when you pray in tongues, you are giving the Holy Spirit syllables and sounds with which He can work. Then He arranges those sounds, in the spirit, into masterful and powerful prayers.
Speaking in tongues takes child-like faith and total trust in the Holy Spirit. For, when one prays in tongues, one must trust that, though the sounds are not understood by the human mind, the Holy Spirit is adding to them His own purposeful meaning. It’s as if the Holy Spirit is saying, “If you’d give Me a mouth, I’d pray for you Myself.” When you pray in tongues, you give the Holy Spirit a blank canvas upon which He can paint. You give the spiritual access to the natural. As syllables of surrender, the spiritual transfers from within, through the will of the soul, to the earthly realm.
The Holy Spirit can only use what you give to Him.
When you speak with your own human language, you add your own desired meaning to your voice. But when you pray without attaching your own meaning to the sounds, you give that responsibility to the Holy Spirit. He will not forcefully take over your speech. Instead, He waits for submitted sounds. Then He takes up the task of inserting His own purposeful meaning into your vocalization. Speaking in tongues is the language of surrender. It is verbal yielding. This takes child-like faith, indeed.
The gift of tongues is also the only gift that is intended to be both self-serving and Church-serving. In fact, the gift of tongues is a faith-based, Heavenly language (or like a language) that can actually serve three purposes. I have created classification terms for those three purposes. These are the three uses of the gift that I have observed in scripture:
Personal Tongue
Firstly, we speak in tongues for personal growth. When you pray in tongues, you may not know what you’re praying, but you are actually communicating with God and enlightening yourself.
“For if you have the ability to speak in tongues, you will be talking only to God, since people won’t be able to understand you. You will be speaking by the power of the Spirit, but it will all be mysterious… He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself…”
~ 1 Corinthians 12:2&4
As it goes for personal use, speaking in tongues can be used when you don’t know what to pray, and speaking in tongues can be used to heighten your spiritual senses and your spirituality. In fact, I have found that speaking in tongues makes all of the other spiritual gifts more powerful. There is a definite, personal benefit to speaking in tongues.
“I thank God that I speak in tongues more than any of you.”
~ 1 Corinthians 14:18
When speaking of that scripture, a pastor friend of mine asked me, “How did Paul know that he prayed in tongues more than the people? Was he there with them everyday? There was no way he could have known that unless there were evident results.” Paul knew that he prayed in tongues more, because there were definite results, a higher form of spirituality that evidently resulted.
I challenge you to pray in tongues for at least fifteen minutes a day, and see if it doesn’t enhance your spiritual life.
The gift of speaking in tongues is not an earthly language. From the verses above, we must note that the Scripture teaches the gift to be something that nobody on earth understands, except by supernatural means. So, as far as the personal tongue, it cannot be attributed to an earthly language. It’s mysterious. While you pray in such a way, the Holy Spirit prays for you, through you.
Proof Tongue
Secondly, the gift can be supernaturally understood as an earthly language or actual dialect. Sometimes, those who hear you speaking in tongues will miraculously hear messages from God in their own native language. Though it sounds like gibberish to everyone else and even you, the hearer might miraculously hear, with their physical ears, their own language. An example of this happened in Acts chapter two.
“When they heard the loud noise, everyone came running, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers.”
~ Acts 2:6
I’ve heard many amazing stories of such a gift in action. In one such story, a pastor was traveling by airplane when he received an odd command from the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit drew the pastor’s attention to another passenger on board the airplane. Then the Holy Spirit spoke to the pastor saying, “Go up to that person and begin to speak in tongues.” At first, the pastor hesitated, knowing that he could possibly be mishearing the Holy Spirit. The pastor didn’t want to scare the passenger. However, after some internal struggling, the pastor obeyed the voice of the Holy Spirit. He walked up to the passenger and began to pray in tongues. Miraculously, the passenger heard the pastor speaking in his own, native dialect. The pastor was preaching the gospel in a language that he did not know!
In my observation, I’ve found that this second use of the gift of tongues tends toward being evangelistic or demonstrative. The listener, who receives natural understanding from hearing it, is met with a sign from God. In other words, God’s power is proved to that individual. Thus, I call it the “Proof Tongue”.
“So you see that speaking in tongues is a sign, not for believers, but for unbelievers. Prophecy, however, is for the benefit of believers, not unbelievers.”
~ 1 Corinthians 14:22
When the gift of tongues is understood as a human language, it’s proof of God’s power to the hearer. Also note that the gift cannot be a sign to the unbeliever if the unbeliever never hears the gift being used.
So the notion that we are to never pray in tongues in front of the unbeliever is an unbiblical one.
Prophetic Tongue
When the gift of tongues is interpreted by another believer, it’s prophetic. Thus, I call the third use of the gift “The Prophetic Tongue”. The gift of tongues can be used prophetically in the context of a church assembly or church service. It is typically found at work in a public gathering of believers.
Basically and generally, this is how the prophetic tongue works: at the appropriate time during a church service, a believer will begin to pray aloud in tongues. The collective attention of the believers should gather to the one praying in tongues. While that individual is speaking in tongues aloud, the rest of the church goes reverently silent. When that individual finishes speaking in tongues aloud, everyone waits for the interpretation to be given.
That is where the gift of interpretation comes into play. At that point, someone else will raise his or her voice to give the interpretation. The same reverence that was given to the prophetic tongue should also be given to the interpretation. Usually, the interpreter, like everyone else, has only heard the gibberish-like sounds. But they are given an inner understanding by means of the Spirit. The interpreter then raises his or her voice to give the interpreted message.
“to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues…”
~ 1 Corinthians 12:10
Translation is word-for-word. Interpretation has more to do with the overall concept of a communication. So the interpreter simply delivers the overall idea of what God is speaking to the church through the prophetic tongue. The interpreter gets impressions, not always exact words.
Either way, in a church gathering, if you are going to speak in tongues in a way that calls for the collective attention of those gathered, an interpretation is absolutely needed. Otherwise, where is the use in disrupting everyone else if they aren’t going to be edified? Why would anyone disrupt what is edifying for something that isn’t? On the other hand, it is appropriate to pray in a personal tongue in a public church setting, so long as you do so in a way that flows with the overall service. Be certain to be led by the Holy Spirit.
Receiving the Gift of Tongues
I have devoted chapter eight of this book to answering questions relating to the Holy Spirit. And, in that chapter, I cover the topic of tongues in more detail. However, at this point in the book, I found it necessary to present just one more point on the topic: receiving the gift of tongues. I am compelled to reiterate that operating in the gift of speaking in tongues takes faith. Faith is necessary, because you must take an action, while trusting that God will add a supernatural element to it.
Some become discouraged when they pray to receive the gift and then seemingly lack it. They ask themselves questions such as these: Am I doing something wrong? Is there something in my life that is blocking the gift? Do I have enough faith to receive it? Is the gift really for me? Is speaking in tongues really of God?
I understand why some would ask such questions. When the gift of tongues doesn’t become apparent right away, it’s easy to waver, doubt and analyze. However, it’s important that you understand the basis of your faith. The basis of your faith is not what you feel or experience. The basis of your faith is the Word of God. I like to say, “When you don’t feel it, faith it.”
When you pray to receive the gift of tongues, whether or not you feel something is not the issue. The issue is whether or not you believe that God keeps His promises. For if God keeps His promises, then He has given you the gift, simply because you’ve asked for it in faith. You don’t have to feel different, sense anything special or experience anything tangible. Trust that the deposit of the gift has been made. If your starting point is that of doubt, you won’t be able to move forward with the gift. But if your starting point is that of faith, if you accept that you have been given the gift (despite what you feel or don’t feel), then you can begin to take the appropriate actions from there. For once you begin to doubt the gift, it is not possible to use it. Your best option is to believe the Word and not your feelings.
It may take some time for the gift to manifest from the inside out. After all, the gift of speaking in tongues is the verbal manifestation of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. It is when the inner flood of baptism pours out of your mouth and into this realm. For the sake of visual aid, imagine that the flood from within your spirit is taking time to reach your outer man, your physical body (your mouth). There is an utterance that will come upon you. You may sense an urge to vocalize an inner stirring.
However, the Holy Spirit is considerate and gentle. He will not force you to speak. You have to be the one to give Him the sounds, and then He will work with those sounds. The Spirit is not forceful with the gift. Your mouth is not going to become uncontrollable. He will not grab a hold of your tongue and move it without your will. You’re not going to black out, lose consciousness or disconnect from reality.
This is the aspect of the gift about which there is much confusion. Many wonder how much of the gift is dependent upon man and how much of the gift is dependent upon God. How much should we do, and how much should God do? It’s simple. The operation of the gift relies upon both. There is a partnership. If we will do the practical, God will do the supernatural. If we will do the difficult, God will do the impossible. It’s difficult to make such strange and foreign sounds; it can make one feel silly or odd. Because of that, I believe, for most, the issue is purely that of mental barriers. Overanalyzing the gift leads to many misconceptions and even emotional reservations. Afraid of offending God or appearing bizarre, some just can’t jump the mental hurdles. But once you accept that you have a contribution to make to the operation of the gift, it’s just a matter of trusting God to do His part. You provide the sounds, and the Spirit will turn those sounds into meaningful prayers. You must trust Him to do so.
“And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.”
~ 1 Corinthians 14:32 (KJV)
Categorically, the gift of tongues is a prophetic expression, because it is a communication gift. Prophetic expression is under the control of the one who operates in it. Also, if the gift of tongues wasn’t subject to our control, why did Paul the Apostle write instructions on how we should control it? First Corinthians chapter fourteen would not be necessary if the use of the gift of tongues was outside of our conscious control. Paul even instructs us to pray in tongues, because it is something that we can decide to do.
“Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues.”
~ 1 Corinthians 14:39
When I first began to drive, my driving was rigid, deliberate and somewhat stressful. However, the longer I drove, the more familiar I became with driving. But, as of now, driving feels natural and effortless. That’s how it is with speaking in tongues. The longer you do it, the less deliberate and more natural it becomes. It is part spiritual unction and part deliberate effort. Like anything spiritual, it begins as an instruction, becomes an action and then turns supernatural. But you must take the first step and give the Spirit surrendered sounds without attached meaning. If you do that, eventually, you’ll find the flow of the Spirit. Regarding that flow, all I can tell you is that you’ll know it when you find it. So you must just step out in faith.
When I first spoke in tongues, I sensed the unction to do so. But the unction came moments after I chose to open my mouth and speak. After having heard a preacher talk about speaking in tongues, I was standing at an altar call in a church service. Gathered in the front of the church with many other believers, I stood behind a man who blocked my view of the platform. The man in front of me was much taller than me, and he was swaying back and forth. The bottom portion of his sleeve was able to touch my forehead. It was quite distracting, but I persisted to pray nonetheless.
As the preacher moved along the prayer line, he laid his hands on people’s heads. I knew I was out of the preacher’s reach, especially with that tall man being in front of me. I closed my eyes and began asking for the gift of tongues. The man in front of me continued to sway, and then his sleeve tapped me on the forehead. I would have been rather annoyed by that, but when his sleeve tapped me on the forehead, I felt a jolt go through my body. I opened my eyes in that moment, and I saw that the preacher was laying hands on the man in front of me. The power of God had moved through the preacher, onto the man in front of me, through his sleeve and right onto my body. I knew that something was deposited in me. So I opened my mouth and began to pray in tongues. The longer I prayed in tongues, the more powerful the unction became. The more powerful the unction became, the more I prayed in tongues. There was give-and-take, a reciprocal effect. Then I began to raise my voice. Within those moments, my prayer language grew louder, more pronounced and definitely more natural.
When you begin to pray in tongues, you must turn the key. Once you turn the key, the engine begins to roar. Have you asked for it? Then you have it. Take a step of faith and open your mouth. Give the Spirit sounds.
Gift Cooperation
Now moving away from the topic of tongues, I want you to understand how our gifts can work together.
No gift of the Holy Spirit, under any circumstance, should ever be completely rejected. You shouldn’t neglect what Christ died to give to you. We should not neglect the gifts within ourselves, and we should not neglect the gifts within others. Truly, all of the gifts work together.
For example, a pastor and an evangelist will find their ministries to be more fruitful if they honor the gifts in each other. Evangelists cannot pastor like pastors can. Pastors cannot win souls like evangelists can. Touching on Jesus’ fishing analogy, I would say that the evangelist catches the fish, while the pastor cleans them.
That’s just one simple example of how the gifts might work in conjunction.
Throughout various seasons of ministry, I have partnered my gifts with the gifts of others to accomplish great exploits for God’s Kingdom. It’s important to know your strengths. I would say that my strongest areas of gifting are as follows: evangelism, healing, teaching and leadership.
My Office Gifts are that of the evangelist and the teacher. My power gift is healing, and my service gift is leadership. But the ministry I oversee cannot possibly function on those gifts alone. Among my staff, you’ll find the gift of the pastor and the prophet. You’ll also find the gifts of encouragement, administration, tongues, service and more. If I were to try to operate in ministry on my own, I would only be able to reach a fraction of the people that my team and I are reaching together. Unity brings multiplication.
“Five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand! All your enemies will fall beneath your sword.”
~ Leviticus 26:8
Often, I minister alongside a friend of mine who is tremendously gifted as a prophet. He and I have done conferences, revivals and television broadcasts together. Each time that we unite our gifts, the results are both exciting to watch and more fruitful in impact. The effects are compounded and multiplied.
One time, the prophet and I were ministering a 3-night revival in the Midwest. We were taking turns operating in our gifts. People in need of a prophetic word lined up on one side of the building, and people in need of healing lined up on the other side.
The presence of God was manifested in a tangible way. The Holy Spirit was touching lives all over the building. Even beyond my awareness and my reach, people were falling over under the power of God. Under the prophetic and healing anointing, people were being healed of various diseases and freed from various spiritual bondages.
As the prophet was prophesying over a family, I took the time to begin walking down the healing line, located on my side of the building. I walked alongside the people standing in line and laid my hand on each of them. I felt the power of God on my right hand—it was like an electric surge, pulsing up and down my arm.
As I walked alongside the line of people, I noticed the saddened face of one woman in particular. Her distress was so evident that it caught my attention. I looked right at her, and my heart was filled with an overwhelming sense of compassion. It was as if I could see her pain hovering above her. She made eye contact with me, but her eyes instantly darted toward the ground. The Holy Spirit made it clear to me that she was to be my focus of ministry in that moment.
I walked right up to her. I reached out my hand and said, “Give me your hand. God wants to heal you tonight.” She put her hand in mine and then began to weep. She didn’t just weep; she sobbed. Barely able to speak beyond her tears, she said to me, “I just want to die! I just want to die!” I felt the Holy Spirit’s grief. Her pain hurt Him.
With a shaky voice and occasional sighs, she explained to me that her husband both physically and emotionally abused her. While listening to her story, I learned that she was abused, depressed and hopeless. Additionally, she told me that she was bitter. She admitted to carrying resentment toward her abusive husband. The Holy Spirit spoke to me clearly, saying, “This woman needs a prophetic word. The prophetic word will open the door for healing.” The woman had also explained to me that she had a variety of physical ailments. She was in desperate need of mental, emotional and physical healing.
Without hesitation, I took the woman by the hand and brought her to the prophet, who was still on the platform prophesying to the same family. “Prophet”, I said, “This woman needs a prophetic word. The resentment in her heart is hindering her healing.”
As soon as I said that, the prophet looked right at the woman. By his discerning look, I could tell that he was seeing into her circumstance. The prophet looked at the woman and said, “I see the pains of abuse. For you have lived under the weight of a heavy-handed man.” Needless to say, my friend is a very gifted prophet. Not only did he speak of her traumatic struggle, but he also ministered words of hope. While the prophet was revealing further details and speaking words of life, the prophetic anointing broke through to her. After receiving a prophetic word and deliverance, she was able to receive her healing when I laid my hands on her.
So the prophetic can work in cooperation with the gift of healing. Of course, I could go on describing the intricate ways in which various gifts work with other gifts. The possible pairings and mixtures are many. The point is that all gifts can work together to accomplish something for God.
Finding Your Gift
So how do you find your gift?
Your gifts will always be linked with your call. And, often, the two are found together. Though one may be found before the other, typically, once one is found, the other is closely within reach.
But when it comes down to it, the Holy Spirit is the One Who gives gifts, empowers gifts and helps you to identify your gifts. The same is true of your calling.
The Holy Spirit was the One Who helped me to find my calling and gifts. Perhaps, as you read my testimony, He will help you to find yours.
After I accepted the Lord as my Savior and had been baptized in the Holy Spirit, I began to undergo a dramatic transformation. I grew in boldness, my understanding of the Word and even my desire to help others.
I dedicated two years of my life to become saturated in prayer and the Word. I was faithfully praying four to eight hours a day. It came to the point where the infilling of my private prayer life overflowed publicly. It overflowed as ministry expression, a natural outcome of living in God’s presence.
My focus of ministry expression became more specific as I found inspiration.
During that season of my life, my pastor invited several different guest speakers to our church. Two of them were very key for me. Their names were Steve Romine and Harry Hills. They both operated in the gift of healing and the word of knowledge. It was incredible to watch the two men minister.
They would point at people and say things like, “There’s a growth in your lung. I see a problem with your jaw. You have an injured knee.” Each time, they were dead on accurate! And, after having found the sickness, they were able to heal it under the power of God.
Watching them minister under such tremendous anointings, I witnessed the spiritual gifts at work for the first time in my life.
It was always about more than just healing. Very life-altering events occurred during their meetings. I recall one instance when Harry Hills ministered to a man by name. Harry called the man to the front and, after a little bit of dialogue, asked, “Who is Carlos?” In fact, the man standing before Harry was Carlos. Carlos, obviously startled that Harry Hills knew his name, stood shocked and speechless. With an intense stare, Harry Hills looked directly at Carlos and said, “Now you were planning to do something drastic this week. Don’t go do what you were going to do. It will change your life for the worst.” Carlos began to weep.
Unknown to the congregation at the time, Carlos was planning a murder. But instead of committing murder, Carlos committed his life to Christ.
Steve Romine, a more comical and lighthearted man, operated under the same power. I noticed the polarized personalities of the two men. Harry Hills was intense and sobering. Steve Romine was relaxed and comforting. Yet both of them were equally anointed. Observing the distinct personalities of the two, I realized that God could use anyone he wanted to use. So I, with child-like faith, asked the Lord to use me in the same way.
I remember, alone in my room, praying, “Lord, I am asking you for the gift of healing and the word of knowledge. I want to be used like you use Steve Romine and Harry Hills. If you want me to have those gifts, I’ll take them. But if not, give me what you have for me.”
Only weeks later, while having a casual conversation with a group of friends from church, I instinctively operated in the word of knowledge without having realized it. One of my friends was telling me a story about one of her friends at school. But before she could finish her story, I interjected a bombardment of very specific questions.
Now, you have to understand that, at that point, I was not “trying” to use any spiritual gifts. In fact, it flowed so naturally that I didn’t even realize what had occurred; I didn’t realize that I was operating in the word of knowledge.
I asked her, “When you were talking to your friend, was she sitting on the ground against her locker? Was she holding her knees together and crying? Was she crying because she was suicidal? Was she suicidal because her dad is verbally abusive?”
I had asked those questions very casually, innocently. My friend’s jaw dropped and she stared at me for a second. She gasped, “How did you know that? That’s exactly what happened!” To be honest, I thought to myself, “How did I know that?” To me, what I knew was just information inside of my head, like any other information one might know. I didn’t try to know it or try to guess at it. It was just there.
In that moment, I remembered the prayer that I prayed. Excited, I realized that God had given me the gift of the word of knowledge. I was thrilled. And it flowed so naturally. It took no effort at all. I thought to myself, “I wonder if God included the gift of healing.”
Some time after that instance, I was watching a documentary about a great healing evangelist. His name was Oral Roberts. He was a man used greatly of God, a general of the faith. His life was a model, an example of God’s ability to use His chosen vessels. I watched the documentary and was inspired while hearing Oral’s story. He was used of God to heal the sick and influence nations. The documentary even touched on the moment that Oral Roberts was called by God. When God called him, Oral Roberts felt a tremendous heat come over his right hand and, in that same moment, God spoke to Oral saying, “I’ve called you to take my healing power to your generation.”
When I saw that story in the documentary, I was reminded of my desire for the gift of healing. “Lord,” I prayed, “Please, give me the gift of healing. I want to see miracles like Oral Roberts saw. I want to be able to minister your healing to hurting people.” I really desired the gift of healing.
“Let love be your highest goal! But you should also desire the special abilities the Spirit gives…”
~ 1 Corinthians 14:1
I truly believed that God would respond to my prayer.
Eventually, while praying, I felt the same sensation of heat, described by Oral Roberts, on my right hand. It moved down my right shoulder and collected toward my palm. And the very moment that it came on me, I remembered the words that God spoke to Oral Roberts: “I’ve called you to take my healing power to your generation.” In that instant, I knew that God had called me to the healing ministry.
Still, I didn’t want to be presumptuous. So I sought something very special from the Lord. I asked Him for an unusual confirmation.
While watching another prominent healing evangelist on television, I decided to pray a very bold prayer. It was a one in a million shot, because the man I was watching on television was a very difficult man to contact. In fact, at all of his healing services, literally thousands would crowd around him. If I named him, you’d know him.
So I knew that there was no way that I, a Hispanic kid from Hawthorne, could ever come into contact with that man unless it was God’s doing. Pointing at the television, I prayed, “Lord, if you really have called me like you’ve called Oral Roberts, I’m asking you to confirm it through this man that I’m watching on television right now.”
Fast-forward a few years…
I was standing right in front of that very man in a personal setting. He took one look at me, grabbed my wrists and pulled me closer. He was about to pray for me. We didn’t talk. We didn’t carry out a conversation. I just walked into the room, we were briefly introduced to one another and then he went right into boldly prophesying.
He pointed his finger right in my face and said, “I see the anointing of Oral Roberts!”
To me, it was simply a confirmation that I was called to minister healing. It was a very special moment when God confirmed things for me in such a dramatic fashion.
Now, mind you, I don’t believe that I am another Oral Roberts. Nor am I another anyone. I don’t want to be the next anyone; I want to be the first me. God has uniquely called each one of us. I am happy to embrace my own distinct style, mannerism and personality.
But, throughout the years, I have definitely gleaned from great men and women—Oral Roberts, Benny Hinn, Kathryn Kuhlman, T.L. Osborn, A.A. Allen, John G. Lake, Smith Wigglesworth and so on. In all of that gleaning, I have also embraced my own unique anointing and ministry.
You’re drawn to those who inspire you, because they carry what excites you. What they carry excites you, because you carry something similar. Passion is the compass of purpose.
As you have probably noticed, finding my gift and call has, for me, been a progressive experience. And it is a unique journey for each of us. I didn’t know everything at once. And I don’t believe that everyone will receive such a specific confirmation as I did. I didn’t receive such a confirmation because I was special or more spiritual. If anything, that I required such specific confirmation shows that I was in need of growth. I was given the confirmation, because God knew it was what I needed at the time. In that sense, I identify with Thomas, who needed to touch the wounds of the living Jesus before having faith. In the end, it was God’s mercy.
But aside from my doubt, there are several positive things that you can glean from my story.
Firstly, all gifts, callings and ministries are found in the depths of prayer. You cannot choose ministry the way one might choose a career. All true ministry is birthed out of a love for Jesus. Without a love for Jesus, ministry is just social work, community organizing or charity; it cannot impact eternity. God is looking to use those who love Jesus, and the Holy Spirit helps you to carry that love.
Ministry is not about comfort, popularity or success. It is the fulfillment of a divine mandate through means of selfless love, supernatural power and humble service. It’s not about your dreams; it’s about God’s will. Ministry is not even about your sense of purpose. It’s all about Jesus. Jesus deserves to receive all for which He died. Sadly, the American dream somehow finds itself webbed into the fibers of modern ministry. It seems to me that, as of late, many believers will only participate in ministry if they feel appreciated. The gospel seems to be more about self-help and less about self-abandonment. Many do just enough to be valued but not enough to be inconvenienced. But if it were true ministry, birthed out of a love for Jesus and inspired by the Holy Spirit, then the believer would carry it out even in great discomfort and unto death. Though we can enjoy God’s blessings, our eyes must be fixed primarily upon eternity, not on this world. Our treasures are stored in Heaven, not here on earth. We’re not trying to win the affections of the world; we’re trying to win the world. Ministry is not a reward; it is a responsibility. It is not a certificate of appreciation; it is an enlistment. The nature of ministry is divine, so one cannot just approach it as if it is some volunteer position at a local charity. It requires divine commitment.
By the time that I turned eighteen, I had already been in ministry for over five years. That year was stressful for me, because I watched as most of my friends began to pursue careers and prepare for college. I had to decide whether or not I would go to college. That was a dilemma for me. If I were to go to college, then the ministry would have to come to a standstill or, at the very least, slow down significantly. If I were to decide against college, then I could continue to expand the ministry, but I would miss the opportunity to further my education. I didn’t want to miss out on furthering my education, but I also didn’t want to jeopardize the ministry that had already been well established.
I read the Scripture, but there was nowhere in the Bible that I could find the words, “Don’t go to college, David. Continue in ministry.” So I sought for an answer. Deeply reflecting, I would visit the riverbed by my house and ponder for hours. I called pastors, mentors and older friends. I would pace while talking on the phone with them. I was truly fretting.
I wanted to study business, philosophy, communications, speech or perhaps even politics. There were many things that I wanted to do, but, deep within my heart, I knew that college wasn’t God’s will for me. Eventually, I committed, “Lord, you can have it all. Spend my life for your glory. I’ll preach the gospel until the day I die.” My dreams of being counted among the bright were placed on the altar of ministry and sacrificed. Now, I pray for the sick, believe for miracles and am mocked by the very ones who might have been my colleagues. Truthfully, I am so glad that I decided to respond to the call of God. I regret nothing. I took the path God had for me and am seeing lives transformed. I truly believe that obedience brings favor.
This isn’t a point on education. Whatever God has for you needs to be pursued. The point is that ministry will require something of you, and, if ever you are to find fulfillment, the will of God must be discovered.
You cannot find your calling in a book, in a formula, in a lesson, in a class, in a seminary or in a sermon. Your call will be discovered in the realm of the spirit and the depths of prayer. That’s where the call can be heard. No man can call you, and you cannot call yourself. You will find your call on your way to finding God. You will find your ministry on your way to finding the depths of prayer and the Holy Spirit’s presence. It is in God’s presence that revelation of and desire for your ministry will be both birthed and discovered. The call of God is found in your friendship with the Holy Spirit.
Secondly, you will have a desire to do what God has called you to do. Some might debate this thought, referencing people like Jonah and Paul the Apostle. Those men were on clear, rebellious paths of resistance to God. However, they did, in principle, have a desire for the ministry nonetheless. Certainly, your flesh will not desire to do the will of God. The flesh is lazy and seeks its own pleasure. But when you are given to prayer, when you live in God’s presence, the desire for ministry is developed.
I greatly desired to be an evangelist before I was one. Even still, your desire for ministry might be indistinct and undeveloped, murky almost. For example, I often looked at crowds of people with a heavy heart. I didn’t know that what I felt was a passion for souls. All I knew was that crowds of people made me feel a sense of urgency. In the same way, your desire for ministry might be subtle and unspecific. But, as you seek the Lord in prayer, it won’t be long before basic sense develops into specific longing.
Thirdly, I gleaned from people. I received impartation from the ones I studied and followed. Paul encouraged the following of spiritual leaders.
“And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.”
~ 1 Corinthians 11:1
I read biographies about and teachings from some of the most, in my opinion, anointed men and women of God in all of church history. But I will never seek to duplicate them. In fact, to try to duplicate them would be an insult to both them and God.
Societies develop with every generation, because each generation stands upon the shoulders of the previous generation. From the early Church to most recent times, foundations have been built. We must take the foundations that have been laid and build upon them. Everything that God does is generational.
We must exceed what they have done. We must improve upon what they have done. This is the work of the Holy Spirit. Generational obedience is the key. He has called each of us to play a part. Each of us can add our own note, our own voice, to the great symphony that is God’s historic plan for the Church upon the earth.
Your call is not about you. It is about God’s agenda for the earth. This is where your obedience counts. This is why we must honor our heroes of the faith, receive our foundation from the heroes of the faith and surpass the accomplishments of the heroes of the faith. To do this, we must glean from those who have gone before us. Let them impart to you a spiritual legacy.
Within each unique believer is a uniquely expressed trait of the Holy Spirit.
Continuing my story, the “overflow” didn’t stop. Eventually, it reached my day-to-day activity. I began to evangelize my school and friends. In fact, I even prayed for the sick at my school. Skin diseases, asthma, broken bones and such things were instantaneously healed right on school grounds.
The Glory of God would visit students on their lunch break. As I preached to them the gospel on campus, many would gather in groups. Huddled among the interested onlookers, I would often glance beyond where we stood to see other curious students approaching. Often, as they approached, they would stumble, falter and otherwise have difficulty standing. They weren’t used to feeling God’s power. So, when they were finally able to get to the group, they would ask, “What is this I’m feeling?” The Holy Spirit was visiting students on campus! I was amazed to see Him at work.
In one instance, a very skeptical student was closely watching me pray for the sick. Hearing the students claim to be healed and seeing them react to the power of God, the analytical observer began to mock me. Critical and negative, he unapologetically vocalized his disbelief. Upon hearing the skeptic’s comments, I turned to address him. As I put my hand out toward him in a conversational posture, he collapsed to the ground. It looked as though his knees had simply given out on him. He hit the ground and then hurried to regain his stance. His angry bewilderment showed on his face, as he reiterated, “I don’t believe this!” Later, he gave his life to Jesus and was filled with the Holy Spirit.
I remained faithful in daily, personal ministry.
As I was faithful with each sphere of ministry, God opened doors. He’ll do the same with you. He is no respecter of persons but of faith. He’ll use anyone who surrenders to Him. He promotes those who make themselves useful where they are.
Even Jesus’ commission to the Church is progressive.
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere--in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
~ Acts 1:8
Firstly, they were witnesses in the city of Jerusalem. Then, they were witnesses in the regions of Judea and Samaria. Finally, they were witnesses all around the world. God gives you ministry in a progressive manner.
What God does with you will look much different than what He is doing with me, but God will promote you by the same principles.
I didn’t start preaching in churches until after I faithfully tended to personal ministry. My youth leader, seeing that I was faithful to the Lord, asked me to minister at our youth service. My first sermon wasn’t very good, but the presence of the Holy Spirit touched those who were present.
I was next invited to minister at a small youth rally—about twelve youth groups were gathered. I preached on the Holy Spirit and the call of God, using what I knew at the time.
Some of the youth pastors, who were present there at that small youth gathering, began to call me in to speak at their events. Again, I wasn’t the best preacher, but the Holy Spirit would take over the services. Word began to spread about how the Holy Spirit was moving. I didn’t necessarily bring a sermon; I just brought my Friend with me. Each time, before I ministered, I would pray, “Holy Spirit, I’m very nervous. If you don’t go with me, I’m in trouble. Please, go with me.”
In the beginning, I didn’t have much “material” to speak. Neither did I have a very well developed delivery style. But I can tell you that the presence of the Holy Spirit was evident in every service. I would only speak for about fifteen or twenty minutes. From there, the Holy Spirit would heal the sick, cast out demons and profoundly transform lives. Really, the people were gathering to see what He would do, and He would come alongside me because of our friendship. I would honor Him everywhere. It was all Him; I just stood out of the way.
Never did I have to call anyone and push my ministry on them. I didn’t have to promote myself or beg for ministry opportunities. The word simply spread and God opened the doors.
From there, the ministry grew.
Three Indications
There are three more things that I want you to note at this point. Firstly, I desired the gifts. Secondly, others recognized the gifts within me (I write that all to the glory of God). Thirdly, I operated in the gifts. Those are the three basic keys to identifying your gifts. They are the three Biblical indications that you have a gift.
Desire: do you desire the gift?
Recognition: do others see the gift in you without you promoting it?
Function: do you operate in that gift?
Desire…
“Let love be your highest goal! But you should also desire the special abilities the Spirit gives…”
~ 1 Corinthians 14:1
If you desire a gift, that’s a good thing. The devil doesn’t want you to have any spiritual gifts, so the desire can’t be demonic. The flesh doesn’t want anything spiritual, so the desire can’t be of the flesh. Sure your flesh might want the praise-filled recognition for having the gift, but the desire for the gift itself is spiritual. So if you desire a spiritual gift, that desire is from the Holy Spirit. Specifically, the desire to have a certain gift is usually an indication that God wants the same for you. Your gifts are indicated by your passion, and your passion points to your purpose. Do you desire a spiritual gift? That’s one indication that God wants to give it to you.
Recognition…
“A man’s gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.”
~ Proverbs 18:16
If you truly have a spiritual gift, you do not have to walk around promoting it. Others will begin to see the gift on your life, as you use it faithfully and in order. That recognition will bring you to where God wants you to be. Don’t try to promote yourself. Just serve with the best of your gift, and God will do the rest.
Function…
“There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all.”
~ 1 Corinthians 12:4
If you have a gift, then you will be able to function in it. If you are able to encourage people, you might have the gift of encouragement. If the sick often get healed when you pray for them, you might have the gift of healing. Though that might seem obvious, you’d be amazed at how doubtful human nature tends to be. Don’t be overly skeptical of the spiritual gifts that God has given to you.
Using Your Gift
Afraid to miss the will of God, many hesitate to serve in any capacity. They think that God will be angry with them if they unknowingly head in the wrong direction. But consider how much patience God has for the purposefully rebellious. How much more patience will He have for one who sincerely and humbly seeks to please Him?
We await specific instructions from God. Yet most of His instructions, given in the Scripture, are very general. In a general sense, all of us are called to love God, love others, live holy, devote to prayer, be Christ-like and worship God. We are all called to fulfill the mandate of global evangelism, church planting and the making of disciples. Those are known directives.
For the most part, believers understand the general directives given to them. However, when it comes to fulfilling their specific task, most believers are hesitant and uncertain. They say things like, “What am I specifically called to do? I don’t want to do anything until I know exactly what God wants from me. What if I miss the perfect will of God for my life?” Unfortunately, those sorts of questions arise from a misconception about the call of God. God’s call on your life isn’t as scripted as you might think. God’s script for your life includes a plot, but He leaves a lot of room for improvisation. Certainly, there are instances and seasons when God is very specific with His direction. But that specific guidance comes as you begin to move in a general direction.
I can tell you, right in this very moment, what you’re called to do. But, in order for you to appreciate what I am about to tell you, you must do your best to not recoil or default to misconception.
So here is the liberating and simple truth: you are called to use your specific gifts to fulfill God’s general directives. You are called to fulfill the general commission of global evangelism by means of using your specific gifts. That’s what you’re specifically called to do. To begin walking in the call of God, you need to only answer these two questions:
What is God’s cause?
What can you contribute to that cause?
Let’s look to the Scripture for the affirmation of this truth.
“Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone. He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip.”
~ Matthew 25:14-15
The Master went on His trip without leaving any specific instructions for His servants. He simply gave them responsibility in proportion to their ability. Not only has God given us the spiritual gifts, but He has also given to each of us influence, time, talent and will.
None of us are without something to steward. In your care, God has left something. You may be one who has received five bags, or you might identify with the one who has only been given one bag. But it matters more how you handle what you’ve been given than how much you’ve been given. You might feel that you have very little to offer. Even if that is the case, you can do more with your little than others can do with their much, if you’ll only be faithful to steward what you’ve been given. Do the best with what you have—that is the essence of stewardship.
“The servant who received the five bags of silver began to invest the money and earned five more. The servant with two bags of silver also went to work and earned two more. But the servant who received the one bag of silver dug a hole in the ground and hid the master’s money.”
~ Matthew 25:16-18
The one with the least amount of silver acted out of fear. The other servants multiplied what had been given to them. Again, it’s important to remember that none of the servants were ever given specific instructions.
After a long time, the Master returned to the servants. Of course, the Master praised the servants who had increased their silver. But, for the servant who did nothing, the Master had only very harsh words.
“Then the servant with the one bag of silver came and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a harsh man, harvesting crops you didn’t plant and gathering crops you didn’t cultivate. I was afraid I would lose your money, so I hid it in the earth. Look, here is your money back.’ But the master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy servant! If you knew I harvested crops I didn’t plant and gathered crops I didn’t cultivate, why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’ Then he ordered, ‘Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one with the ten bags of silver. To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away.”
~ Matthew 25:24-29
Fear was no excuse for inactivity. The Master suggested that the servant could have “at least” deposited the money to gain interest. Anything would have been better than burying the gift. Doing anything for God is better than doing nothing for God.
But isn’t it possible to get off track and end up where God hasn’t intended?
Yes, it is possible but only if you ignore the Holy Spirit’s voice. God does have plans for you, but He isn’t going to become angry if you make a mistake. Paul the Apostle was corrected as he traveled.
“Next Paul and Silas traveled through the area of Phrygia and Galatia, because the Holy Spirit had prevented them from preaching the word in the province of Asia at that time.”
~ Acts 16:6
If ever you get off track, the Holy Spirit will offer course correction. He is the One Who will guide you in your calling. But you have to be on the move. He directs you as you obey, not before. Paul started on his journey, and, as he acted, God gave him a course correction.
Much of what we try to find while “waiting on God” is actually found in the journey.
Why wait for confirmation from God when you’ve already been given a commission from God? Stop waiting for the circumstance to speak, and let God’s Word speak. If you get off track, the Holy Spirit will speak to you. If what you are doing is not the divinely intended recipient of your effort and time, the Holy Spirit will nudge you in the right direction.
We move, and the Holy Spirit guides.
Given the hypothetical choice between erring on the side of laziness or erring on the side of presumption—and only between the two—it would be best to err on the side of presumption. Still, it’s important to involve the Holy Spirit in what you do. If you’re His friend, you know His voice. If you know His voice, then the lines of communication are left open.
The Holy Spirit is the GPS satellite of your destiny and call. You receive both general and specific prompts. The GPS doesn’t always correct the specific lane you choose. It only corrects major detours. Within the path of your calling, there are many lanes you can use without getting off course. Sometimes there isn’t necessarily a correct lane, and, other times, your choice of lane can lead to a missed turn, longer travel time and even an empty tank of gas. This is why it’s important that you keep your connection live. If you make a wrong turn and your GPS isn’t working, you’re stuck trying to figure a way back on your own. It is not the wrong turn that you should fear but the disconnect of the GPS.
So be encouraged. If God required someone with perfect judgment, none of us would be called. God’s call on your life leaves room for human error. Your call isn’t specific enough to be easily missed. God factors in our mistakes.
As we learned from the parable of the bags of silver, the Master wasn’t upset with the servant’s lack of results but with the servant’s lack of diligence.
So how do you start using your gifts? Well, you start by just starting. Move beyond the boundaries of fear. Stop saying, “One day” and start saying, “Today!” Step out of the ordinary and into the supernatural. God gave you the gifts of the Spirit to use, not to ignore.
Will you make mistakes? Yes. Will you always see the results you want to see? No. But will the Holy Spirit guide you as you live in obedience? Definitely.
The Holy Spirit is a faithful friend, and He will not leave you to figure your calling out on your own. Your friendship with the Holy Spirit is your safety net, your assurance. If, while trying to fulfill the call of God, you somehow get off track, He will redirect you.