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Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good (1 Corinthians 12:7, ESV).
The Bible teaches that believers have spiritual gifts.
Have you ever considered how many gifts are mentioned in the New Testament? And have you read about spiritual gifts and asked questions about what they mean or do?
To look at spiritual gifts, think 12, 12, 4, 4 — as all the spiritual gifts are found in Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, Ephesians 4, and 1 Peter 4. I believe there are 22 spiritual gifts, but one scholar says 9, another 21, another 24, and another 27 — and my humble opinion is that these scholars have forgotten how to count.
Let’s go with 22. Below, they are listed and briefly defined. Check which gifts are yours.
Administration: This is the divine ability to organize, manage, and guide human resources toward a godly goal.
Apostleship: This gift provides the calling and spiritual authority to pioneer, plant, and oversee new churches.
Discernment: Believers with this gift possess the spiritual insight to reliably distinguish between the Holy Spirit, human spirits, and evil spirits.
Evangelism: This is the special empowerment to effectively and fruitfully communicate the Gospel to unbelievers.
Encouragement: This gift involves deeply encouraging, comforting, and motivating others in their faith journey.
Faith: This is an extraordinary, supernatural confidence in God’s promises, power, and presence.
Giving: This is the joyful, generous contribution of money and resources to God’s work.
Healing: Those with this gift serve as human intermediaries through whom God supernaturally cures physical or emotional illness.
Helps: This gift allows believers to joyfully and practically support others, multiplying the effectiveness of their ministry.
Hospitality: This is the supernatural ability to consistently create warm, welcoming, and safe environments for others.
Interpretation of Tongues: This is the divine ability to translate messages that are spoken in a spiritual tongue.
Leadership: Believers with this gift can cast a vision and direct people toward objectives with clarity and grace.
Mercy: This involves showing deep, empathetic compassion and providing practical care for those who are suffering.
Miracles: This is the ability to perform supernatural acts that boldly testify to God’s immense power.
Pastoring (Shepherding): This gift equips individuals to guide, protect, and care for a spiritual flock like a loving shepherd.
Prophecy: This is the ability to declare a direct message from God to strengthen, encourage, or comfort the church.
Serving: This gift enables people to identify and faithfully carry out practical, often behind-the-scenes tasks.
Speaking: This is the divine empowerment to deliver truth as though speaking the very words of God.
Teaching: Those with this gift can explain biblical truths clearly so others can easily learn and grow.
Tongues: This is the ability to pray or speak in an unlearned or heavenly language to praise God or deliver a message.
Knowledge: This involves receiving supernatural insight or specific facts about a person or situation.
Wisdom: This is the divine ability to apply spiritual truth practically and effectively to complex, real-world situations.
It’s probable gifts exist that aren’t mentioned in the Bible, and all agree that the exact number isn’t as important as the underlying purpose of the Spirit equipping every believer to serve and build up the church.
Also, remember — when we think things of the Spirit, the things of the Spirit begin to happen.