Daily Hope with Rick Warren 21 May 2024, Tuesday Devotional Message
Four Ways to Use Your Spiritual Gifts
By Rick Warren
“Give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God.” Romans 6:13 (NLT)
God has given spiritual gifts to every single follower of Jesus. How do you start using the spiritual gifts God put inside of you? Here are four ways to get started:
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1. Discover your gifts.
You’ve got to know what your gifts are before you can use them. Stop ignoring the fact that inside of you are some dormant gifts that you’re not even using, and figure out what God has put in you. The Bible says in 1 Timothy 4:14, “Do not neglect the spiritual gift that is in you” (GNT).
2. Dedicate your gifts to God.
The Bible says in Romans 6:13, “Give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God” (NLT).
Maybe you already know what you’re good at, but you’re just not using it for the Lord. You’re using it for yourself. You need to humble yourself and dedicate to the Lord every gift you have. Push all of your excuses out of the way and say, “God, I dedicate back to you what you gave to me.”
3. Develop your gifts.
Gifts are like muscles: The more you use them, the bigger they get. You can strengthen and develop and grow what God has given you. Any gift that God gives you can and should be developed. You’ll get better at it by practicing, studying, and by learning from other people who have the same gift.
I’ve learned that when God gives you something, he will give you even more of it if you use it well—more talent, money, influence, relationships, or responsibility. He says, “I can trust that person. I’m going to give that person more and more and more.”
4. Deploy your spiritual gifts.
“Deploy” means to put into service. You get out on the field, and you start doing something. Romans 12:6 says this: “We are to use our different gifts in accordance with the grace that God has given us. If our gift is to speak God’s message, we should do it according to the faith that we have” (GNT).
What’s the best way to discover and dedicate and develop and deploy your spiritual gifts? In a small group. It’s a testing ground! If you are not in a small group, I encourage you to get connected to one this week so that you can test and develop your spiritual gifts in the safe and supportive environment of friends who will encourage you.
PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>
Talk It Over
- What do you believe God has created you to do?
- How are you using your SHAPE—your spiritual gifts, heart and passions, abilities, personality, and experiences—to worship God?
- Describe a time in your life when using your gifts brought you joy. What was that like?
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