"Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way." —1 Corinthians 12:30-31
I've never come to know anyone who has not desired receiving gifts, and I don't think anyone of us ever has. When a gift is freely given and it benefits us, we start desiring it more and more. The same is true with spiritual gifts.
About four years ago, I started getting the urge that God was moving through me in the realm of the prophetic. I just knew that it was there, but honestly it scared me. I would deliberately stay away from opportunities to exercise the gift. Never was I more mistaken in dealing with gifts.
Spiritual gifts are not something to be afraid of, but something to be eagerly desired. Here are four reasons why we should be excited about receiving spiritual gifts.
1. The Gifts Reveal the Gift-Giver
When I give my daughter gifts, it reveals not just who she is as a recipient but also who I am as the giver. It works the same way with God. We come to know God more as our Lord, Father and Saviour as we come into a position of receiving spiritual gifts from Him.
James 1:17 says, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change." We come to know the Father of lights when we receive His perfect gifts.
2. Gifts Fast-Track Our Purpose
Spiritual gifts are special skills and abilities given to us by God through Jesus that help us fulfill our God-given purpose. When we use our creativity, discernment, leadership, faith, service, mercy or any other spiritual gift to serve others, it becomes a means of carrying out God's good, pleasing and perfect will.
God wants to use us mightily, and relying on the natural isn't enough. We need to see His supernatural move as well.
3. Spiritual Gifts Build the Fruit of the Spirit
More important than the spiritual gifts is actually the spiritual fruit (Galatians 5:22-23). When we walk in spiritual gifts, God brings about the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. We walk in the fruits when we exercise the gifts because they both come from the Holy Spirit.
4. Love Is the End Goal of All Gifts
The greatest command Jesus gives us is to love God and love our neighbour (Matthew 22:36-40). When we move in spiritual gifts, we actually exercise and make love our end goal. Because we love God, we will want to experience His gifts and know Him more; and because we love others, we will want to serve them through our spiritual gifting.
