The Gift and the Gifts

The New Testament speaks of a variety of gifts. In Romans 12, we see the grace gifts. in I Corinthians 12, we learn of spiritual gifts. Finally in Ephesians 4, we find the ministry gifts. A careful study of Scripture reveals that Jesus operated in all of them.

Grace Gifts

Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness. Romans 12:6-8 (KJV)

The grace gifts, also called foundational gifts, are prophecy, ministry (or service), teaching, exhortation, giving, ruling (administration, leadership), and mercy. These gifts are given for us to minister to one another and to fulfill our place in the body of Christ. Usually, each believer is given one grace gift as a dominant gift in their life, but Jesus operated in all seven. He operated in prophecy, which as a grace gift means to get to the heart of a matter and speak frankly and directly in order to promote repentance. He ministered to people, serving them. He taught and exhorted people. He was a giver, He ruled, or led, people, and He operated out of mercy and compassion. He demonstrated all seven grace gifts in His life and ministry. Seven speaks of perfection and completion. Through the grace gifts, Jesus came to the earth to complete and perfect the things of God towards man.

Spiritual Gifts

Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant…. Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit….But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. I Corinthians 12:1, 4, 7-11 (KJV)

These gifts are available to all believers and the Holy Spirit manifests each one at the time it is needed and uses the believer He chooses at that time to operate in it. Jesus operated in all nine of these gifts in His earthly ministry- after the Holy Spirit came upon Him after His water baptism (Matthew 3:13-17). He operated in the Word of Knowledge- a divine knowing of situations and circumstances that would otherwise be unknown to Him. He also operated in the word of wisdom, which is supernatural wisdom about a situation. Jesus knew things about people, places, and events that He would not have known in the natural and gave them divine direction. He had God-given inside information which came to Him by the Holy Ghost. The woman at the well is a prime example. Jesus operated in supernatural faith, believing God for the impossible and enabling Him to cast out devils and trust God in seemingly hopeless situations. Jesus heled people practically everywhere He went, operating in the gifts of healing. Jesus worked miracles, defying natural law. Walking on water and multiplying the loaves and fishes are just a couple examples. He prophesied, telling of things to come. He operated in the gift of discernment, knowing when devils were operating in a person and took authority over them. He spent numerous nights in prayer, praying the Spirit, talking to God so the enemy could not understand. And He interpreted His own prayers in tongues to know what God was saying back to Him- He only did what He heard and saw of His Father. Jesus fully operated in all nine of these gifts as the Word says He was filled with the Spirit without measure. He had the Spirit with no limitations and came to show us how to operate in the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Ministry Gifts

And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. Ephesians 4:11-12 (KJV)

Apostles are ones who are sent, and Jesus was sent from God to establish God’s kingdom in the earth. Jesus was a prophet, which is someone who is chosen by God to speak the mysteries of God and declare unknown truths and future events, pointing people to God and the right way to live. Jesus was an evangelist, going about through all the towns, declaring and proclaiming the Good News. Jesus was a pastor, the God Shepherd who gave His life for all. He cared for His followers and guided them in the ways of God. And Jesus was definitely a teacher, teaching the people truth from God’s Word.

It is interesting to consider that Jesus was (and is) the gift sent from God, as John 3:16 tells us. And that same Gift fulfilled and utilized all the gifts mentioned by God in the Word. The Gift operated in all the gifts. And we who seek to be like Him should earnestly desire spiritual gifts (I Corinthians 12:31). By faith in Jesus, the Gift, the gifts of God are accessible.