Discover Your Spiritual Gifts: Grace Gifts, Spiritual Gifts, & Ascension Gifts Explained

What are the Gifts of the Spirit? | Bible Study on Spiritual Gifts" 

(Romans 11:29)

"There are different kinds of gifts, but the same God distributes them."

    In the New Testament, there are three distinct types of gifts, which are sometimes confused or not fully understood. However, the New Testament clearly distinguishes between them. The source of these gifts is God. He doesn't vote on who receives them; He gives gifts to everyone. God didn't ask for your opinion when He gave you your gift; He gave you exactly what you need to fulfill His purpose for your life. Every one of us has at least one gift, and that gift is meant to help us prosper and make an impact on the earth.

    The writer who discusses these three types of gifts in detail is Paul. In Romans 12:3-9, he talks about grace gifts. These are the gifts you are born with; they are naturally part of who you are. You don't have to do anything to receive them; they are simply in you from birth. These gifts are innate; they are part of your identity. They are grace gifts, meaning they are a manifestation of God's unmerited favor upon your life. Grace gifts are connected to our humanity; they are naturally embedded within us. Romans 12 outlines some of these grace gifts:

• Giving: Some people give generously, but not everyone has the gift of giving.
• Hospitality: Some serve others, but not everyone has the gift of hospitality.
• Leadership: Some people are in leadership positions, but not all have the gift of leadership. True leaders are natural-born leaders; they have a grace for leadership.
• Teaching: Many people teach, but not all have the gift of teaching. Some individuals are naturally gifted teachers.
• Prophecy: Some people have a natural ability to prophesy; they were born with a spiritual sensitivity, enabling them to see, know, hear, and feel things supernaturally.
• Mercy: Some individuals have an extraordinary ability to forgive and show mercy, even when others do not understand how they can be so compassionate.
• Encouragement: Some people uplift others effortlessly, bringing joy and motivation to those around them.

    Grace gifts are natural abilities that reflect the grace of God in our lives. Spiritual gifts, on the other hand, are different. Unlike grace gifts, spiritual gifts manifest as a result of your spiritual awakening. As you grow spiritually, you become more accurate and fluent in using your spiritual gifts because they operate by the Spirit. Remember, you are both human and divine, and Jesus is our example of what it means to be fully human and fully divine. God has given us both human gifts (grace gifts) and divine gifts (spiritual gifts). Just as we experience both natural birth and spiritual birth, we also receive grace gifts and spiritual gifts.

In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul describes spiritual gifts, including:

• Word of wisdom
• Word of knowledge
• Prophecy
• Faith
• Working of miracles
• Diverse tongues
• Interpretation of tongues
• Discerning of spirits

    When you experience a spiritual awakening, you begin to tap into your spiritual gifts. The closer you grow to God and the more you engage in spiritual practices, the more developed and effective your spiritual gifts become. As you grow in Christ consciousness and nurture the Christ within you, these gifts will naturally flourish.

    The third category of gifts is known as ascension gifts or five-fold ministry gifts. These gifts were given by Jesus as He ascended. The Bible states that as He ascended, He also gave gifts to those on earth. In Ephesians 4:11-12, it says that Jesus gave:

• Apostles: Who govern
• Prophets: Who guide
• Evangelists: Who gather
• Pastors: Who guard
• Teachers: Who grow the Body of Christ

These roles serve to equip the saints for the work of ministry and the edification of the Body of Christ. Jesus Himself operated in all five of these roles, and when He left the earth, He imparted these gifts to His followers so that His work would continue and even greater works would be accomplished.

Not everyone reaches the level of consciousness and spiritual maturity required for ascension gifts. While everyone born naturally has grace gifts, and everyone born spiritually has spiritual gifts, not everyone is called to fivefold ministry. The ascension gifts are for those who rise to the level of ministry where they become the embodiment of their gift, where it is no longer about them, but about building up the Body of Christ.

Do you know what your grace gifts are? Do you know what your spiritual gifts are? Are you called to the fivefold ministry? Are you ordained? Do you know which fivefold ministry gift you embody?

Different Gifts, Same God - (Romans 11:29)

1. Grace Gifts - Romans 12:3-9
2. Spiritual Gifts - 1 Corinthians 12:7-11
3. Ascension Gifts - Ephesians 4:11-13

Question: What gift have you asked God for?