SHAPE

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SHAPE

• Part One
• Our Spiritual Gifts

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Our Gifts

• Pneumatikon gifts of power, therefore NOT
  natural gifts
• Natural gifts can be used but are not grace
  gifts
• We ALL have access to the gifts of the Spirit
• Most of us have some area of strength where we
  flow most often

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Why do we need to discover our gifts?

• A. Because we have been given them to use and are
  accountable to God for thegifts He has given to
  us!Matthew 2514 30
• We know that this text is about stewardship. From
  this, we can see that we are to use what God has
  given to us, and expect to add to what God has
  given to us!
• B. If we do not use our gifts, the church body
  will suffer a great loss!
• C. Paul told Timothy to 'stir up he gift' and not
  to 'neglect the gifts' that he had!!

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Neglect Not The Gift!

• ---------- 1 Timothy 414 ----------
• 14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which
  was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of
  the hands of the presbytery.
• ------------ 2 Timothy 16 ----------
• 6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou
  stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the
  putting on of my hands.

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Focus On The Giver, not the Gift

• a - The Holy Spirit is primarily interested in
  producing the fruit of the Spirit in our lives.
• ----------- Galatians 522 -----------
• 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy,
  peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness,
  faith, 23 Meekness, temperance against such
  there is no law. 24 And they that are Christ's
  have crucified the flesh with the affections and
  lusts. affections or, passions 25 If we live
  in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
• The Gifts of the Spirit should flow from the
  Fruit, in particular out of Love and Kindness, so
  they don't become harsh.

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Focus On The Giver, not the Gift (2)

• b - A common error made by the immature Christian
  is that gifts are a measure or gauge of
  spirituality. They are not EVER a measure of
  spirituality. Even carnal Christians can at times
  flow in the gifts.
• --------- Romans 1129 -------------
• 29 For the gifts and calling of God are without
  repentance.
• c - It is easy to become overly familiar with the
  gifts. This can result in using them as
  traditions and formulas, allowing a legalistic
  spirit to form. God wants the gifts to flow in
  freshness and freedom!

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What is the purpose of the gifts of the Spirit?

• ----------- Ephesians 48 -----------
• 8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on
  high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts
  unto men.....12 For the perfecting of the saints,
  for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of
  the body of Christ
• A) The 'perfecting of the saints'. This is a
  growing, maturing, preparing process that needs
  the gifts to bring about the accomplishment of
  Christ's purposes. To bring about the perfecting
  of a complex and needy people means healing,
  teaching and exhorting!

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• B) 'For the work of the ministry'. The ministry
  that God wants us to accomplish cannot be done
  out of our natural abilities. In fact, most
  churches in North America have almost NO TRUE
  HOLY SPIRIT SUCCESS in ministry. Anything they do
  accomplish is because God will honor His Word
  when it is preached, even if done in the wrong
  way! The following two texts show how this can be
  true!
• ----------- Isaiah 5511 ------------
• 11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my
  mouth it shall not return unto me void, but it
  shall accomplish that which I please, and it
  shall prosper in the thingwhereto I sent it.
• ----------- Php 118 ---------------
• But what does it matter? The important thing is
  that in every way, whether from false motives or
  true, Christ is preached. And because of this I
  rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice

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Building Up and Unity

• C) 'For the edifying of the body' of Christ.
• This is a building up process that is used to
  stabilize and strengthen the Body of Christ.
• D) 'For the unity of the body'
• -------- 1 Corinthians 127 --------
• 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to
  every man to profit withal.
• To 'profit withal' is the Greek word
  'sumphero'.sumphero soom-fer'-o
• AV - be expedient 7, profit 4, be profitable 3,
  bring together 1,
• be better 1, be good 1 17

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I have a Gift!

• God gave gifts to men through the Holy Spirit so
  that the church would
• a - grow and arrive at her perfection in Christ
• b - be protected from being easily swept about by
  false doctrine
• c - grow in the image of Christ
• d - be motivated and enthusiastic in our walk
  with Christ
• The Gifts are never for self glory or human
  acknowledgment in any way! They are entirely for
  the Body of Christ and for His glory

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Conclusion

• All of us can flow in all the gifts of the spirit
  as needed
• But-------- 1 Corinthians 1211 ---------
• 11 But all these worketh that one and the
  selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally
  as he will.
• Then How Do I Discover My Gifts?
• The secret? Its part of your SHAPE
• STAY TUNED!