This week’s devotions are based on Sunday’s Message: I Love my church…love in community (WATCH HERE).
If a super hero isn’t using their super powers, they are just a dude sitting on a couch.
Super heroes are fascinating. Whether Superman, Superwoman, Spider man, or Wonder Twins or others, the intrigue of a superhero is that they have three things in common.
- They have powers others don’t…although no one superhero has every superpower.
- They have an awareness of their power and are willing to use it.
- They have an individual or community in need which needs their superpower to prevent dire disaster from happening.
You may have your favorite superhero for a reason…the power they have…the risk they take…or the impact they make. But perhaps we would be hesitant to say, “I am a superhero.”
I’d be surprised if anyone reading this had a comic book written after them, or were featured in a Hollywood thriller.
Are we just dudes and dudettes sitting on a couch?
Or are we superheroes with powers ready to be used?
While we don’t think of ourselves as superheroes in the way that DC and Marvel comics define superheroes with superpowers, we are superheroes with superpowers. We don’t have superhuman strength; supersonic speed; or x-ray vision, but we do, as members of God’s church, have Spiritual gifts.
1 Corinthians 12:7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.
This list isn’t exhaustive, but it does list a number of spiritual gifts that God’s Spirit gives. EACH believer in Jesus is given gifts by the Spirit of God, just as God determined. So the question that you may rightly raise is this, “What is my gift?” What is my “spirit”power?
Perhaps we wish we would get a little box from heaven that would identify that gift. “To Michael, the gift of distinguishing between spirits.” Perhaps we would also like the explanation of how to use that gift. “Use this gift in an upcoming conversation to determine whether what is discussed is from God or from Satan. Guide with your gift people away from the deceiving spirits of Satan.”
That would be great, right?
While God hasn’t chosen this approach he has promised we all have a superpower/Spirit power. So how do you know yours and how to use it.
If you want an assessment, here is a LINK to one that can help give a direction.
Perhaps another approach is simply to experiment with different areas of service and see where your abilities, your heart, your talents all line up for an engaging experience of serving the Lord. Listen to what others say. Others will notice your gift because Spiritual Gifts are meant to be used to be a blessing to the Lord and others. And finally evaluate your energy. Operating in your giftedness energizes, not depletes.
We’ll look at other facets of spiritual gifts as the week goes on, but for today remember YOU are a Superhero because the Spirit of God has given YOU Spiritual Gifts to be used for the eternal benefit of others!
Apply: Take the assessment on Spiritual gifts and then evaluate which gift you’d like to experiment with at your local church?
Prayer: Spirit of God, thank you for the generosity of your gifts to us. Forgive us when we sit on the couch with them and empower us to use them all for your glory!
PS: If you attend Crosspoint in Georgetown, TX, please take this Spiritual Gift assessment and email to christygeiger@gmail.com. THANKS!