‘Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you. Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress.’ (1 Tim 4:14-15, see also 2 Tim 1:6)

Paul makes it clear through his instruction to Timothy that each of us has the ability to stir up a spiritual gift, or to neglect it.

That is a sobering thought!

The Bible reminds us that we have a responsibility before God to be intentional about using and developing the spiritual gifts He has invested in us.

7 Ways to Develop your Spiritual Gift

Here is a checklist of actions that you can take to develop your spiritual gifts. This includes prophecy or any other gift such as leadership, discernment, administration, intercession, teaching, healing and so on. [1]

To make this exercise practical, rate how you are going out of 10 for each one and ask the question, what can I do to improve in this area?

1. I have acknowledged that I have a gift

Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy. (1 Cor 14:1)

Many people hold back from acknowledging a spiritual gift because they mistakenly believe that standing back is the humble thing to do, or they still have doubts as to whether they really have a gift.

However if God has put a gift or ministry on your heart, even if it hasn’t fully manifested, be honest and begin the development process.

In the early stages, your stewardship is primarily of the desire or call God has given to you. Don’t under-value this. Be obedient to the Holy Spirit and take the first steps to learn about the gift.

You will never grow in a gift if you do not admit you have one—or at least disclose that you have a God-given desire for it.

2. I am in the environment of a local church

‘And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues.’ (1 Cor 12:28)

The place to use and develop your spiritual gift is in the context of Christian community—church life. Gifts are given to help grow the church, whether through evangelism or through ministry to the church body.

We were never meant to be ‘lone rangers’, but part of the church body, interdependent upon each other. (1 Cor 12-14)

3.  I am making the most of resources available

There are many great resources and materials available to help you grow in your spiritual gift. Look for reputable books, online resources, e-books, conferences and local training to help you grow in your gift.

There are many perspectives in the world today—and not all of them are healthy. So the best way to use resources is in conjunction with accountability to a leader or mentor who can help you select the best materials and process what you are learning.

4. I have a sense of passion and purpose

It is not enough just to know that you have a spiritual gift. You also have to identify and nurture the purpose that God has given you to use it. This is your sense of motivation, your mission. [2]

It is the ‘because’ of your gift.

• ‘I pray because…’
• ‘I teach because…’

As time goes on, that sense of passion becomes focused.

For example, my own big ‘because’—my all-consuming passion—is souls: a lost generation in need of salvation. As years have gone by, my focus is on helping raise up a generation of contagious, ‘supernatural’ Christians who will reach people for Jesus because their lives look like Jesus.

My passion and vision is global. Yours may relate to your family, your church, a specific group, a region, and so on.

Teaching and prophetic ministry is for me, a means to an end. What is your ‘end’?

5. I am using my spiritual gift regularly

The way to develop a gift is to use it, not to shelve it.

We all have to start somewhere small. My writing ministry began with writing newsletters to our family’s mission supporters. My prophetic ministry began with reaching to God for words of encouragement whilst praying for people at altar calls.

If you have a teaching gift, your ministry is not going to start at the pulpit, Look for small ways to get activated—for example taking devotions with your family, or offering to take a study in your small group.

It is time to stop holding back.

6. I am accountable in the use of my gift

No one ever outgrows the need for accountability to oversight in the use of a spiritual gift or ministry.

When asked, ‘To whom are you accountable to in the use of your gift?’ what is your answer?

I have a great source of accountability here at David McCracken Ministries. In the past my accountability has included elders, pastors and prayer leaders. These are people who have instructed me and loved me enough to correct me or give me tips to help me grow in my spiritual gifts.

Accountability does not create a ‘ceiling’; it explodes it! I know that the sky is the limit in my call with God as long as I have a heart attitude to submit to and learn from those He has placed around me.

We can learn not only from those to whom we are accountable, but from peers and outsiders as well. We need to foster a life-long attitude of learning from others in our gifts and ministries.

7. I am persevering through the tough times

‘For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.’ (2 Tim 1:6)

We all go through difficult times and wilderness seasons in the development of our spiritual gifts.

If you can relate to this today, may I encourage you—keep pressing forward. Your Heavenly Father has a plan in the midst of your trial and He is faithful. [3]

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Do you have any further thoughts or questions about developing your spiritual gifts? I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment in the comments box below. If the comments box is not visible, click on this link and scroll down.

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Notes:

[1] Some articles that may help you in the following gifts:

Prophecy: How To Develop Your Prophetic Gift Pt 1: Where To Begin

Discernment: 8 Ways To Grow Your Gift Of Discernment

Healing: The Enliven Blog Healing Category

Intercession: 8 Tips for Personal Intercessors

Teaching (prophetic): See the Free Resources Page for the article, ‘What Is Prophetic Teaching?’

[2] This article may be helpful: Your Identity And Destiny: 3 Keys From The Life Of Gideon

[3] I share more about this in the post, Going Through A Testing Season In Your Spiritual Gifts

E-books to Help you Develop Your Gifts:

‘Grow Your Prophetic And Prayer Gifts’ is a high-value e-book specifically written to help you grow in your prophetic gifts – at whatever stage or season you are on the journey.

Check out our E-books Page for more e-books related to prophetic and prayer ministry

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© Helen Calder Enliven Blog – Prophetic Teaching

On team with David McCracken Ministries: Prophetic Ministry That Empowers The Church

Did you receive this from a friend? Read more from Enliven Blog or sign to receive our weekly prophetic teaching updates at http://enlivenpublishing.com/blog

Over the years, The Hunk and I have been on leadership teams—in churches and Christian organisations—in various capacities. [1] We have seen teams go through good times and bad; forge ahead in unity and fall apart in disunity.

Long ago I realised that my personal response to leadership would be the breaking or making of my ministry. I can tell you, it took a lot of breaking and repentance to get me into a useful place! [2]

But I realise now that being a great 2^nd level leader is not about the length of time you have spent working alongside your senior leader, it is about having the right heart attitude.

It is about consistently allowing the Holy Spirit to work within you in times of pressure, to develop maturity and Christ-likeness.

Timothy and the Apostle Paul

The Apostle Paul was a strong character, and would not always have been an easy person to get along with.

One historian sums him up like this:

‘Paul was by temperament a zealous man, prone to accepting no half-measures either in himself or others. The truth was his gospel, about which he could be very possessive, and he did not take kindly to his authority being challenged. He was naturally impetuous, argumentative, prickly, sometimes boastful and defensive. Yet he was also capable of great warmth, tenderness, and loyalty to his friends and deep solicitude for his converts. It is little wonder that he evoked strong reactions, both positive and negative, wherever he went…’ [3]

If you have ever struggled with reporting to a strong or directive leader, consider what it would have been like to work with the Apostle Paul! And yet he raised up a loyal and effective ministry team with whom he pioneered the early church amongst the Gentiles. [4]

Traits that made Timothy a Great Leader-Follower

Here are some of the characteristics that propelled Timothy onto the Apostle Paul’s team and into the pages of church history—and that inspire me in my own leadership journey.

1. Kingdom Priorities over Self-Interest

‘ I have no one else like [Timothy], who will show genuine concern for your welfare. For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel.’ (Phil 2:20-22)

Timothy willingly left his birthplace to follow Paul, and submitted to the rite of circumcision for the sake of sharing the Gospel with Jews as well as Gentiles. (Acts 16:1-4)

Following that time, he moved from place to place as Paul’s messenger and he faced the same persecution that Paul did. [5]

It is possible that Timothy had a call of God to senior leadership in his own right. Eusebius, writing about A.D. 325, reported that Timothy was the first bishop of Ephesus. [6] And yet he never sought self-advancement. Timothy faithfully served Paul, throughout Paul’s lifetime.

Timothy inspires me to seek God’s Kingdom above my personal comfort. And to be faithful when God calls me to serve another leader’s vision.

2. Longevity – Together for the Long Haul

It was not long into Timothy’s first missionary journey that Paul got into trouble, imprisoned for causing an uproar in the city of Philippi. (Acts 17:19-23)

Timothy stuck with Paul through good times and bad, through popularity and notoriety, through persecution and imprisonment.

Timothy encourages me to have a long haul outlook in my ministry, not leaving or withdrawing when times get tough.

3. Faithful to Represent his Leader

‘Even if you had ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. Therefore I urge you to imitate me. For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.’ (1 Cor 4:15-17)

When Paul wanted to impart his own DNA—his lifestyle, teaching and vision—into the church at Corinth, he sent Timothy. Paul had complete confidence that Timothy would faithfully represent him, even when apart from him.

Paul relied upon Timothy and other team members to honour him, share Paul’s own heart, update them on Paul’s journey and circumstances, faithfully teach what Paul would teach, and minister on Paul’s behalf. [7]

Timothy, Titus and other members of Paul’s team provide me with a role model of faithfulness and loyalty.

4. Courage

Paul’s language to Timothy and other team members is directive. How did Timothy feel as he was summoned, or ordered to go to and from places? Paul’s letters reveal a tendency in Timothy to fear and intimidation—therefore Paul’s instructions would not always have been desirable or comfortable. (2 Tim 1:4-8)

And yet Timothy was willing—time and time again, to move out of his comfort zones in his service for God under Paul’s direction.

This reminds me of something Nelson Mandela once said: “I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”

Timothy inspires me not to allow fear to hold me back, but to rise to be all God has called me to be—spurred on by the leadership He has given to me.

One of the greatest challenges in leadership today, lies not in being a good leader—but in being a great leader under strong leadership. Timothy was such a leader.

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Notes

[1] I am currently honoured to be on David McCracken’s prophetic ministry team.

[2] I share my story in the book, Prophetic People In A Changing Church

[3] The Birth of the Church, From Jesus to Constantine, Ivor J. Davidson, 2005, Monarch:Oxford

[4] In this article I am referring to the senior leadership role model of the Apostle Paul, who said, ‘Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.’ (1 Cor 11:1) Healthy Christian leadership is not perfect. All leaders are human! However, God does not require us to stay and serve under leadership that is abusive, ungodly or immoral.

[5] By way of balance, Timothy does not appear to have family commitments—in contrast to Peter and other Apostles, whose wives accompanied them. (1 Cor 9:5) Self-sacrifice in ministry does not mean family sacrifice.

[6] Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright (c) 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers

[7] Paul raised up other team members in whom he had similar confidence. See Eph 6:21-22 (Tychicus); Col 1:7-8 (Epaphras)

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How does Timothy inspire you? Do you have any further thoughts or questions about the topic of Christian leadership? I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment in the comments box below. If the comments box is not visible, click on this link and scroll down.

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Related Posts:
Do You Have A Ministry Call?
Personal Guidance For The Important Decisions Of Life
Courage To Change

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© Helen Calder 2011 Enliven Blog – Prophetic Teaching

On team with David McCracken Ministries: Prophetic Ministry That Empowers The Church

Did you receive this from a friend? Read more from Enliven Blog or sign to receive our weekly prophetic teaching updates at http://enlivenpublishing.com/blog

Have you ever hit a wall in your ministry—a place where you feel you can go no further?

This happened to me a few weeks back in relation to one of my ministry responsibilities. During a 24-hour period, I realised that I had ‘hit the wall.’ I awoke one morning and knew that I could no longer see the future for me in this particular leadership role.

Don’t get me wrong! The ministry was flourishing, I had a great team, people’s lives were being transformed, and Jesus was being glorified. However, there was now another leader who could do what I was doing—whilst due to lack of time, I was putting off other ministry opportunities available to me.

Why we hit a wall in ministry

When we feel as though we have hit a wall, it is vital to establish what—and who—is responsible for it. The situation can be caused by:

1. Ourselves

We may hit a wall when we have overextended ourselves and run out of personal resources—spiritual, emotional, mental or physical. When burnout occurs we need to do whatever it takes to replenish our reserves. On occasion, this may mean taking time out.

2. Demonic Forces

Sometimes spiritual warfare can cause us to feel that we have hit a wall and can go no further in our ministry area. When this takes place we need to recognise the warfare and deal with it for what it is—the enemy’s attempt to derail us from God’s purpose for our lives.

3. God

We can hit a wall when the time has come in our Heavenly Father’s agenda for us to release the ministry and move on.

Just because God has ordained the ending of a season does not mean that it is easy.

• We have carried the ministry in our hearts and given our lives to serve God in this role. It can be like handing over our ‘baby’ to another ‘parent’ (leader)
• We may not have seen the end coming and even though it is in God’s plan, it is unexpected to us (Is 55:8-9)
• We may have been in a difficult season of transition
• God may have allowed difficult circumstances, or even conflict, to shift us out of a role that we would not have willingly released of our own volition

Sometimes there are a combination of the above factors, as Divine timing, personal and demonic issues collide. In this case, it is good to have people in leadership that we trust who can help us work through the difficulties and our response.

When we believe God has brought us to an end in a ministry role, it is good to submit that guidance, as I have done over the past few weeks, for confirmation.

When God has a purpose in the wall

The Hunk and I have experienced this wall a number of times over the years, when it has been time to release a ministry responsibility or area of Christian leadership. We have not always responded well, even when the timing was of the Lord!

When the sudden realisation came that it was time to move out of my leadership role, it was with a mixture of pain and relief that I contemplated what I believed God was asking of me.

That day, I took time out to pray—driving for miles, contemplating the autumn scenery, walking, anguishing, surrendering. Even though I had been preparing for this wall for some time, its sudden appearance still came as a shock.

After a few hours, I drove into a reservoir park. As I drove in, I looked up, and saw—A HUGE WALL! “I’m going to walk on the wall!” I said.

Prophetic people love symbolic acts, and God in His graciousness had set me up for one, right when I needed it. That day, I walked on the wall, from one end of the dam to the other.

As I walked one way, I looked over the valley and thanked Him for everything that had led to this place: the people whose lives had been changed, the leaders who had been raised up, ministries that had been birthed, and my own growth in the journey.

It took a long time, for there was so much to be thankful for. When I had finished, I stopped, took courage and thanked God for the wall itself—this painful and confronting place.

Dangers at the Wall

It was then that I remembered past times I had faced similar walls. I have not always responded well. Some dangers of the wall are:

• Staying too long at the wall and not willingly releasing a ministry
• Mourning over the wall—the loss of our ministry—for longer than we should
• Allowing the wall to define us. At the place of the wall, we are no longer the right ‘fit’ for the role. There is a danger of taking this personally or internalising reproach from others or ourselves

It was a moment of clarity and healing for me. As I paused on the reservoir wall, I chose to be thankful for my present wall and also prayed about my wrong responses to past walls.

Realise God has not Finished with you yet.

When you hit a wall in a ministry and it is God’s time for you to move on, you may not always see what He has in store for you next. But He has a future and a hope; He has a greater season of fruitfulness ahead (Jer 29:11; John 15:2).

As I walked back along the reservoir wall, I looked out over the other side, across the water to the distant hills. I thanked the Lord in faith for His provision, and for the future ahead—even though I could not define it.

At the wall that day, the Spirit prepared me to release the ministry with joy.

Have you ever, or are you experiencing a similar ‘wall?’ I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment on the bottom of this post. If the comments box is not visible, click here or on the post title and scroll down.

© Helen Calder    Enliven Publishing