1 Timothy 4: 14; 2 Timothy 1:6-8

Recurrent Thought

A person’s effectiveness in achieving life goals is proportional to their proper use of their gifts, skills and abilities.

Every task or goal is accomplished through the exercise of effort. To perform regular tasks effectively, a person must possess the necessary abilities or capacities to achieve measurable results. Abilities are therefore the foundation of performance, enabling individuals to carry out tasks effectively and achieve their goals. Abilities are exercised on different levels such as physical, emotional, psychological or spiritual. It really does not matter what level one functions or operates on, the fact is that one needs abilities to perform a task or achieve a goal.

Definitions & Descriptions

In the text we have read, we are introduced to the term Gift. What does that mean? “Giftings” are capacities, skills and abilities that human beings access and use to accomplish different tasks. They are the abilities that gives you capacity to do a job. Abilities are named by different terms such as Skills, Gifts, Capacities, capabilities, etc.

• Natural (Skills) Abilities: 

These are abilities deemed to be given at birth. Some indeed are learned skills but we learn them so early in life and with least amount of effort.

• Acquired (Skills) Abilities:

These are accessed and refined through the process of education and grants us skills to operate within our trades or professions

• Spiritual Gifts:

Spiritual abilities are given to a believer to function with a supernatural dimension. You become aware of these abilities after a supernatural encounter with God. There lists of spiritual abilities in Scriptures that many of us believe are not exhaustive (Rom. 12:3-9; 1 Cor. 12:7-11; Eph. 4: 11-14)

God-given gifts are based on your inner capacity to hold and perform with what is given to you natural, developmentally and spiritually (Math. 25: 15). “To one he gave five . . . Each according to His ability” For this reason, comparison can be deadly, for you end up comparing unlikes: aplea and mangoes. Don’t underestimate some gifts or allow one to overshadow others!

Basic Philosophy on Giftedness

All that we do in life as human beings is done through the capacities of our giftedness. Every task, responsibility, or ministry is done through our giftedness. Our impact into the lives of others is done through our giftedness. The transformation we offer to communities is done through our giftedness. Our Gifts are the vehicles through which we carry the variegated wisdom of God (1 Peter 4: 10-11)

God gives abilities based on the inner capacity within a person. How does he give one to have five talents while others two and one talents (Mathew 25: 14-16)? It is based on God’s knowing the human capacity to hold and perform with the talent given. However, it is essential to understand that continued utilization of a gift increases and enlarges its capacity. With this we come to a contradictory fact: God gives liberally but He does not give equally.

The Call to Gift Discovery:

Case of Timothy and the Gifts (1 Tim. 4:14 & 2 Tim. 1:6)

Apostle Paul refers to spiritual gifts as skills essential for Timothy to use as he led the Church at Ephesus. 1 Timothy 4:14 and 2 Timothy 1:6 are parallel passages where the Apostle Paul reminds Timothy about some spiritual endowment for ministry. It is likely that both verses address the same divine gift, connected to a specific event involving the laying on of hands; but they urge different active responses to overcome timidity or neglect. 

One aspect that is common in both texts is that this unveiling of the gift happened when hands were laid on him. However, the difference is that in the first scripture, it mentions multiple leaders (the council of elders or the presbytery) who laid hands while in 2 Tim. 1:6, it highlights only Apostle Paul as one who laid hands on him. Furthermore, 1 Timothy 4:14 mentions that the gift discovery was undergirded and grounded on prophetic ministration. 

There are also two distinct nuances in the follow-up admonitions (1 Timothy 4:14). Paul warns the younger, potentially hesitant Timothy not to be idle or careless with the spiritual capability God placed in him. He informs him not to neglect the Spiritual Gifts. While in (2 Tim. 1:6) Paul urges Timothy to actively rekindle, energize, and put that latent strength back to work.

Seven Principles on the Nature and Power of Your Giftedness

1.Principle of Awareness and Discovery

• It is your responsibility to both discover your vision (life mandate) and the essential gifts that you need to operate under for you to get to its destiny.
• Remember Gifts or strengths are found in different forms: Natural, Acquired, & Spiritual Gifts
• There are different ways people discover their giftedness. Here are three basic ways.
• Practice: Normally it is by the practice. Most people discover gifts by using them; and most times without realizing they are gifts.
• Like attracts like: Potential leaders are intuitively attracted to leaders who have the same spiritual gifts.
• Giftedness Drift: Potential leaders respond intuitively to ministry challenges and assignments that call for their spiritual gift, even if not explicitly known.
• As we execute our work, we operate with a mix of all kinds of Skills, abilities and gifts.
• Look at Joseph, he excels greatly with both supernatural and acquired skills. It is the supernatural ability to interpret dreams that makes him to enter into the place of great persons. His Gift was well sought after; the same gift lifted him up. It opened a door for him.
• See how the administrative skills allows Joseph to excel as one of the greatest logistics administrators of ancient Israel.
• Daniel and his friends accessed supernatural gifts, talents, and abilities, which they employed in specific special cases. Supernatural gifts rescued them from annihilation in many circumstances.

2.Principle of Uniqueness in our Giftedness

• God endows every human being with unique Gifts, Abilities, Skills, strengths, etc.
• All peoples are uniquely different and the God-endowed Gifts work within that uniqueness.
• A spiritual gift is “given by God to each believer to enables them do work in the kingdom of God.” In this regard, we must understand that every Believer has a spiritual gift.  The Bible says clearly that to “Each one” a gift has been given.  (Eph. 4:7; 1 Cor. 12:7).  
• God’s design is for every believer to actively use their gift in the Kingdom of God (Church). God’s plan is for each part to work together to accomplish the greatest good.  
• Recognize and Appreciate your giftedness; celebrate your uniqueness. Each part is needed and brings with it unique strengths and weaknesses.
• Different people manifest diverse forms of gifts, talents, passion.
• Your gift is a manifestation of God's Grace. It is sustained by Grace (Rom. 12:6; Eph. 4:7).
• All forms of skills and abilities are significant pointers to your Life Mandate.

3.Principle of Competence Creation:

• Gifts, Skills, Talents and abilities are the capacities that enhance performance for all human beings.
• Skills and Gifts are avenues through which the enablement of performance is manifested.
• Abilities and Skills in life are the necessary resources that describe your capacity to perform a task. Therefore, your skills reveal what you are capable to do.
• Every person who uses their Gifts or Skills wisely, gets exalted (Prov. 18:16)
• Pro 18:16  A man's gift makes room for him and brings him before the great. 
• Giftings opens up to every person many opportunities of social advancement.
• Gifts will bring you before great persons (Prov. 18:16). Great Persons implies people who are either great in wealth, position or intellectually and morally great, or are great in both senses of the word. It procures you favor before people and places of influence.
• Daniel, a captive in Babylon, found that the God-given giftings within him made room for him at heathen courts and brought him before more than one mighty King (Dan. 1-6)
• Do not despise your giftedness, they can make you ten times better!

4.Principle of Impact and Transformation 

• Gifts of all kinds deliver unique Grace to others. Your Gift is the vehicle that carries your impact to others (1 Peter 4:10-11)
• 1Pe 4:10  As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: 
• 1Pe 4:11  whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 
• Herein is the truth of Life: All forms of Impact and transformation are based on the gift human beings produce.
• Human giftedness is the essence of all impact and transformation.  We are all gifted and are carriers of the multifaceted Grace of God. Where People don’t avail, their gifts and abilities others do not experience the grace of God. Transformation comes by Provision of Services and Products. These only happen when you have a clear understanding of your Gifts and Abilities.
• Bluntly stated, people without skills find it hard to impact and influence others unless they may have the power base of financial resources or they have access to authority in an organization.
• Your Gift is not only for your personal advancement. Your gift always blesses others and transforms situations.
• For Joseph, his gifts brought blessings to the nation of Egypt and brought favor to his family. Talents and skills used only for one person, is equally misused skill.
• You have been gifted for service. Peter says in 1 Peter 4:10, “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.” This is perhaps the clearest statement in the New Testament that every Christian has received a spiritual gift. Now God does not give spiritual gifts to use on ourselves.
• Service is an expression of Gifting and not position: (1 Peter 4: 10-11).  He gives spiritual gifts for the benefit of others.

5.Principle of Gift Utilization

• Gifts, Skills and Abilities only bring impact to communities when they are applied, utilized or exploited.
• Gifts are “potentially” ineffective when they are not used. The Strength that is not used does not offer benefit to you or to anyone in the world.
• Timothy would only be effective and useful to the Church when he operates within his Gifts.
• The responsibility of Utilization is on the carrier of the Gift. Apostle Paul persuades Timothy never to Neglect the Gifts (1 Tim. 4:14). Furthermore, he encourages him to stir, or to fan the Gifts. 
• All forms of Abilities (Natural, Acquired or Spiritual) grow in strength by usage and stirring them up.
• The Word Stir Up also is the same as Rekindle, implying that utilization zaps energy and therefore, it demands the infusion of more energy through Rekindling.
• Gifts and Skills need practice to gain masterly. However, you get the Gifts or skills they need constant practice for you to gain masterly.

6.Principle of Gift Oriented Ministry (Service)

• Gifts, skills, abilities whether natural or spiritual are avenues through which we dispense the grace, goodness and transformation (1 Peter 4:10-11)
• Ministry (Service) in the Kingdom of God, just as elsewhere, is only accomplished through abilities (giftings).
• Most of the people do not participate in the church because they are not aware of how their abilities can be utilized. Others are not sure of their abilities and therefore, are less confident to try. However, people are even more frustrated because they feel ill-equipped to do ministry.
• Growing churches introduce Christians to as many ministry opportunities as possible.
• Gift-oriented ministry is the key to the development of a strong “volunteer movement”. Unfortunately, in Africa the term “Volunteer” is a weak word. It does not elicit strong passion for God. Volunteer may mean one without a job to do. The West Africa churches such as RCCG call them “workers”
• Growing Churches establishes a deliberate system and process in how to grow an increased number of confident workers of God.
• Service is an expression of Gifting and not position: (1 Peter 4: 10-11). 
• A gifts-based ministry encourages teamwork. It also makes better use of the talent around you (and why do you think God brought this talent into your church?).
• People feel they belong when they use their gifts in the church. The pastoral teams, leaders and all disciplers should assist in the developing of gifts of congregants.
• The exercise of gifts is a trust from God. Believers are stewards of God’s spiritual gifts and are therefore exhorted to manage these well (1 Peter 4:11).

7.Principle of Discipler Multiplication

• Apostle Paul deemed as his responsibility to inspire his protégé into Gift Discovery
• Mentors have a responsibility to consistently challenge their protégés to grow in awareness of their abilities.
• Apostle Paul participated in Prayer of unearthing of abilities by his Disciple, Timothy.
• Although it is an individual’s responsibility to discover their abilities, Mentors have a responsibility to guide their mentees in the process of discovery of the same.
• Part of the responsibility of a Discipler is to ensure the disciple becomes a discipler too
• 2 Timothy 2:2 is at the heart of not merely transmitting the word, but producing Faithful men who does it.

Conclusion

Part of appreciating our Identity in Yahweh as His Children is to understand the Gods’ deposits in us in form of Gifts, Skills Abilities, Wisdom, Knowledge, Favor, Relationships and many others virtues. It is through these that we impact nations and produce transformation for the world