Introduction
The Bible mentions various spiritual gifts that are given by the Holy Spirit to followers of Christ for the purpose of building up the church. These gifts are evident throughout Scripture in the lives of many Bible characters. Understanding what these gifts are and seeing how they were manifested can help Christians discern their own spiritual gifts.
Defining Spiritual Gifts
Spiritual gifts can be defined as special abilities imparted by the Holy Spirit to Christians for the purpose of ministry. According to Romans 12:6-8, these gifts include prophecy, serving, teaching, encouraging, giving, leadership, and mercy. Other lists of spiritual gifts in the New Testament include things like wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, and discernment (1 Corinthians 12:8-10, 28). The purpose of these gifts is for the common good of the church (1 Corinthians 12:7).
Moses – Leadership
One of the most prominent Bible characters who demonstrated exceptional leadership abilities was Moses. As recorded in Exodus, Deuteronomy, and Numbers, Moses effectively led the Israelites out of 430 years of Egyptian slavery. His spiritual leadership is seen in various instances:
Leading the Exodus
Moses trusted in God and repeatedly approached Pharaoh to let God’s people go (Exodus 5-12). He led them out and parted the Red Sea with God’s miraculous help. His leadership continued as they wandered in the wilderness.
Organizing the Israelites
Moses organized the Israelites into a structured nation with appointed leaders (Exodus 18). This was based on the counsel of his father-in-law Jethro.
Interceding for the Israelites
When the Israelites sinned by worshipping the golden calf, Moses interceded on their behalf before God (Exodus 32). His leadership is marked by deep concern for God’s people.
Joshua – Faith
As Moses’ divinely appointed successor, Joshua demonstrated incredible faith in God as he led the Israelites into the Promised Land. His spiritual gift shines through in the following events:
Crossing the Jordan
By faith, Joshua led the Israelites across the flooded Jordan River into Canaan (Joshua 3). This was similar to Moses at the Red Sea.
Victory at Jericho
Joshua obeyed God by leading the army to march around Jericho for seven days. By faith the walls fell down miraculously (Joshua 6).
Claiming the Promised Land
For seven years Joshua waged war against the Canaanites, defeating 31 kingdoms because he believed God’s promises (Joshua 11:23).
David – Music and Poetry
Israel’s beloved king David was uniquely gifted with music and poetry. The book of Psalms contains over 70 psalms directly attributed to David. His musical and poetic spiritual gifts are seen in the following events:
Comforting King Saul
David would play the lyre for King Saul whenever he was tormented. The anointed music brought Saul comfort and relief (1 Samuel 16:14-23).
Composing Psalms
David composed songs and psalms to the Lord during momentous events of his life. These were used in corporate worship.
Appointing Musicians
David appointed several prominent musicians and singers for tabernacle worship, including Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun (1 Chronicles 15:16-22).
Peter – Boldness
As an apostle of Jesus, Peter demonstrated exceptional boldness and courage in proclaiming the gospel, especially after receiving the Holy Spirit. His spiritual gift is evident in the following instances:
Preaching at Pentecost
Peter boldly addressed the crowd at Pentecost, convicting them of sin and proclaiming Jesus. Thousands were converted (Acts 2).
Confronting the Sanhedrin
Peter and John boldly proclaimed Jesus before the same court that had condemned Jesus. The Jewish leaders were astonished at their confidence (Acts 4:1-13).
Witnessing to Gentiles
Peter preached the gospel to the Gentile household of Cornelius, defying Jewish customs. This opened the door of faith to the Gentiles (Acts 10).
Conclusion
The Bible has numerous examples of followers of God who exercised their spiritual gifts. Moses, Joshua, David and Peter demonstrated exceptional leadership, faith, music, and boldness respectively. Understanding spiritual gifts in the lives of Bible characters can help modern Christians understand and utilize their own gifts for God’s glory.
