Using Spiritual Gifts The Right Way | 1 Corinthians 14:6-25
1. Use your gifts to build up the church (v.6-12)
6 Now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching? 7 If even lifeless instruments, such as the flute or the harp, do not give distinct notes, how will anyone know what is played? 8 And if the bugle gives an indistinct sound, who will get ready for battle? 9 So with yourselves, if with your tongue you utter speech that is not intelligible, how will anyone know what is said? For you will be speaking into the air. 10 There are doubtless many different languages in the world, and none is without meaning, 11 but if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be a foreigner to the speaker and the speaker a foreigner to me. 12 So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church.
1 Peter 4:10-11: 10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: 11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; however 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.
1. Discover how God has gifted you
Romans 12:6: Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them.
2. Put your gift into service
3. Measure your effectiveness by whether others are being strengthened
2. Use your gifts to engage the mind (v.13-19)
13 Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful. 15 What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also. 16 Otherwise, if you give thanks with your spirit, how can anyone in the position of an outsider say “Amen” to your thanksgiving when he does not know what you are saying? 17 For you may be giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not being built up. 18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. 19 Nevertheless, in church I would rather speak five words with my mind in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue.
2 Timothy 3:16-17: 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that
the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
1. Pay attention to the words you sing, not just how the music makes you feel
2. If you teach, don’t try to impress people with your knowledge, make sure they understand what you’re teaching
3. Ask questions and seek to study the meaning of passages.
3. Use your gifts to reach the lost (v.20-25)
20 Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature. 21 In the Law it is written, “By people of strange tongues and by the lips of foreigners will I speak to this people, and even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord.” 22 Thus tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is a sign not for unbelievers but for believers. 23 If, therefore, the whole church comes together and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are out of your minds? 24 But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all, 25 the secrets of his heart are disclosed, and so, falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you.
1. Hears the truth
Romans 10:17: So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
2. Convicted by the truth
John 16:8: And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment.
3. Acknowledges the truth
Romans 10:9-10: 9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
4. Worships the God of truth
John 4:23–24: But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.
5. Declares the truth
Matthew 10:32: So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven.
