Natural gifts

Our natural gifts which we were born a human being with reveal “how we were made”.

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose (Rom 8:28).

If we want things to work together for good (and not just our own good but for the good of everything and everybody), then we really need to know that we are called and that we have a purpose.

Do you know His purpose for your life?

Have you accepted His call?

His purpose and His call will work together to enable us to see our lives outworked for the glory of God and bring transformation to this earthly realm.

If we know His purpose for our lives and know what He has called us to, both in this realm and in heaven, that will enable us to be a gateway of heaven on earth.

TRANSFORMED OR CONFORMED

‘A natural gift is the grace of God woven into who we are; that when we are made right with God, we become able to honor Him with how He has made us to be’.

Sadly, there may have been through our parents DNA things in us threads which have affected us negatively.

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is… (Rom 12:2).

God’s will is for an open heaven over us, for us to engage with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit in intimacy, and for that, we need to be transformed (not conformed).

The world wants to conform us to a particular pattern and rob us of what God intends us to have and experience.

The world may have masked, damaged or perverted our identity, our gift and our destiny, because of our own experience and that of our generations.

If we don’t know who we really are we will forever be asking ‘where do I fit?’ and ‘where do I belong?’

God desires to transform us to outwork who we really are, in His service. In that way, we will be able to fulfill our part in restoring the whole of creation.

For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be redeemed from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God (Rom 8:19-21).

Everything God created, both in the spiritual realm and in the physical realm, is waiting for God’s sons to be revealed, and to bring back to creation what is missing.

So ‘creation itself will also be redeemed’, and we are called to be part of God’s plan to do that.

That plan includes the gifts God has given us, and when we discover who we are then we can discover how we fit into God’s overall purpose.

The way we are wired and designed enables each of us to fulfill our destiny and engage in the process of restoring creation.

Natural gifts are dealt to each person in differing measures of faith.

God gives people as the different gifts.

God gives these gifts as necessary to fulfil his redemptive will on earth.

Each of us is a gift, differing according to the grace given to us by God.

Each person is and has a primary gift, but will have others as well, and the mix and degree of the various gifts in each of us is a unique combination.

Received at conception

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations” (Jeremiah 1:5).

Natural gifts are received at conception, rather than salvation.

We are born with them, and they will influence the course of our lives, regardless of whether we become Christians or not (though they will be more effectively expressed if we do).

Psychologists term these differences in people ‘basic temperaments’ or ‘personality types’.

We are designed with a purpose.

Natural gifts tend to shape our personality. They also affect the way in which we may receive or express one or more of the spiritual gifts, offices or ministries.

So, our natural gift is how I am intrinsically made to function, ideally with spirit and soul in harmony.

But because of separation from God, my soul or heart personality traits developed independently of my spirit.

I need to discover the gift, then purify and refine the heart to define and polish it, so that it begins to shine.

There are some common behavioral characteristics which can help us identify our natural gifts (primary and secondary).

Compassion, for example, may come more easily to servants and mercy gifts than prophets and rulers’ gifts.

However, we must not use our gift as an excuse for not growing in love! We are all called to walk out the fruit of the Spirit, whether it comes naturally or not.

God is your Father and designer, and He desires to call forth your identity as His child. He desires to reveal your natural identity, and your spiritual identity. He wants you to know who you are and how you are designed. You are called to be a world-changer.

As you exercise your own natural gifting you are free of the need to compare yourself (favorably or unfavorably) with anyone else. You can be comfortable in your own skin, not having to try to be like other people.

You are unique;

Everyone else is also unique.

You are messed up in some way;

Everyone is messed up in some way.

You are a mixture;

Everyone is a mixture.

Every one of us is in the process of being refined, purified and transformed so that we can be ‘us’ as designed by God.

We must learn to respect and honor the differences and uniqueness in each other.

As members of the body of Christ, we will not all see things the same way, but when we put it all together we (as a body) will see things as Jesus does.

PRINCIPLES AND BLESSINGS

Every natural gift has a particular principle that operates with it, and a blessing or birthright that goes with it as well.

The ‘principle’ is simply how things are designed to work, or (if you are looking for something more technical) it can be defined as a universal, non-optional, cause-and-effect relationship.

The ‘birthright’ or ‘blessing’ is how creation and people are supposed to benefit from our gifts.

Let’s look at the principles and birthrights of each gift in more detail:

THE NATURAL GIFT AS A PROPHET

The principal design of a Prophet: the way they were designed, is to produce change.

God speaks to those in the office of prophets before He does anyone (Amos 3:7), because prophets are wired to bring about change.

The principle of design is foundational to all the other principles. God has called the prophet to study principles (to look at problems and opportunities) and assemble them into sets that produce results.

The passion of the prophet is to take themselves and others to the outer limits of excellence with God, to explore the boundaries of what is possible (and nothing is impossible with God). The prophet wants to demolish barriers and expand our understanding so that we can go further.

The prophet will display a picture of God so dynamic and real that it moves people out of their comfort zones (which can become prisons) and into a journey that will bring them to fulfillment of all God created them to be.

THE NATURAL GIFT OF A SERVANT

God gives more spiritual authority to servants than to other gifts precisely because they will not use it for their own ends.

They are not infected with the kingdom-building personality like the other gifts. The servant’s prayers for leaders carry more weight than other gifts.

The servant has the highest level of authority over the spirit of death in spiritual warfare because God desires to set people free and servants serve the needs of others.

God trusts the servant to do only what He has asked them to do.

Authority over territories comes naturally to those with a servant gift.

The servant walks in holiness in their own life. They are willing to embrace a high calling of holiness and bring a sense of purity and cleanliness.

When the servant hears truth spoken it resonates deeply.

The servant has the tenacity to reach out to the wounded and hurting (not limited to, but especially in, family situations).

The servant finds fulfillment in being a life-giver to enable others to do their work.

They provide cleansing and authority to others.

There is a deep desire to empower others to achieve their best.

THE NATURAL GIFT OF A TEACHER

The teacher is to walk in responsibility in every area of their life.

Their highest responsibility is to worship God. They must make worship a lifestyle, that they would anticipate and enjoy being with God.

If the teacher is still carnal, they will be selectively responsible and unwilling to impose responsibility on others.

The teacher would prefer to work hard at persuading people to change, rather than confronting them (or their behavior) head-on.

A teacher must realize that their relationship with God is of primary importance, because otherwise they will just be bringing theory.

There is no value in expounding theoretical principles to others without having worked them out yourself.

The teacher must know who they are as they walk out God’s will and then reveal the manifest presence of God to the rest of the body of Christ.

Again, this must come out of personal experience and not just study. The Lord wants to be present in the life of the teacher, having them experience and celebrate Him.

THE NATURAL GIFT OF EXHORTER

Exhorters will use their life experiences to help others: therefore, they must embrace pain and suffering.

The most difficult area for the exhorter is to suffer rejection. But they must confront sin and be willing to face rejection from within the community without becoming disheartened or taking it personally.

Exhorters must incarnate truth, must live it out, through the authority they receive via their own personal experience.

An exhorter who has gone through pain and suffering is well placed to use their own testimony to help others who are experiencing the same.

The exhorter must know God personally and experientially which involves taking some time away from people to truly know God and have His authority.

The body of Christ is dependent upon the exhorter becoming all God created them to be. God has called the exhorter to be a world changer!

THE NATURAL GIFT OF A GIVER

The giver knows that God doesn’t want 10% of their finance/assets; He wants everything the giver is and has.

This is about establishing relationship with God so that they can release blessing. Money is not the issue; it’s about their relationship with God.

We find an example: in Job 31:16, Job had an incredible relationship with God and was a good steward of his money and assets. He walked in high justice, holiness and ethical behavior in all that he did.

The blessing for the giver is to release a generational anointing. The giver has the authority to release a generational blessing into their family line and community and be a life-giver through blessing (and again, this is not just about money). Givers have a desire to see others succeed and prosper in fulfilling their destiny; they give to enable others.

The giver is to have a generational worldview – to think long-term.

An example is Abraham: Abraham received authority from God and passed it on. He changed the world and was considered a friend of God.

THE NATURAL GIFT OF MERCY

By design, the person with the gift of mercy can engage spirit to Spirit with God. This is the highest fulfillment for the mercy gift, who loves intimacy with God.

In Hebrew thought, every end is a new beginning, so the mercy gift needs to find fulfillment – if things are partially done, they struggle.

The mercy gift finds fulfillment in God and imparts blessing to others.

As the mercy gift is sanctified, they sanctify their environment (time, people, place) and can transform the sinful into the holy.

So where do you fit?

REDEMPTIVE GIFT SURVEY

I never took this survey because I know what my redemptive gifts are, but they might be helpful to you, to find your place in the body of Christ. These are just gifts you are naturally born with and have to be sanctified, if we are dedicated to operating in them. It is best to just download the PDF

Principles and Blessings – Redemptive Gifts (2)

Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who rules, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness (Rom 12:6-8).

There are seven natural gifts mentioned in these verses: 1-Prophet, 2-Servant, 3-Teacher, 4-Exhorter, 5-Giver, 6-Ruler and 7-Mercy.

We receive those gifts when we are born a human being, and they affect the course of our lives. They are natural human gifts, that each person receives and shapes their personality.

When they are saved or born again, then they need to be dedicated to use them in God’s service and have them sanctified (“consecrated”, where God anoints those human gifts, to be used in church and the world).

But there are other contributing factors that will also influence how the natural gifts are expressed in a person’s life.

Parenting

Every child’s parents have their own natural gifts, which impact how they view the world and how they raise their children.

So, the parents’ gifts will leave a very significant imprint on the children, independent of what the child’s own gifts are. Any potential character weaknesses of a parent’s gifting can shape the child as well.

If a child’s parents are a servant and exhorter, for example, the child may grow up in a home where the exhorter is financially irresponsible and is living in denial.

The servant parent will try to help meet the child’s need, and the child may grow up lacking the knowledge needed to be financially responsible and a good steward of resources, which will be a particular problem if their own gifting is giver!

On the positive side, a child who has the redemptive gift of prophet and is raised by an exhorter will most likely be much more relationally oriented than others with the gift of prophet.

Birth Order

Firstborn children tend to be more driven and perfectionist by nature. Second born can be competitive or very passive, and the baby of the family is often much more relational and horizontally focused.

Being firstborn can intensify all the strengths and weaknesses of any gift (perhaps double the benefit but also double the challenges).

Maturity

A person’s level of maturity (natural or spiritual) will influence how they live out the characteristics of their natural gift at different times in their life.

Those who are immature spiritually (or those who are not seeking to live in the fruit of the Spirit) will exhibit the weaknesses of their gifts more than the strengths.

While most of us have not reached perfection in the Spirit (divine love perfected in us) yet, we should all be working on our character issues to grow up to spiritual maturity. The recognized weaknesses of our gifting are not an excuse for immature behavior.

Gender

It is easy to stereotype certain gifts such as prophet, ruler and teacher as being more masculine and servant and mercy more feminine, so that men often reject the idea of having a mercy gift or servant gift because they perceive it as being weak.

In fact, the gifts of servant and mercy have some of the strongest spiritual authority.

Women with the gifts of prophet and ruler often find it hard to be accepted, validated, and nurtured in a church setting, since the natural boldness and strength of their gifts can intimidate some men who traditionally occupy those roles.

Both men and women need to see the beauty of God’s design, instead of trying to be something other than who God made them to be.

Woundedness

Everyone has experienced painful situations and relationships that have left them wounded(trauma). Wounds can change our perception of ourselves and of God.

For example, someone who grew up with an abusive authority figure may become very self-sufficient and independent because they believe they must make it through life on their own. If they are an exhorter, servant or mercy gift, this will seriously conflict with how God designed them to function.

How we are broken, the pain in our soul, our wrong response to pain, the coping mechanisms, and how we compensate for those wounds will influence how our gift is expressed.

Any walls of self-protection we build as a way of surviving painful circumstances may hinder the proper expression of our gifting.

Left-Brain vs. Right-Brain

Whether a person is right-brained or left-brained is an organic issue.

Right-brained people tend to see the whole picture. They are generally more creative and emotional because emotional concepts and messages operate in the right half of the brain.

Left-brained people see the various parts, process logically and in a linear fashion, and think more strategically.

Some people have a fairly effective blend between the two sides of the brain and can transition between them with ease, while others may be dominated by one side or the other.

Each of the gifts will be expressed differently, depending on whether the person is right-brained or left-brained.

For example, a left-brained teacher will look different from a right-brained teacher.

Left-brained teachers will enjoy spending hours researching in the lab or in the library, whereas right-brained teachers will flourish in the classroom and light up when their students “get it”.

Prophet and ruler gifts tend more toward being left-brained in their basic God-given essence and expression, while the servant and mercy gifts are more right-brained and therefore may tend to be more emotional and expressive through actions, rather than vocally.

Culture and Time Frame

The family, community and time in history in which a person lives can have a radical impact on how they perceive themselves and express their gift.

A woman with a gift of ruler who lives in a culture where women are subservient will likely have a large reservoir of untapped potential if she is not given an opportunity to shine.

Your nation and family of origin also have an impact.

Your family and your community or country have influenced you because of what they needed or what was expected.

If you were raised in a nation with a redemptive gift of prophet (such as the United States or Germany), you will have a natural affinity for more of the characteristics of prophet, because it is what your culture affirms and cultivates. But this does not mean that your redemptive gift is prophet.

While we are on that subject, notice that redemptive gifts are not restricted to individuals.

Nations, regions, cities and churches have them too.

Here are some more examples of the redemptive gifts of nations,

England – Ruler

Wales – Exhorter

Scotland – Prophet

Ireland – Teacher

Brazil – Giver

Canada – Mercy

France – Exhorter

Germany – Prophet

India – Servant

Italy – Exhorter

Netherlands – Giver

Norway – Mercy

Spain – Prophet

USA – Prophet

In summary, then, we may not know a particular individual’s natural gift, but we can observe the external behavioral characteristics of the seven gifts.

We can observe whether someone is quiet or verbally expressive, whether they prefer to work alone or to be in a group, or whether they are task-oriented or relational-oriented.

But we need to bear in mind that we cannot always tell just from observation whether what we see is a true expression of their natural gift or is being affected by one or more of the influences we have mentioned.

My natural gift (Romans 12:6-8) is how am I wired up or made that enables me to engage in the process of restoring creation (Rom 8:19-21).

There are both positive and negative potential characteristics that go with each gift.

Like myself, perhaps you have been wondering why the negatives are there.

So, I asked God about it. I mean, from our point of view it would be much nicer if everything was just positive, wouldn’t it?

But He reminded me that it is through overcoming things that we mature and grow.

That process teaches us to develop and maintain our dependence on Him, as we learn to trust Him and engage with Him.

He is with us on this journey which brings us into the image of Christ in the natural realm.

Adam was sinless when he was created, but he was not perfected – even if he had not sinned, he would still have needed to mature into the fullness of the stature of Christ on the earth (Ephesians 4:13).

We need each other’s gifts so that we learn not to act independently. Other people outworking their gift contributes to helping us outwork our gift, and in a culture of honor, we allow one another to speak into our lives, to encourage and to challenge.

That helps us maintain our humility, and stops us being arrogant, or full of ourselves.

When we are aware of our weaknesses it becomes very clear that it is not all about who we are, but rather about who God is in us.

Do not focus on the negative

We have looked at the principles and blessings associated with each gift, and at some of the other factors that can influence how our gift works in us.

We are going to look at some of the negatives, but it is important to realize from the outset that we can overcome all these things with the divine nature that God puts in our spirit and with the blessings we inherited naturally from our earthly parents.

Our natural DNA is inherent in our natural gifts.

Do not focus on the negative but take any issues to God and allow Him to transform you into the image of Jesus.

Associated with each redemptive gift are:

1-A demonic stronghold where the enemy looks to engage,

2- A root of iniquity, and

3- Curses associated with the birthright.

We must learn to let our spirit rule over our soul (mind, will and emotions plus other functions but Christians basically know these three functions of the soul). For years, before we became Christians, our soul ruled.

Often it still tries to control us and gets us into a mess by trying to use things of the world to meet the needs that God placed in us.

Adam and Eve walked with God in the garden, a picture of intimate relationship.

And so, in the process of our journey with God, coming into our identity and destiny, we must walk it out relationally with God. He is with us in this process: we are not on our own. We don’t have to do it in our own strength: we do it by surrender.

And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me” (Luke 9:23).

We can allow God to lead and direct us, through the power and victory of the cross, so that we can be like Jesus and outwork all that He has for us.

SACRIFE AND SURRENDER

We cannot get around the fact that spiritual maturity and transformation come through sacrifice and surrender.

We might wish for an easier way, but there isn’t one. If we choose not to sacrifice and surrender to God and allow Him to work it out, then we continually fight against Him and we continually have problems with our soul.

I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me (Gal 2:20).

Jesus was our example. He loved us and He gave Himself up for us so that we can enter a relationship with Him. And He wants us to do the same – to give ourselves up for Him.

Let’s apply the victory of the cross to our lives, stop living independently, and stop living selfishly.

God wants us to be in relationship with Him, which is why we must go through a process in which our soul gets transformed and changed.

Therefore, I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect (Rom 12:1).

Right there, that is your destiny; and we have seven or more natural gifts; that is your identity in the natural.

But as those gifts are sanctified and are transformed from the ways of nurture, nature and trauma that have influenced and developed our soul (our natural gifts) that the world has inflicted on us, then through transformation we come into what God says about us (identity in heaven), and having your life operating through our new identity in Christ, we can use those natural gifts in the service of the Lord.

We are going to look at some of the behavioral characteristics in each of the natural gifts found in Romans 12:6-8.

However, just because you have a particular gift that does not necessarily mean you will have all of the strengths and weaknesses associated with it.

There are all kinds of reasons why the way each of us expresses a particular natural gift will be different from how others express it.

And if you are more mature spiritually in the faith, you may well be developing some of the strengths and overcoming some of the weaknesses already.

So, as you consider these things, I suggest you just ask God, ‘does this apply to me?’

Prophet – black and white

The prophet sees things in terms of black and white, right and wrong: a simplistic worldview in which it is imperative to make sense of everything.

As a result, the prophet can assess situations quickly and discern whether they are good or bad.

Prophets will seize the initiative quickly, and like new things, especially those that threaten the status quo. They are quick to form an opinion and have no doubts about expressing it without reservation.

But prophets are likely to be moody and to experience emotional highs and lows. They may tend to be impatient or find difficulty with timing in other ways.

They are quite hard on themselves, so may struggle to forgive themselves. If an organization (church) is running well, don’t ask a prophet to maintain it – he or she will try to change it, ‘improve’ it, or quit.

Because they don’t do ‘maintaining’ or the ‘status quo’, they can find it hard to maintain excellence and need vision to see the next ‘new thing’. They can also be poor at maintaining relationships with others in the body of Christ.

THE NATURAL SERVANT GIFT

Servants are very practical, skillful at seeing needs and meeting them. They are committed to the present moment, to meet present needs.

They are willing towards saving things that they or others might need in the future, but not always in an organized way.

They have very few enemies and are considered ‘safe’ people. They extend honor readily to others, because they always see the best (or the potential) in them.

They rarely get angry, but when they do, it usually revolves around questions of loyalty and then watch out!

They have a purity of motive like no other gift, never counting up what’s owed to them or holding a grudge.

The servant is a team player, relatively free from the desire to build his own kingdom.

But in thinking the best of others, servants may make excuses for them (especially their own children) and contrariwise struggle with their own self-worth, apologizing for themselves while serving others.

They struggle to see their innate value and don’t readily believe God’s truth about themselves or their calling.

They may be unable to affirm themselves or accept affirmation from other people, especially around excellence in work.

Their desire to help may draw them into enabling others’ neediness by doing things for them instead of teaching them and empowering them to act for themselves.

They will often become anxious by taking on other people’s problems and worries and be unreasonably affected by disappointment.

Because they have a strong desire to please, they can find it hard to say ‘no’ (even to mutually select demands), so they are often both overcommitted and taken for granted.

They risk being easily victimized and exploited and may attract dishonor (especially at home) which they fail to resist even as they honor others.

THE NATURAL GIFT OF A TEACHER

The teacher typically has a need to validate truth. Teachers usually do not normally receive or reject new ideas – or people – right away. They tend not to overreact or jump the gun but make new decisions slowly and carefully. They like to preserve the level the church has attained.

Teachers are highly relational, with a great sense of humor, and may have a reputation as emotionally safe individuals because they can listen to someone’s brokenness and sin without rejecting them. Very patient and slow-tempered, they will usually be the last to speak in a group.

They are unwilling to begin a process until they can see how it’s going to turn out, and can be indecisive, impractical and theoretical.

They are self or ministry focused and often unwilling to confront or challenge others.

They find it hard to return phone calls and are typically late, not good with handling money and poor at returning borrowed items. They usually resist using human illustrations.

THE NATURAL GIFT OF AN EXHORTER

They are highly relational, the exhorter can understand and relate well to others, often forming an instant bond with strangers.

The exhorter can avoid alienation and maintain relationships in church even though firmly disagreeing (and even arguing loudly) with the other person.

Family is very important, and the exhorter will always seek to nurture and enable family members.

A high energy person, natural leader, dramatic (often overdramatic), an obsessive-compulsive verbal expressive master communicator who governs (and is governed) by persuasion rather than principle.

They May tend to seek the approval of others, and their flexibility allows them to abandon a plan easily.

The exhorter is finely attuned to natural feelings, which may lead them into prioritizing people over God.

In fact, exhorters can struggle to spend time with God, partly because of their time management issues.

They do not always prioritize their best abilities and may spend (waste) their time doing things which would be better left to others.

They can seek to rule by relationship, leading them to be manipulative and controlling (though with the best possible intentions).

Non-confrontational by their natural nature, they will wait for an opportunity to get the best out of any situation rather than knocking down obstacles and making things happen.

Exhorters often have an immense heart for evangelism but stop short of actually sharing the gospel openly.

The natural gift of a Giver is flexible, and adaptable.

This is the most different, adaptable and flexible of all natural gifts.

The giver is designed not to be needy, so is very independent, not looking to others for help.

Insightful and intuitive, the giver can look at a problem and see a solution without anyone else’s input. A good listener, for the other person’s sake not their own.

The giver is not a big risk-taker, cannot be hustled and accepts the need to accumulate money before giving. Givers tend to be cautious and concerned about safety and can look at themselves objectively, without shame.

But their independence can include independence from God. Faith, being a risk issue, is hard for a giver who needs a sure thing and whose security is likely in money or family. Caution can lead to overprotective behavior and to giving mental assent rather than heart agreement.

The giver may lack holiness and find it hard to receive from God and others.