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All Spirit-filled believers have spiritual gifts. They come as part of the package. Listen to the language of the apostles: “As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (1 Peter 4:10). “For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them” (Romans 12:4-6). “There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit... But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all...But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills”
(1 Corinthians 12:4,7,11).
The question is never whether or not a Spirit-filled believer has a gift, but rather what gifts he has and how those gifts can be developed and put to work. This is where the “equipping gifts” come in: “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry” (Ephesians 4:11-12). The equipping gifts help us to identify our gifts, develop them, and find our place of service. This is necessary for the body of Christ to grow.
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