Keith Battle - In God's Bag Pt. 3, I'm Gifted

I’m in part three of a series called «In God’s Bag.» In part one, we looked at how there’s so much in God’s bag. I mean, I can’t cover everything in a four-part series, but I wanted to use the Christmas holidays to focus on four treasures that God has in His bag for us. The first one, in part one, was that God has a promise for us. He has made promises that we can depend on and bank on. In the second part, we discussed the fact that God has a plan, and that plan remains intact even when we’re suffering. Even when we’re in adversity, we need to remember that He has a plan.

Today, I want to look into God’s bag and inform you that one of the things God has in His bag is spiritual gifts. Somebody say, «Spiritual gifts!» 1 Peter 4, beginning in verse 9, says: «Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay.» Verse 10 follows: «God has given each of you a gift from His great variety of spiritual gifts; use them well to serve one another.» Do you have the gift of speaking? Speak as if God Himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ— all glory and power to Him forever and ever.

Once again, God has given each of you a gift from His great variety of spiritual gifts. I know you might not like this, but just reach around and touch three people and say, «I’m gifted! I’m gifted! I’m gifted!» I might be in a TAG program, but I’m gifted! Amen! I might be shy, but I’m gifted! I might be a little eccentric, but I’m gifted! I may have bad credit, but I’m still gifted! I may have had a baby out of wedlock, but I’m still gifted! I may have had five husbands, and the man I’m with right now hasn’t even proposed, but I’m still gifted! I may struggle with road rage and might raise a finger now and then while driving, but that doesn’t change the fact that I’m still gifted! I might be on paper, may even have an ankle monitor on right now, but I’m still gifted! Yeah, I might smell like what I’ve been doing, but I’m still gifted! If you sniff hard enough, you might catch a whiff of what I’ve been smoking or drinking, but I’m still gifted! I might be on medication, but I’m still gifted! I might be sitting in the back of this church, and you don’t even know who I am, but don’t hate me; don’t judge me! It’s not even me! He placed the gift in me! You ought to thank God that He has given you a gift—that He didn’t have to choose you and doesn’t have to use you, but He put a treasure in earthen vessels. I’m gifted!

Today, I’m focusing on verses 10 and 11 in 1 Peter 4, though I’ll mention verse 9 because it describes what a spiritual gift actually is. If you ever want to know what a spiritual gift is, do some research on it; just Google «What is a spiritual gift?» In my definition, a spiritual gift is a supernatural enablement to perform the will and work of God. It’s similar to a natural talent or ability. It comes from God; whatever natural talents and abilities you and I have, we had them at birth. We were designed in a certain way by God, with specific innate abilities. As you watch a child develop, you see that some children are faster, some are more artistic, some read better, and some excel in mathematics. There are certain innate abilities that we’re born with.

When we become a part of God’s family—spiritual family—that’s called being born again. Once you establish a relationship with God, you receive spiritual gifts. Your natural gifts and abilities come from your first birth. When you have a second birth and you’re born spiritually, you receive spiritual gifts. But they all come from God because He made us! God made us; He designed us. The Bible says in Psalm 100, «Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands; serve the Lord with gladness.» You can’t serve the Lord with gladness if you’re not serving Him with your gift. «Know ye that the Lord, He is God; it is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves.» He has made us. You can create many things in this life, but you cannot make yourself. There’s no such thing as a self-made man or self-made woman. You can make eggs, but you can’t make yourself. You can prepare dinner, but you cannot make yourself. You can make up your bed—some of us need to try that—but you cannot make yourself.

When David, in Psalm 139, realized that God had made him, he expressed that it wasn’t just that he was made; he is fearfully and wonderfully made by God, and that his soul knows it very well. It’s not that I’m perfect; I have imperfections, but I have a divine imprint on me—His fingerprint is on me! I’ve been designed by God, and He gave me gifts…