Spiritual Gifts – Exhortation

As believers, God has given us spiritual gifts to be used
effectively in expanding His ministry on earth. One of
those gifts is Exhortation and when it is effectively used,
it can have a huge impact on the spiritual growth of others.

Characteristics (COLOSSIANS 1:28, 29)
1. A person with the gift of exhortation is motivated
by a desire to see, and to urge others to achieve
their full spiritual maturity in Christ.

2. They have an ability to visualize spiritual achievements
for others, and it motivates them to action.
– They can discern the potential of others.

3. They have an ability to discern where a person is
in their spiritual growth and to speak to them on that level.
– They have a desire to find out where a person is spiritually.
– They are extremely anxious for spiritual growth in others
and look forward to observing positive and obvious results.

4. They have a desire to give precise steps of action
in their efforts to urge others to achieve greater spiritual maturity.
– They can sense potential and see steps to help others
get relief from their past, and in turn,
be able to press on toward being useful in God’s master plan.

5. They have a tendency to welcome personal tribulation as
a chief motivation for their own spiritual growth (Colossians 1:29).
– They are willing to suffer because they know the value of suffering.
– They know that a difficulty may be one of the steps from God
for molding a person into spiritual maturity.

6. They have a tendency to avoid all types of information
when it lacks personal application.
– They listen for methods of carrying out
the spiritual improvement ideas and suggestions from others.

7. They have a desire for face to face discussions
in order to determine and insure a positive response.
– Paul would say, “I desire to see you”, etc.
– They notice a person’s facial expressions, body language, etc.
in order to determine where the person is coming from.

8. They have an ability to discover insights from personal experiences
which can be validated and amplified in scripture.
– They notice the lives of others, then go to the word of God,
and find a principal to share with the other person;
then they can say, “Look, here is what God says”.

9. They have an awareness that harmony is basic to spiritual maturity,
and are motivated to bringing harmony to a diversity of Christians.
– They can discern a problem, visualize what could happen,
and provide others with steps to regaining harmony.

10. They enjoy watching those who are eager to follow steps of action.
– They are not interested in small talk, but want to get to the task
of observing that someone is moving toward spiritual maturity.

MISUNDERSTANDINGS:
1. Their emphasis on steps of action:
– May appear to over-simplify a problem.
– The exhorter knows the solution came directly from God,
but the other person hears him saying that the problem is not so
bad, and all they have to do is follow some simple steps of action.

2. Their urgency in providing steps of action:
– May appear as being over confident.

3. Their desire to win non-Christians through living examples:
– May appear as a lack of interest in personal evangelism, and encouraging other believers.

4. Their use of scripture for practical application:
– May appear to some, to be taking it out of context.
NOTE: Although the scripture they choose may have been
written for people in an earlier time,
the principles are still applicable today.

5. Their emphasis on steps of action:
– May appear to be
disregarding the feelings of those they are encouraging.

There are some distinct differences in the use and results
of this gift when a person is ‘walking in the Spirit’
versus ‘walking in the flesh’.
1. WALKING IN THE SPIRIT
Wisdom.
– Can visualize the potential in others.
1. WALKING IN THE FLESH
Natural inclination.
– Visualizes others from a worldly perspective.

2. WALKING IN THE SPIRIT
Discernment.
– Understands that people are different.
2. WALKING IN THE FLESH
Judgmental.
– Critical of others.

3. WALKING IN THE SPIRIT
Faith.
– Believes in God’s plans.
3. WALKING IN THE FLESH
Presumption.
– Believes things happen based on probability
(God is never involved).

4. WALKING IN THE SPIRIT
Discretion.
– Knows what to say, what not to say
and when to say them.
4. WALKING IN THE FLESH
– Gullible.
– Speaks before thinking.
(their comments lack self-control
and are a result of emotions rather
than considering the feelings of others)

5. WALKING IN THE SPIRIT
Love.
– The first step in leading others
toward spiritual maturity is to
accept them just the way the are.
5. WALKING IN THE FLESH
Selfishness.
– Impatient and wants to ‘fix’ others
so they will be the same as the are.

6. WALKING IN THE SPIRIT
Creative.
– Looks for ways of motivating
others to follow the steps for achieving spiritual maturity.
6. WALKING IN THE FLESH
Under-achievement.
– Doesn’t use their gift to its fullest potential.

7. WALKING IN THE SPIRIT
Enthusiasm.
– God can do it! You can do it!
7. WALKING IN THE FLESH
Apathy.
– Is not motivated to see others improve (a sign of selfishness).