Thoughts for Life: #43 The Issue of Gift Projection

C. Peter Wagner continues with his thoughts on gifts given to God's people:

"I purposely do not say much about the syndrome of gift projection in my seminars or my classes; mainly because it is frequently painful for some leaders to discover they are unintentionally involved in it.

I dealt with it in my book Your Spiritual Gifts Can Help Your Church Grow (Regal books) and many readers have commented that it was one of the most helpful sections for them.

It helped them get rid of some false guilt complexes they had developed.

As I was in the process of researching for this book, I felt I heard God saying quite clearly to me that I was to include a brief section on gift projection here also.

I am praying that what I have to say about relating gift projection to intercessory prayer will not be offensive to any other leaders who have been teaching on prayer and intercession; although I know up front that it will run against the grain of some of the things they have been teaching.

On the other side, I also know it will free up many people to be what God wants them to be instead of what they perceive other people want them to be.

What is gift projection?

Some people who customarily minister powerfully in a certain area because they have been given the spiritual gifts to do so, do not realize that the power they regularly see in their ministry is being released through a charisma or spiritual gift.

It does not occur to them that although God has chosen to give them this particular gift, the same God has also chosen to give different gifts to other members of the Body of Christ.

Much of this lack of understanding is rooted in the notion held by many classical Pentecostals and others, that all the spiritual gifts are given to all believers who have been duly filled with the Holy Spirit.

Some of them also limit the number of spiritual gifts to the 9 found in 1 Cor. 12 rather than regarding the whole list of 27 I mentioned in chapter 2 (#16 How Many Gifts are There?) as legitimate spiritual gifts. This starting point quite easily leads to gift projection."

Today’s post -#43 The Issue of Gift Projection, in the series taken from C. Peter Wagner’s book, PRAYER SHIELD, How to intercede for pastors, Christian leaders and others on the spiritual frontlines.(pgs. 86, 87) By Regal Books

Let's pray: Mary Southerland

"Father, I want this holiday season to be one that is filled with light instead of darkness.
Please help me discard my emotional masks and be real before You as well as with my family and friends.
Give me the courage to be obedient to You in every holiday setting. Give me eyes to see those You bring into my life that need my encouragement because they are on the same journey.
Father, prepare and enable me to make this holiday season an offering of praise to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen."

(Google images added)

Today’s Bible verse: Daniel 5:21b "God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whosoever he will."

Today’s quote: Our Daily Bread – “You are one of a kind—designed to glorify God as only you can.”

Some thoughts today: Whatever Go tells you to do, do it faithfully. You may be the inspiration for someone to then do some great work!

- You may be a key person in what God plans to do in your church group. Be sure to obey the Spirit's leading, and see what God will do through you.

- God calls who He will, and will be with them to accomplish the mission He plans for them.

Thursday’s post: #44 Inflicting False Guilt
C. Peter Wagner
Saturday's post: An Occasion with a Lasting Impression Jean Oathout

Sunday's post: When We Cry Out to God
Dr. Charles F. Stanley
Tuesday's post: #45 The Issue of Church Growth
C. Peter Wagner

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