Believers should approach spiritual gifts by recognizing that God is the one who gives and designates each gift, and then accept, use, and give Him credit for the gift they have received rather than searching for or insisting on another.
Scripture says gifts differ 'according to the grace that is given to us' (Romans 12:6), and Les Feldick teaches that God imparts each believer's particular gift, whether great or small, because He is building the body. Every believer has at least one gift, and Les's counsel is 'don't go looking up your gift' — instead, recognize where you are strong and put it to work. The goal is humble service: never boast in the gift, but use it and give God the credit.
Romans 12:4-6 — Paul explains that believers are one body with differing gifts given according to God's grace — the core passage on how gifts are distributed.
Romans 12:6-8 — The list of gifts — prophecy, ministry, teaching, exhortation, giving, ruling, and mercy — shows service in the church flows from the grace God gives.
1 Corinthians 12:10 — This verse shows gifts like miracles, prophecy, and discerning of spirits are given to different people in the church, not all to the same person.
Romans 12:4-5 says, "For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another." Then verse 6 continues, "Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us." Scripture therefore presents spiritual gifts as something God distributes to believers individually according to His grace — not as abilities believers choose for themselves. The passage goes on to list gifts that include prophecy, ministry, teaching, exhortation, giving, ruling, and showing mercy (Romans 12:6-8). First Corinthians 12:10 likewise shows gifts such as "the working of miracles," "prophecy," and "discerning of spirits" distributed to different people in the church. The consistent biblical picture is one body, many members, with gifts differing by grace.
Les Feldick teaches that God is in control of all spiritual gift giving. Beginning at Romans 12:3, he explains that God has given various gifts to every believer — not all of them, but at least one, and some may have two — and it is "according to God's will" (Clip 1). God imparts each person's particular gift, "whether it's great or small," because He is the one building the body (Clip 2). Les also tells believers, "don't go looking up your gift." Instead, they should come down through the biblical list and say, "Hey, that's my forte, here's where I'm strong," and then put it to work (Clips 3, 5). He illustrates this with examples: a woman who hosted college-age young people in her home had a gift she didn't even recognize, and a visitor had the unique gift of approaching unapproachable people (Clips 1, 5). Whatever the gift — ministry, teaching, exhortation, giving, ruling, or showing mercy — Les's counsel is to use it and give God the credit, never saying "look what I can do" (Clips 3, 4). He notes that believers can determine what they are comfortable with and do not have to force something (Clip 6). He also points out that the Corinthian church was abusing some of the gifts, and that "discerning of spirits" means analyzing something and putting it in its right category rather than simply "discerning" (Clip 7).
Les Feldick is emphatic: God is in control of gift giving. He says, "God imparts your particular gift, whether it's great or small. He's the one who is building the body" (Clip 2). Romans 12:6 confirms that gifts differ "according to the grace that is given to us." Because God is the giver, the believer's part is to receive what He has designated rather than to choose for themselves. Even the degree of a gift — whether a believer has one gift or two — is "according to God's will" (Clip 1).
Les teaches that "every believer has at least one" of the various gifts God has given, though "not all of them" — some may even have two (Clip 1). Romans 12:4 says "all members have not the same office," and 1 Corinthians 12:10 shows gifts given to different people in the church rather than to every person alike (Clip 7). So while gifts differ in kind and number, no believer is left without a way to serve.
Les's counsel is direct: "don't go looking up your gift or anything like that, but just come down through these, and you're going to say, Hey that's my forte, here's where I'm strong. Hey, put it to work" (Clip 5). He also says, "determine that it's your gift, and put it to use" (Clip 3). A believer can serve in whatever capacity they are comfortable with and does not have to force something (Clip 6).
Les insists that whatever gift a believer has, "don't ever say, Boy look what I can do. It's just a gift that He has given, and He has designated." He credits God for his own teaching gift: "it isn't me, it's Him" (Clip 3). Similarly, those who lead or give should "give God the credit" (Clip 4). The whole point is humility — the gift is not the believer's achievement but God's provision.
How the Holy Spirit Gives Spiritual Gifts — 1 Corinthians 12 Explained
of paradise and Eden. So it was all different. Had God changed? No, God didn�t change, Adam and Eve did. Now that feeds all the way up to the Flood, and Noah and his family go into the Ark. Now when they come out of the Ark after the Flood, again is it like it was when Adam and Eve came out of the Garden? No way! Everything was different again. God laid other responsibilities upon them.
Every Believer Has at Least One Gift
Les teaches that God has given every believer at least one spiritual gift — some may have two — and that the distribution is according to God's will, not personal preference. He illustrates with examples of unrecognized gifts such as hospitality and the ability to approach unapproachable people.
God Is the One Who Gives Gifts
Les makes the central point that God is in control of gift giving: He imparts each believer's particular gift, great or small, because He is building the body. He also clarifies that New Testament prophecy meant speaking forth the Word of God, not necessarily predicting the future.
Determine Your Gift and Put It to Use
Les encourages believers to determine their gift and put it to use, while never boasting — 'it isn't me, it's Him.' He shares his own fear of public speaking and how God gave him the gift of teaching.
Use Leadership, Giving, and Mercy Gifts
Les walks through the gifts of exhortation, giving, ruling, and showing mercy, explaining that not everyone has these abilities, and those who do should get to work and give God the credit.
Don't Go Looking Up Your Gift
Les tells believers not to go looking up their gift but to recognize where they are strong and put it to work — illustrated by a hostess who didn't realize her gift of hospitality.
Serve in Whatever Capacity Fits
Les explains that God leaves believers here to serve in whatever capacity that may be, and a person can determine what they are comfortable with without forcing something — whether visiting the sick, giving, praying, administering, or teaching.
Abuse of Gifts and Discerning of Spirits
Les notes that the Corinthian church was abusing some gifts and explains that 1 Corinthians 12:10 shows gifts like miracles, prophecy, and discerning of spirits were given to some in the church, not all — where discerning means analyzing and putting something in its right category.
Romans 12:3: For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
Paul grounds the spiritual gifts passage in sober self-assessment and the measure of faith God has dealt to every man.
Romans 12:4: For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:
The body metaphor shows that not all believers have the same office — the basis for differing gifts.
Romans 12:5: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
Believers, though many, are one body in Christ, members one of another.
Romans 12:6: Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
Gifts differ according to the grace given to us — the key verse on God's control of distribution.
Romans 12:7: Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;
Lists ministry and teaching as examples of gifts to be exercised faithfully.
Romans 12:8: Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.
Exhortation, giving, ruling, and mercy are gifts to be exercised with the right attitude.
1 Corinthians 12:10: To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to that other divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:
Shows that gifts such as miracles, prophecy, and discerning of spirits are given to different people in the church, not to all.
Yes. Les Feldick teaches that God has given gifts to every believer — not all of them, but every believer has at least one, and some may have two. The number and kind of gifts are according to God's will (Romans 12:3-6).
Les says don't go looking up your gift. Instead, come down through the biblical list of gifts and recognize where you are strong — 'that's my forte' — and put it to work. You can also serve in the capacity you are comfortable with rather than forcing something.
God does. Les is emphatic that God imparts your particular gift, whether great or small, and He is the one building the body. Scripture confirms that gifts differ according to the grace given to us (Romans 12:6).
Use it and give God the credit. Les warns against ever saying 'look what I can do,' because the gift is simply something He has given and designated. His own testimony: 'it isn't me, it's Him.'
Watch the Teaching: How the Holy Spirit Gives Spiritual Gifts — 1 Corinthians 12 Explained