Spiritual gifts operate through specific desires, inclinations, or motivations connected with each particular gift (for example, the teacher loves teaching, or is motivated by it). This “IDENTIFYING SPIRITUAL GIFTS” test can help you identify the gifts you have by identifying the things that motivate you or that you are inclined to do. Some gifts, such as speaking in unknown tongues or interpreting unknown tongues, are obvious (if you have them, you cannot help but know that you have them). The gifts included in this assessment are those that are not obvious or evident and that may require a more thorough evaluation to determine whether a given person has them.
Spiritual gifts included in this assessment:
In addition to those included in the table above, there are four gifts shown or mentioned in the Bible that are also included in this study:
- Hospitality (Genesis 18:1-5)
- Craftsmanship (Exodus 28:3-4; 31:1-5; 35:31-35)
- Intercession (Genesis 18:16-33; Exodus 33:12-17; Daniel 10:1-12)
- Musicality (1 Chronicles 15; 1 Corinthians 14:26)
Questions assessing the gifts
The following questions can help you determine which gifts are more prominently manifested in your life and which are not so strongly manifested. The questions do not assess four of the gifts mentioned above (prophecy, speaking in tongues, interpretation of tongues, and musicality), because each of these gifts is obvious and evident (that is, you know whether you have the gift of speaking in unknown tongues, of interpreting tongues, whether you are musical – you play an instrument or sing – or whether you have a manifestation of the gift of prophecy, which the apostle Paul said we can all have). Other gifts are equally evident (such as healing gifts and the working of miracles), but we include them in this study because some people may not realize that they are attuned to the manifestation of precisely these gifts.
| Romans 12:4-8 Motivation |
1 Corinthians 12:4-11 Manifestation |
1 Corinthians 12:27-30 Ministry |
Ephesians 4:7-12 Leadership |
| Key context: The grace and faith we have received |
Key context: The manifestation of the Spirit for the common good |
Key context: We do not all have the same gifts |
Key context: Leadership for the purpose of equipping the saints |
| Prophecy | Word of wisdom | Apostles | Apostle |
| Service | Word of knowledge | Prophets | Prophet |
| Teaching | Faith | Teachers | Evangelist |
| Exhortation | Healing gifts | Miracles | Pastor |
| Giving | Mighty deeds | Gifts of healing | Teacher |
| Leadership | Prophecy | Helps | |
| Showing mercy | Discerning of spirits | Administration | |
| Tongues | Tongues | ||
| Interpretation of tongues | Interpretation of tongues |
Instructions: Answer each question according to how you think it applies to you, not according to how you would wish things to be or think they ought to be in your life. The accuracy of the assessment depends on the accuracy of your answers to these questions.
Rate each question according to how it applies to you, on the following scale:
0 – this statement never applies to me and is not true of me.
1 – this statement is very rarely true of me (perhaps once or twice in my life).
2 – this statement is true of me in very few situations (perhaps once or twice a year).
3 – this statement is true of me in some situations (perhaps once or twice every few months).
4 – this statement is quite often true of me (I am naturally inclined to react or feel this way).
5 – this statement is always true of me (I am very much inclined to react or feel precisely this way).
QUESTIONS CONCERNING SPIRITUAL GIFTS
1. I love to start new things, and I am good at it.
2. I often sense when a person’s motives or character are not right.
3. I am always looking for opportunities to tell someone about Christ.
4. I am sensitive to people’s needs and problems, and I love to help them grow spiritually.
5. I love to study and search the Word, and I easily see “lessons” and “lists of important things” when I read the Bible.
6. I love to serve others so that they in turn can fulfill their ministries.
7. I am sympathetic toward the weaknesses and temptations of others, in order to encourage them to repent and believe.
8. When I give to others, they do not feel as though they owe me anything.
9. I love to take a leading role in the groups and activities in which I participate.
10. I am often gripped by compassion for the person or the situation I am praying for.
11. God often prompts me to pray for the healing of other people.
12. I am firmly convinced that God can work a miracle in every single situation.
13. I have deliberately arranged my home in such a way that I can host guests and they can stay overnight with us.
14. I have a great desire to pray for extended periods of time.
15. God often gives me specific guidance about the course of action that the people around me should take.
16. God often shows me concrete facts or truths about other people or situations.
17. I possess a supernatural confidence in God and an ability to impart courage to others.
18. I often have a “feeling” or “impression” about others the very first time I meet them.
19. The Spirit often leads me to do good to someone, which afterward deeply moves them.
20. I serve others by organizing them and using their gifts to solve a specific problem.
21. I love change and variety and moving from one place to another, rather than staying in only one place.
22. My words often produce conviction of sin in others, and so, without any effort, I lead them to repentance.
23. I find it easy to lead people to faith in Christ and commitment to Him.
24. I am more interested in my relationships with people than in accomplishing particular projects.
25. I think it is especially important that words be used accurately and in context.
26. I feel comfortable when I allow others to lead.
27. I have a special gift for helping others be restored emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.
28. I believe that God has given me the ability to make money and to share it with others.
29. The people around me often expect me to lead them or to show them an example.
30. I believe that God wants to touch people through me, using me to sympathize with them in their hardships and problems.
31. I am irritated and angered when the physical pain of others is not attended to or is neglected.
32. I have a strong desire to cast out demons.
33. I love to invite people to my home for lunch or dinner.
34. I often feel a heavy burden for those I pray for.
35. Other Christians seek my advice when they are uncertain about which direction to take in life.
36. God often makes me aware of the deep need of others, even though they are careful and try to hide it.
37. When I pray or speak, others are encouraged to have greater faith.
38. I am especially sensitive to evil spirits and I sense their presence.
39. I love to do small things to help leaders, thereby freeing them to focus on the ministry of God.
40. I can recognize the talents and gifts of others and find ways for them to use them for God.
41. I easily see the “bigger picture” and see “pictures of the kingdom” when I read the Bible.
42. I am ready to sacrifice everything for the truth.
43. I see a gospel application in many of the Bible passages I read.
44. I love to visit people in their homes, and also when they are sick or grieving.
45. I notice when teachers or preachers make mistakes in their messages.
46. I easily see ways in which I can serve others indirectly – without speaking or teaching.
47. I can challenge others without making them feel condemned or guilty.
48. I get great joy from giving money for a particular person or cause.
49. The people around me are influenced to change their behavior through their relationship with me.
50. God often lets me feel the pain of others.
51. There are certain illnesses from which people are almost always healed when I pray for them.
52. I have seen many miracles in answer to my prayers.
53. I notice the things that people love to do or enjoy.
54. My prayers are often very intense, and when I finish my prayer I feel exhausted.
55. God uses me to clarify His will by giving me supernatural insight into His purposes.
56. I often find that I know things I never learned, for which I receive confirmation from mature believers.
57. I am often the only person in a given group who believes that God will work a specific miracle in answer to prayer.
58. I can often discern when people are moved by the Holy Spirit, when by evil spirits, and when by their own flesh.
59. I see the practical needs in the lives of others.
60. I love for things to be organized, and I am irritated by disorder and a lack of organization.
61. I love to hand off to others the things I start.
62. I feel an acute need to be heard and understood by others.
63. I constantly try to spend time with unsaved people in order to share the gospel with them.
64. Other believers come to me for help, advice, or comfort.
65. When I teach, I love to share with others how I derived my lesson.
66. I do not mind helping others even if they do not deserve help or take advantage of me.
67. People usually accept correction from me because they know that I am on their side.
68. I try to find ways to give to others without drawing attention to myself.
69. I have the ability to motivate people and excite them toward achieving certain goals.
70. I am firmly convinced that the church should care for the needs and wounds of its members.
71. I am able to see the underlying causes of certain illnesses or sufferings.
72. I believe that if we trusted God more, we would see more evident and dramatic miracles.
73. I take special pleasure in receiving into my home people who are God’s full-time servants.
74. I pray until I feel relief in my soul.
75. I receive many concrete messages from God (a rhema word) for specific situations when I read God’s written Word.
76. In some situations God gives me such words to say that they surprise even me.
77. I look at problems as opportunities for God to display His omnipotence and love.
78. I often “see” things that others do not see.
79. I am able to remember details that other people miss.
80. It comes naturally to me to connect people within the body of Christ, and I love to do this.
81. I am especially motivated by working with leaders and setting out in a new direction.
82. I find it hard to associate with people in whom I sense dishonesty or hypocrisy.
83. I am troubled when others, and especially preachers, do not place emphasis on salvation.
84. I feel responsible to protect weaker Christians from dangerous influences.
85. I tend to teach others in whatever situation I find myself.
86. I would rather work secretly than receive public recognition for what I have done.
87. The Spirit gives me the ability to draw out the very best in others.
88. I encourage others to be generous in their giving through my own example.
89. I have an inner sense of what we should do and where we should do it.
90. I aim to have only a few friends, but for those friendships to be truly deep.
91. I do not get discouraged if I do not see immediate, evident results when I pray for healing.
92. The Holy Spirit leads me to pray for impossible things, which turn out to be true.
93. I am glad to make my home available to the church for meetings and other gatherings.
94. I have a strong desire to pray for things that others may not feel the need to pray for.
95. When I speak, God often reveals His will for me and for others through me.
96. I often know the real problem that someone is concealing through deception.
97. I am rarely discouraged – most often I am optimistically disposed.
98. I am able to quickly detect a spiritual error.
99. I cannot just stand by and do nothing while there are tasks that remain unfinished.
100. I am able to coordinate projects or people in a successful and effective way.
RESULTS OF THE GIFTS ASSESSMENT TEST FOR:
(name)
| total | Spiritual gifts | |||||
| 1 | 21 | 41 | 61 | 81 | A | |
| 2 | 22 | 42 | 62 | 82 | B | |
| 3 | 23 | 43 | 63 | 83 | C | |
| 4 | 24 | 44 | 64 | 84 | D | |
| 5 | 25 | 45 | 65 | 85 | E | |
| 6 | 26 | 46 | 66 | 86 | F | |
| 7 | 27 | 47 | 67 | 87 | G | |
| 8 | 28 | 48 | 68 | 88 | H | |
| 9 | 29 | 49 | 69 | 89 | I | |
| 10 | 30 | 50 | 70 | 90 | J | |
| 11 | 31 | 51 | 71 | 91 | K | |
| 12 | 32 | 52 | 72 | 92 | L | |
| 13 | 33 | 53 | 73 | 93 | M | |
| 14 | 34 | 54 | 74 | 94 | N | |
| 15 | 35 | 55 | 75 | 95 | O | |
| 16 | 36 | 56 | 76 | 96 | P | |
| 17 | 37 | 57 | 77 | 97 | Q | |
| 18 | 38 | 58 | 78 | 98 | R | |
| 19 | 39 | 59 | 79 | 99 | S | |
| 20 | 40 | 60 | 80 | 100 | T |
After you have answered all the questions, enter your results in the appropriate place in the table, being careful to write each result in the cell whose number corresponds to the question. Then add up the results of each horizontal row and place the sum in the “total” column. Using the “spiritual gifts key” found at the end of the page, write the gifts in the last column of the table in the order in which they are listed in the key. Underline or mark three to five of the gifts that have the highest scores. Finally, using these results, chart your combination of spiritual gifts by converting the sums of the gifts you have marked into percentages and plotting them in the circle shown as “pie slices.”
My combination of spiritual gifts
Spiritual gifts key:
A = Apostle B = Prophet C = Evangelist D = Pastor E = Teacher F = Service G = Exhorter H = Giving I = Leadership J = Mercy K = Healing gifts L = Working of miracles M = Hospitality N = Intercession O = Word of wisdom P = Word of knowledge Q = Faith R = Discerning of spirits S = Helps (supporting ministries) T = Administration (management)