REDEMPTIVE GIFT OF SERVANT
Romans 12:5-8 “So we, numerous as we are, are one body in Christ (the Messiah) and individually we are parts one of another. Having gifts (faculties, talents, qualities) that differ according to the grace given us, let us use them: [He whose gift is] prophecy, [let him prophesy] according to the proportion of his faith; He whose gift is [practical service (the servant)], let him give himself to serving; he who teaches, to his teaching; He who exhorts, (encourages), to his exhortation; he who contributes (giver), let him do it in simplicity and liberally; he who gives aid and superintends (ruler), with zeal and singleness of mind; he who does acts of mercy, with genuine cheerfulness and joyful eagerness.
There are seven redemptive gifts of individuals listed here: 1) Prophet; 2) Servant; 3) Teacher; 4) Giver; 5) Exhorter; 6) Ruler; and 7) Mercy.
Here we will discuss the second gift – the redemptive gift of servant.
- The servant is fiercely loyal.
- Definition of loyalty:
Human loyalty requires you to be loyal to one at the expense of another & it costs you your
inheritance. Kingdom loyalty never requires you to be loyal to one at the expense of
another & it will lead you to your inheritance. ~ Bill Johnson
- The servant has a huge capacity to believe in others and see the good in others.
- This can move into a mesmerizing spirit (a spirit that causes us to see only good or only bad in a person.) Caution must be taken here.
- The servant believes in the leader when the leader does not believe in themselves.
- The servant is designed by God to create a comfortable place for the presence of God to come.
- The servant’s deepest desire is to use the gift to prepare a place where God can come and meet His people.
- Servants are needy themselves.
- Seldom do the other redemptive gifts pursue the best in the servant, but leaders often use and abuse their gifts of service.
- Servants must make time for themselves, honor themselves and invest in themselves. Their legitimacy must come from Father alone, and not from any other place, especially not from their gifting.
- God gives more AUTHORITY to the servant than any of the other redemptive gifts…because they don’t want it!
- Servants want to build platforms under others, but this must never be prematurely in the leader.
- God’s called the servant to handle His authority wisely.
- The reason God gives authority to the servant is to increase it into the world.
- Servants often fail here. They often find it challenging to impose a burden on those under them.
- Servants are often squandered by leadership who only use and abuse the gift of servant rather than recognizing the servant’s authority and their ability to create a place for the presence of God to come.
- The servant’s primary goal should be to walk in the authority God has given them in order to successfully build the Kingdom around them.
- There are many colors and styles of authority and the servant must study them to find where they uniquely fit in their own authority.
- The servant is often victimized in their redemptive gifting. The predator many times uses them only for their good and the gift of their service rather than recognizing the authority that God has placed in them. God gives the servant authority for all leadership around them, but often the best in the servant has been sacrificed for the good of those around them.
- Often the servant will be attacked by the enemy in the area of authority. Therefore, their gift of authority is defiled and abused repeatedly. Purity must come to this God given gift of authority.
- Effective leaders will learn early how to wisely recognize the true servant’s strengths and weaknesses and create a culture of honor for them.
Remember, one with a true servant gifting is A SON OR DAUGHTER OF THE MOST HIGH GOD WITH ALL ITS PRIVILEGES!
With thanks and gratitude to Arthur Burk for his teaching on The Redemptive Gifts of Individuals available at http://www.theslg.com/Redemptive_Gifts_of_Individuals_p/rg_rgi.htm