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Spiritual gifts are one of the most debated topics in the church today. Whether you've had powerful experiences with them or feel skeptical, most of us come to this conversation with strong opinions already formed. But what does Scripture actually say, and what does it look like to pursue spiritual gifts in a way that builds up the people around you?

Why Most of Us Get Spiritual Gifts Wrong From the Start

Here's an honest observation: most people don't form their opinions about spiritual gifts by starting with Scripture. They start with experience. Either something happened that they loved and want more of, or something happened that made them uncomfortable and they want nothing to do with it.

Experience shapes opinion. Opinion shapes expectation. And then there's no room left for Scripture to actually change anything.

If we want to be shaped by what the Bible teaches, we have to be willing to set aside our preconceived conclusions and actually look at what God's Word says.

What Is the Vision for a Spirit-Empowered Church?

The bigger picture from 1 Corinthians is this: the body of Christ is empowered by the Holy Spirit, who wants to give gifts to every member so that the glory of Christ is on display.

No one is so gifted that they don't need the rest of the body. And no one is so lacking that they have nothing to contribute. The goal is interdependence, where every person is empowered to serve others in a way that builds the whole group up.

This vision grows directly out of the gospel. If Jesus truly conquered sin, death, and Satan, and poured out His Spirit on all His followers, then every believer has been empowered to follow in His footsteps.

Five Commands in 1 Corinthians 14 You Might Have Missed

The passage in 1 Corinthians 14:1-25 contains five specific commands. Each one pushes us toward wanting this vision of a Spirit-empowered church and then actually taking steps to participate in it.

1. Pursue Love

"Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy." - 1 Corinthians 14:1

The word "pursue" is active. It means chase it. Love is a discipline. Patience doesn't come naturally. Kindness doesn't come naturally. These things have to be practiced. Pursuing love means doing the things Jesus did, treating people the way Jesus treated people.

2. Grow in Desire for Spiritual Things

Paul commands the Corinthians to desire spiritual gifts, especially prophecy. This might feel strange. Can you really be commanded to want something? Paul's point is that if the Holy Spirit genuinely wants to give gifts through you, and you're already disciplining yourself in love, then it makes sense to raise your desire and expectation for God to work.

3. Aim to Excel in Gifts That Build Others Up

"Since you are eager for gifts of the Spirit, try to excel in those that build up the church." - 1 Corinthians 14:12

This is about raising expectations, not just for spiritual experiences, but for results. The word "edification" comes from the idea of building an edifice, a structure. When the church gathers, we should expect to come away better than before we arrived. That takes practice and intentionality.

4. Turn Your Gift Toward Others

Paul gives a specific example in verse 13: anyone who speaks in tongues should pray for the ability to interpret. The principle is broader than just tongues. If you have a spiritual experience or gift that is only benefiting you, look for ways to turn it toward helping others. That is what love looks like in practice.

5. Don't Be Childish in Your Thinking

"Brothers and sisters, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil, be infants, but in your thinking be adults." - 1 Corinthians 14:20

Mature thinking means being willing to take a risk and being willing to turn whatever the Holy Spirit gives you toward the good of others, not just your own private benefit.

What Does the Bible Mean by "Speaking in Tongues"?

Paul uses the phrase "speaking in tongues" fifteen times in this one chapter. To understand it, it helps to look back at Acts 2, where the crowd heard the disciples "telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God." - Acts 2:11

Pulling together all the evidence from 1 Corinthians 14, speaking in tongues appears to be:

  • Speech directed toward God, not toward other people
  • Not understood by others without someone articulating its meaning
  • Personally edifying to the one speaking
  • Potentially confusing or isolating to others in the room
  • Something Paul himself practiced regularly
  • A signal of judgment to outsiders who don't understand what's happening

A simple way to describe it: tongues is a vocal expression of a deep, Spirit-stirred longing toward God. The longing to know Him, to see His kingdom come, to be free of this broken world. It's that kind of longing put into sound.

Paul's concern isn't that tongues is bad. He says clearly, "I would like every one of you to speak in tongues." - 1 Corinthians 14:5. His concern is that when it happens in a gathered community without any explanation, it leaves people feeling like outsiders. It doesn't build anyone else up.

So if the Spirit is giving this gift through you, don't suppress it. But also ask God for the words to explain what's happening so that others can be built up alongside you.

What Is Prophecy and Can Anyone Do It?

Paul holds up prophecy as the better alternative for gathered worship because it tends to build up the body of Christ more directly. A simple definition: prophecy is speaking to a situation or an audience on God's behalf.

It can be spontaneous, but it doesn't have to be. What matters is what is said, not who said it or how impressively it was delivered.

What Prophecy Looks Like in Practice

Based on 1 Corinthians 14, prophecy is:

  • Directed toward people in intelligible language
  • Capable of producing edification, encouragement, and comfort
  • Sometimes new revelation, sometimes applying what is already known
  • Able to expose and examine people's inner lives
  • Available to all believers, not just leaders or trained ministers
Common Misconceptions About Prophecy
  1. Prophecy doesn't have to be spontaneous. God can bring something to mind while you're reading, praying, or journaling, and you carry it with you until the right moment to share it.
  2. Prophecy doesn't usually predict the future. More often, it speaks into a present situation with God's perspective.
  3. Prophecy isn't perfectly right or completely wrong in a black-and-white sense. Because humans are involved, there's room for misunderstanding or adding our own spin. That's why Paul says we test everything.
  4. And perhaps most importantly: you don't need a seminary degree, a perfect track record, or a dramatic spiritual experience to prophesy. Paul says plainly that all believers can prophesy. God wants to use ordinary people to build up His people.

How Do You Actually Start Pursuing These Gifts?

The principle is simple but challenging: to experience more, you have to practice more. If you keep doing what you've always done, you'll keep getting the same results.

A practical starting point is to pray for someone with a specific question in mind: "Lord, what do you want to do in them and for them?" Then pay attention to what comes to mind. Ask God whether you should keep praying privately or share what you're sensing. Then humble yourself and try to build that person up.

The goal is never just to have something to say. The goal is that the other person is genuinely built up. Watch for results. That's how you know the Spirit is working.

Life Application

This week, choose one person in your life and intentionally pray for them with this question: "Lord, what do you want to do in them and for them?" Sit with that question. Write down what comes to mind. Then decide, with humility, whether to keep praying or to share an encouraging word with that person. Take the risk of trying to build someone up in a way that goes beyond your normal comfort zone.

As you reflect on this, consider asking yourself:

  • Am I forming my views on spiritual gifts from Scripture, or mostly from my past experiences?
  • Am I pursuing love as an active discipline, or am I waiting for it to come naturally?
  • When I think about the Holy Spirit working through me, am I focused on the experience itself or on the results it produces in others?
    - Is there someone in my life right now who needs to be built up, and am I willing to be the one God uses to do it?