What are you Called to Do?: The Difference Between Gifts and Talents

I touched on this briefly in our earlier segment but will expound on it a little more today so you can understand your purpose more clearly.

When people are born they are born with talents. Everyone on earth has a talent. A talent is an ability to perform a certain task. For instance, a person can have the talent to sing. This means that the person with this talent will need training, schooling etc. to build their talent. Now, there are some people who are uniquely talented and may not need to go to school, but they are not gifted, they are talented.

What’s the difference you ask? The difference lies in the new birth. Only born again Christians are given gifts.

Romans 12:4-8 – 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. Having then gifts differing according to the grace THAT IS GIVEN TO US, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth , on teaching; 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.

See that? The key is that the gifts are GIVEN to the BODY OF CHRIST. Here are some gifts that are given by God when we come into the new birth: Prophecy, service (ministry), teaching, exhorting, giving, leadership (ruling), and mercy.

God gives us gifts so we can use them in the body of Christ to help bring people into the kingdom of God, deliver them from the snare of the enemy and set people free. We are to use our gifts to glorify God and Him only. Talents can be used for the devil. There are many people who get rich and profit off their talents. However, if you use your gift for the enemy’s purposes God WILL snatch it from you and give it to someone else. The bible says that God wanted to give Saul the kingdom forever, but because he consistently lied and abused his office, God took the kingdom from him and gave it to David. Yes, God does not play when it comes to kingdom business!

Another difference between gifts and talents is the anointing. Talents are not anointed, gifts are anointed. Anointing makes your gift effective. The less anointing, the less effective your gift will be. It is only the anointing that will destroy the yoke. Isaiah 10:27 - And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing. A yoke is a type of bondage or imprisonment. Millions of people live in bondage everyday. But talking will not deliver them. Community programs will not deliver them. Only your anointed gift will deliver them.

Let me explain what the anointing is. The anointing consists of these ingredients: Approval from God (which ignites your gift), favor (which allows doors to be open so you can use your gift), skill (the manner in which your gift is consistently used); character (which helps solidify your gift) and most importantly, suffering (which brings strength, effectiveness, and accuracy to your gift). See, talents don’t require these ingredients.

Now, don’t get me wrong. There are thousands upon thousands of people who are talented. Some use their talents for “good” others use their talents for “evil”. However, talents yield no rewards in heaven. They are strictly used for earthly purposes. So, you can be a giver and give all your money to the poor, but if your giving is not for the Kingdom of God your works will burn in the fire!

This is why God said that our righteousness is as filthy rags (an Old Testament word for a used maxi pad). Our “good works” apart from God mean absolutely nothing. Those of us who are born again must direct or gifts for Godly purposes. No matter what your gift is, you must use it for the Kingdom of God. I know I keep saying this but I can’t say it enough. I’ve said this before as well; many folks look to gain money, power and notoriety from their gifts. This must not be your focus. Souls are to be your focus. If God chooses to grant you with those things, they too will be used for the kingdom.

Next: Consequences for Not Using Your Gift.