GIFTED
BY THE SPIRIT
Discover. Discern. Deploy.
Discovering Your Gifts. Developing Your Gifts.
September 27, 2026
Scripture
John 21:15–17, 20–22
2 Timothy 1:2–7
WHERE IS YOUR HEART?
What makes your heart hurt?
What does your heart good?
The Big Idea
“Discovering our spiritual gifts starts with our hearts.”
Peter's Journey
Peter's path was not a straight line.
Fisherman → Disciple → Apostle → Leader
Peter made mistakes, misunderstood Jesus, failed, learned, and grew.
Jesus never lost sight of Peter's heart or Peter's calling.
How Do We Discover Our Gifts?
Listen to your heart.
Pay attention to the passions, needs, and people that move you.
Listen to others.
Mentors, teachers, and trusted friends may see gifts in you that you cannot yet see.
Try them on.
Sometimes we discover a gift simply by stepping out and using it.
Receive training and mentoring.
Gifts grow when others help us practice and develop them.
Gifts Grow in Community
We need to be known deeply enough that others can recognize our hearts and gifts.
We also need to know others well enough to encourage the gifts God has placed within them.
“We, as the family of Christ need to fan the flame of the gifts of God in each other.”
“Fan into flame the gift of God...”
— 2 Timothy 1:6
Developing Your Gifts
“The gift already exists. Timothy's and our responsibility is to cultivate it.”
Gifts grow through:
Attention
Practice
Training
Mentoring
Opportunities to serve
Jesus to Peter
“Feed my lambs.”
“Tend my sheep.”
“Feed my sheep.”
Jesus saw Peter's heart and helped Peter discover how that heart could become ministry.
A New Practice
Instead of simply asking:
“How are you?”
“How's it going?”
Ask: “Where is your heart today?”
Then stop and listen.
Reflect
Where is your heart today?
Who helps you recognize and develop your gifts?
Whose gifts are you helping to fan into flame?
DISCOVER. DISCERN. DEPLOY.
Fan into flame the gifts of God
in yourself and in one another.