Why They Are Called Spiritual Gifts

One of the deepest revelations the Holy Spirit has given me about spiritual gifts is that no man can truly walk with God from the flesh.

The flesh may attempt, the flesh may try, the flesh may pretend to be spiritual, but the flesh can never produce anything that pleases God. This is why many believers struggle.

They want to serve God, but they want to serve Him from the flesh. They want to pray, but they want to pray from the flesh. They want to worship, but they want to worship from the flesh.

But Jesus settled this matter long ago when He said,
“God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”
(John 4:24 KJV)

This is where the mystery of spiritual gifts comes in. Spiritual gifts were given
to empower the spirit of a man so that he can rise above the limitations of the
flesh. And this leads us to the key question of this article:

Why Are They Called Spiritual Gifts?

They are called spiritual gifts because they come from God, who is Spirit, and they are given to strengthen, empower, and uphold the human spirit so it can rule over the flesh and fulfill the will of God both spiritually and physically.

The Origin of Spiritual Gifts Is the Spirit of God

The first thing every believer must understand is this:
Spiritual gifts are not manufactured on earth.
They are not created by pastors, bishops, prophets, or apostles. They are not
generated by human effort. They are not activated by physical methods or
intellectual intelligence.

Spiritual gifts come directly from God, and because God is Spirit, whatever comes
from Him is spiritual by nature.

The Bible clearly says:
“Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 12:4 KJV)

The gifts are spiritual because their Source is spiritual. And anything that comes
from the Spirit carries the nature of the Spirit.

The Human Flesh Is Too Weak to Serve God

One major reason God gave spiritual gifts is because the flesh cannot carry the weight
of divine assignments. The flesh is weak, corrupt, and easily influenced by darkness.
Jesus Himself said to His disciples:
“The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (Matthew 26:41 KJV)

The flesh can pray for five minutes and get tired.
The flesh can read the Bible for ten minutes and start sleeping.
The flesh can receive a revelation and immediately lose it.
The flesh can start a spiritual journey and abandon it after two days.

This weakness is not because the believer is unserious—it is because the flesh
was never designed to power spiritual realities. Only the spirit can handle the
things of the Spirit.

This is why God gives spiritual gifts:
to empower the spirit so the flesh will no longer be the one controlling the believer.

The Corruption of the Flesh Requires the Power of the Spirit

The Bible teaches that the flesh is naturally opposed to God. Paul revealed this
deep mystery when he wrote:
“Because the carnal mind is enmity against God…” (Romans 8:7 KJV)

This means that anyone attempting to serve God without spiritual empowerment is
already in spiritual conflict. The flesh drags them one way, God pulls them another
way. This battle continues until the spirit becomes stronger than the flesh.

Spiritual gifts are given to ensure that the spirit takes dominance, because unless
the spirit rises above the flesh, a believer cannot walk in obedience, cannot walk
in holiness, and cannot walk in purpose.

Why the Spirit Must Rule the Flesh

The flesh was created from the dust, and to dust it will return. But the spirit
came from God and will return to God who gave it. That means the flesh has
temporary strength, but the spirit has eternal capacity.

If a believer allows the flesh to rule over the spirit, the person will live a
life of weakness, confusion, and spiritual blindness. But when the spirit rules,
the person becomes aligned with God’s will. That alignment is what produces
spiritual gifts in manifestation.

Paul said:
“Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.”
(Galatians 5:16 KJV)

Walking in the Spirit is not possible without the empowerment of the Spirit—and that
empowerment comes through spiritual gifts.

How Spiritual Gifts Help the Flesh Fulfill God’s Will

Many people don’t understand that spiritual gifts are not only for spiritual matters.
They also help the believer succeed in physical assignments.

For example:

The gift of wisdom helps the believer make correct decisions in life.
The gift of discernment protects the believer from wrong relationships and spiritual attacks.
The gift of faith strengthens the believer to face challenges that ordinary human strength cannot handle.
The gift of prophecy gives direction that helps a believer avoid mistakes.
The gift of healing helps overcome physical oppression.

So even the flesh benefits when the spirit is empowered.
This is why they are called spiritual gifts—they come from God to strengthen your
spirit, and when your spirit is strengthened, your physical life becomes aligned
with God’s purpose.

Examples From Scripture

1. Jesus

Jesus operated entirely by the Spirit. The Bible says:
“God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.” (John 3:34 KJV)

Everything Jesus did—from miracles to teachings to casting out demons—came from
the empowerment of the Spirit. His life shows that spiritual assignments require
spiritual ability.

2. The Apostles

The apostles were ordinary men until the Spirit came upon them.
Before the gifts came, they were fearful. After the gifts came, they were bold.
Before the gifts came, they were confused. After the gifts came, they had revelation.
Before the gifts came, they hid from persecution. After the gifts came, they confronted it.

What changed?
Their spirits became empowered above their flesh.

Why You Must Depend More on Your Spirit Than Your Flesh

A believer who depends solely on the flesh will struggle with sin, fear, confusion,
and spiritual weakness. But a believer who depends on the spirit will operate in
authority, boldness, clarity, and divine strength.

Spiritual gifts help you make that transition from flesh-dependence to
spirit-dependence. They lift your spiritual capacity so that your walk with God
becomes stable and victorious.

Interlinking With Related Articles

For deeper understanding on spiritual gifts, read the main pillar on discovering, developing and activating spiritual gifts and also the following related articles:

Final Word

They are called spiritual gifts because they come from the Spirit, they empower
the spirit, and they help the spirit to rule over the flesh. Without spiritual
gifts, the believer will remain weak and unable to walk in divine purpose.

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