21 Days of Prayer

by Rev James M. Armpriester, Jr 

Spiritual Gifts & Empowerment

(1 Corinthians 12–14; Ephesians 4:11–13)

Welcome to Day 15 of 21 Days of Prayer

The Equipping of Every Believer

We have spent the last few days praying for the church’s global mission. Today, we turn inward to the engine that fuels that mission: the Spiritual Gifts given by the Holy Spirit. 

Every single believer has been equipped with gifts—and the church becomes powerful when those gifts are discovered, developed, and released.

The core truth is that the gifts are not for personal benefit alone, but for corporate strength:

1 Corinthians 12:4–7 (ESV):
“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord… To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.”

We are also commanded to passionately desire these gifts, always prioritizing love:

1 Corinthians 14:1 (ESV):
“Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy.”

These gifts—from prophecy and healing to teaching, serving, and administration—are distributed so that the body can mature and grow:

Ephesians 4:11–13 (ESV):
“And He gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ…”

The purpose of the spiritual gifts is fundamentally relational and strategic:

• Not ego, but edification (building up others).
• Not attention, but advancement of the Kingdom.
• Not chaos, but clarity and strength.

The gifts build the body, they strengthen the church, and most importantly, they reveal Jesus and His power to the world.

Your 21-Day Prayer Focus: Day 15

Today, we are praying for a widespread awakening of the Holy Spirit’s gifts across TLC. Pray specifically for these three things:

• For Awakening and Discovery: Pray that the Holy Spirit would awaken gifts that have been dormant, neglected, or undiscovered within our congregation. Ask God to give individuals clarity on how He has uniquely equipped them (e.g., teaching, mercy, leadership, prophecy).

• For Boldness and Humility in Operation: Pray for a spirit of boldness to step out and use the gifts, coupled with a spirit of humility to learn and be corrected. Pray for a culture where the gifts are operated in unity and love (1 Corinthians 14:1), avoiding misuse or chaos.

• For the Gifts of Power: Pray specifically for the operation of the gifts of healing, miracles, and discernment to increase across our campuses. Ask God to use these power gifts to reveal Jesus to the spiritually hungry and to strengthen the faith of our church.

Your Action Step for Today

• Action: Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the gifts He has placed in you. Then, ask Him to show you one specific way you can use that gift—big or small—to build up the body of Christ today.
• Confession: Say this out loud:
  “Holy Spirit, empower Your gifts in me. I pursue love, and I desire to be used to build up the body of Christ. Make me bold, make me humble, and use me for the common good.”

Walk today with expectation: A Spirit-empowered church is a church that makes a difference.