Transcription
Lord, we give you thanks. We give you praise. Thank you for your faithfulness and thank you for this time in your presence to receive your word. Let the word bring understanding, inside transformation, and direction unto your people. In Jesus' name, we pray.
You're welcome to the presence of the Lord. And today, we will share on the closing, the third and closing part on our teaching on how to discover your talent and special abilities. In Proverbs chapter 18, verse 16, King James Version, the Bible says, "A man's gift makes way for him and brings him before great men." In Proverbs chapter 22, verse 29, New King James fashion, the Bible says, "Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings. He shall not stand before mean men."
And in the preceding part, we've shared on some very effective keys, or signals, and clues that helps you to recognize and discover your area of talent, your area of gifting, and some aspects of your personal strengths. In this closing part, we want to share on two more of these keys, two more of these signals, two more of these signs and clues, and also certain steps you must take in order to utilize your talent to the very optimum.
We've shared on eight of the signs and clues. And so, clue number nine of your talent, your possible area of talent, number nine tells us about a strong character trait, a natural attitude that is obvious and consistent. A strong natural trait or a natural attitude that is obvious and consistent. Talents are your natural re-, your current patterns of thoughts, feeling, or behavior. What character trait or personal attitude people observe consistently about certain people, sometimes could be a clue. Just the presence of some ability, sometimes an endowment or a talent, even in the life of that person. It could be an extreme, obvious, or reoccurring character trait. And some of them include, for instance, a strong will, strong willpower, courage. Sometimes we could observe a very consistent and strong manifestation of a trade of bravery about selling in certain people. Sometimes what could be observed is that that man, that woman is fearless. Sometimes it could be your firmness, a spartan spirit, absolute loyalty, extremely secretive, extremely protective, a strong instinct. These are natural traits that could be seen in the lives of certain men and women. And sometimes, not all the time, it could be indicative of the presence of a divine endowment in the realm of a talent, a special ability, or personal strength in that person.
When a particular personal trait manifests at a very extreme level, and this also goes on consistently in the life of that man or woman, it could, in certain instances, be indicative of the presence of a particular special ability relative to what has been observed. So, you'll discover that in certain activities of life, in setting roles, in setting jobs, in certain offices and positions where someone with this kind of trait will be an asset, then finding some of these persons who naturally flow so well in these desired virtues or traits will just be the perfect fit for that role, office, or assignment. So, you ask yourself certain questions: What do you discern as a major area of strength in your character? What do you design as a major area of strength in your personality? It could be a clue to your area of talent and special ability.
And then, number 10: Public recognition and patronage. Evidently, if truly you are talented and gifted, in the process of time, as you develop that talent, as you cultivate that gift, that ability, you will come to a point where you attain a level of expertise and mastery. This begins to attract public recognition, public confirmation, and public appreciation. And ultimately, this would, in many instances, lead to public patronage of that gift, that talent, or ability in you. When you are talented, you observe that you'll be invited to do a particular thing over and over again. You'll be nominated, selected, appointed to do a particular thing over and over again. Everywhere you find yourself, you're always nominated to do that, to play that particular role, handle that particular duty. You'll be called upon to do that particular thing. And in most instances, it will be different from the job you do or the business you do. Eventually, your talent could and should ultimately even lead you to create a stream of income, a job, or business in connection with it. But initially, your talent may not be exactly related to what is your main source of income, your main job, or business. You will observe that people keep on making a request for your service, even though that is not what you offer as your service or product.
Whenever there is a special program coming up and people have been given different roles to play, you will observe over time that there is something in particular you are always preferably above others asked to do or asked to under. That could be indicative of your area of talent, your area of ability. And you see, with time, as you'll perfect your skills in this area of talent, it will, in some instances, come to a point where your services are so much in demand that people will be ready to go a long distance, very long distance, in order to assess you. People will be ready to wait for a very long time in order to benefit and assess what you have to offer. And you are going to also observe that the service you render, offer, will always be booked for you. You will enjoy multiple requests that will keep on coming over and over. And you observe that is coming in some particular, in some particular area or for some specialized area.
So, you need to ask yourself these questions: What are the things you are normally invited to do over and over again, not just because you are available, but based on your past quality performance? In first summer chapter 16, verse 14 to 20, we could see the young boy David, who was very good at playing the musical instrument, being recommended to King Saul based on his past quality performance on that musical instrument. What exactly have you been repeatedly nominated, selected, or appointed to do from time to time? Why you and not any other available person? By the time people are available to do something, people are accessible for a particular thing that needs to be done, and then you are still preferred, you are still sought after, even though you are not available, even though initially they couldn't access you, they prefer to wait until they get across to you, then there must be something about you, something good about you in that area. Sometimes it could be traced to the presence of a talent, a special ability in you relative to what we're talking about. Apart from your main job, what else are you generally known for doing very well? And like was said earlier, in what area do people still patronize you despite the higher price they have to pay? In what area will do people still patronize you despite the longer distance they have to go in order to get across to you, in order to have access to your service? In what area do people still patronize you despite the longer time they have to wait in order to get your product or your service? In what type of service do you enjoy consistent and multiple bookings and requests and invitations?
So, these are signs. These are clues of your area of talent, your area of special ability, and your personal strength. And so, in closing it up, what must you do now? Number one: Your talents and special abilities must be discovered. And when it comes to, take note of this, when it comes to certain talents, the earlier the discovery, the better. And that is why, please, every parent listening to this message, one of the responsibilities you have as a parent is to be observant and make quality observations and discoveries of what is a possible talent, ability in the life of your child. The earlier the discovery, the better, because from a much younger age, very early in the day, you can begin to expose that child, expose yourself to trainings that will further develop the quality of what you have been blessed with. And also, talking about early discovery of your talent, have it in mind that certain talents have a time span of effectiveness, after which you begin to see diminution returns. For instance, football skills. It's been observed that by the time most footballers cross the age of 30 and then eventually to the age of 35, they no longer have the strength and energy required to exhale with whatever skill they have in that game.
Number two: Your talent and skills must be utilized. First Timothy chapter 4, verse 14: "No gift of God in your life must be dominant." You must put that God-given gift in you into into action. Put it into use. Acts chapter 3, verse 6: Peter speaking at the gate of the temple, said, "And God, I have not, but that which I have, I give unto you." Your talent is one of those things God has freely given unto you. Your special ability is one of those things God has freely given unto you. Use it. Use it. You must leverage on your talents, leverage on your special abilities. Sometimes those opportunities that will not come to you in life based on your educational qualification, based on your professional training, those doors will open as you put your talent and ability to use. Your area of exceptional ability and expertise must never be dormant. You must ensure it's being utilized, even if discretely. You must ensure it's been utilized, even if for the benefit, even just for the benefit of one person. It must never be determined. Your talent must never be dormant. Your special ability must never be demand.
And number three: The potential of your talent must be optimized. There's an interesting story in Second Kings chapter 4, verse 1 to 7. Second Kings chapter 4, verse 1 to 7, where the widow was boarding with a huge debt problem that she inherited from her late husband, and the creditors had come to seize the two sons. And when she cried out to the man of God, Elisha, he asked her, "What do you have in the house?" And she said, "Nothing, but just a little jar of oil." And he said, "Okay, go get it." And he gave her instructions, and the miraculous power of God was deployed into manifestation in favor of that widow. Now, the man of God told her to go get empty vessels. And the magnitude of the miracle, the magnitude of the world that what she was going to have access to from that miracle was going to be determined by the number of vessels she was able to assess within that short time. And so, she went, she came back with vessels. But take note of this, if, for instance, she had come back with a million vessels, then when the miracle started happening, that widow would have had a million vessels of oil. This applies to different opportunities that God could bring away. In the same vein, you must consistently use the potentials of your talent to the very optimum.
And then number four: Willingly serve and minister to people with your talent, with your gift. Freely you have received, freely give. Subsequently, there is a point where there will be undisputable approval of the quality of what you do and the quality of what you offer. And at that point in time, you could take it to another level. But at the beginning, willingly serve, minister to people with your gift. Joseph was blessed with a gift of interpretation of dreams. He did not wait for people to ask him. When he saw the opportunity, especially when it played out so closely around him, he rose up to the occasion. In the prison, when he saw the two prisoners, the chief baker and the chief butler, butler of Pharaoh, sad in the dre-, in the in the in the cell as a result of the dreams they had, they were worried because they couldn't interpret their dream. Joseph, knowing the gift of God in him, told them to share the dream, having that confidence that by reason of that grace of God upon him, he could interpret it. And to the glory of God, he was able to interpret their dreams correctly. So, learn to willingly serve with your talent, serve with your gift, serve with that beautiful voice you have, serve with that special trait in your character or personality, and God will bless you as you do so. And subsequently, it will move up to another level.
In closing, there are some potential areas of application. One, you could train people in the areas where you have exceptional knowledge. Two, you could identify certain problems that people and organizations face in the area that you have exceptional wisdom, develop a solution, and sell it to such affected people or organizations. And number three, you could document your observations in your area of exceptional knowledge and wisdom, thereafter publish it in magazines or a book, and many have done this. Number four, you could act as an advisor to people or organizations in the area where you have exceptional knowledge and wisdom. And then five, you can act as a coach or a mentor to people in the areas that you have exceptional wisdom.
"A man's gift makes way for him and brings him before great men." "Show me a man who excels in his walk, he will stand before kings." He will not stand before obscure men. You are destined for a much higher height and a much higher level of relevance and impact than your current level. As you begin to engage, as you begin to develop, as you begin to utilize your God-given talents, special abilities, new doors will open, making you a blessing to so many people and making you more relevant and impactful in your time. And so, yeah.
And let us pray. Our Father and our God, we thank you for the insight. We thank you for the war that has come forth. And we pray that you will activate, activate, oh Lord, every gift, every talent, every ability in the lives of your sons and daughters. Lord, let that gift, that talent, that ability be activated now. And Lord, we pray that you will even take it, the manifestation, the use of that gift, to a new level. We pray that you will also open greater doors, bigger doors for your sons and daughters who are already using their gifts and talent. Open, Lord, new doors for them to begin to use them to impact a greater multitude of lives, to impact their generation, to solve problems, provide solutions, and be a blessing to their generation. Thank you, Lord, for blessing your sons and daughters with that particular gift, talent, and ability that is obviously in them. To you be all the glory in Jesus' name. So arise and shine with your talent and special abilities. Arise and make impact with your talent and special abilities. Arise and make greater impact, for this is your time, this is your generation, this is your season, using your talents and special abilities. God bless you in Jesus' name.