Are You Using It Right? | Dr Dharius Daniels | Sermon Notes — Hello Pastor

Sermon Notes

Are You Using It Right?

Dr Dharius Daniels

Change Church • Dec 14, 2023 • 66 min

Start a Devotional

Take this message with you through a journey of Scripture, reflection, and prayer.

Summary

In this message, Dr. Dharius Daniels explains how believers can properly understand and operate in their God-given spiritual gifts rather than living on only two-thirds of their potential through talent and skills alone. Examining Romans 12 and Matthew 7:6, he warns against spiritual intoxication—such as pride, fear, and unresolved trauma—which distorts our perspective of God and ourselves. Believers are called to remember that spiritual gifts belong to the body of Christ and require spiritual discernment before deployment.

Themes

Spiritual GiftsSpiritual DiscernmentHealing from DisappointmentPride and HumilityStewardship of GiftsOvercoming Trauma

Key Points

1.
Operating without spiritual gifts means living on only two-thirds of your God-given potential.
2.
Ignorance is one of the enemy's primary weapons, defined not just as an absence of information, but as the lack or mismanagement of accurate truth.
3.
The enemy's escalation tactic moves from trying to make believers bad, to making them blind, to clouding their vision with blurriness.
4.
Spiritual sobriety requires freedom from being intoxicated by pride, entitlement, fear, or past trauma.
5.
Your spiritual gift belongs to the body of Christ, meaning personal offense or anger should never cause you to withhold it.
6.
God's work in a generation is not dependent on one person; if we refuse to steward our gifts, God will find someone else who offers a willing 'yes.'
7.
Believers must exercise spiritual discernment before deployment, ensuring they do not throw holy things before those unprepared to receive them.
8.
Unmanaged disappointment and trauma cause people either to withhold their gifts entirely or to deploy them indiscriminately without wisdom.

Sermon Moments

“If you got this far on two-thirds of your potential, what's about to happen when you really get aware of and know how to fully make use of your spiritual gift?”

“Ignorance refers to the absence of accurate information. It is not just the lack of information period, it is the lack of accurate information.”

“If the enemy can't make us bad, he tries to make us blind. And if he can't make us blind, he tries to make us blur.”

“I can't get you effective until I get you sober... sobriety means I'm not intoxicated by pride, entitlement, or fear.”

“The only reason you stop using your gift when you're mad is because you think it's yours.”

“I always want you to remember, Dharius: you ain't nothing but a season.”

“Discernment before deployment. Neither give that which is holy to the dogs, nor cast your pearls before swine.”

“Salvation is free, but the anointing is not.”

This Week

Evaluate where you may be relying only on natural talent and skills, and invite the Holy Spirit to activate your spiritual gifts.

Examine your heart for spiritual intoxication, such as pride, fear, or entitlement, that distorts your perspective and hinders gift usage.

Identify any unresolved pain or past disappointment that has caused you to withhold your gifts from serving others.

Practice spiritual discernment before deploying your time, wisdom, and energy into every request or situation.

Shift your mindset from ownership to stewardship, recognizing that your spiritual gift exists for the benefit of the body of Christ.

Commit faithfully to a local spiritual family where your gifts can serve and build up fellow believers.

Surrender the need to control outcomes or prove yourself, trusting God with your season of assignment and placement.

Remember This

Spiritual gifts do not belong to us for personal ownership, but to the body of Christ, requiring spiritual sobriety and discernment to steward them effectively.

A Challenge for You

Do not let unmanaged disappointment or past pain cause you to withhold the spiritual gifts God gave you for the body of Christ; invite the Holy Spirit to heal your heart and give you discernment before deployment.

These are personal sermon notes shared to help you remember the message — not a replacement for Scripture, your church, or your pastors.