I learned years ago by a teaching on the gifts of the body that my post was the Encourager...and many years have further confirmed it...how do I know? It's what I do! It's what I do all the time...in all environments. It's my heart to lift people up, also build people...not just generally in the Faith, but in their own particular callings! That's signifigant to me. By this I have learned more about who I am...what I have within me to offer, and seem to see that I can offer the most within the certain anointings or callings or gifts/talents God has put in me...and at same time...see that by helping other people to "recognize" who they are...well, let's put it this way....I saw once a very quiet, meek and humble man...who never hardly spoke in our all the time prayer meetings...the kind who then gets left out because he is so quiet we talk most to the more involved people...Amen? I saw him grow...and bloom into a man that had a healing ministry...before all this he wasn't even a passionate follower. His son, also similar to him, also concerned so about healing...had angelic visitation once, and the angel told him one thing..."Jesus said, is it easier for me to say thy sins be forgiven or take up your bed and walk?" God gave him an answer for his great concern.How do we know who we are? Sometimes a person or prophet comes along and tells us or "by the laying on of hands..." we receive some gift...or are made aware of it from God through someone...a prophet?Another way is to watch and notice what we do best or most or have such desire for...not always that "I wanna be a preacher!"...but is it a gut feeling that life somewhere gives confirmation of, or God? Someone said, "Desire is a manifestation of power, it is our talents seeking to express themselves." I think true...have had prophets tell me or lay on me callings that I already saw myself in or felt in my heart, etc...confirmation?Keeping in mind that the callings and gifts are for the edifying and building of the body, and not self glory, and also that we have potential to bring forth fruit from the talents we are given....Romans 12...Gift of:Ministry...alot of types of ministry...from Pastoring, teaching, leading, to many other things...who are we in ministry? What is our part? do it with diligence.Prophecy...this can be a sticky subject...we've talked about a true Prophet always being correct, his words or message always lead people to God and not away, always edify, exhort, can rebuke...some have gift of prophecy, perhaps not a a specific Office of Prophet...and many know do not understand and thus do not believe in tongues or prophetic messages of this sort...but..."with stammering lips and another tongue will I speak to this people," "When we know not what we ought to pray the Spirit itself "helps" us, with groanings and such...that cannot be utterred," to me it's simple...have prayed this way for years. The Baptist thought we went to the devil! But I still respect and love those Baptists today who stood my feet on the solid ground of Salvation by Grace. But...results happen when you pray by the spirit in this way...not knowing how to pray as you ought but the Spirit "gives utterance." The Spirit also gives utterance in groups like church...this is when there is supposed to be an interpreter..so that all may understand. As far as us always understanding what we are praying alone? It doesn't always matter...what matters is the Spirit is helping us and invisible things are being accomplished. We can get into scripture on this later...but there are those who have a prophetic calling...I feel God has enlightened me some on this...as I said before...a Desire that became a known gift....so I hungered for the knowledge...still learning by the "Teacher"....Holy Spirit...I don't understand as some I see...but do understand that it's out of your spirit where God is...that out of Love...things come that you feel such a compelling to say to people....not out of mind! but out of Spirit...love...it's another subject that deserves more depth....Teacher...people who are good at not preaching here...but teaching...patient...can make things line up for people with scripture and insight and revelation of what's being taught...and naturally these people enjoy helping people to be taught things...not just to hear things or be motivated or inspired...Giver...do it with "simplicity"...not letting the left hand know what the right is doing...always giving to people...for people...Mercy...a gift? apparently so. Do it with "cheerfullness". This and others can be a gift among many we have.I think there are endless gifts and callings...yet some clear and specific in the Church. Being an encourager I love to see people Recognize who they are, what's in them, what they have to give...to build the invisible Church..the body....I have seen even here differrent people who give differrent things...even on one subject they come from a differrent point of giving...I can't do justice to this right now...but it's thought for you...who are you? What do you give? What's your heart to give? What do you notice in your life that you always do? And then...we can't say that the foot isn't needful but only the head....right? All are necessary and all make the whole whole.We aren't all teachers or evangelists. So wait on our ministry whatever it is. siskim