Abilities are possessions owned by living and non living things.
• Sort of strength exist in all the creation as to enable the bearer to perform things or tasks that makes them unique.
Examples:-
- Humans have the ability to communicate, Think, imagine, visualize, plan and execute all their plans etc.
- Animals have their abilities which vary from one animal to another, generally all animals have unique abilities that are termed as survival skills.
- Trees have ability to grow, produce fruits, provide shade, and beautify the environment etc.
• According to the bible context, abilities are given by God.
Paul the apostle called by God, to make him (God) known to the gentile and preach the good news about his heavenly Kingdom to the entire universe; wrote to the Philippines church about the ability to do all things affirmatively as a result of power over the source of his strength.
Philippines 4:13 KJV
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
There is one main point in this text, "I can do all things through Christ which strengthened me".
So abilities are God given.
• Abilities are very useful and helpful to the bearers and the surrounding both living and none living things.
Example from humans in the bible who had helpfully used their God given abilities:
° Joseph: he used his God given ability to interpret dreams and saved the nation of Egypt from famine make Egypt the greatest on earth on that very time.
His family was saved from famine too, and he was promoted by the king of Egypt and he became a great man of his time because of using the God given ability.
° David: he used the musical ability of singing and helped the king Soul to get delivered from a demonic attack.
He used ability of strong believe in God and delivered the entire nation of Israel from the oppression of Philistines by killing the giant Goliath.
° Nehemiah: he used his ability visualize and planned properly on how to strategize for the restoration of Jerusalem and rebuild it from gain.
He also used the ability of communication to mobilize building material and laborers.
Source: YouTube
The above mentioned characters are few out of many people in the old testament that had helpfully used their God Given Abilities.
And in the new testament:
° Jesus: as a role model for Christian today, he helpfully used his God given ability to fulfill his purpose on earth by healing the sick, opening blind eyes, raising the lame to work and bringing dead back to life.
° Peter: as a follower of Jesus Christ who had closely learned and got spiritual impactation and received a unique anointing for the type of the ministry he was tasked to execute on earth before he died.
He helpfully used his God given ability, he stood on the Pentecost day to preach with power about Jesus and thousands of them received Christ as their lord and Savior.
He also used his God given ability to restore sight to a blind man seated in front of the temple at the entrance.
° Paul: the apostle of Christ Jesus by will of God called to preach the good news to the gentiles, also used the abilities God had given him and spread the gospel to many nation, performed many miracles and wrote many letters.
Not only in the Bible.
We also have many people in our recent days that have used their abilities in a marvelous way.
° Organizations:
World Health Organization, UNICEF, UNESCO, Governments etc.
All these organizations are able to use their abilities in transforming the life of people, develop rural areas to urban.
However, abilities can be used in negative, distractive ways which can lead to horrific disaster. Moreover nature has abilities which sometimes escalates disasters e.g. volcanic, tsunami, earthquakes etc.
The one of nature are uncontrollable only God answerable to such, the most interesting part of abilities are that they are all given to human by God.
Human are given the freedom to use or misuse their abilities depending on how best a person acknowledges his/her God given abilities.
There are some factors that leads to misuse of abilities:
• Ignorant: is the biggest factor contributing to misuse of abilities, that is the reason why prophet Hosea had no option rather than explaining the consequences of ignorant using the term lack of knowledge in the King James Bible Translation (KJV)
Hosea 4:6
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.
So, it’s not good to live your life lacking knowledge about the abilities God have given to you.
Always seek to know your own abilities, carryout a self discovery initiatives that make you discover more unknown abilities that are inside you.
Misuse of abilities makes you waste time, resources, energy on the wrong purposes that is worthless.
Thank you very much for stopping by to read my post, you're blessed.
https://genius.com/Hillsong-worship-god-is-able-lyrics
Song Lyrics
Acts 17:23
For as I passed by and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.
In this particular verse, Paul was pointing out one major thing that the gentiles did out of ignorance which is giving their whole hearted devotion to idols, a god who cant do any steerable help rather destroys.