The spiritual gift of exhortation is a much-needed gift in the church, especially among the men. Women have the natural gift of encouragement and I believe the Lord uses those more accepting of it to give the gift of exhortation. In the Greek, exhortation means “a calling of someone alongside to help. Tyndale dictionary says that the same Greek word may include the idea of consoling and comforting, depending on the context.
In Luke 3:7-18, we see exhortation in the context of inciting or spurring someone on. John the Baptist is exhorting them to repent and be baptized, to bear fruit, share their food and clothes with the poor, and to be happy and content with their current wages. John was exhorting them to be more Christ-like which probably was encouraging to all present further populating the Kingdom of Heaven.
As I have reiterated throughout this series, spiritual gifts are for the encouragement of the Church, exhortation is no different (Romans 12:8). Exhortation can be one of the results of the gift of prophecy being used right )1 Corinthians 14:3;31). In 1 Timothy 4:13 we can also see the gift of teaching, if used properly, can bring exhortation.
As far as the consoling and comforting context. we should look to 2 Corinthians 1:3-7. In this passage it is clear that God comforts his kids in times of suffering, and those with the gift of exhortation should be doing the same to suffering believers. Also, Acts 15:31 demonstrates the clear exhortation that took place at the council in Jerusalem.
So, we see that exhortation can take place through different spiritual gifts. The gift of exhortation can be used to too incite somebody on to do something that will produce spiritual maturity, or exhortation can be seen through the consoling or comforting of someone in the Church that needs it.
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