From family support work to real estate businesses and social media, Beryn Orera speaks to three Christians about exercising discernment in the workplace, prayer in public and the challenge of living out faith in the everyday
Take a moment and consider this question: What are your God-given gifts and when did you last use them?
In today’s highly secular world, using spiritual gifts such as prophecy, healing or discernment outside of church services can feel daunting. Many Christians wrestle with how to remain authentic in workplaces and communities that may misunderstand or resist expressions of faith. Yet Jesus calls His followers to be “the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14), bringing His presence into every sphere of life.
In accordance with this calling, some Christians are choosing to let their light shine by using their God-given gifts in their businesses, communities and on social media.
SerenaL
For much of her childhood, Serena was shy and struggled to fit in. She also experienced strange dreams and visions since the age of eight, which left her feeling confused and searching for answers. Then, during a church service she attended with her family aged twelve, she felt a strong inner prompting to walk to the front. Serena gave her life to Christ. From that point on, she gained a profound sense of clarity as she realised that God had known her deeply all along.
After her conversion, Serena began integrating her faith into every area of her life. While working as a positive behaviour support (PBS) family practitioner and a special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) neurodiversity advocate, she says she often feels prompted by the Holy Spirit to pray for the families she supports.
“I once met an autistic boy during a house visit who said he was seeing and hearing things and, with that, I believed something was happening within the home. So I prayed over the family for safety and protection,” she said. “Later, the family began to understand their child more and were able to respond more effectively.”
Serena says she does not disclose what she perceives spiritually unless a parent brings it up. When encountering families who do not share her beliefs, she navigates these spaces with professionalism and spiritual wisdom, demonstrating her faith through her actions.
Living out her faith in secular environments has not been without challenges. “I have experienced spiritual oppression. In one encounter, I could not sleep for weeks after visiting a family home,” Serena said.
“I also recall sharing my faith on social media and, afterwards, experiencing repeated nightmares and struggling to sleep for weeks.”
She added that some people try to take advantage of her kindness when they learn about her faith, but she has now learned to set healthy boundaries.
She encourages Christians to build a close relationship with God if they want to use their gifts effectively to serve Him. “It is important to regularly read the Bible, interpret the scriptures for yourself, pray and meditate on God’s word,” she said.
“Also, remember that anything can become a distraction when you are trying to grow closer to God, including your phone or even sleep, and you need to find ways to navigate that. I struggle with reading the Bible but I find listening to scripture more effective.”
Jesitta Hagan
“People often think business is about data and faith is about intuition. However, I have learned that when you invite God into the boardroom, your intuition becomes an asset that no spreadsheet can match,” Hagan says.
Raised by her parents, the founders and head pastors of City of God Ekkelisa, Hagan learned the biblical principles of leadership and how to practically use spiritual gifts such as discernment from an early age.
Today, these formative lessons continue to shape the success of her business ventures: Arise Estates Pro, a luxury real estate firm and Arise Pro Business, an organisation that equips women globally to scale their enterprises and master high-ticket strategies.
Hagan rarely preaches with words. Instead, she demonstrates her faith through the transparency of her data, the unmatched standard of her output and her unique ability to bring supernatural peace into high-pressure environments.
She often draws on spiritual gifts such as discernment and healing to navigate complex situations. “I once advised a client to walk away from a ‘trophy’ real estate deal that looked perfect on paper,” she says. “While competitors saw an opportunity, I sensed a legal ‘cloud’ surrounding the asset.”
“Despite my clear warnings, the client chose to move forward. Three months later, the deal collapsed and the client suffered great financial loss.”
Hagan says she has learned to distinguish between human emotion and genuine spiritual prompting when making decisions. If a decision brings a sense of profound, quiet clarity even when external circumstances are chaotic, she knows it is a prompt from the Holy Spirit. She also leans heavily on the wisdom of her parents.
For Hagan, bringing healing into the workplace means restoring people, relationships and systems to their intended, healthy state. This can include offering a brief prayer for a colleague under pressure or identifying the root cause of a business breakdown.
In today’s hypercompetitive business environment, where decisions are often driven by data and profit, Hagan’s approach is occasionally met with scepticism. However, instead of arguing with sceptics, she focuses on remaining excellent. With time, she has observed that people stop questioning her ‘how’ and start respecting her ‘why’.
Zacharias Uribarri
Uribarri was raised in a Christian home, and aged 23, gave his life to Christ. Today, he runs a charity called Souls & Soles, which helps people with wellbeing through hikes and runs, and uses the capital raised to fund infrastructure projects around the world. “On one such hike, money raised funded the construction of two wells in Malawi,” Uribarri tells me.
On a typical day, Uribarri can be found online sharing Bible verses with his 70k+ Instagram followers. One video centred on Romans 8:18 received a strong response from his audience: “The pain you have been feeling cannot compare to the joy that is coming.”
“Many times, people have reached out to say that I helped them come out of difficult situations, such as job losses, through what I posted or preached and that brings me a lot of satisfaction,” he says.
Uribarri also explains that when people respond with hostility, he exercises discernment and may choose to step away. Nonetheless, he views such moments as opportunities to share his beliefs.
“I have spoken to people about my faith, planted a seed and slowly they begin to read their Bibles, come to church and then give their lives to Christ,” he says.
“Keep trusting in God and you will see the fruits of that in your life because that is what I have experienced since I decided to follow Jesus,” he adds.
Whether in boardrooms, family homes or online spaces, Hagan, Serena and Uribarri demonstrate that exercising your spiritual gifts should not be confined to within church walls. Christians can use their God-given abilities to serve others, navigate challenges and reflect Christ in everyday life.
