Gifts and Fruit of The Spirit
I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification. 1 Corinthians 14:5
I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all; 1 Corinthians 14:18
Amongst fundamentalist Christians there is a great sacred debate about how the bible is the inspired word of God. God so guided the authors of Scripture as to enable them to write exactly the words which convey His truth to men, and in doing so preserved their judgements from error in the original manuscripts. The Word of God as given to us in the Bible is a product of two free agents, human and divine. Through (fallible) human authors, God manifested the infallible and errorless writings, which convey His messages. And then these fools reject the gifts of the Spirit including tongues that the inspired word of God says is necessary to the Christian life! Now that doesn’t make sense at all! Yet God’s word is unchanging:
And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples he said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" So they said to him, "We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit." And he said to them, "Into what then were you baptized?" So they said, "Into John's baptism." Then Paul said, "John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus." When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. Acts 19:1-6
Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification. 1 Corinthians 14:1-5
Many people have not learnt yet that soulish prayers are useless but prayers prayed in the Spirit are always answered by God because they orginate with God. God the Father knew we would not know how to pray as we ought, that is why he filled us with the Holy Ghost and gave us a prayer language, (Rom. 8:26,27). Some of our prayers are not answered because we ask improperly, but when we pray in tongues we know that we are praying according to the will of God. God’s word is unchanging:
Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:6-7
Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel. Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding. 1 corinthians 14:12-15
But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 1 Corinthians 12:7-10
God has called His people to walk in love and understanding. He wants them to be unified and in agreement because that is when they are most effective for the kingdom. But the enemy stirs up strife and confusion through foolish words from an uncontrolled tongue. God’s word is unchanging:
An ungodly man digs up evil, And it is on his lips like a burning fire. A perverse man sows strife, And a whisperer separates the best of friends. Proverbs 16:27-28
Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh. Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. James 3:10-18
Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered. 1 Peter 3:7
Yes divisions including between a man and wife hinder our prayers when we don’t walk in love and understanding. Our prayers are answered when we walk in the power of agreement and unity. We are called to walk worthy of our calling with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. We are called to balance the gift of the Spirit with the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. God’s word is unchanging:
Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. Galatians 5:19-26
Yes, the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, we must also walk in the Spirit, not in the flesh!
God has never planned nor intended that the gifts and fruit of the Spirit lay dormant in the lives of His people. When He gave them His only begotten Son, Jesus, and His wonderful counselor the Holy Spirit, He had planned that they would walk in love and adorn their lives with the single fruit of the Spirit including love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. He had willed that they should be 'filled with the fruits of righteousness' (Philippians 1:11). They should be 'neither barren nor unfruitful' (2 Peter 1:8). "For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth." (Ephesians 5:9)
God has given His people the fruits of the Spirit only with a view to fill us with the qualities of goodness, righteousness and truth. The gifts of the Spirit and the fruits are to go hand in hand together with love being the unifying force because God’s word is unchanging:
"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love." 1 John 4:18
"Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love." Ephesians 1:4
"Let love be without hypocrisy." Romans 12:9
"Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith."1 Timothy 1:5
Yes, the fruits of the Spirit come from love born out of a pure heart, a good conscience and a sincere faith. That is why God works on us to develop in us a pure heart, a good conscience and a sincere faith so that the great fountain of Love will spring in us, only if Love is genuinely born in our hearts, the fruits of the Spirit will emerge in us. A man with mere 'Gifts' is not an effective man. Only with two wings can a bird fly; the loss of even a single wing will hamper its flight.[i]
We are not perfect if Gifts and Fruits don’t work together in unison in our Spiritual life. We need to allow 'love' to flow from our minds by the power and anointing of the Spirit. We need to continually walk and live in the Spirit and not in the flesh. Yes we need for God to fill us with His Spiritual 'Gifts' and decorate us with the 'Fruits' so we can minister by the Spirit to a lost, hurt, and dying humanity that is need of the demonstration of God’s power. God’s word is unchanging:
Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them. And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. And there was great joy in that city. Acts 8:5-8
And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. 1 Corinthians 2:1-5
Yes, our Lord Jesus Christ has authority over all the evils. Many times, the devil brings sicknesses to us. He enters into our body and dwells in us. Lord Jesus Christ came into this sinful world to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8). He destroyed the devil on the Cross of Calvary and overcame him. According to Philippians 2:10, "At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth." God wants the might, which was in Jesus, to be in us too! When Jesus sojourned on this earth, He gave His authority to His twelve disciples and asked them to go and heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead and cast out demons (Matthew 10:8; Luke 9:2). As He said, they received His authority and performed miracles.
Yes, the power of God operating through a yielded vessel walking love can do in a split second that years of perspiration cannot do including healing a broken heart, removing cancer from a sick body, giving sight to the blind, and setting free the oppressed and possessed. Yes, Our heavenly Father gives His Holy Spirit to those who ask Him (Luke 11:13). We need to pray earnestly that the Lord should grant us a mighty anointing of His Holy Spirit and help us to shine as a witness for Christ in the days to come.(Acts 1:8 & 2:17).
We can also receive God's Spirit and do His ministry with signs and wonders. We can come to the creator of Heaven and Earth, our Almighty God and surrender ourselves completely. We can ask Him to heal all our physical, emotional and spiritual ailments. Relieve us from all the bondages of the flesh. Fill us with His Holy Spirit in Jesus name and grant us His strength and might so that we can be a channel of blessing to others. And meet and supply all our needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Our God is an embodiment of great love and compassion. When we fear and obey Him, He will grant us rich blessings. He knows our heart's desires and yearnings. He will fulfill all our desires. We can pour out all our cares and worries at the feet of Lord Jesus. He loves and cares for us. He intercedes for us to the Heavenly Father and meets all our needs. God will always remember us and save us from destruction.
"Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. "And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. John 14:12-13
My soul, wait silently for God alone, For my expectation is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory; The rock of my strength, And my refuge, is in God. Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah Psalm 62:5-8
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