Recently, my path has crossed that of an individual who has caused me to think a lot., particularly on character. In fact, the Lord has used this person mightily in the short time we have known each other, to change my life forever. And I have been thinking and the Holy Spirit has been teaching me ... What if my focus has not be the right one up until now? What if the focus on the one would bring about greater impact and results on the other?
This is all started, where many of my posts and teachings start, at the kitchen sink. You'd be surprised what comes up during the washing of the dinner dishes and pots and pans. God will use anything and any quiet space to speak and teach us crucial life lessons.
We know that operating in both the gifts and fruit of the Spirit are important, but which is most important. I submit that it is more important and impacting to flow in the fruit of the Spirit that the gifts might bear more fruit in our lives and for the Kingdom. Why is that? Because the fruit are what we need every day and minute of our lives, while the gifts are used on occasion according to the leading of the Holy Spirit.
Let's dig in. Shall we?
The Fruit of the Spirit
Galatians 5:22-26
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other
.......................................
Please note, these are the "fruit", singular, of the Spirit, not "fruits". One fruit with 9 different components. That means, if the have the fruit, then you have all 9 and it's not about "working on it," as I have mistakenly thought. It is automatic when I am being led and living out of my spirit as opposed to the fleshy part of my soul.
As I thought about my friend, I realized that through him, I tend to experience all of the fruit of the Spirit which seem to flow right out of him, seemingly without effort. And tonight, a question was posed to me, or I posed a question to myself; am not sure which it is. I believe it's both.
"Which is more important, the gifts of the Spirit or the fruit?"
As I paused and waited for the answer, the simplicity just about knocked me over. It has to be the fruit! Why do I say that? I say so because of the comparison of the uses. Compared to how many opportunities we have to exercise the fruit of the Spirit, the opportunities to exercise the gifts of the Spirit are "rare." I submit that the person whose life is the other way around is the exception to the rule. Why? Because we must use the fruit in every day life. Think about it!
Oh, let me back up and list the 9 fruit of the Spirit from Galatians 5:22-23:
... Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against these, there is no law.
Now do you see? As believers, we are obligated to operate in love at all times, to rejoice, be at peace, be patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and always exercise self-control. That is everyday life because there are so many opportunities to operate in the opposite spirit against the Word of God.
The fruit of the Spirit is to be exercised by believers towards everyone.
Not so much with the ministry gifts of the Spirit.
The Gifts of the Spirit
The ministry gifts that are given for the building of the Body of Christ are only in operation when we minister. Of course, I am not saying that a person cannot be used mightily everyday in the ministration of the gifts, whether by praying for someone, offering words of knowledge and wisdom, and so on.
The Scripture tells us in:
1 Corinthians 12:7-10
7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,[a] and to still another the interpretation of tongues.
.....................................
I don't know about you, although, I am a minister of the Gospel, I am a person living life all the time but I am not ministering in the gifts all the time. The ministering gifts are only used in our horizontal relationships one to another. When we relate to God, we do so through the same Holy Spirit but we do so in prayer, worship, even reasoning and wrestling at times. But the gifts are given for the edification of the Body for our development and maturity, often called perfection.
So back to my friend, while he is clearly gifted, it is the fruit that flows out of his life that draws me to him: He is loving, joyful (even when having what he would call a challenging day. He still has the joy of the Lord in his voice, peace, patience (this is really crucial), kindness (in super abundance), goodness (almost angelic), faithfulness (in spades with extreme loyalty, gentleness (same as with the kindness, very concerned with the hearts of others). He is never harsh. This fruit is so evident it is invisible. It appears simply be a part of his personality but upon reflection and the prompting of the Holy Spirit, I now know, it is not natural but supernatural. The Spirit of God is operating marvelously through his life.
Of course, no one is perfect, yet when I consider the whole person, I realize I have never met another human being like Mark.
This is all started, where many of my posts and teachings start, at the kitchen sink. You'd be surprised what comes up during the washing of the dinner dishes and pots and pans. God will use anything and any quiet space to speak and teach us crucial life lessons.
We know that operating in both the gifts and fruit of the Spirit are important, but which is most important. I submit that it is more important and impacting to flow in the fruit of the Spirit that the gifts might bear more fruit in our lives and for the Kingdom. Why is that? Because the fruit are what we need every day and minute of our lives, while the gifts are used on occasion according to the leading of the Holy Spirit.
Let's dig in. Shall we?
The Fruit of the Spirit
Galatians 5:22-26
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other
.......................................
Please note, these are the "fruit", singular, of the Spirit, not "fruits". One fruit with 9 different components. That means, if the have the fruit, then you have all 9 and it's not about "working on it," as I have mistakenly thought. It is automatic when I am being led and living out of my spirit as opposed to the fleshy part of my soul.
As I thought about my friend, I realized that through him, I tend to experience all of the fruit of the Spirit which seem to flow right out of him, seemingly without effort. And tonight, a question was posed to me, or I posed a question to myself; am not sure which it is. I believe it's both.
"Which is more important, the gifts of the Spirit or the fruit?"
As I paused and waited for the answer, the simplicity just about knocked me over. It has to be the fruit! Why do I say that? I say so because of the comparison of the uses. Compared to how many opportunities we have to exercise the fruit of the Spirit, the opportunities to exercise the gifts of the Spirit are "rare." I submit that the person whose life is the other way around is the exception to the rule. Why? Because we must use the fruit in every day life. Think about it!
Oh, let me back up and list the 9 fruit of the Spirit from Galatians 5:22-23:
... Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against these, there is no law.
Now do you see? As believers, we are obligated to operate in love at all times, to rejoice, be at peace, be patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and always exercise self-control. That is everyday life because there are so many opportunities to operate in the opposite spirit against the Word of God.
The fruit of the Spirit is to be exercised by believers towards everyone.
Not so much with the ministry gifts of the Spirit.
The Gifts of the Spirit
The ministry gifts that are given for the building of the Body of Christ are only in operation when we minister. Of course, I am not saying that a person cannot be used mightily everyday in the ministration of the gifts, whether by praying for someone, offering words of knowledge and wisdom, and so on.
The Scripture tells us in:
1 Corinthians 12:7-10
7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,[a] and to still another the interpretation of tongues.
.....................................
I don't know about you, although, I am a minister of the Gospel, I am a person living life all the time but I am not ministering in the gifts all the time. The ministering gifts are only used in our horizontal relationships one to another. When we relate to God, we do so through the same Holy Spirit but we do so in prayer, worship, even reasoning and wrestling at times. But the gifts are given for the edification of the Body for our development and maturity, often called perfection.
So back to my friend, while he is clearly gifted, it is the fruit that flows out of his life that draws me to him: He is loving, joyful (even when having what he would call a challenging day. He still has the joy of the Lord in his voice, peace, patience (this is really crucial), kindness (in super abundance), goodness (almost angelic), faithfulness (in spades with extreme loyalty, gentleness (same as with the kindness, very concerned with the hearts of others). He is never harsh. This fruit is so evident it is invisible. It appears simply be a part of his personality but upon reflection and the prompting of the Holy Spirit, I now know, it is not natural but supernatural. The Spirit of God is operating marvelously through his life.
Of course, no one is perfect, yet when I consider the whole person, I realize I have never met another human being like Mark.
Now I know that while the gifts and the fruit are very important in the building up of the saints, the fruit of the Spirit is perhaps slightly more important than the gifts because they need to be in operation at all times to all people, while the gifts operate toward believers or those seeking Christ.
It is so important to note that Paul chooses to not only tell us why the gifts are important in 1 Corinthians 12, but he then goes on to tell us that the gifts are of no use without the first fruit of the Spirit, which is LOVE.
It is so important to note that Paul chooses to not only tell us why the gifts are important in 1 Corinthians 12, but he then goes on to tell us that the gifts are of no use without the first fruit of the Spirit, which is LOVE.
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Hello,
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts. I look forward to connecting with you. In the meantime, please share this blog with your friends and family members.
Blessings in Christ,
Sonia