FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT AND SPIRITUAL GIFTS(2)
“You can be holy and not be powerful, and you can be powerful and not be holy. Of course, God's ideal is for you to be both holy and powerful!”
KENNETH .E. HAGIN in his book “tongues beyond the upper room” wrote (pg 162-163)
I know some wonderful saints of God—consecrated, dedicated Christians—who have the fruit of the spirit in abundance but no power in their lives whatsoever. I've never seen any supernatural gifts in manifestation in their lives whatsoever. On the other hand, I know people who are powerhouses for God and have marvelous manifestations of spiritual gifts. But they failed to grow up spiritually, and it's very obvious that they need to grow more fruit of the spirit in their lives. You see, spiritual babes can have spiritual gifts. A person doesn't have to be a mature Christian for the Holy Spirit to operate through him in the gifts of the Spirit. I can easily prove this by the Scriptures as well. Paul told the Corinthian believers that they came behind in no gift (1 Cor. 1:7). Yet later Paul called these same Christians spiritual babes (1 Cor. 3:1). Think about it: We don't expect baby trees to produce fruit. We know that it takes time for a tree to mature enough to bear fruit on its branches. Well, the same is true for baby Christians. It takes a while for baby Christians to start exhibiting the fruit of the spirit to any great measure. Yet baby Christians can be filled with the Holy Ghost and have divine power operating in their lives! If we would be honest, I believe we would all have to admit that we are not fully mature in the fruit of the spirit, no matter how long we've been walking with the Lord. We may have been good, Spirit-filled, tongue-talking Christians for many years. But just about the time we think, Man! I'm doing really well! I've just about got my flesh under control!—some less-than-desirable circumstance arises, and we find out we're not nearly as sanctified as we thought! Those are the times we realize all over again that we are still living in the flesh and we still have the body to contend with.”
MAY GOD HELP US
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