Word of Faith International Christian Center St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands

October 21, 2016 at 11:34 am #12000

Participant

There are differences between the Gift of the Spirit and the Fruit of the Spirit? Explain in its entirety the difference between the two? According to the following scriptures, 1 Corinthians 12:8-10 and Romans 12:6-8.

According to 1 Corinthians 12:8-10, “to one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. Romans 12:6-8, “if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. Live by the Spirit, Galatians 5:22-23, “but the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance. 
 There are definitely differences between the Gift of the Spirit and the Fruit of the Spirit. I will first start with the Fruit of the Spirit and what it means to live by the Spirit–and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit you are not under the law. (Galatians 5:16-18) According to the book on the Person of the Holy Spirit, it says the Holy Spirit bears fruit—it is interesting to note that the word “fruit” in Galatians chapter five is used in its singular, not plural form. This distinction does not mean that there is only one fruit, or that it is impossible to distinguish between attributes listed. The emphasis is that these various characteristics are from an identical source. When the Scriptures speak of the fruit of the Spirit, all characteristics must function in order for an individual one to have validity. Love is not genuine love, unless longsuffering is involved; therefore, these are not fruits which can be picked and chosen as in a supermarket. These qualities are the fruit of the Spirit! The quality of any fruit depends on the quality and nature of the plant which produces it. 
 1. A plant produces after its own kind. A plant of a certain species will naturally produce that type of fruit. If the Holy Spirit dwells within us, we should naturally produce the fruit of the Spirit. This does not mean we cannot help to cultivate the fruit. We can be sure we get the proper nourishment.
 2. The character of God is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, etc. the basis for the fruit of the Spirit, in 2 Corinthians 13:11, Paul told them to aim for perfection, be of one mind, live in peace and the God of love and peace will be with you. Also in 1 John 4:8 plainly declares God is love and in Roman 2:4 Paul wrote that God is longsuffering. “Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?
 3. We are known by our fruit, Matthew 7:16-23 states, “You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them. Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, case out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ ” 
 Next, to receive the Gifts, first it is very necessary that we receive the Holy Spirit then after receiving the Holy Spirit, we must earnestly desire the gifts. Then after receiving the gifts, we must never forget that the gift is entrusted to us for bringing the blessings of God to the people, according to the book Smith Wigglesworth on Spiritual Gifts. Additionally, Smith Wigglesworth said that divine healing is a gift for ministering to the need of the people. The gift of wisdom is a word in season at the moment of need to show you just what to do. The gift of knowledge, or the word of knowledge is to inspire you because of the consecutiveness of the Word of God, to bring you life and joy—that is the intention of God. Then there is the gift of discernment in which we are not to discern one another but to discern evil powers and deal with them and command them back to the pit of hell from which they came. Regarding the gift of miracles, God intends for us to come to the place where we will see miracles worked. God also wants us to understand that tongues are profitable only when they exalt and glorify the Lord that we might really know what it means when interpretation is given. It is not merely to have beautiful sensations and think that is interpretation. Interpretation is not knowing what you are going to say, but it is being in the place where you say exactly what God says. So when Smith Wigglesworth have to interpret a message, he purposely keep his mind from anything that would hinder and he sometimes say “Praise the Lord” and “Hallelujah” so that everything will be a word through the Spirit, and not his word, but the word of the Lord! We can have these divine gifts so perfectly balanced by divine love that they will be a blessing all the time. However, please note, there is sometimes such a desire in the flesh to do something attention-getting. How the people listen and long for divine prophecy, just as interpretation comes forth. How it thrills! There is nothing wrong with it –it is beautiful! We thank God for the office and the purpose that has caused it to come, but let us be very careful to finish when we are through and not continue on our own. That is how prophecy is spoiled. If you continue your own, at the end of the anointing you are using false fire; at the end of the message.

In my opinion, false fire can also occur when you are operating in bad fruit, for instance, I read where a young man was caught red-handed returning from an illicit affair with a prostitute and was corrected for his conduct—the boy’s response was, “I can still speak in tongues.” If the gifts are not backed by a holy life which produces the fruit of the Spirit, they are void and useless.

Furthermore, Smith Wigglesworth dovetail, the uniting of the fruits and the gifts of the Spirit.
 1. The first gift of the Spirit is wisdom which must always be connected with love. Love is the first (1st) fruit, wisdom is the first (1st) gift.
 2. The next gift is knowledge. You will find if you work this out, that knowledge will always bring joy. Knowledge produces joy and they coincide.
 3. The third is faith. You never find that faith is to any profit unless there is peace, so the gift of faith coincides with the fruit of peace.
 4. The next is healing, You will always find that the person who is used in healing is longsuffering. It doesn’t mean you have to go to the cross, but have to be so in spirit with the needy sufferer that you enter right into his need.
 In conclusion, the Gift of the Spirit and Fruit of the Spirit have their differences; however, as dovetailing have shown they can be united because after all it is the same Spirit and all glory and honor goes to God.

Reply To: The Spirit Controlled Life – Discussion Forum – Week 2: (October 16 – October 22, 2016)

Its Purpose is to give laypersons and layministers a basic working knowledge of Bible truths.

Learn more

Layperson’s I – Section 4 – Ministry Gifts

Step by Step Macintosh Training

Marketing Management

Certificate Code