| Newsletter for 12/7/06- How do Gifts of the Spirit work with the Fruits of the Spirit? |
Good Morning,
We hope that you are enjoying the Christmas Season. This is my favorite time of the year. There seems to be a
different mentality of joy, friendship and fellowship. As the anticipation of Christmas seems to be on everyone's mind
and we wish everyone a "Merry Christmas," it seems that all of the grief, frustration and tension of things earlier in the
year tend to go away or at least get put on hold. This must bless the Lord's heart when we prioritize manifesting the
Fruits of the Spirit.
I recently heard some teaching that talked about how the Gifts of the Spirit are manifested through the Fruits of the
Spirit. In 1 Corinthians 12, some of the Gifts of the Spirit are listed-
1 Corinthians 12:4-11
4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And
there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is
given to each one for the profit of all: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word
of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same
Spirit, 10 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. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things,
distributing to each one individually as He wills.
While in Galatians 5, the Fruits of the Spirit are listed:
Gal. 5:22-26
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness,
self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and
desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one
another, envying one another.
As much as we enjoy operating in the Gifts of the Spirit, we have to remember that these Gifts must be manifested
through the Fruit of the Spirit. What I mean by this is that we can't try to give someone a prophetic word and leave
them feeling beaten and abused. You have probably seen people operate in this manner, but it is surely NOT a
reflection of who God is. Scripture states that it is by His kindness that we come to repentance. Nobody has ever
come to repentance by condemnation! We must manifest the character of Christ.
Isn't a Prophetic Word supposed to be what God is saying to someone or dreaming about someone? If so, then we
have really missed the boat if we take what the Lord has said and twist it into a negative word! God is NOT in a time
of judgement, He is in a time of Grace. This is why He died on the cross. The Old Testament was a time of judgement
and there will be a time of judgement that will come, but it is not now. Some people that operate in a prophetic gifting
think that it is their responsibility to correct people and leave them more angry and hurt than they found them. Jesus
NEVER did this. He always left them better off then He found them.
Well Jeff, what if you get a negative word for someone? I have received a negative word of knowledge about
someone on several occasions. Everytime, I have prayed and asked the Lord whether this is just for me to intercede
with or whether this needs to be spoken? Or maybe this is so that I can bind something as I pray. When the Lord has
told me that I can give it to the person, I have always asked the Lord how He wants me to deliver it. He always gives
me a gracious way to deliver it with out hurting the person or embarrassing them. This is God's nature. He is good.
He has attempted to give us His nature but we have to be willing to receive it. These are the Fruits of the Spirit.
So as we interact with people that maybe we only see at the Holiday Time, we need to make sure that we forget about
the things of the past and manifest those Fruits of the Spirit. Let's look for ways to bless those around us, this
Christmas Season. HE IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON!!!!
Working while it is still day,
Pastor Jeff McCracken and the Kingdom Power Now Ministry Team
www.kingdompowernow.com
We hope that you are enjoying the Christmas Season. This is my favorite time of the year. There seems to be a
different mentality of joy, friendship and fellowship. As the anticipation of Christmas seems to be on everyone's mind
and we wish everyone a "Merry Christmas," it seems that all of the grief, frustration and tension of things earlier in the
year tend to go away or at least get put on hold. This must bless the Lord's heart when we prioritize manifesting the
Fruits of the Spirit.
I recently heard some teaching that talked about how the Gifts of the Spirit are manifested through the Fruits of the
Spirit. In 1 Corinthians 12, some of the Gifts of the Spirit are listed-
1 Corinthians 12:4-11
4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And
there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is
given to each one for the profit of all: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word
of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same
Spirit, 10 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. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things,
distributing to each one individually as He wills.
While in Galatians 5, the Fruits of the Spirit are listed:
Gal. 5:22-26
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness,
self-control. Against such there is no law. 24 And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and
desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one
another, envying one another.
As much as we enjoy operating in the Gifts of the Spirit, we have to remember that these Gifts must be manifested
through the Fruit of the Spirit. What I mean by this is that we can't try to give someone a prophetic word and leave
them feeling beaten and abused. You have probably seen people operate in this manner, but it is surely NOT a
reflection of who God is. Scripture states that it is by His kindness that we come to repentance. Nobody has ever
come to repentance by condemnation! We must manifest the character of Christ.
Isn't a Prophetic Word supposed to be what God is saying to someone or dreaming about someone? If so, then we
have really missed the boat if we take what the Lord has said and twist it into a negative word! God is NOT in a time
of judgement, He is in a time of Grace. This is why He died on the cross. The Old Testament was a time of judgement
and there will be a time of judgement that will come, but it is not now. Some people that operate in a prophetic gifting
think that it is their responsibility to correct people and leave them more angry and hurt than they found them. Jesus
NEVER did this. He always left them better off then He found them.
Well Jeff, what if you get a negative word for someone? I have received a negative word of knowledge about
someone on several occasions. Everytime, I have prayed and asked the Lord whether this is just for me to intercede
with or whether this needs to be spoken? Or maybe this is so that I can bind something as I pray. When the Lord has
told me that I can give it to the person, I have always asked the Lord how He wants me to deliver it. He always gives
me a gracious way to deliver it with out hurting the person or embarrassing them. This is God's nature. He is good.
He has attempted to give us His nature but we have to be willing to receive it. These are the Fruits of the Spirit.
So as we interact with people that maybe we only see at the Holiday Time, we need to make sure that we forget about
the things of the past and manifest those Fruits of the Spirit. Let's look for ways to bless those around us, this
Christmas Season. HE IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON!!!!
Working while it is still day,
Pastor Jeff McCracken and the Kingdom Power Now Ministry Team
www.kingdompowernow.com
