THE HOLY SPIRIT - Part. 5

By Joseph Akinola

FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT
Galatians 5:22, John 15:1-17

The Fruits of the Spirit are as follows: Love, Joy, Peace, Long-Suffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meekness, and Temperance. In this lesson, we shall be looking at the Fruits one after the other and the category each falls.

Fruit is defined as the yielding, product of a plant grown. The Fruit of the Spirit is the product of the Holy Spirit; where the Holy Spirit is the Tree / Vine and the believer is likened to the branch which, if he remains connected to the Holy Spirit will bear Fruits and without Him (the Holy Spirit) he (the believer), can literally do nothing John 15:5.

The nine (9) Fruits of the Spirit are categorized into 3:

Love, Joy and Peace -- Character as an Inward State

Long-Suffering, Gentleness and Goodness -- Character in Expression Toward Man

Faith, Meekness and Temperance -- Character in Expression Toward God

Tip: All these fruits present a moral Portrait of Christ.

1. LOVE: This is an act of denoting an inner inclination to persons or things. Lack of love in a believer’s life gets a believer disconnected from the Holy Spirit 1st Corinthians 13:1. The Holy Spirit helps the believer to possess a large heart. When the Holy Spirit enlarges your heart, you increase in quality, your love for others. Note that you can not really love without the Holy Spirit.

Further Readings: 1st John 4:7,8,12, 16; John 13:35

2. JOY: This is defined as mirth, internal gladness. Nehemiah 8:10 When you posses the joy of the Lord as the Fruit of the Holy Spirit, you become strong from within (spiritually). This joy Rejuvenates, Revitalizes and Refreshes you.  

Further Readings: Isaiah 51:11; Isaiah 61:3a; 1st Thessalonians 1:6; Romans 14:17; Romans 15:13; 2nd Corinthians 6:10; 1Peter 1:8

3. PEACE: This is a form of calmness, quiet and order which takes place in a justified soul; instead of doubts, fear, and anxiety. Peace is described as the first sensible fruit of the pardon of sin Romans 5:1. Peace is a sign of Reconciliation with God Romans 5:1. Peace means, calmness of the heart Philippians 4:7. Further Readings: Romans 15:33; Romans 16:20; 2nd Thessalonians 3:16

4. LONG-SUFFERING: This is the patience to defer anger, and a contentedness to bear injuries of life without murmuring; submitting cheerfully to every dispensation of God’s providence, and thus deriving benefits from every occurrence such as in affliction, trial and when injured by others 1Corinthians 13:4a. Note that Long-Suffering goes hand in hand with Love because Love Suffers Long. This word is sometimes translated Patience.

Further Readings: Romans 2:4; Romans 9:22; 2Peter 3:9, Ephesians 4:2; Colossians 1:11; Colossians 3:12.

5. GENTLENESS: This is a very rare grace, often wanting/lacking in many who have a considerable share of Christian excellence. A good educated and polished manners, when brought under the influence of the grace of God, will bring out this grace with great effect. Another word for Gentleness is Kindness 2Corinthians 6:6; Courtesy; Being Polite.

Further Readings: 2nd Samuel 22:36, Psalm 18:35, Luke 6:35.

Bible Verse:  

“I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” John 15:5

Highlight
A life lived without the Holy Spirit is a life lived in Darkness!

THE HOLY SPIRIT Part 2

By Joseph Akinola

(Who He is and What He Does)

John 14:15-18

“15 If ye love me, keep my commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. 18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.”

Importance: Jesus the Son of God could not Manifest without Power (Power of the Holy Spirit) (Luke 4:14). If Jesus Christ could not perform without the Holy Spirit, neither can you perform nor accomplish anything without Him.

What He Does

1. He is God’s Power: At your reception/acceptance of Him (Holy Ghost) into your life, you receive into you an implantation of the Supernatural that makes you operate / function in God’s Capacity.

2. He Is The Revealer Of All Things: He brings you out of your hiding place and reveals you to your world. He makes you known to your world and causes your light to shine in the darkness of this world. He announces your eminence in Christ based of your knowledge in God and of Him. He breaks the walls of Limitations surrounding you, Mitigates (justifies) you and dignifies you in such a manner that you wouldn’t have attained in life or in your profession. A very good example: The Disciples Acts 2:2-6a; 1 Corinthians 2:9-10. He shows you things to come. He reveals to you things to come and also the secrets things you don’t know if you wait on Him.

3. Brings Boldness: He gives you Courage for Delivery, so that you can deliver your potential in life. Life will never give you what you deserve but what you Negotiate and to negotiate, you need the Power of the Holy Ghost to Combat any and every powerless power that wants to stand on your way.

4. Gives You The Clout: This is your Influence power, one of the best way/medium to influence your world at large is to possess the Holy Spirit and fully maximize Him in your life. (Lot of believers today has the Holy Spirit but has never experienced His manifestation once. Why? Because they never put Him to work).

5. He Is The Comforter: Brings Comfort into your life; this is an Incomparable comfort.

6. Teacher: Teaches you all things, John 14:26. The things He teaches you are the things you rely on Him/believe him on for. He shows you the way to go, when to go, how to go and what to do per time.

7. The Helper: He Helps you in all things if you invite Him into your situation.

8. Quickens Your Mortal Body: Romans 8:11 The Spirit of God causes your mortal body to become Supernaturally Alive if you engage Him.

9. He Is the Spirit Of Truth: He guides you into all truth. It is when you possess the Holy Spirit in you that God through Him (Holy Spirit) will effectively communicate with you the future, which is the TRUTH.

10. Reminder: Reminds you of all things and all that you have learned. He brings them to your remembrance John 14:26.

11. Intercessor: He intercedes for you and I (saint). Romans 8:26:27.

12. Oil Of Joy: He infuses joy into you system Proverbs 17:22. With joy, most of the sicknesses in your body are healed.

13. Enduement of Power: He endues you with Power (The Ability To Do). This literally means you cannot do virtually anything without Him.