FLESH VS. THE SPIRIT! __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
In this message I want to explain what the word means when it says in Romans 8:13 that we need to allow the Spirit of the Father to mortify the deeds of the flesh. What are some of the works of the flesh? This is explained deeper in Galatians 5 vs. 19-21. Also in Romans 8:29 the word says that the Father wants to conform us into the image of Yahshua. This is explained in more detail in Galatians 5 vs. 22-23 when Paul talks about the fruit of the Spirit which is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance. This fruit of the Spirit of the Father describes Yahshua. So, as we allow the Spirit of the Father to develop the fruit of the Spirit in our lives, we become more like Yahshua! We need to allow the Father to pull the weeds out of lives-the works of the flesh. I want to discuss the works of the flesh individually by using the Strong’s Concordance and I want to discuss each of the fruit of the Spirit of the Father individually also by using Webster’s dictionary from 1828. It was written by Noah Webster who was a strong believer and it will give us an accurate meaning of the fruit of the Spirit individually in the Word. I also want to show you the importance of allowing the Father to develop the Fruit of His Spirit in our lives as it relates to our ministering to others in the Gifts of the Spirit. The main reason for allowing the Spirit of the Father to develop the Fruit in our lives is to have everlasting life. Romans 6:22 says the we bring forth fruit unto holiness that leads to everlasting life. I also want to include an explanation of the Gifts of the Spirit of the Father. Please remember that the Trinity is the Father manifesting Himself as the Father in His son and as the Holy Spirit. The word says that the Father is holy, the Father is Spirit (Jn. 17:11, 4:24) and that there is only ONE Spirit (Eph.4:4). More information on this subject is contained in my book-“Demystifying the Trinity.” You can receive this book at cost by contacting me at: P.O. Box 12309 Fort Pierce, Florida 34979.
The works of the flesh:
ADULTERY-
MARRIED PERSON NOT FAITHFUL TO HIS OR HER SPOUSE. ALSO USED IN THE FATHER’S RELATIONSHIP TO ISRAEL WHEN THEY COMMITTED ADULTERY BY WORSHIPPING OTHER GODS.
FORNICATION-
PROSTITUTE ONE’S BODY, TO BE GIVEN TO IDOLATRY, TO WORSHIP IDOLS, IMMORALITY, IDOLATRY AGAINST THE FATHER AND UNLAWFUL ACTS
UNCLEANNESS-
RITUAL IMPURITY, LUSTFUL LIVING, Physically OR MORALLY UNCLEAN PORNOGRAPHY
LASCIVIOUSNESS-
WICKEDNESS, DECEIT, COVETOUSNESS, OUTRAGEOUS CONDUCT, UNBRIDLED LUST, CONDUCT SHOCKING TO PUBLIC DECENCY AND FILTHY WORDS,
IDOLATRY-
WORSHIP OF AN IMAGE, WORSHIP OF FALSE GODS, DRUG RELATED SORCERY; THE GREEK WORD FOR IDOLATRY IS PHARMAKUS. THE WORD PHARMACY COMES FROM THIS WORD.
WITCHCRAFT-
THE GREEK WORD FOR WITCHCRAFT IS PHARMAKEIA (THE WORD PHARMACY ALSO COMES FROM THIS WORD), MAGIC, SORCERY AND THE PRACTICE OF MAGICAL ARTS.
HATRED-
HOSTILITY, ALIENATION, SOMEONE OPENLY HOSTILE, ANIMATED BY DEEP SEATED HATRED, AND BENT ON INFLICTING HARM.
VARIANCE,
SET AT VARIANCE, MADE TO BE HOSTILE, TO CAUSE A SEPARATION AND ALIENATE.
EMULATIONS-
LITERALLY, QUARREL, STRIFE, AFFECTION FOR DISPUTE,
WRATH-
ANGER, PASSION, PUNISHMENT, VENGEANCE.NOT A SUDDEN OUTBURST, BUT CONTROLLED PASSION AGAINST SIN OR A PERSON, AN ANALOGY-FRUITS SWELLING WITH JUICE, ANGER BUILT UP AND ANGER BY THE FATHER.
STRIFE-
CONTENTION, READINESS TO QUARREL AND AFFECTION FOR DISPUTE,
SEDITIONS-
TO TURN UP SIDE DOWN, TO UPSET, TO TURN SOMETHING OVER, TO RAISE ONE’S PART UP AT THE EXPENSE OF ANOTHER WHICH RESULTS IN DISLOCATION (CONFUSION) AND TO MAKE DISORDERLY,
HERESIES-
A SELF CHOSEN OPINION, RELIGIOUS OR PHILOSOPHICAL SECT, DISCORD OF CONTENTION, OPINION VARYING FROM A BELIEVERS PATH, PEOPLE SEPARATING THEMSELVES FOLLOWING THEIR OWN BELIEFS AND ARISING FROM DISSENSIONS.
ENVYINGS-
BEING GLAD AT SOMEONE’S PAINFUL EXPERIENCE, FEELING OF ILL WILL, ENERGIZED WITH AN EMBITTERED MIND, DISPLEASURE AT SOMEONE ELSE’S GOOD, WITHOUT LONGING TO RAISE ONES SELF TO THE LEVEL OF THE PERSON THEY ENVY, BUT ONLY TO DEPRESS THE ONE WHO’S ENVIED TO THEIR LEVEL
REVELLINGS-
A FEASTING, CAROUSING, RIOTOUS PARTYING, DRUNKENNESS FEAST, WHICH HOST AN UNBRIDLED SEXUAL IMMORALITY.
The Fruit of the Spirit and the Gifts of the Spirit
To actually move in the Gifts of the Spirit effectively going in the deep areas of where people are hurting one needs the fruit of the Spirit to be flowing out of them. The fruit of the Spirit is all about the personality of Yahshua. The fruit describes the nature and character of Yahshua. The fruit of the Spirit is: love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness goodness, faith, meekness and temperance (Gal. 5:22-23). Let’s discuss the fruit in detail: (a lot of the information is gotten from Noah Webster’s Dictionary of 1848).
1.) Love-Excited by the pleasing qualities of an object which communicates pleasure in one’s company, to regard with affection. When one is ministering to someone in the Spirit with one of the gifts of the Spirit one has to be have pleasure in the one who they are ministering to. They have to see the person’s pleasing qualities in the Spirit as they may not be evident in the natural. Yahweh can bring this fruit out of us if we desire and place the person that we are ministering to in a high regard. As we allow the Holy Spirit to show us the person that we are ministering to the way that He does, a deep healing can flow through us in a word of knowledge, a word of wisdom, etc. When one is ministering in the Gifts of the Spirit with a foundation of the fruit of the Spirit the person who they are ministering too seems to be the most important person in the world at that moment.
2.) Joy-Emotion excited by the acquisition or expectation of something good happening to someone. This emotion is caused by the expectation of success or favor coming into the person’s life as a result of the Holy Spirit ministering through us. We have to want to see the person really blessed more than anything else. This can only happen when the Holy Spirit moves in us with His joy.
3.) Peace-Sense of quiet or tranquility, freedom from disturbance or agitation. It also means freedom from fear, internal commotion, terror, anxiety, in harmony and a calm mind. To move in the Gifts of the Spirit to help someone we have to desire to bring peace into the situation of the person that we are praying for. With this attitude the Holy Spirit can really move through us. The Holy Spirit can then free one up from the guilt of the past and the events that are troubling them and robbing their peace.
4.) Longsuffering-Long endurance, forbearance to punish, clemency and not easily provoked or looking to strike back at an offense. Longsuffering “kicks” in when patience runs out. It may be difficult without this fruit of the Spirit to minister to someone who tests our patience or who has hurt us terribly. When the fruit of the Spirit is operating through us the person only sees Yahshua working through us.
5.) Gentleness- Mild, meek, soft, not rough, harsh or severe, a gentle nature and peaceable. When one is operating in this fruit it is like Yahshua the Prince of Peace is ministering in all His gentleness. There are so many harsh things in some people’s daily life and sometimes they encounter some harsh people. They need to be ministered by Yahshua though us in gentleness.
6.) Goodness-state of being good, having physical qualities which constitute value, excellence, perfection or Christian excellence. People need to see this in us as there is so much wickedness in the world. When this fruit is present and working through us, there is no telling what a person may receive from Yahweh.
7.) Faith-“To draw.” Having this supernatural faith operating through us can help us to draw on the supernatural power of Yahweh to bring about a miracle or a blessing in one’s life.
8.) Meekness-Meekness is not weakness. Meekness is softness of temper, mildness, gentleness, not striking back after an injury or provocation. It also means submission to Yahweh’s will without murmuring or complaining. It is the opposite of pride. People being ministered to will really respond when one is moving in this fruit of the Spirit.
9.) Temperance-Habitual, continuing moderation in regard to natural appetites. It is so important to demonstrate this fruit to show that we are controlled by the Holy Spirit and not our fleshly appetites.
The Gifts of the Spirit
1.) Word of Wisdom- a word that is not produced from human wisdom. A minister from a church which did not believe in healing came to another man of God and asked him if he did the right thing by praying for a little girl who was terminally ill and got healed after he prayed for her. The man of God answered and said why don’t you ask the little girl? This was a word directly from Yahweh. A word of Wisdom always concerns the future.
2.) Word of Knowledge-this is a word from someone’s past that Yahweh reveals to build the faith of the one being ministered to. An example is when Saul was looking for his donkeys and came to the prophet Samuel. Samuel told him that the donkeys were found.
3.) Faith- A strong conviction or a certainty that Yahweh is going to do something really great in one’s life that can not be reached by human reasoning.
4.) Gifts of healing- Gifts used by the Holy Spirit to heal various types of ailments.
5.) Working of Miracles- Manifestation of exceptional powers by Yahweh that can not be duplicated by anyone else. This gift is rarely given because most would be lifted up in pride if Yahweh operated in this fashion through them. An example would be blind eyes opening, limbs growing back, raising the dead, etc.
6.) Prophecy-communicating a divine revelation of something hidden or predicting a future event.
7.) Discerning of Spirits- discerning the hidden source of spiritual power through which a person is thinking or acting which cannot be discerned by human insight. This gift makes it clear if a person is acting out of his own spirit, an evil spirit or the Spirit of Yahweh. This gift is not psychological insight into the nature and hidden motives of men. It is also not insight through occult practicing channeling.
8.) Diverse kinds of tongues-a language not learned by the speaker and needs to be interpreted. An example is in Acts Chapter 2 where people in Jerusalem from different countries heard the apostles speaking in their own language.
9.) Interpretation of tongues- This interpretation can be a translation of the message in an unknown tongue, a translation of the main content or an explanation of an enlargement of the message. Tongues and interpretation can be a sign to an unbeliever that Yahweh is present and speaking to them.
A believer should only be willing to be used in these gifts if he/she is in proper relationship with the Father. This will insure that one is not operating in their one spirit or a familiar spirit. A proof that one is operating by the Holy Spirit in the gifts of the Spirit is that the fruit of the Spirit is evidently present forming a foundation for the gifts to operate in ones’ life. Another proof is that the gift that is operating can be backed up by the Word of Yahweh.
Yahweh is looking for people to speak to His children directed by His fruit and power!