Fruit of the Spirit
Pastor Jerry Wilhite,
author
Before you read this study it is very important you do two things. First, try to be at peace as much as possible so you do not get easily offended by reading it in a stressed state. Second, read it completely or you may stop at a point before learning something that not only explains what offended you but why you got offended and why it is true. Many have stopped short like this taken offense and lost a huge blessing.
When you see Strongs Ref and then a number that shows where in the Strongs concordance you can look up a word to learn what it was in Hebrew or Greek and the full definition thereof.
For some reason the Fruit of the Spirit is a mystery to many. They think this is just something for those such as Jesus and the apostles. But it is not; it is for us all who are of Christ.
The Fruit of the Spirit is:
First Things First
First you must be saved. This is accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior in your life. (John 3:16 - Romans 10:9-10) It is the first act of Faith in your life, but being saved does not mean we are of the church or Christ. Many confuse these next steps in their life with the Lord as calls to the ministry. This is how we have so many that are not teaching totally, as they should. They never were called to the ministry, but were called by God to have a relationship with Him and from there may have been called eventually to the ministry.
Remember what Adam sacrificed with the first sin, the Spiritual connection with God. If you are not sure about this read Genesis 2:15-19 and notice how God said that in the day you eat the fruit you shall die. We know in Genesis 3 when Adam ate of the fruit he did not die in the flesh or the soul; so that just leaves the spirit.
When God calls us first time it is to accept Jesus; then with His spirit planted in us, He calls us again to join the church.
Matthew 16
15. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
16. And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
17. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
18. And I say also unto thee, That thou art piece of the rock (Peter), and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
The keys above to help you understand are as follows first after Jesus asked Peter, "Whom do you say I am?" and he answered, Jesus replied, "FLESH and BLOOD DID NOT REVEAL this to you, but my Father which is in heaven."
It was a revelation to Peter by God via the Spirit, not by anyone person (including Jesus), that Jesus was the Christ and the Son of the living God (church).
Now realizing that, re-read verse 18 notice how it flows with Peter as "piece of the Rock".
Also notice in verse 16 two verses before 18 where we are supposed to believe that Jesus called Simon "Peter" because of the revelation Simon is called Peter. But then in verse 17 it is Simon Bar-Jonah and not Simon Peter.
Strong's Ref. # 4074
Romanized Petros
Pronounced pet'-ros
a primary word; a (piece of) rock (larger than GSN3037); as a name, Petrus, an apostle:
KJV--Peter, rock. Compare GSN2786.
A little history before we continue about the church. In verse 18 "That thou art Peter," was translated wrong on purpose. This was done to justify the Catholic idea of Peter's being the church foundation. The word for Peter in this verse is "Petros" and the proper name for Petros is Peter. But if you read the verse with what petros is other than a proper name it makes total sense.
Why did the Catholics do this? Because someone felt they needed to make the pope all he was by their words. I imagine that if Peter were alive he would not be very happy about this. So does this mean the Catholics are evil or bad? No most Catholics are awesome people of God who are involved just in a religion that is misleading (as with all religions of this world).
Jesus did not come to make one man the "go between" for Him and the world or to build a religion.
That started in the 3rd century when a ruler of Rome (Constantine) was saved by Jesus. In his excitement and wanting to give the Lord something in return he made a law. It was a bad law based on good intentions. The law basically decreed that no one could have power or own land unless they were of Christ. In time a lot of the church was filled with non-believers who claimed to be Christian so they could have power. Even the present day pope in the last decade or so wrote a book which stated in it that, based on the cardinals who were now of power, if they were to vote for the next pope there were enough anti-Christian ones to place a anti-Christian pope in power.
In the early 16th century a priest of the Catholics wrote a letter to the pope of that day accusing him to be an anti-Christian. This man was Martin Luther. He did not do this to leave the Catholics and start the Lutheran's (which is just an off shoot of the Catholics). He did this because he had finally gotten hold (not by permission of the pope or church) two books that were not allowed to be read by anyone below the cardinals, "Romans" and "Hebrews". When he read them he realized just how wrong was the church of his day.
Do not get me wrong; most of those who started churches which later became religions, denominations, or non-denominations did not mean to mislead anyone and for the most part where truly trying to share their love with others.
Wesley who was known not to truly have met Jesus until a crossing from England to America in the 19th century after he started many churches founded the Methodists.
Since the 15th century many that have broken away from others to form churches have done so because they were (maybe) saved, but not yet of the church and Christ. They had differences based on interpretation of the word of God not fact, or knowledge versus understanding which comes to those who are listening to God and are of the Church at the least moving towards fullness in Christ.
Before you think I am totally off, answer this - if Jesus said it does that make it true? If you answered "no" I can not help you understand, but if you said "yes" read John 14:26. It states that the Holy Ghost (spirit) not man will teach us. So anyone who learns by man totally, without any guidance of the Spirit, is interpreting the word of God versus the understanding that comes from the Spirit. Also read John 4:23-24 and you will learn that without the Spirit, which God is, you can not truly worship Him.
John 4
23. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
24. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
John 14
26. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
How is it that I know so much about the history of the churches of this world after all that had been written in the Bible? I studied every book I could get that was not some glorified telling of a religion's history but more like basic textbooks of the history. I read some of the most boring and long books you can imagine to learn what happened from John and the book of Revelation in 90 AD to the present.
Did you know that the seven churches Jesus addresses are the seven continents today?
While I am at it I might as well burst a few more bubbles, lies that Satan has planted as in us. Feelings that make us shake, fall down, or burn in the breast are not of the Spirit but of the flesh. God is not a God of the flesh but of the Spirit. The flesh I am speaking of here is not the body, but that connection to the world also known as carnal.
Now that we've got an idea of the church, let's look at "Christ".
Strong's Ref. # 5547
Romanized Christos
Pronounced khris-tos'
from GSN5548; anointed, i.e. the Messiah, an epithet of Jesus:
KJV--Christ.
The actual Greek word is "Christos" and it means "anointed" or "anointing", and what was Jesus anointed with?
Luke 4
18. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
Jesus said it; He was anointed with the Spirit of God. Understanding Christ is to understand what it is and then what should come from it. Jesus stated at that time in His life that it was to preach one thing. To be of Christ is to be anointed with the Spirit (God Himself) in, on, and through us as a sponge is anointed with water when it is dripping wet.
It is that simple and that hard because to be truly of Christ one must be totally of God in, on, and through out.
What is the evidence of the anointing or the spirit? Of course as with anything the fruit is always the evidence of what a tree is, and so is the same with Christ.
Matthew 7
20. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
21. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23. And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
So what fruit is the fruit of the Spirit (Christ)?
Galatians 5
22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering (patience), gentleness, goodness, faith,
23. Meekness, self-control (temperance): against such there is no law.
Some at this time are saying, "No it is fruit of our labors." Anyone can show good fruit of their labors, but not just anyone can show all nine fruit of the Spirit without the Spirit.
How do we receive the fruit of the Spirit? First one must have accepted Jesus as Lord, then listened for and to the voice of God to hear the call to the church which is the revealed knowledge of Who Jesus is as the true Son of the Living God and the Christ as well as the Savior.
From this comes time spent daily in the word, listening to God to explain the word and prayer. In time the love will show; this love is the love of God not the love of this world. The difference is the love of this world is of one self for one self. The love of God is selfless love for others.
Then faith has to be next for the patience to grow and from patience self-control comes and from self-control peace and joy come. From there the gentleness, goodness, and kindness come through.
1. Love, Selfless love for and of others.
2. Faith develops patience (James 1:3)
3. Self-control comes from patience. The more patient you are the more self-control you have.
Now some will start showing the last three or at least one or two of them as their self-control develops. None can truly come without the help of the Spirit and the dwelling of the spirit in, on, and all the way through you.
James 1
3. Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
Hebrews 6
12. That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
Hebrews 10
36. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.
HOW TO SUCCEED
One of the meanest things Satan does to us is use our thoughts against us. If you understand your thoughts are not yours, or that there is no such thing as an original thought, then you are half way to victory. That is the easy half and if you are not sure about it read what Paul says in II Corinthians. 10:1-5. He tells us to cast down all imaginations that do not line up with Christ, not the word of God, but with Christ. Christ is the Spirit of God in us. What Satan does is suggest little things and he makes it seem like it is something we would think so we do not question it. Then he adds or takes away from it to change it a little tiny bit at a time until he has transformed it into what he wants us to think. Satan does this constantly so we have to be on our guard 24/7.
Here is an example of what he was doing to me. False advertising irritates me. Some of which is very apparent and some is very subtle, but no matter it irritates me and I was going to build a site to list ads that were false. I even had justified how it would bless those who visited it and that it was the right thing to do because it would be revealing false ads (Lies) with the truth. It all sounds ok and actually even very good from a Christian point of view, but where the curse was in it for me was by getting into this I would have to judge, and become unforgiving. You may ask, "So, what is so bad about that? It is not people and it is lies that would be judged." But it IS people, and it is not lies that anyone should have to point out. We all should see them and know them for what they are. You see I would have spent more and more time adding more and more ads that were false which, as I said, meant I would be judging and not forgiving.
So what is the big deal?
Matthew 7
1. Judge not, that ye be not judged.
2. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
3. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
4. Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
5. Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
How Satan has divided us so far is by his thoughts that he has forced on us.
In Matthew 7:1-5 Jesus left no room open for interpretation about judging. It is either we judge or we do not, that means everything.
How will we know who is good or what is right if we do not judge? That is why it is vital that we hear from God and let Him guide us in all things.
John 14:26. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
Again, Jesus left no room open for interpretation. John 14:26 is very simple and clear; we are to be taught all things, not some things, not just things of God, but all things by the Spirit, and we are to have remembrance of all things taught brought back to us as we need it.
2 Corinthians 10
1. Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you:
2. But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.
3. For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:
4. (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)
5. Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
The battle is for our minds and Satan takes little tiny things and uses them to force us into his way of thinking.
Think about it; we start off driving down the road promising ourselves that we will not judge the driver who flies by doing 20 mph faster than we are and then cuts us off. We have no idea of their situation. It could be he/she is rushing a pregnant woman or an injured child to the hospital. Maybe they are just not thinking or did not see us when they cut us off. We have all done that. So the first time it happens we forgive and forget, or do we? Then another and another comes along and before long we can no longer forgive and forget. Did we really forgive and forget if we are getting angrier every time another does it? That means we never forgot it, but by this time we are so angry it does not matter. As Satan gets us a little here and a little there in time it becomes more and more and more, until one day we no longer even care and no longer put up with it. Satan now has us falling away from God and is trying kill us when we try to speed up and catch that "so and so" who cut us off. Who knows, that person may have a gun, a tire may blow out, etc.
If you think I am pushing it a little or a lot, think again. Think about the last time you thought or even said something to wonder where that came from. How about when you got mad at someone and said something very hurtful and afterward wondered where it came from and wish you could take it back.
If you do not wise up and realize that Satan is manipulating you (us) then you (we) are in HUGE trouble. Satan has been around for a long time and he has done this for a long time. Think about Peter; he denied knowing Jesus 3 times and the third time he even cursed the name of Jesus. What about Judas; how could anyone be in the presence of Jesus for 3 years and then betray Him for 30 silver pieces (about $1000 today)? The list goes on and on. The reason Satan is so successful is because he is so subtle and we do not take the time to be aware of our thoughts or what we think are our thoughts. It really makes me mad because he has used me for so long (and he has). If you think he has not used you and then laughed at you, you are either dead or have an ego the size of the Grand Canyon.
Here are a few things we must do to conquer Satan and be victorious in our thoughts and life.
1. Cast down all thoughts that are in any way judging.
2. Cast down all thoughts that are unforgiving.
3. Cast down all thoughts that are not based in love of God.
4. While casting down these thoughts spend about 30 minutes a day listening for the inner voice of God.
You can hear from God if you ask to hear and then spend 30 minutes everyday in a place free of distractions and that is quiet, doing nothing but listening for His voice. Then when you hear (no matter how long it takes, average is 2 months) ask one thing. Did Jesus come in the flesh? (I John 4:1-3) If you hear "yes" be obedient and continue to listen and you are almost to victory.
Look at what is not of the Spirit and in what the law itself is fulfilled:
Galatians 5
14. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
15. But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
16. This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
17. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
18. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
19. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20. Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21. Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
22. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23. Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
24. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
A benefit of the Spirit is as follows:
Isaiah 10
27. And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.
Unfortunately many have it wrong. They believe the above (Isaiah 10:27) is proof of the spirit not a benefit of the Spirit.
Just as many have speaking in tongues as proof of the spirit, it is wrong as well. Remember that speaking in tongues is a private prayer language, unless it is for prophecy's sake (meaning there must be one to interpret it and state it for all to know).
Matthew 6
6. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
Back to a little history to show how interpretation over understanding is wrong, only serves Satan to divide us, and is the case for all religions.
Matthew 12
25. And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:
One of the biggest differences has been over baptism. Are we to be sprinkled or dunked? This started in the late 16th century. Those who believed in sprinkling over dunking were in the majority at the time. They would take those who opposed them on this to a lake and place them on a see saw then dunk them in the lake and repeat dunking them until they changed their mind or drowned. But they did not get them all and those who survived grew.
The problem is not over sprinkling or dunking, but it is of water or spirit.
Many will try to point out with verses in Acts that water was still used and this proves their point. If they read carefully they would notice first of all, all who continued to do it did so as an act of faith to show their faith, but not as the one true baptism that John and Jesus both agreed upon.
Matthew 3
11. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
John's baptism of water was baptism of repentance of sins and Jesus is our repentance of sins. All who believe in water baptism as the one true baptism have placed Jesus on the cross in vain.
So why was Jesus baptized and why did the dove descend upon Him as He rose? Jesus followed all the law and this was a form of the law. You may notice the dove did not descend until He did rise from the water not as He was in the water.
Acts 1
5. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
Another area of difference is comunion. Many say it should be wine; others grape juice; some say only the head of the church can drink while the body eats the body or bread. Then some say only those of their faith can be part of it. The debate goes on and on. Again they got it in the physical and missed the spiritual meaning, the true meaning. Remember God is a Spirit that can only be worshipped in the Spirit.
As with water baptism, the physical side of comunion is our showing of our faith in God and His word. But the true comunion is only achieved in private a relationship with God one on one, to have comunion with God an intimate relationship with Him.
Strong's Ref. # 2842
Romanized koinonia
Pronounced koy-nohn-ee'-ah
from GSN2844; partnership, i.e. (literally) participation, or (social) intercourse, or (pecuniary) benefaction:
KJV--(to) comunicate(-ation), comunion, (contri-)distribution, fellowship.