Many Christians who have been exposed to the prophetic gifts, miracles, signs and wonders always confuse the gifts of the Holy Spirit with the character or Christ-likeness of the operator. It is a sad story that many people who work in the gift of the Spirit may have character flaws that is out of character with the demonstration of the charismatic gifts. The gifts are mainly deposited but the character is developed over the long haul.
The gifts are endowment of grace from above as dispensed by the Holy Spirit; it is not a mark of spirituality or spiritual superiority. That's why the basis of operation of the charismatic gifts is love. Even faith which is the propeller that drives the gifts work by love. God will always cherish the power of love rather than the love of power. Love is the nature and heartbeat of God. Love is the super-glue that holds all other spiritual fruit or fruits or the spirit together. God is not raising religious nuts; He loves spiritual fruit.
Many Christians in pentecostal circles tend to emphasize power gifts, and sit around to ask for more blessings and more anointing without doing anything further. "People ask for more fresh anointing without doing anything with the ones God has already deposited in them," says one pastor. We should rather be asking for more wisdom and more of Christlike character. Working in holiness and integrity is very important to God. What we are for God is more important to Him as a father than what we do for Him as servants. We can be doing our own will and doing our own things and still perform miracles and acts of power. You can work for God without walking like God.
We can do all the wonderful works of God and not make it into the kingdom of in the final analysis. One of the most perplexing Scriptures in the whole Bible is Matthew 7:21-23:
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.
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?
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
This is a very puzzling Scripture in deed. Most of the miracle works who don't obey the will of God will become cast aways. These Christians must have been God's anointed ministers and called servants in the five-fold ministry, I suppose. My question in all these is: "wasn't it God that gave them the power of the Holy Ghost to do all those miracles?"
In summary, we need both the gifts and the fruit being careful to work exactly according to God's instructions and His blueprints. We must work in integrity, holiness and Christ-like character. Spiritual gifts are in no way an endorsement of our mistakes, flaws or human frailties. God does miracles and carries out His works regardless of the vessel. However, while using the vessels, God requires, pruning, purging and uprightness from the servant to be become a yielded vessel, "for many are called but few are chosen."
To learn more about how to submit quality and original Christian Articles or download christian articles for your web pages, blog or newsletter, see Christian Articles Online
The gifts are endowment of grace from above as dispensed by the Holy Spirit; it is not a mark of spirituality or spiritual superiority. That's why the basis of operation of the charismatic gifts is love. Even faith which is the propeller that drives the gifts work by love. God will always cherish the power of love rather than the love of power. Love is the nature and heartbeat of God. Love is the super-glue that holds all other spiritual fruit or fruits or the spirit together. God is not raising religious nuts; He loves spiritual fruit.
Many Christians in pentecostal circles tend to emphasize power gifts, and sit around to ask for more blessings and more anointing without doing anything further. "People ask for more fresh anointing without doing anything with the ones God has already deposited in them," says one pastor. We should rather be asking for more wisdom and more of Christlike character. Working in holiness and integrity is very important to God. What we are for God is more important to Him as a father than what we do for Him as servants. We can be doing our own will and doing our own things and still perform miracles and acts of power. You can work for God without walking like God.
We can do all the wonderful works of God and not make it into the kingdom of in the final analysis. One of the most perplexing Scriptures in the whole Bible is Matthew 7:21-23:
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.
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?
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
This is a very puzzling Scripture in deed. Most of the miracle works who don't obey the will of God will become cast aways. These Christians must have been God's anointed ministers and called servants in the five-fold ministry, I suppose. My question in all these is: "wasn't it God that gave them the power of the Holy Ghost to do all those miracles?"
In summary, we need both the gifts and the fruit being careful to work exactly according to God's instructions and His blueprints. We must work in integrity, holiness and Christ-like character. Spiritual gifts are in no way an endorsement of our mistakes, flaws or human frailties. God does miracles and carries out His works regardless of the vessel. However, while using the vessels, God requires, pruning, purging and uprightness from the servant to be become a yielded vessel, "for many are called but few are chosen."
To learn more about how to submit quality and original Christian Articles or download christian articles for your web pages, blog or newsletter, see Christian Articles Online
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