Empowered by the Holy Spirit

 Empowered by the Holy Spirit 

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. Gal. 5:22-23.

Love is a Divine attitude, the inherent nature of God. It is difficult for anyone to demonstrate God's kind of love if such person has not received His Holy Spirit. One of the ways to identify who is truly born of God is the kind of fruit you  bear. For you shall know them by their fruit.  It's a pity that we're in a generation where speaking in tongues,  prophesy,  power ministrations and miracles are the yardstick to measure the manifestation of the Holy Spirit in the life of ministers. And so, many will go as far as dining with the devil for miracle power.  What is the essence of gifts without fruits.  When your gifts fail to bear fruits of the Spirit then something is fundamentally wrong with your source. 

You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Matt. 7:16&20

Anyone born of God carries His nature and demonstrates His character. I John 1:15&16. We are not only called to receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit but to also bear His fruit.  Note that these gifts can be manipulated and adulterated but the fruit of Love, joy,  peace, longsuffering,  kindness,  goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness and self control all equal to one can't be manipulated or adulterated by the devil.  Gifts are external and temporal but the fruit of the Holy Spirit is internal and eternal.  

- Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 1Cor.13.8

If you believe you are born again and you still struggle with the works of the flesh- adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the likes- Gal.5.21. Regardless of your title or position, be honest within yourself and pray earnestly for grace and strength of the Holy Spirit. If you still struggle with sin and canal thoughts, being bullied by the flesh and its lust, kindly humble yourself under God's power. 

 - Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Rom.8.26

Helping our weaknesses is the major work of the Holy Spirit, a miracle no man or demon can perform. He helps us to overcoming the flesh and its lust. Crucifying the old nature of sin and being transformed completely into the new nature of Christ 1John.3.9.  This is beyond any human strength.  It neither by power nor by might but by My Spirit says the Lord - Zach 4:6.  Wait on Him until your mortal body is quickened by His Spirit - Rom. 8:11. Fruitfulness is the hallmark of Christian maturity, It is what only the Holy Spirit  can achieve in us and through us. John 15:1-5.  Abide in Him. 

Further Readings: Zach 4:5-10; Matt. 7: 15-27; Gal. 5:16-26; Rom. 8:1-27

Prayers:

I receive Divine strength to bear the fruit of the Spirit.  To manifest the nature and character of God,  to overcome sin, the world and the flesh. I recieve grace upon grace to reign  with  Christ in  heavenly realms. I pray through Jesus Christ our Lord,  our Strength and Redeemer.  Amen.