The Gifts And Fruits Of The Spirit

1 Corinthians 12:4-7

Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.

"And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.

But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal."

Our Heavenly Father is such a great Dad!  He has provided everything we need to walk out our Christian life in the 9 gifts and 9 fruits of the Spirit. They're recorded in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10 and Galatians 5:22-23, respectively.

The gifts fall into three categories: Three you "say."  Three you "know."  Three you "do." 

They are listed this way in the text:

Say 

1. WORD OF WISDOM

2. WORD OF KNOWLEDGE 

3. PROPHECY 

Know 

4. DISCERNING OF SPIRITS 

5. TONGUES 

6. INTERPRETATION OF TONGUES. 

Do 

7. GIFTS {plural} OF HEALING(S) {plural}

8. WORKING OF MIRACLES
9. FAITH 

The 9 fruits also fall into three categories. Three are for the believer personally, three are for relating to others, and three concern relating to God.

Personal: 

1. LOVE 

2. JOY 

3. PEACE 

Relational:

4. LONG SUFFERING 

5. KINDNESS 

6. GOODNESS 

Relating to God: 

7. FAITHFULNESS 

8. GENTLENESS 

9. SELF CONTROL

The gifts and fruits are meant to be used together in a complementary fashion.  There is a beautiful picture of how to accomplish this hidden in types and shadows in the Old Testament.  Have you ever heard that the New Testament is the Old revealed and the Old is the New concealed?  All the above depicted in the most surprising place!

Bells And Pomegranates.

As you know, everything in the New Testament has a shadow representation in the Old.  The gifts and fruits are found in the most interesting and, probably, the mist unexpected place:  The garments of the high priest!

Exodus 28:33-35
And upon its hem (of the High Priest's garment) you shall make pomegranates of blue, purple, and scarlet, all around its hem, and bells of gold between them all around:  a golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, upon the hem of the robe all around.  And it shall be upon Aaron when he ministers, and its sound will be heard when he goes into the holy place before the Lord and when he comes out, that he may not die."

(To read about the colors mentioned and their meaning, follow this link:  https://emmausroadministries.wordpress.com/2016/05/15/colors-of-the-ephod-part-3-high-priests-garments-series/)

God's instructions for the bells and pomegranates on the hem of the high priest's garments show us how the gifts and fruits are to be used.  

Pomegranates? Why pomegranates and why did God have them put them on the hem?  The Song of Solomon in 6 verse 7 gives us a clue:
"Like a piece of pomegranate Are your temples behind your veil." 

No, the Shulamite did not have bruises on her temples. Pomegranates have many seeds. Seeds are a typology of our thoughts. Many seeds: Many thoughts.  The juice of the pomegranate seed, being a deep red color, shows us that, in Christ, every one of our thoughts are bathed in and redeemed by the blood of our precious Jesus!  HALLELUJAH!

So what's the deal with the bells?  Bells are a herald of news which can be good or bad. In this case, these golden bells sing out the GOOD NEWS that we have a High Priest who advocates for us to the Father.  Again, HALLELUJAH! 

At the hem of the high priest's garment the bells and pomegranates were placed in alternating fashion,:  Bell, fruit; bell fruit.  It depicts the gifts and fruits working together in harmony. 

Why are they on the hem and not somewhere else?  What is nearest the hem?  His feet.  What do you do with your feet?  WALK or stand.  They were near his feet so that, as he walked, the bells would make a joyful, gentle, pleasant sound.  

As high priest, he was a shadow representation of our Lord Jesus.  After He came and shed His blood, the veil that separated Israel from God was torn giving us those who believe full and unrestricted access to God. 

You and I, Church, as spiritual Israel, are His priests in the world.  As we walk through life, we need to have the gifts and fruits operating in sweet, pleasant harmony, making a JOYFUL NOISE wherever we go.  As we walk, we share the gospel with people as well as minister to one another in His Name using those gifts and fruits. God gave them to us the gift and fruits to aide us in our Christian walk.  We walk them out wherever we go.  That's why it says in Isaiah 52:7,

"How beautiful upon the mountains

Are the FEET of him who brings good news,

Who proclaims peace,

Who brings glad tidings of good things,

Who proclaims salvation,

Who says to Zion,

“Your God reigns!"

(Bells and Pomegranates on the hem of the garment.)

The Gifts of the Spirit.

Here are the Gifts/Bells as they are recorded in 1 Corinthians. 12:8-10 

1. Word of wisdom; 2. Word of knowledge; 3. Faith; 4. Gift"s" of healing"s" (plural); 5. Working of miracles; 6. Prophecy; 7. Discerning of spirits; 8. Tongues; 9. Interpretation of tongues.

Now, here are the Fruits/Pomegranates in the order in which they are recorded in Galatians 5:22-23 

1. love 2. joy 3. peace 4. Long suffering 5. Kindness 6. Goodness 7. Faithfulness 8. Gentleness 9. Self-control

Gift #1 goes with fruit #1, i.e. word of wisdom with love. 

A word of wisdom is foreknowledge of a future event.  Here's an example: 

Suppose someone gets a word about a financial downturn. The people will feel loved and protected when it is given in such a way that they know that, in spite of what is happening in the world, that our Daddy always takes care of us.  We are His own so we need not fear.  The people know and understand that they are loved by God.  The word is not given or meant to frighten but to inform, and encourage and protect.  That is how a word of wisdom given in love. 

Notice, it's a "word," NOT a paragraph. Any more than that is none our business.

#2 gift goes with 2# fruit, i.e. "word of knowledge" with "joy." 
A word of knowledge, unlike wisdom, is of a present situation or current event. 

For example:  Suppose someone needed to be reconciled to another person who had wronged him and, in so doing, the person would be able to get the breakthrough for which he had been praying. 

That would be joyfully received! 

Again, it's a "word," NOT a "paragraph," because any more than that is TMI.  God is not running a gossip mill. 

#3 faith goes with #3, peace. 

When you step out in faith on anything, you feel God's leading because you have a sense of peace about it. I think you get the idea. 

The Dove.

These are all the gifts of The Holy Spirit. Did you ever wonder why He always appears like a Dove?  More word pictures!  The Dove has 9 primary feathers on each wing. When all the gifts and fruits are working together in harmony there is perfect balance. If only the gifts are operating, the Church is trying to fly straight with only one wing.  The same applies if only the fruits are operating.  The church flies straight when both are used in HARMONY. A bird with one wing can only fly in circles, going nowhere and accomplishing nothing. 

If only the gifts are operating, she is more like a "noisy gong or a clanging cymbal." Conversely, fruit without the gifts, too soft and "mushy." The Fruit harmonizes the sound of the Bells, making one's ministry acceptable, harmonious. 

Did you notice that there are Gifts (plural) of healings (plural)?   In the Church, there will be some who may have more success with touching those with back problems; others with lengthening of legs; others cancer, etc, many gift-s of healing-s.  The point is, healing isn't isolated to your church leadership or a select few; it's family-wide. 

Thank you, Daddy, for giving us the Holy Spirit and the wonderful Gifts and Fruits of the Spirit!