Getting to know the Holy Spirit: The Fruit of the Spirit - Part 1 What did Jesus teach on Fruit?

Paul’s letter to the Galatian Church in chapter 5 of the Book of Galatians speaks to us about life in the Spirit and tells us about the fruit of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit. Now where did this concept of fruit originate? Well it originated with the teachings of Jesus of course when he was leading and teaching his disciples and preaching to the Jewish people.

But one of the first teachings on fruit came through John the Baptist who we all know was filled with the Holy Spirit from when he was in his mother’s womb (Luke 1:15). John’s word on fruit went like this:

Matthew 3:7-10 (NLT)

⁷ But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to watch him baptize, he denounced them. “You brood of snakes!” he exclaimed. “Who warned you to flee the coming wrath? ⁸ Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. ⁹ Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones. ¹⁰ Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.

This was a harsh word to the religious leaders of the day – repent and start producing good fruit, or you end up in hell!

Jesus is our focal point and the reason why we exist as born-again Christians. Everything we are and everything we do should be done to ensure that we become His imitators – to be conformed to His image day by day. We can’t do this unless we are Spirit filled, obedient to His every word and loving our neighbours as we love ourselves!

In the book of John, we will find the most significant teaching Jesus gave on the bearing of fruit in our lives that we will be able to find in the Bible. Let’s examine the Lord’s teachings on fruit before we actually move into Paul’s teaching in Galatians.

Jesus, the True Vine

John 15:1-7 (NIV)

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.² He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes^[cleans] so that it will be even more fruitful. ³ You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. ⁴ Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

⁵ “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶ If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.⁷ If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. ⁸ This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

Let’s do an analysis of the above eight verses to try and emphasise the importance of what we are being told.

¹I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.       

Jesus is the source of our salvation and through Him we receive all that God has for us. God the Father lovingly tends and nurtures us through Jesus as a gardener tends a garden. We are connected to God through Jesus and His Holy Spirit.

²He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes^[cleans] so that it will be even more fruitful.         

If we don’t bear good fruit, then it is God (the gardener) that cuts us off! When we are bearing good fruit, God prunes us – this can be quite painful at times – so that we will produce more fruit.

³You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.   

We are cleansed from our sin by the Word and work of Jesus on the Cross. Jesus is the Word.

⁴Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

We must stay connected to Jesus (keep your eyes on Him) because without Him we can do nothing, and we will not bear good fruit.

⁵I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.  

Repeat of the previous verse. Jesus emphasizing the importance of remaining in Him and Him alone.

⁶If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.        

If we don’t remain in Him, we will be cut off and end up in hell.

⁷ If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.                                       

When we remain in Jesus, our voice (prayers) is heard by God through Jesus and the Holy Spirit interceding on our behalf.

⁸ This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.                                               

When we bear much fruit, we prove that we are Jesus’ disciples, doing this is to the glory of the Father and Jesus the Son!

A very strong word from the Lord about remaining in Him and bearing good fruit and the consequences if we do not! 

TO JESUS BELONGS ALL GLORY, HONOUR AND PRAISE!

Next week: What kind of Fruit will last?

An extract from my book: Fan Into Flame: Life in the Spirit available on Paperback:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1798692120

Getting to know the Holy Spirit: The Gifts of the Spirit Part 3 - Why does the Church need the Gifts of the Spirit?

The gifts of the Spirit are not given to us for our own selfish use, they are given to us to serve the body – to build up and edify the Church! When you are using your gifts to build up the Church, then you are living life in the Spirit.

Now why would Paul exhort us to eagerly desire the Spiritual gifts? For these reasons. The Spiritual gifts:

• Enable us to live life in the Spirit
• Enable us to express God’s love to others – He knows we need them to emulate Jesus, to be conformed to his image.
• Enable us to love others the way God wants us to, well not just wants us to but expects us to.
• Enable us to build up and edify the Church, our spiritual family in Christ Jesus.
• Enable us to receive God’s guidance for ourselves and to use us to give His guidance to others.
• Enable us to lift up and glorify the name of Jesus!
• Enable us to show God’s love in action to unbelievers and thus draw them to Jesus for salvation.
• Enable us to perform miracles, signs and wonders just as Jesus did.

Now that we know this, let’s do it!  Let’s follow the way of love and eagerly desire the gifts of the Spirit!!

How do I know what my spiritual gifts are? How do I identify them?

These are two questions that nearly all born-again Christians ask themselves more than once. They are good questions to ask ourselves, there is nothing wrong with doing so, but maybe we should ask this question first:

How can I serve the body?

And then go into the other two! After all the gifts are given to us not to serve ourselves but to serve the body – they are tools of service and go hand in hand with the gift that we have all been given and that is the gift of faith, faith in Christ Jesus.

James 2:14-17 (NIV)

¹⁴ What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? ¹⁵ Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. ¹⁶ If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?¹⁷ In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

Right then, getting back to how we can identify our spiritual gifts, let’s have a look at some guiding pointers:

1.       Find out what needs there are within your local body

Find out what the current serving needs are within your congregation and begin to serve in an area where your heart feels you need to be. Be proactive – don’t just do nothing. God created you and predestined you for works of service.

Matthew 20:26-28

²⁶ But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, ²⁷ and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. ²⁸ For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.

  

Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)

 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

Once you begin to serve others faithfully and without complaining you will find that your primary gift/s will come to the fore. You will be known by the good fruit that you will produce in serving others.

2.       Pray

Keep praying and eagerly desire the gifts of the Spirit. Pray in your understanding and pray in the Spirit. The more you talk to God and read the Word the more God will speak to you. Ask people you trust to pray with you and pray for you and ask them what gifts they have noticed you operating in. Listen to wise counsel.

3.       Let your faith rise up

If you desire to prophesy then step out and prophesy, if you desire to speak in tongues or to interpret tongues then step out and do so, if it is leadership, then lead, if it is serving, then serve. Keep praying and let your faith arise – let your faith be accompanied by your actions! Faith needs to be accompanied by actions!

Romans 12:6-8

⁶ We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; ⁷ if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; ⁸ if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

 4.       Understand the scriptures pertaining to Spiritual gifts

Study the relevant scriptures pertaining to Spiritual gifts and make sure you fully understand them. Ask the Lord to open your mind to fully understand the scriptures.

Luke 24:45 (NLT)

Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.

5.       Ask yourself what you enjoy doing

Serving the Lord should be a joyful task, not one of struggle and strife, and your service will bring joy to others! If the Spirit has gifted us, and if we are growing in grace, then we will enjoy serving the Lord and the body. The Lord may also have equipped you with certain natural skills like sewing, woodwork, cooking etc – use them to serve the body of Christ! Exodus 31:1-6.

Exodus 31:3 (NIV)

 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills

TO JESUS BELONGS ALL GLORY, HONOUR AND PRAISE.

JESUS THE NAME ABOVE ALL NAMES

Next week we will be looking at The Fruit of the Spirit!

An extract from my book: Fan Into Flame: Life in the Spirit available on Paperback:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1798692120

Getting to know the Holy Spirit: The Gifts of the Spirit - Part 2

The gifts that Christ gave to the Church:

Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers (The five-fold ministry)

These are the gifts that Jesus himself gave to the Church and are often referred to as ‘the five-fold ministry’.

Ephesians 4:7-8 (NLT)

⁷ However, he has given each one of us a special gift through the generosity of Christ. ⁸ That is why the Scriptures say,

“When he ascended to the heights,
    he led a crowd of captives
    and gave gifts to his people.”^{[Psalm 68:18]}

Ephesians 4:11-13 (NLT)

¹¹ Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. ¹² Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. ¹³ This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.

The function of the ‘Five-fold Ministry’ is to equip the body of Christ to do his work and to build and lead it into maturity in Christ Jesus. This is done in an attitude of servanthood – serving the body - just as the ministry of Jesus was. When we look at verse 13 above, we see that this function of the five-fold ministry is not to stop until we reach full maturity and unity as a body which, in all likelihood, will only be when our Lord returns, and we are clothed in our imperishable bodies!

The gifts of Christ in the ‘Five-fold Ministry’ are not just gifts alone but are also positions or offices within the local church. We also find that these gifts also come, sort of naturally, with the gift of Leadership! The Church, including every local body, needs every part of the five-fold ministry that Jesus has given to us. One or two are not enough; we need all of the five-fold ministries working in unity to build a vibrant and Spirit-filled body!

As God restores these ministries to the Church, we must correctly respond to them. God’s purposes will not be fulfilled outside of His divinely appointed leadership. The more we flow in God’s gifts and the more we live life in the Spirit, so the more we will become like rivers of living water – more like Jesus.

The gifts of prophecy, serving, teaching, encouraging, giving, leadership, showing mercy

As you read the following scriptures allow them to permeate your very being and ask God to write them indelibly on your heart.

Luke 11:13

If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

Romans 12:6-8 (NLT)

⁶ In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. ⁷ If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. ⁸ If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness (or mercy) to others, do it gladly.

1 Corinthians 12:27-28 (NLT)

²⁷ All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it. ²⁸ Here are some of the parts God has appointed for the church:

first are apostles, second are prophets,
third are teachers,
then those who do miracles,
those who have the gift of healing,
those who can help others,
those who have the gift of leadership,
those who speak in unknown languages.

1 Peter 4:10-11
¹⁰ Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. ¹¹ If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

TO JESUS BELONGS ALL GLORY, HONOUR AND PRAISE.
JESUS THE NAME ABOVE ALL NAMES

Part 3 'Why Does the Church Need the Gifts of the Spirit?" will be published next week.

An extract from my book: Fan Into Flame: Life in the Spirit available on Paperback:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1798692120

Getting to know the Holy Spirit: The Gifts of the Spirit - Part 1

The apostle Paul urges us to follow the way of love and eagerly desire the spiritual gifts. 

The gifts of the Spirit are exactly what they say they are – they are gifts from God to His Church and are energized or empowered within us by the Holy Spirit.

Their primary function is to build up and edify the Church and to bring Godly guidance and counsel to both individuals and groups to help them in their Christian walk in fulfilling their Godly destiny in Christ Jesus.

1 Corinthians 14:1 (NLT)

Let love be your highest goal! But you should also desire the special abilities the Spirit gives—especially the ability to prophesy.

From scripture, let’s identify what the spiritual gifts are:

1 Corinthians 12:7-11 (NIV)

⁷ Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. ⁸ To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, ⁹ to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, ¹⁰ to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. ¹¹ All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

A word of wisdom

The ability to receive from God a word of wisdom of what to do about a particular situation once you know the facts concerning that situation.

A word of knowledge

The ability to receive from God a word of knowledge that will reveal facts of a situation in an individual’s or a group’s situation about which it would be humanly impossible for them to know anything about.

Faith

The ability to believe in God for the seemingly impossible to come to pass and to also pass on to others the same belief and faith, i.e. impart and inspire faith in the hearts of others.

Gifts of healing 

The ability to impart the healing virtue of Christ to those who believe and have faith in God to receive their healing.

Miraculous powers

The ability to perform acts that are contrary to or beyond the realm of the laws of the natural and common understanding.

Prophecy

The ability to deliver in your own language a message from God to a person or group of people that is always for their edification, exhortation, instruction and comfort or correction.

Distinguishing between spirits

The ability, with revelation from God through the Holy Spirit, to detect the presence of evil spirits (demons) and to identity the type of spirit.

Speaking in different kinds of tongues

The ability to speak in languages that you do not understand, and to speak at your own will. This gift can manifest in two forms:

i.        In a language known on earth.

ii.      In a language spoken by angels.

1 Corinthians 13:1a (NIV)

If I speak in the tongues (languages) of men or of angels, but do not have love,

i.       In a language known on earth

This was evidenced on the day of Pentecost

Acts 2:4-8 (NIV)

⁴ All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

⁵ Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. ⁶ When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being

spoken. ⁷ Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? ⁸ Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language?

i.       In a language spoken by angels (of the Spirit)

This is a language that is available to all believers as bestowed by the Holy Spirit. It is a language all of our own (each person’s spirit language sounds different to another’s although some sound similar) that connects you to God through the Holy Spirit and is the language we use when we are praying in the Spirit and do not know what to pray. Praying in tongues is for one’s personal edification, it edifies your own spirit.

Romans 8:26 (NLT)

²⁶ And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. ²⁷ And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.

1 Corinthians 14:4 (NLT)

A person who speaks in tongues is strengthened personally, but one who speaks a word of prophecy strengthens the entire church.

Ephesians 6:18

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people. 

The interpretation of tongues

The ability to interpret in the language of your understanding the sum and substance of what has been spoken in an unknown tongue – usually somebody else’s tongue but can be your own tongue as well.

The gifts of the Spirit operate effectively in and through us when our sole motivation is the agape love of God. Loving others unconditionally as He loves us.

TO JESUS BELONGS ALL GLORY, HONOUR AND PRAISE.
JESUS THE NAME ABOVE ALL NAMES

Part 2 will be published next week.

An extract from my book: Fan Into Flame: Life in the Spirit available on Paperback:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1798692120

Getting to know the Holy Spirit: Life in the Spirit - Romans 8

Now that we have had a look at the man Paul and how he was converted, changed and trained, let’s now look at what he tells us about living life in the Spirit from Romans 8.

Let’s bear in mind that the Church in Rome was under savage persecution and most of their activity and worship took place ‘underground’. Many believers had been put to death. At the time Paul’s letter was written the Roman Emperor at the time was the heartless Nero.

Paul new that in order for the Christians in Rome to overcome the persecution of Nero, it was imperative for them to live life in the Spirit. Paul’s letters are written for a specific purpose and always to build up and to edify the Church and to correct error.

Below, from Romans 8, is a list of the benefits we receive in living life through the Holy Spirit for those who are in Christ Jesus. This list is by no means exhaustive.

• There is no condemnation in Christ Jesus – verse 1.
• The Holy Spirit gives us life and freedom in Christ Jesus – verse 2.
• The Holy Spirit enables us to live life in the Spirit and not according to the flesh (our sinful nature) – verses 3 and 4.
• The Holy Spirit allows us to set our minds on what God desires for us – verse 5. 
• The Holy Spirit allows us to set our minds on life and peace in Christ Jesus – verse 6.
• The Holy Spirit allows us to be pleasing in the eyes of God – verse 8. 
• If we do not have the Holy Spirit in us, then we do not belong to Christ – verse 9. 
• The Holy Spirit gives life because of righteousness – verse 10. 
• The Holy Spirit will raise us from the dead as He did for Jesus – verses 10 and 11. 
• If we are led by the Holy Spirit, then we are truly children of God – verse 14. 
• The Holy Spirit brings about our adoption to sonship – verse 15. 
• The Holy Spirit testifies with our spirit that we are children of God – verse 16. 
• The Holy Spirit enables us to be heirs of God along with Jesus – verse 17
• The Holy Spirit helps us in our weaknesses – verse 26. 
• The Holy Spirit intercedes for us – verses 26, 27. 
• The Holy Spirit knows our hearts – verse 27. 
• It is the Holy Spirit that helps us to conform to the image of Christ Jesus – verse 29.
• Through the Holy Spirit we can overcome our present suffering and look forward to future glory in Christ Jesus – Romans 8:18-30 
  
  
  The Holy Spirit will enable and empower you to overcome your present sufferings, trials and tribulations, (remember the words of Jesus in John 16:33, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart I have overcome the world”) and lead you into the future glory that God intends for you. 
  
  
  Through the Holy Spirit we are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus – Romans 8:31-39. 
  
  
  When we as Christians, are filled with the Holy Spirit and are obedient to His promptings and to God’s Word, we are overcomers! More than conquerors! For the Holy Spirit, just like Jesus, intercedes with God on our behalf which guarantees us victory over this world.

Life in the Spirit for those who are in Christ Jesus - to Him alone belongs all glory, honour and praise!

An extract from my book: Fan Into Flame: Life in the Spirit available on Paperback:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1798692120

Getting to know the Holy Spirit: How the Holy Spirit redirected the life of Saul of Tarsus.

From Saul the persecutor to Paul the Evangelist

Let’s take some time to examine the apostle Paul. Doing this will give us a greater understanding of the authority and understanding he had in writing about spiritual matters for our purposes, and ‘life in the Spirit’ in particular.

Paul (still called Saul at this stage) before his conversion

·    By his own admission (Php 3) a Hebrew of Hebrews and a Pharisee of Pharisees

• ·        The Persecutor-in-Chief of Christians
• ·        A highly rated scholar of the ‘Law’
• ·        Supremely confident in his own flesh

Philippians 3:4b-6 (NIV)

If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: ⁵ circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; ⁶ as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.

·    A thoroughly nasty and extremely religious character. An instigator of, and an accomplice in murder:

Acts 7:57-60 (NLT)

⁵⁷ Then they put their hands over their ears and began shouting. They rushed at him ⁵⁸ and dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. His accusers took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul.

⁵⁹ As they stoned him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” ⁶⁰ He fell to his knees, shouting, “Lord, don’t charge them with this sin!” And with that, he died.

Acts 8:1 (NLT)

Saul was one of the witnesses, and he agreed completely with the killing of Stephen. On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.

·    Saul’s sole purpose in life at this stage was to eradicate Christianity. Saul the persecutor of Christians – the destroyer of the Church

Acts 9:1-2 (NLT)

Meanwhile, Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord’s followers. So he went to the high priest. ² He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them—both men and women—back to Jerusalem in chains.

Paul’s dramatic conversion

Enlightenment on the Damascus highway!

Acts 9:3-4 (NIV)

³ As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. ⁴ He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

One-minute breathing out murderous threats, the next slain under the power of the Holy Spirit, lying in the dirt as blind as a bat with Jesus talking to him, asking him why he was persecuting him – the Church!

God knows exactly where you are, physically and spiritually and knows exactly what you are doing!

Let’s have a look at what happened to Saul after this encounter:

Acts 9

• ·        Saul was blind and did not eat and drink for three days
• ·        God sent Ananias to pray for him
• ·        Ananias lays hands on Paul and prays for him
• ·        He receives his sight
• ·        He receives the baptism of the Holy Spirit
• ·        He is water baptised

This was the pinnacle turning point in Paul’s life. After this all the zeal and enthusiasm that he had used to persecute the Church was turned around and focused on preaching the gospel with great power followed by signs, wonders and miracles – just as Jesus did. The Holy Spirit wants to do the same with us!

Paul’s preparation for ministry

Paul tells us in Galatians that the gospel message he preaches did not come out of any human reasoning, but it came by direct revelation from Jesus himself.

Galatians 1:11-12 (NIV)

¹¹ I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the gospel I preached is not of human origin. ¹² I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.

Galatians 1:15-17 (NIV)

¹⁵ But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased ¹⁶ to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any human being. ¹⁷ I did not go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went into Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus.

In the above verses Paul tells us as well that after his conversion he did not go Jerusalem to consult with the other apostles but to immediately start his calling in Christ Jesus which was to preach to the Gentiles. He did this in Damascus for a while and by going into Arabia.

It was during this period, whilst preaching to the Gentiles, that he received the true revelation of Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit! Divine revelation! This is how he was able to write with such authority and with such deep conviction about living life in the Spirit.

Let’s examine the below verses from Philippians 3:

Philippians 3:3-9 (NLT)

³ For we who worship by the Spirit of God are the ones who are truly circumcised. We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort, ⁴ though I could have confidence in my own effort if anyone could. Indeed, if others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more!

⁵ I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. ⁶ I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault.

⁷ I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. ⁸ Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ ⁹ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith.

In the above verses from 3-6 Paul tells us about his academic pedigree and self-ability before his encounter with Jesus. This is what he says about himself in verses 5-6:

•        I was circumcised (in the flesh)
•        I am a pure-blooded Israelite
•        I am a Benjamite
•        I am a Hebrew
•        I am a Pharisee
•        I was zealous
•         I harshly persecuted
•        I was self-righteousness
•        I obeyed the law

He was definitely an “I” specialist!

Now, let’s see what he says about himself after his encounter with Jesus when he is born-again, when his heart has been circumcised! Verses 7-9:

·        I now consider these things (the things bulleted above) worthless

·        For Jesus I have discarded everything else

·        Everything I knew before Jesus is garbage

·        I can now become one with Jesus

·        I am no longer self-righteous

·        My righteousness comes from my faith in Jesus

·        Circumcision of the heart through the Holy Spirit

·        God’s way (through faith in Jesus) makes us right with Him

Paul wrote his letter to the Philippians a number of years after his conversion, so he was able to write it with such confidence and conviction because he had by then actual life experience of being led and taught by the Holy Spirit who brings us divine revelation.

This is the very thing that Jesus meant when he spoke these words:

John 16:12-15 (NIV)

¹² “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. ¹³ But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. ¹⁴ He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. ¹⁵ All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”

It is the Holy Spirit that prepares us for the life that God intends us to live in Christ Jesus! Without him and our faith in Jesus we will not be overcomers.

John 16:33 (NLT)

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

2 Corinthians 3:16-18 (NLT)

¹⁶ But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. ¹⁷ For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. ¹⁸ So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.

Life in the Spirit is a must for all believers of every generation as Jesus and the Word are one and they never change. What applies to one of us applies to all.

Hebrews 13:8 (NIV)

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Without living life in the Spirit, we will not become like Jesus – we will not be changed into his glorious image. The more we eagerly desire the things of the Spirit and use them for the benefit of others to glorify the name of Jesus, the more we will be conformed to His image!

It is clearly evidenced through his ministry that Paul, after his conversion, eagerly desired the things of the Spirit and was faithful in using them to the benefit of others, and by this he brought glory, honour and praise, to his Saviour – our Lord Jesus!

Let's imitate Paul as he imitated Christ! The born again Paul!

1 Cor 11:1

And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.

May the name of Jesus be lifted up and glorified!

An extract from my book: Fan Into Flame: Life in the Spirit available on Paperback:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1798692120