MID-WEEK MANNA FROM PASTOR NAT’S DESK:
December 4, 2024
The Third Person of the Godhead Series – Part 39
JOY: THE SECOND ‘FRUIT’ OF THE HOLY SPIRIT – Part 12
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, JOY, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, (and) temperance: against such [fruits] there is no law.” Gal. 5: 23, 24, KJV (Authorized Version, A.V.)
There is no divine law whatsoever from eternity past to eternity future that can ever be against THE FRUITS produced and manifested in the lives of the true believer. In fact it is the indisputable proof and living evidence of “the word of their testimony” that “the Holy Spirit of truth” is indeed abiding in the “body temple” of the professed believer. (1 Cor. 3:16, 17; 6:19-20). It is “by their fruits,” not by any “great swelling words of professions, “that ye shall know them.”
These scripturally identified and defined “fruits of the Spirit” are also the inevitable products of the works of righteousness” (in stark contrast to the “works of the flesh” verses 17-21), produced by genuine “righteousness by faith” patterned after the example perfected by Christ in His incarnated human flesh nature, verily “the second Adam” (see John 1:1-3, 14; Rom. 8:1-8; 1 Cor. 15:45-50; Heb. 5: 8, 9, etc.). It is that of “faith that works by love” (Gal. 5: 6), and “purifies the soul” from all the defilement of sin.
All that is yet carnal is “earthly,” “fleshly,” and “worldly,” and are “at enmity with the law of God” and “war against” the Spirit, the truth, Christ and His perfect righteousness and sinless purity.
As the month of December traditionally is “the Season to be JOLLY,” and most still heartily sing “JOY to the world,” etc. we must clear-eyed where truth is concerned: the “joy” of the world fallen in sin, and the “joy of the Lord” are at the opposite ends of the truth spectrum. And Satan, “the father of lies and murderer from the beginning,” and the master deceiver and “central power of the earth and “the prince of the power of the air” has, sadly and fearfully continues successfully to switch or confuse one for the other by his diabolical schemes.
Thus, I will start this subject of the “joy fruit” of the Holy Spirit from His side, the spiritual side as “spiritual things are only spiritually discerned.” Here is what this joy IS NOT, as determined by “the Spirit of Prophecy which is the Testimony of Jesus” for these last days:
1. It is not a “jovial disposition” for such in fact has a “leavening” not sanctifying “effect upon the churches.” (Evangelism, 63).
2. It is not “jovial talk,” too much of which men and women indulge in. (Vol. 2 Testimonies for the Church, 455; Counsels on Health, 569.
3. It is not a “jovial mood,” for believers who “run in this as naturally as water flows DOWNHILL.” (Gospel Workers, 130).
No wonder that Paul admonished the early churches agains indulging in jesting, joking, etc. Jesus never ever left such an example for sanctified believers. Gods’s servant cited this one of the over as dozen ways we are denying Christ!
To be continued next MWM, God willing. Bless all, NMF.