Fruit Says It All

If you’re wondering whether or not someone in ministry is legitimate or not, you need to stop looking at their giftings and start examining their fruit.

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While the Gifts of the Spirit are the most prominent things highlighted by most churches everywhere, those gifts were put in place to highlight and to Testify of Jesus Christ to the world.

Many people now use those Gifts to highlight themselves instead and to promote their own ministries in the place of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God. While the operation Gifts of the Spirit are powerful, they are also WITHOUT REPENTANCE.

“For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.” Romans 11:29

This means that the gifts are never taken away from us, regardless of the current character taking place within our personal lives. This is why you’ll see so many ministries with Powerful Giftings and Terrible Character in their lives.

While this may seem frustrating, this is why the Bible tells us to judge the Fruit instead of Gifts:

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you dressed as sheep, but inside they are devouring wolves. YOU WILL FULLY RECOGNIZE THEM BY THEIR FRUITS. Do people pick grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? Even so, every healthy (sound) tree bears good fruit [[b]worthy of admiration], but the sickly (decaying, worthless) tree bears bad (worthless) fruit.” Matthew 7:15-17

While it many be difficult to tell whether someone is legitimate in the Spirit by looking at their giftings, the FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT upon the tree of their life WILL REVEAL ALL! The Holy Spirit will use everything that He can in creation to testify of Jesus Christ to the nations, but Real Fruit of the Spirit will only manifest in those whose lives have been surrendered to Jesus Christ and the work of the Cross.

While the Gifts of the Spirit represent the ministry of Jesus Christ, it is the Fruit of the Spirit that represents Jesus’s Character within a person’s life.

“Dwell in Me, and I will dwell in you. [Live in Me, and I will live in you.] Just as no branch can bear fruit of itself without abiding in (being vitally united to) the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you abide in Me. I am the Vine; you are the branches. WHOEVER LIVES IN THE AND I IN HIM BEARS MUCH (abundant) FRUIT. However, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with Me] you can do nothing.” John 15:4-5

Only when we abide in Jesus Christ and He Lives in us will we see a Manifestation of the true Fruit of the Spirit in our lives, For it is that Manifestation of the Fruit which is the only true litmus test for the personal progression of my Transformation into His Image. (2 Corinthians 3:18)

If you’re wondering whether or not someone in ministry is legitimate or not, you need to stop looking at their giftings and start examining the Fruit upon the Tree of their lives. Look for Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control. (Galatians 5:22-23)

If you find these qualities in the minister or the ministry, then you’ve found something real that you can feel safe listening to or gleaning from, but if you don’t, then no matter how much power appears to be in operation, those things should be seriously scrutinized and examined!

THE FRUIT TELLS IT ALL! Become a FRUIT TESTER instead of a CROWD FOLLOWER and you’ll save yourself a lot of grief down the road!

 

Featured Image by Gernot from Pixabay

 
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About the Author

Daniel Pontious is a Kingdom Winds Contributor and passionate about teaching and revealing the Heart of the Father and Drawing people Closer to Him. It is his desire to see every member of the Body of Christ Functioning in their Personal Identity In Him!

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