HOW YAHSHUA'S TRUE DISCIPLES DEFINE SALVATION!

A Beggar Being Ignored By Prospering Christians -"Faith Without Works Is Dead!"
CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE

NOTE: All Scripture References Are 

Quoted At The End Of This Article

If you are a believer in Yahshua or Jesus, you believe that this statement is true: "Salvation is by Grace, not of Works, so that no one can boast" (Ephesians 2:1-10). Indeed, true Salvation is by the Unmerited Divine Favor or Grace that's given to those who know that they are terrible sinners in need of a Savior. They also know that the ONLY way that they can know how to identify sin and flee from it is through knowing Yahweh's Moral Law (Romans 3:19-26).

After being convicted of sin through the Law, sinners must want to repent or TURN AWAY from their sins (Acts 2:38), and they must believe that they are in need of a perfect Savior. Furthermore, they must know that there is only ONE Savior or Messiah, and He is called Yahshua the Messiah. But if you're not showing good works inspired by the Holy Spirit in you, it's evidence that your salvation is either not legitimate or is incomplete, and that you are not born again yet (Acts 8:12-17). Being born again is a gift of believing in Yahshua or Jesus that seals us with the Holy Spirit for the day of our redemption. As the Apostle Paul wrote:

Ephesians 1:13-14 ~ “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.” 

This statement about how we are sealed with the Holy Spirit when we believe in Yahshua sounds clear and simple enough. Unfortunately, however, it has been abused because some people lack understanding of what it means to BELIEVE in Yahshua so that we can be sealed and counseled by the Spirit of God. Belief in Yahshua is not just the act of recognizing that we need a perfect Savior, and that Yahshua - as the Incarnate Son of God - is the only one that will do. According to the Word of God, believing in Yahshua means that we not only believe that He is the Son of God that was born of a virgin, but that He also lived a perfect life, never sinned, and was tortured and died a criminal's death to pay for our sins once and for all time. It also means that we believe that Yahshua rose from the dead with a literal flesh and bone body (See Luke 24:39), that He was spiritually empowered with amazing strength and everlasting life, and that He imparts the gift of the Holy Spirit only to those who truly love and follow Him (See 1 Corinthians 15:1-8, quoted at end).

I am emphasizing that last point on the nature of a saving type of belief because Yahshua explicitly stated that His true disciples love Him so much that they keep His Commandments (John 14:15-21). Yahshua also said that His Commandments call us to to love our Heavenly Father Yahweh fully, to love ourselves fully, and to love others as we love ourselves in Christ (Matthew 22:36-40). If we're doing that, or at least moving toward being more like that, then we'll be striving to be kind, merciful and compassionate toward everyone, and we'll be striving to not do any deliberately bad things to our spirits or bodies, or to the spirits and bodies of those around us. In other words, their true belief in Christ will be evident in their good works.

This is WHY James the brother of Yahshua truthfully said that "Salvation Without (Good) Works Is Dead" (James 2:14-17). In other words, you may say that you're saved, and that you believe in Yahshua, but then you don't show it. Instead of living in a sober-minded and kindhearted fashion, you choose to continue living the way that you always have, and you do not change your carnal ways at all. This is a clear sign to anyone who is observant that you still love this fallen world that Satan rules with its overbearing passions and lusts for power, prestige and pleasure (1 Corinthians 3:1-5).

It is also a sign that you do not value your Heavenly Father's graciousness in forgiving your sins, or the gift of salvation that His Son Yahshua suffered and died to give to you. Indeed, Yahshua was a PERFECT atonement sacrifice, and He paid your death penalty for sin so that Yahweh could give you everlasting forgiveness (Hebrews 9:11-15). So, if you are a Wise Virgin (more on this in a bit!), then you'll be so much in love with Yahshua for His loving sacrifice that you'll be striving to be more like Him. This means that you'll be striving after the fruits and gifts of the Holy Spirit, and striving to bless others with the gifts that Yahweh blesses you with (1 Corinthians 12:1-11). But if you're a Foolish Virgin, it means that your salvation is not living or active. Therefore, it's useless, and it's as good as dead!

If you say that you're saved, but you're focused on the pleasures and trails of this life, and you are not looking for the return of Yahshua or Jesus as He commanded, then you are going to be spiritually asleep. So, even if you did receive the Holy Spirit initially when you believed in Yahshua, then you are not listening to the Spirit's voice, and you are not growing in your faith (John 14:22-27). As a result, you are not going to be ready when Yahshua comes for His Bride in the Rapture.

Also remember the Foolish Virgins in the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins, whose spiritual lamps did not have enough OIL, or fruits and gifts of the Holy Spirit (Matthew 25:1-13; 1 Corinthians 12:1-11). What many people overlook is that these Virgin attendants of the Bride of Christ are Virgins because they are saved, and so Yahweh sees them as spotless lambs. Otherwise they would not be called Virgins, but Harlots! But the Foolish Virgins are taking their salvation for granted by not watching for Christ's return, and striving to live a life that is pleasing to Him. That is why they get shut out of the Wedding Banquet, which is going to be held in Heaven:

Foolish Virgins Are Shut Out of the Wedding Banquet - Click Image To Enlarge

Also remember that - because the Foolish Virgins needed more OIL (OR GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT) - they were not present when the Heavenly Bridegroom Yahshua came for His Bride or Church full of born again saints! As a result they lost their rewards, one of which is to be taken up in the Rapture,  and so they were left behind. The Wise Virgins and the Bride are to be taken to Heaven in the Rapture as a beautiful reward for living a life of servant-hood for Yahweh.

But the Foolish Virgins will be left behind due to their waywardness. As a result, they will be refined in the fire of the Great Tribulation, and they will have to suffer many hardships, and possible martyrdom. Sadly, the Foolish Virgins are too spiritually asleep to know or care when the Bridegroom will return. So they aren't going to be ready, and Yahshua said that He will return at an unexpected time. So only those who are watching will be caught up to Heaven in His rescue operation!

Again, believers need to remember that the Rapture is NOT a gift of salvation. It is a gift given to believers that show deep love for the Father, Son and Spirit, and also who show much love for fellow believers - even those who are wayward - by showing them how to please Yahweh with their obedience to His Moral Law, a knowledge of which will encourage them to regularly perform unselfish acts of mercy and lovingkindness.

In closing, I encourage all believers to read the other articles that I have linked to at the end of this article. It would also be wise for all to become familiar with the important scriptures quoted after the list of articles on this page that stand as proof to the doctrinal accuracy of this article.

AS YAHSHUA SAID: WATCH! 

With Love From
Your Sister In Yahshua
Helena Lehman of the
Pillar of Enoch Ministry
http://pillar-of-enoch.com

IMPORTANT COPYRIGHT NOTICE:

This article is the Copyrighted written work of Helena Lehman, and it cannot be used in any digitally written blog or printed book without the express written permission of Helena Lehman, or an officially designated representative. Contact information for Helena can be found on the following web page at her Pillar of Enoch Ministry web site at: http://pillar-of-enoch.com/contact.html

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RECOMMENDED FURTHER READING:

WHAT COMMANDMENTS MUST BELIEVERS
KEEP UNDER THE NEW COVENANT OF GRACE?
pillarofenoch.blogspot.com/2013/08/what-commandments-must-believers-keep.html

SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS, THE 
DESTROYER OF THE CHURCH!
http://pillarofenoch.blogspot.com/2013/08/spiritual-blindness-destroyer-of-church.html

ABIDING UNDER THE SHADOW
OF GOD'S WINGS OR TALLIT!
http://pillarofenoch.blogspot.com/2017/09/abiding-under-shadow-of-gods-wings-or-tallit.html

HOW TO UNDERSTAND THE ONCE SAVED,
ALWAYS SAVED (OSAS) DOCTRINE
https://pillarofenoch.blogspot.com/2018/08/how-to-understand-once-saved-always-saved-doctrine.html 

THE ALL-SURPASSING POWER
OF THE BLOOD AND BODY OF THE MESSIAH
https://pillarofenoch.blogspot.com/2018/10/all-surpassing-power-of-blood-and-body-of-messiah.html

~~****~~****~~****~~

Please Visit My POEM Ministry Web Site;

 The Home of My Language of God Book Series:

Use This Link To See Book Covers and

Read Book Reviews, Synopses, and Excerpts:

http://pillar-of-enoch.com/language_series/index.html

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Language of God Series Books:

http://pillar-of-enoch.com/bookstore/index.html

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The Pertinent Scriptures That Inspired This Article:

Matthew 22:36-40 ~ “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” 37 Jesus (Yahshua) said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

Matthew 25:1-13 ~ The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins ~ “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. 6 And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ 7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. 11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ 12 But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.”

John 14:15-21 ~ “If you love Me, keep My commandments. 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. 19 A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. 20 At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. 21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”

John 14:22-27 ~ “Judas (not Iscariot) said to Him, “Lord, how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us, and not to the world?” 23 Jesus (Yahshua) answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. 24 He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me. 25 These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

Acts 2:38 ~ “Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ (Yahshua the Messiah) for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

Acts 8:12-17 ~ “But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ (Yahshua the Messiah), both men and women were baptized. 13 Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done. 14 Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, 15 who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. 16 For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus (Adonai Yahshua). 17 Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.”

Romans 3:19-26 ~ “Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 20 Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. 21 But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, 22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ (Yahshua the Messiah {or Anointed One}), to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus (Messiah Yahshua), 25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, 26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus (Yahshua).”

1 Corinthians 3:1-5 ~ “And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; 3 for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? 4 For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal? 5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one?”

1 Corinthians 12:1-11 ~ “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant: 2 You know that you were Gentiles, carried away to these dumb idols, however you were led. 3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit. 4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.”

1 Corinthians 15:1-8 ~ “Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. 6 After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. 7 After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. 8 Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time.”

Ephesians 2:1-10 ~ “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Messiah Yahshua), 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus (Messiah Yahshua) for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

Hebrews 9:11-15 ~ “But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. 12 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, 14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 15 And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.”

James 2:14-17 ~ “What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”

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Please Visit My POEM Ministry Web Site;

 The Home of My Language of God Book Series:

Use This Link To See Book Covers and

Read Book Reviews, Synopses, and Excerpts:

http://pillar-of-enoch.com/language_series/index.html   

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Language of God Series Books:

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1. 
   

HOW TO UNDERSTAND THE ONCE SAVED, ALWAYS SAVED (OSAS) DOCTRINE

There are many godly believers that uphold the Once Saved, Always Saved doctrine, and I honestly used to be one of this controversial doctrine's biggest opponents. But God has since shown me the error of my thinking. Because it's NOT all about us, and what we can do, but about God's Incredible Love, Power and Might, and what He WILL DO for us - despite our inability to stay free from sin!

Nonetheless, there are some problems with the way OSAS is often presented that riles up more legalistic Christians and Messianics, and I want to address these problems here. I think the BIGGEST PROBLEM with OSAS is in the semantics of how Salvation and BELIEF are defined by some. The way Scripture as a whole reveals it, we are saved and sanctified as we grow in our ability to LOVE and follow Yahshua and His Commandments, which means we have to read or hear these commandments in Scripture by studying (For Scripture Proof, See John 15:9-11; 1 John 2:2-4; 1 John 3:21-23; 1 John 5:1-3). We also have to ask Yahshua and His Spirit into our lives and decisions. That is the essence of what believing in Yahshua MEANS. When we fail to do this consistently, we are in DANGER of losing our salvation - if it was ever ours to begin with.

I say this because, once the Holy Spirit is INSIDE your mind, spirit and heart, you will hear the voice of God's Counselor guiding you with actual Scripture quotes and Words of Knowledge or Flashes of Insight, and you will be prompted on what to do or how to act when you ASK the Holy Spirit. If you do not hear the voice of the Holy Spirit guiding you, then you are technically not born again, and may not be saved unless you believe that Yahshua is the Son of God, King of kings, and Savior of all. This is because Scripture says that the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit is the SEAL of our salvation, so - IF we are born again - we should be hearing from God through the gifts of the Spirit that manifest within us in dreams, visions and/or words of knowledge on a fairly regular basis.

The Apostle Paul referred to being born again as "the circumcision of the heart", since circumcision of the penis was viewed as the seal of those born to serve God and love Him, and to do His Will in this fallen world. This was true for all the husbands, wives and children of Israel born without fornication. (For Scripture Proof, See John 10:7-17; John 10:25-30; John 14:15-18; Romans 2:28-29; 2 Corinthians 1:21-22; Ephesians 1:12-14; 1 John 5:1-3). But when the heart is circumcised, you are in a love relationship with God that is very intimate. As a result, there is excellent communication between your spirit and God's Spirit. This will ensure that your works will be directed by the Holy Spirit, and therefore will be pleasing to God as a sweet savor. For a better understanding of how OSAS is true in the context of a love relationship with Yahshua, read how Yahshua said that those who believe in Him can never be lost in John 10:27-30:

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. 30 I and My Father are one.” ~ John 10:27-30

This means that it's NOT about how well we can follow Yahshua after we are born again, but about how well God can hold onto us, and God is able to hold onto us no matter what. That's because the Holy Spirit will not let us forget Who we belong to when we are born again!

One final thing I want to point out about the OSAS doctrine is that being saved is not the same thing as being sanctified. If we are saved and born again by our faith in Yahshua's power to save us, but we are not sanctified because we are ignoring the Holy Spirit's promptings, and we don't do very well at keeping God's commandments, we can lose our REWARDS, but not our salvation. People like this are still saved, but as through the fire (See 1 Corinthians 3:11-15). Sadly for them, the Rapture and Millennial Kingdom of Yahshua are rewards given only to sanctified, born again saints. So those who have lost their rewards will NOT take part in the Rapture, but they will likely take part in the Millennial Kingdom after being tried by the fire of the Great Tribulation. Also, those who are saved by Grace through belief in Yahshua during His Millennial rule will be raised to everlasting life and will escape being cast into Hell at the end of the thousand years

Please Study the Scripture references I have given you in this short article, and read all of the Gospel of John and the 3 Epistles of John to get a better understanding of what it means to BELIEVE in Yahshua and to be saved by Him. Links to these Bible Books have been provided in this paragraph in blue. If nothing else, always remember what Yahshua said, keeping in mind that His Commandments, though simplified, are essentially the SAME as Our Heavenly Father's Moral Law in the Old Testament:

“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. 10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.” ~ John 15:9-10 

Also, read the closing Benediction in the Epistle of Jude below for more proof that God can and WILL save us even if we fail, and commit it to memory:

~*~ Jude 1:24-25 ~*~

“Now to Him who is able to keep you 

from stumbling,

And to present you faultless

Before the presence of His glory

with exceeding joy,

25 To God our Savior,

Who alone is wise,

Be glory and majesty,

Dominion and power,

Both now and forever.

Amen!”

Hallelu-Yah for that!

Closing Note: I wrote this article in response to another person's article condemning OSAS. But despite my article, they do not understand the power of God to save us, and she and her followers kept bringing up King Saul - asking me to explain how King Saul could fall away if he was saved. This was my response to their question:

King Saul was not saved by Yahshua's Grace. He was under a different dispensation under the Law, which was essentially the conviction of sin without everlasting forgiveness in Christ. Saul's salvation depended on his strength of will to keep God's commandments and on the daily blood sacrifices of innocent animals in the Temple. But once we are born again and forgiven of all sin, it's God's Will that will prevail over us in His loving care and keep us on the narrow path that leads to everlasting life. That's why a person who is truly born again cannot fall away from the faith. God can hold onto us and keep us saved by the power of His Holy Spirit, no matter how hard life gets for us.

Praise Yahweh Elohim, and His Son Yahshua
and the Holy Spirit for that! 

God's WILL, not ours, will prevail!

With Love From
Your Sister In Yahshua,
Helena Lehman of the
Pillar of Enoch Ministry
at: http://pillar-of-enoch.com

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RECOMMENDED FURTHER READING:

WHAT COMMANDMENTS MUST BELIEVERS
KEEP UNDER THE NEW COVENANT OF GRACE?
pillarofenoch.blogspot.com/2013/08/what-commandments-must-believers-keep.html

SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS, THE 
DESTROYER OF THE CHURCH!
http://pillarofenoch.blogspot.com/2013/08/spiritual-blindness-destroyer-of-church.html

ABIDING UNDER THE SHADOW
OF GOD'S WINGS OR TALLIT!
http://pillarofenoch.blogspot.com/2017/09/abiding-under-shadow-of-gods-wings-or-tallit.html

~~****~~****~~****~~

Please Visit My POEM Ministry Web Site;

 The Home of My Language of God Book Series:

Use This Link To See Book Covers and

Read Book Reviews, Synopses, and Excerpts:

http://pillar-of-enoch.com/language_series/index.html

Use This Link To Purchase My 

Language of God Series Books:

http://pillar-of-enoch.com/bookstore/index.html

CLICK HERE TO GIVE POEM A DONATION:

http://pillar-of-enoch.com/contact.html

 I am in Financial Need and I pray for your support!

~~****~~***~~****~~

HOW TO MINISTER TO THE LOST

It's very difficult to show love to someone when your eyes are full of contempt for their sinful lifestyle or degenerate condition. We need to look at these people with compassion and the Grace of God before we can minister to them. We can't do that if we are so repulsed by their behavior or lifestyle that we look queasy or disgusted. We need to view the sinners around us as if they were sick and in need of a healer, who is Yahshua. As Yahshua said:

Luke 5:31-32 - “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

Yahshua showed me how to apply this Scripture and how to extend God's Grace in my treatment of unrepentant sinners one day in 1991 - when I was making a delivery of a costume that I had made for a dance friend. I was aware that this woman was a Lesbian, but she had always been sweet toward me even though she knew I was a Christian. As a result, I always treated her nicely and without prejudice in return. Oddly, she also was curious about why I had chosen to be a Christian, and we talked occasionally about my faith when we met at dancing events.

Before I went to her apartment to deliver the new costume I had made for Beiruta, I called and was told that her lover was going to be there too, and if that was okay. I said "Sure, no problem." not remembering that her Male-role Lesbian lover despised Christians. So, since Beiruta took no offense at my faith, I made no effort to hide it when I visited them. But, as soon as Beiruta and I started talking about the Gospel (later telling me that she wanted her lover to hear what I had to say about it), her lover tore into me with such vile hatred for Christians and Christianity that it really surprised and upset me, gradually welling up into anger.

After a few minutes of listening to her rant, I was really angry and ready to clobber her in the nose, but I knew that Yahshua would not want me to do so. So I closed my eyes for a minute and silently asked Him to step into the conversation, take away my anger, give me the right words to say, and instill the right attitude in me so that I could minister to and reach the tortured heart of this hardened sinner.

At that moment, as my eyes were still closed, something miraculous happened! I was filled with the Holy Spirit in a way that I never had been before, and I felt a sudden, inexplicable wave of incredible compassion and love for this angry, bitter female who was still screaming vile phrases at me.

My heart almost burst with love and joy, and my entire countenance changed. According to Beiruta in a conversation we had later (in which she apologized for her lover's bad behavior), an uncharacteristic softness came over my face, and my eyes were filled with overwhelming love as I looked at this poor woman who was trying so hard to be masculine. I also began to speak more softly, and I shared some powerful scriptures with these women about Yahshua's love for us, and His forgiveness that came to mind automatically, without my having to think about it.

Amazingly, I talked for about a half hour non stop as Beiruta and her lover quieted down and listened. Then when I had said everything God wanted me to say and I got up to leave, Beiruta looked amazed as her lover came up to me and hugged me. I darn near cried when that happened, and I knew that I had accomplished what God wanted. I made someone who hated God and Christianity feel God's love, which led them to repent and reconsider.

So what you need to do to minister to the lost is ask God how to do so in every new situation! Don't be afraid to call out to God (either out loud or silently, depending on the circumstances) and ask Him to give you the right words and the right attitude to get your point across in the best way possible to potentially save lost souls from Hell. I did this for the first time in 1991 (three years after my adult baptism as a new believer), and I was amazed at how powerfully and quickly God answered my prayer that day. And that is not all! Yahshua promises us in Scrpture that this can happen for all of us if we trust in Him:

Luke 12:11-13 - “Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say. 12 For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”

Since then, keeping this Scripture in mind, I have asked God numerous times to give me the right words to say when ministering to people in my posts or in person, and He has always come through for me, and often within a moment after the request. That is why my essays and comments are so powerfully written most of the time. It is not I alone who write them, but God working through me that does, and it is wonderful beyond imagining to experience this almost everyday! Hallelu-Yah!

~ Helena Lehman of the
Pillar of Enoch Ministry
http://pillar-of-enoch.com

DO YOU MANIFEST THE FRUITS AND GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT?

This Illustration was taken from the Pillar of Enoch Ministry
web site, and was featured in the frontispiece of the book:
"The Language of God in the Universe" by Helena Lehman

SALVATION IN YAHSHUA IS UNIQUE! - The Christian and Messianic "Way" or spiritual walk revealed in the New Testament offers a path to Salvation unlike any other! If you take the time to examine all the other religions being taught in this world such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Shamanism, Judaism, and Islam, you won't find another religious ideology that offers you complete forgiveness and salvation. Not one! All of them insist that you have to earn your salvation by following certain rules, and even then, nothing is certain. Only the Messiah of the Bible offers complete salvation and forgiveness through no effort of your own.

IT'S ALL ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH THE POWER OF YAHSHUA'S BLOOD AND SPIRIT! All you have to do is state aloud in prayer that you believe that you are a sinner, accept Yahshua's blood sacrifice for you, and truly desire to give up your wicked past, and He will fill you with His Spirit, Who will take care of the rest by filling you with the power to give up your lusts and addictions. If you are faithful to change, the Holy Spirit will also instruct you on how to stop sinning and follow God - but only if you train yourself to listen to the voice of the Spirit, which will become your conscience once you believe in Yahshua!

In John 14:6, Yahshua said: “I AM the Way, the Truth and the Life! NO ONE comes to the Father but THROUGH ME!” Bottom Line: If you do NOT accept Yahshua - whose Father is Yahweh - as your Redeemer, you are NOT saved, and you are going to Hell unless God chooses to redeem you because of some virtuous thing that you did in His mercy. His unmerited favor is ONLY given to those who love and follow Yahshua, who is the Messiah or Christ, meaning “Anointed One”. To understand the concept of the Grace or unmerited favor we receive from God through Christ better, read all of Romans, Chapter 3, where the Apostle Paul gave a very clear explanation of what it is, and why it is so important.

To clarify what I mean here, the Bible is clear that God judges all of us by our character. Even those of us who are saved and sanctified will face judgment before the Millennial Rule of Christ to determine the level of our reward in the Kingdom, while those who are not saved will face Judgment on the Last Day. However, although Hell has been reserved for those who reject the Gospel of Salvation, God's love and mercy extends beyond anything we can understand or imagine, and I am certain that there will be some  people who never heard the Gospel before Judgment Day who will be allowed entrance into Heaven. But God will decide, not us. And no, it doesn't cheapen Christ's sacrifice unless pardon is granted to those who, knowing the Gospel, have rejected it entirely and thereby blasphemed the Holy Spirit. There will be no second chances for these people in this age, or the next.

This is why it is so important to for all of us to be born again. Being born again leads to salvation AND sanctification in Christ, and this is the only way to be assured salvation and rewards in God's Kingdom. You can be saved from the fires of Hell merely by believing that Yahshua is the Son of God Who saves us from sin and death. If you truly believe this, it means that you will not be cast into Hell after you are resurrected at the Last Judgment. But you will miss experiencing the Rapture and Millennial Rule of Christ if you do not become sanctified and ready to enter His Kingdom by following Christ's Commandments, which are to love God with your whole being, and to love your neighbor as yourself.

The ability to follow these commandments can only happen when you surrender your life to Yahshua by asking Him to fill you with His Spirit, to give up your sinful behavior, and to help you to desire to change for the better. When this truly happens, you will begin to manifest the Fruits of the Holy Spirit, such as faith, hope, loving-kindness, compassion, mercy, forgiveness, and self-control. The Fruits of the Spirit are listed in Galatians 5:22-23.

But most believers in Yahshua are rarely encouraged to go beyond receiving the Fruits of the Spirit of God into desiring and receiving the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. The Gifts of the Spirit are different than the Fruits, and include such abilities as seeing visions of Christ and prophetic events, prophesying about the future, being given words of wisdom on diverse subjects, being shown special knowledge to accomplish God's Will, manifesting the power to heal, and being given the power of discernment. The Gifts are discussed by the Apostle Paul in Romans Chapter 12 and 1 Corinthians, Chapter 12. Please read these Scriptures to acquaint yourself with the types of spiritual gifts that God selectively gives to each deserving born-again believer to edify the Church.

One of the Spiritual Gifts that is the most sought after in some circles but the least understood is speaking in tongues. The apostles displayed this miraculous gift in power on the Pentecost following Yahshua's resurrection, when their words - which were no doubt spoken in Aramaic or Hebrew - were understood by everyone in their own language. Whether we speak in the tongues of men like the apostles did that day, or in the unknown tongues of angels, is up to God. But for those speaking in the tongues of angels, these tongues should be translatable and given to interpretation. This is partly why the Apostle Paul insisted that that those speaking in a tongue in public pray to be given the gift to interpret (or translate) any unknown language being miraculously uttered in a Church meeting into a message that the congregation at large could understand and be edified by (1 Corinthians 14:1-25).

Auspiciously, I have experienced a true gift of tongues coming from my own mouth, even though I was unaware of it until a young Arab student sitting with the Arabic friend I was speaking to in English about the Gospel remarked to my rudimentary English-speaking Arab friend that he was amazed it how fluent my Arabic was. My friend was shocked, because he had been hearing me in English, so when he told me how impressed his friend was with my ability to speak Arabic, it caught both him and me completely by surprise! So when I said that I could only speak Arabic a little and had not been doing so at that moment, and my Arabic friend translated what I said into Arabic for his friend, his friend laughed and accused us both of lying!

It was an amazing experience, and as I pondered this event later that day in prayer, I realized what had happened. I had been given the gift of Tongues that the Apostles had experienced on Pentecost, where those who do not understand the language you are speaking in will instead hear the language they know best in order to hear the Gospel!

This and several other events like it left me with a lasting desire to understand and experience all of God's gifts. In fact, my ministry was born out of a desire to move past the Fruit of the Spirit, which are of enormous personal value - into receiving the Gifts of the Spirit of God that are valuable on a corporate, public level. When I began to desire the Gifts, it was no halfhearted desire, but an enormous need that consumed my life and made me seek to know God with all my being! I am still in this same place today. My sole desire is to please God and to know Him and teach others the truth about Him. When you have that same desire, you will begin to receive the Gifts - in keeping with the level of your faith in and dedication to God.

Today, I am asking you all to choose the narrow road that leads to life that few find - the road to Heaven far less traveled, but far more desirous than any other, which is described in the pages of the New Testament or Brit Chadashah (New Covenant), as it is known by Messianics like myself. To do so, you must believe that Yahshua or Jesus is the Son of God, and that He came in the flesh to save you from your sins. But to go even further down that narrow road, you also need to believe that Yahshua can and will change your life today, and will give you a whole new nature and identity as a child of God.

Hold nothing back, and surrender your mind, body, and spirit to God, and seek and know and do His Will. Only then will you move past receiving the wonderful Fruit of the Spirit, and begin to receive the mighty power of His Spiritual Gifts. If you need help in knowing what to say to God when you desire salvation, or in knowing what to expect as you grow as a believer after accepting Yahshua as your Messiah, please feel free to contact me for further instruction using this link: http://pillar-of-enoch.com/contact.html.

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For Further Study and Guidance: 

DISCERNING THE SPIRIT BEHIND 
MODERN SIGNS AND WONDERS 
http://pillarofenoch.blogspot.com/2014/06/discerning-spirit-behind-modern-signs_429.html

SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS, 
THE DESTROYER OF THE CHURCH
http://pillarofenoch.blogspot.com/2013/08/spiritual-blindness-destroyer-of-church.html

QUESTIONING THE POWER OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS - 
THE UNPARDONABLE SIN!
http://pillarofenoch.blogspot.com/2013/09/questioning-power-of-spiritual-gifts.html

Your Sister in Yahshua,
Helena Lehman of the
Pillar of Enoch Ministry

Ministry Web Site:
http://pillar-of-enoch.com

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Bible scholar, historian, and astronomer Helena Lehman is the author of,
and artist for the non-fiction “Language of God Book Series”, and the
 upcoming fictional Pillar of Enoch Trilogy. She is an avid student of the
Bible and ancient history, and an expert on the Gospel in the Stars, the
Tabernacle, and the Great Pyramid. Her writings explore the ancient and
divine roots of the Star Gospel, and their place as the cornerstone of
the Language of God - a divine allegorical language of parables and
symbols that permeates every book of the Bible, and all Creation.

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POEM Ministry Is In Financial Need!

Please Consider Giving Via GoFundMe:
http://www.gofundme.com/POEMfund2015

Or Through PayPal Using the Following Link:

http://www.pillar-of-enoch.com/contact.html#Gifts

The Difference Between Spiritual Gifts and the Fruit of the Spirit

Upon reading Bible Scholar Jack Van Impe’s newsletter on this morning of May 9th, I was deeply impressed by how clearly it describes the difference between a Carnal Christian and a Spirit-Filled Christian. Though I have often attempted to describe the difference between the two being the filling of the Holy Spirit, or lack thereof, Dr. Van Impe’s explanation is the best that I’ve seen. In this message, Dr. Van Impe shows the difference between a believer’s spiritual gifts, and the fruit of the Spirit that is the catalyst for using spiritual gifts in a manner that is pleasing to Yahweh God. Since I believe that this crucial message is much-needed in the Church today, I am sharing it here on my blog so that everyone I know can also be blessed by it.

The reason I feel that this distinction between spiritual gifts and the fruit of the Spirit is important is because there is a BIG difference between being saved from the fires of Hell through belief in Yahshua, and reigning and ruling with Christ for a thousand years. It is my FIRM belief that those believers who are living carnally and comfortably with sin will NOT be taken in the Rapture, which is for those who will reign with Christ during His Millennial Rule, but only the faithful servants of Yahshua who are following Him, are not in love with the world, and truly desire to be with Him. Meanwhile, those who are apostate (i.e. who are living in sin, and are in love with the world) will be left behind so that they can be refined in the fire of the Tribulation. 

This doesn’t mean that any believers will lose their salvation, but that they are not worthy of our blessed hope in the Rapture due to their unregenerated spiritual condition. But because they are saved, even if they die, they will be raised up at the end of the Tribulation, when all the martyrs will be raised. However, all those who are saved, but who are still carnal when they die before and during the Great Tribulation may have to wait until the Last Judgment to be raised to everlasting life, since they will be unworthy to reign and rule with Christ. This is therefore something important that all believers need to ponder, and pray about. 

Where do you want to be during the Millennial Rule of Christ? Do you wish to be serving the King in the Kingdom, or do you wish to be relegated to the outer darkness, where there will be much weeping and gnashing of teeth?

~ From Helena Lehman of the Pillar of Enoch Ministry

A Message of Hope From Jack Van Impe taken from Jack Van Impe Ministries International Newsletter - May 6, 2013
www.jvim.com

In the last newsletter we saw that every saved person has the Holy Spirit, for if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his (Romans 8:9). Not only does every child of God have the Holy Spirit but each believer has experienced the “baptism.” This baptism, or placing into the Body of Christ, by the Holy Spirit, accompanies salvation. I Corinthians 12:13 states: For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body . . . . The baptism, administered to ALL the saved immediately, endows each believer with at least one of the gifts found in Ephesians 4, Romans 12, and I Corinthians 12. The gifts are not for a select few who “strive” or “work” in order to appease God for spiritual favors. Never! Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? (Galatians 3:3). Instead, the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal (I Corinthians 12:7), and . . . all these [gifts] worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will (I Corinthians 12:11). Believers are not commanded to seek any gift but instead the Giver - the blessed Holy Spirit.

Then, because He divides to every man as He wills, one gladly accepts His choice of gifts for his life. If one feels his gift is unimportant, remember that we are all members or parts of Christ’s body and . . .those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary (I Corinthians 12:22). Fingernails and toenails may seem to be inferior parts of one’s body, but what problems one encounters without them. So every member has his place of importance in Christ’s body.

Rejoice in the gift God has given you and do not seek another’s gift. You might be out of place if the Holy Spirit wants you to be a finger instead of an eye. Likewise, you may be out of order when you seek the gift of faith and the Holy Spirit wants “helps” for your lifelong gift. Whatever the gift, every believer has at least one.

You see, 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 (I Corinthians 12:4-6). Praise God, it is He who works ALL THE GIFTS and IN ALL. All that God requires is that every believer use his gift to the best of his ability. To do so will bring great reward at the Judgment Seat of Christ. Disobedience in administering the gift will bring loss of rewards (II John 8).

Let’s move now to the teaching concerning the filling of the Spirit. The “baptism” and the “filling” are two distinct things. The baptism is a once-for-all experience which places the believer into the Body of Christ. Since the Holy Spirit is God and all-knowing, He makes no mistakes as He places the saved into Christ’s body. If He did make mistakes, and members of the Body of Christ were eventually removed, there would be a mutilated, amputated, disfigured atrocity in eternity. Instead, every true believer is “baptized” and “sealed” into that Body by the Holy Spirit unto the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30).

Though there is only one “baptism,” there are many “fillings.” Ephesians 5:18 states: . . . be filled with the Spirit. The literal Greek declares: Be being filled which implies a continuous process. Every believer needs it, as much as his fuel-guzzling automobile needs gas, in order to run efficiently for Christ. The baptism produces the gifts but the filling enables one to minister the gifts spiritually. Though all have gifts, not all are spiritual. Thousands today who claim “the gift” are carnal because they are not being filled daily by the Spirit.

Let me prove this from I Corinthians 13:1-3: Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity [love], I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, l am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

Five gifts are mentioned in these three verses: tongues, prophecy, knowledge, faith, and helps. They can all be ministered in a state of carnality. One is not spiritual because of tongues, prophecy, knowledge, faith, or helps. Why? Because it takes the fruit of the Spirit to minister the gifts spiritually.

Read carefully: Love is Number One on God’s listing in Galatians 5:22 as the fruit of the Spirit. This is the same love of I Corinthians 13 that suffereth long, and is kind; that envies not; that vaunts not itself and is not puffed up; that does not behave itself unseemly, that seeks not her own, that is not easily provoked, that thinks no evil, that rejoices not in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; that bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things (verses 47).

Do you have this fruit? You may speak in tongues and be mean, or you may have the “gift of faith” and be cantankerous. You may be a “helper” in the vineyard and do nothing but cultivate poison grapes for other Spirit-filled believers.

God says even though one prophesies, preaches with power, or has the gift of knowledge and faith and has not love, the “gifted” one is nothing in God’s eyes. And even though one “helps” by giving his all for the poor or being burned to death and has not love, he will end up with nothing at that day when God’s rewards are distributed for service. You see, it is the fruit of the Spirit that counts. The gifts can be ministered without the fruit.

In fact, the gifts can be duplicated by Satan. The present situation is sometimes similar to Moses’ day when the devil’s magicians counterfeited the miracles of God’s servant. Do not take my word for it but look at the statement of the Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew 7:22: Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? They manifested the gifts of prophecy, discernment of spirits, miracles, plus helps or works. But Christ never knew them (verse 23). Since “never” means never, they manifested the gifts without being saved. They did not possess the “fruit” of the Spirit but were workers of iniquity. Let’s seek the fruit of the Spirit to minister the gifts. This will produce godliness and holiness.

The Fruit of the Spirit

Every believer needs a daily infilling of the Spirit in order to live a spiritual life. No believer has ever reached the place where he does not need to walk by means of the Spirit, for when we walk in the Spirit, we shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh (Galatians 5:16). The nine words describing this fruit are: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance (Galatians 5:22). These represent superhuman qualities which the flesh could never produce. Only God, the Holy Spirit, is able to make mortal beings act this way. No human can duplicate, nor devil counterfeit, the fruit of the Spirit. It is the only way to be like Jesus, for someone has well said: “Galatians 5:22 is the shortest biography of Christ ever written.” Only the “fullness of the Spirit” can make one like Jesus. The term fruit is singular, meaning that all nine graces form the fruit. The Holy Spirit does not produce a few of these but usually all nine when one is Spirit-filled. They are:

A. LOVE. This is not the romanticized or sexual love of the street or of society’s rebels. It is the divine love that is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5). It makes one love the lowly, the unlovely, and the unclean. It makes one love members of another race or denomination. It does not look down upon those whose gifts differ.

In Corinth this love was missing and the gifts became a source of competition among the “spiritually elite.” That is why Paul said in I Corinthians 13:1: Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity [love], I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

The presence of gifts is not the evidence of the Spirit’s filling. You may have gifts, but prophet, miracle worker, helper - do you have the fruit? This is where Satan can fool and deceive us. He can imitate the gifts mentioned in I Corinthians 12, 13 and 14, but he cannot imitate or produce the fruit of the Spirit. Do not misunderstand - I am not against gifts, but gifts prove nothing. The real evidence is found in the fruit one bears as he ministers the gifts.

Oh, that we might be filled with all the fullness of God (Ephesians 3:19). This Holy Spirit produced love makes us love others. Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God . . . (I John 4:7). Do you have the real evidence of the Spirit’s filling? It is described in I Corinthians 13:4-7: Love suffers long, and is kind; love envies not [or is not jealous]; love vaunts not itself [boasting about its gifts]; love seeks not its own; is not easily provoked; thinks no evil; rejoices not in iniquity but rejoices in the truth; love bears all things; believes all things; hopes all things and endures all things. The world is waiting to see this evidence. Get filled and show it to them. Don’t split churches arguing about superior gifts, but manifest the love that proves one has the Spirit’s fruit.

B. Next in line is JOY. Joy is not the superficial happiness that springs from sports or television, for happiness depends upon happenings. Instead, it is the joy of the Lord which is one’s strength (Nehemiah 8:10). It is a contentment in times of suffering, sorrow, and even death. It is joy unspeakable and full of glory (I Peter 1:8).

C. PEACE also fills the minds and hearts of those who are Spirit dominated. This is not peace with God that accompanies salvation (Romans 5:1) but the peace of God, which passeth all understanding (Philippians 4:7). This peace produces a sublime calm of heart and mind in spite of every disturbance, heartbreaking circumstance, or adverse condition and glorifies God before an unsaved world.

D. LONGSUFFERING within a believer is a quality that only the Holy Spirit can produce. It is the opposite of impatience. It cannot be produced by members of Adam’s race but must be wrought within a Christian by God. The Lord God, [is] merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth (Exodus 34:6). This is why the ungodly receive countless opportunities to be saved, for: The Lord . . . is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (II Peter 3:9). This same attitude may be the believer’s portion, for God strengthens us with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness(Colossians 1:11). We are to walk with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:2, 3). Yes.... be patient toward all men (I Thessalonians 5:14). How are you doing? Do you have the real evidence of the Spirit’s fullness?

E. GENTLENESS. Again, this is a fruit from God, for . . . the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated . . . (James 3:17). Paul could also say: . . . we were gentle among you . . . (I Thessalonians 2:7). Bickering, fighting, fussing church members forget that the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men (II Timothy 2:24). Do you have the fruit? Remember, it cannot be attained by human effort or by imitation, but only as a direct filling by the Spirit.

F. GOODNESS is produced at salvation and made to bloom in one’s life as the Spirit fills a believer. Jesus said: . . . none is good . . . (Luke18:19). Paul said: . . . there is none that doeth good, no, not one (Romans 3:12). Men talk about doing good, and it is only egotism seeking praise. However, the Spirit within produces real goodness toward others.

G. FAITH, in this listing, is actually faithfulness. Lamentations 3:23, speaking about God, states: . . .great is thy faithfulness. This same faithfulness in a Christian may become a daily reality. One does not have to be up and down spiritually. God’s faithfulness, wrought in a Christian by the Spirit, can make him faithful daily.

H. MEEKNESS is the hardest fruit to possess, for as soon as we think we have it, we’ve lost it. However, let it be remembered that meekness does not consist in pretending to be less than one really is, but rather when one does not pretend to be more than he really is. Again, the flesh cannot generate meekness because it is only puffed-up flesh. It takes the filling of the Spirit to put on meekness (Colossians 3:12).

I. Finally, TEMPERANCE is self-control. The term speaks for itself and, praise God, the Holy Spirit produces it in those who have the fullness of the Spirit.

We have seen that God demands a high and holy standard of life, but He has also provided the means to produce it .. . . Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh (Galatians 5:16).

Let’s begin seeking the fruit instead of gifts. Gifts are for all, but the fruit - though for all - may only be realized by those who grieve not the Spirit (Ephesians 4:30), quench not the Spirit (I Thessalonians 5:19), and then walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16). In simple terms, one must turn from all known sin to a daily reliance on the Holy Spirit if he is to evidence the fullness and fruit of the Holy Spirit. Why not begin today?