“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place…a sound…came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting…All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit…” – Acts 2:1-4 (NIV)
Have you ever heard the saying, “Your gift can take you where your character can’t keep you”?
On the day of Pentecost, believers in Christ, who were in one accord (united), were infilled with the Holy Spirit. This meant that they were given power with various Kingdom abilities to promote God’s work on earth.
These abilities are known as “the gifts of the Spirit,” and they involve the power of God that He has made available to us.
Brethren, the fruit of the Spirit has to do with the character of God. It is the development of the nature of Him within us. We must recognise that one is the character, the other is the ability, and they are both necessary for us to be successful in our walk and work for the Lord.
Some of these abilities are the gifts of wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, and prophecy. However, while character develops over time, the ability (power) from the Holy Spirit can be received immediately after a person accepts Jesus Christ as their Saviour and receives the outpouring of the Spirit in their life.
Receiving these gifts means great responsibility. All those who seek this kind of power must think about regulating it. They must seek to develop the essential qualities necessary since it is easier to receive the gifts of the Spirit than to develop the character of God.
Character is more important than power because it protects our use of that power. Therefore, we must develop qualities such as love, kindness, and self-control because they will moderate our use of the gifts.
Both the qualities and gifts are important, but let us remember that the qualities are vital because power without character is dangerous. A balance between the two is a challenge for all believers.
Let us aspire to allow our gifts to take us where our character can keep us. SHALOM!
Read: Joel 2:28-29; Acts 2:38
Bible Reading Guide: Proverbs 23:29-35; Proverbs 24:1-4; Philippians 1:1-26; Zephaniah 1; Zephaniah 2; Zephaniah 3
