Two 'Skills' You Don't Need!!

A few weeks ago, in one of the articles I asked this question – how can we be “possessed” by the Holy Spirit and yet manifest, consistently, the fruits of the flesh? If we are filled with the Spirit, then this is what we should be manifesting.

Galatians 5: 22NLT “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”

Hostility and quarrelling are two other things that we must ask God to deliver us from. You may want to add outbursts of anger, which until now, I did not realize is listed as one of the manifestations of the flesh. Indeed I always thought a little outburst of anger from time to time is okay so that nobody takes advantage of you.

I looked up quarrelling and hostility. Here is what I found - To quarrel is to argue vehemently or to disagree with something in an indecent way but hostility is intense aggression or anger. It could be very strong hostility.

Galatians 5: 19-20NLT “When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarrelling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties and other sins like these. Let me tell you again as I have told you before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

Do you know that some people think they deserve an award because they really can quarrel? They even boast about it. Sometimes we think it is a joke to confess that we can be very quarrelsome but the bible list them as some of the things we need to do away with. It is time to give up these “skills”.

James 4: 1NLT “What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you?

Though it feels necessary to have these skills to survive in this very tough world, we really don’t. It is the wisdom of the world that makes one think it is necessary to be hostile or quarrelsome. If we are born of the Spirit, then we must begin to manifest the fruits of the Spirit and do all we can to kill all traces of the flesh in us. The victories that are won from any of these will definitely not last forever but that which is of the spirit shall last forever.

Though the bible says we can be angry, it says we must be careful not to sin even in the anger. Also, we must not teach these things to our children. When we see them manifesting any of these vile things, we must do all we can to help them kill that nature. It is time to begin to teach them that true strength is controlled strength. We apply it only when it is necessary and in the right measure.