Dynamic, Fruitful Charisma 3, Corvettes and Caterpillars

Corvette L88 67 Renewed Restored

After being renewed and restored for 47 years, a $4,240 1967 Corvette L88 sold for $3.5 Million in 2014 at a Barrett-Jackson auction. We place a high value on having things renewed and restored!

Genesis 1 says we were created in “Our image,” or the image of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. And because of sin, while still looking like Him (being able to walk and talk for example), we have been unable to adequately reflect His character in our sinful nature. So God the Father sent Jesus as the image of the invisible God (Col. 1:15), and then following his death and resurrection, He sent the Holy Spirit of Christ (Gal. 4:6, Rom. 8:9) to dwell in those who would believe in Jesus as Savior and Lord. The Bible says that He is using every circumstance of our lives to “conform us to the image of Christ (Rom. 8:28-29).” Titus 3:5 says He regenerates or restores us to our original state, and He renews us, completely changing us for the better. He restores us to being created in the image of God and renews us by completely conforming us into the image of Christ!

All this may seem mysterious and supernatural, and it is, but it’s also noticeable, specific, and measurable. When the Holy Spirit’s fruitful and dynamic charisma is at work in a person’s life, the Bible teaches His fruit and gifts (charisma) will be evident. In Galatians 5:22-23, the Bible teaches the Holy Spirit produces 9 fruits in a believer’s life: they are Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control. In 1 Corinthians 12:1 and 12:4, the Bible also teaches that we should not be uninformed of the variety of “charismas” of the Holy Spirit. You can read about these in Romans 12:6-8, 1 Cor. 12:7-11, 27-31 and 14:12, and Ephesians 4:7, 11-14. Some of the charismas are service, teaching, encouragement, giving, leadership, mercy, wisdom, knowledge, faith, helps, and administration.

I have begun praying for the working of the everlasting, completely efficient, all powerful Holy Spirit in my life in nine areas…

LOVING SHEPHERD

The Spirit’s fruit of love or agape simply means to prefer what God prefers. It implies a steadfast goodwill or affection for His creation.

The Spirit’s charisma of shepherd means to care for the total wellbeing of a person or group.

The dynamic, fruitful charisma of the Spirit’s loving shepherd makes us consistently forgiving so we may be like our Good Shepherd, not retaining our anger, but preferring to show steadfast love and goodwill for the whole team (Micah 7:18).

JOYFUL MERCY

The Spirit’s fruit of joy means to be full of gladness, delight, or enthusiasm due to our awareness of God’s grace. Literally we can sense Him kneeling or leaning toward us to rejoice over us.

The Spirit’s charisma of mercy means to communicate God’s covenant loyalty.

The dynamic, fruitful charisma of the Spirit’s joyful mercy makes us remember that while we were still in sin, God was at work reconciling us to Himself through the death of His Son. So being in Christ, we experience God rejoicing over us with singing, and He makes us enthusiastically share with others the loyal mercies of God!

PEACEFUL WISDOM

The Spirit’s fruit of peace means undisturbed serenity.

The Spirit’s charisma of wisdom literally means sophisticated interaction.

This dynamic, fruitful charisma of the Spirit’s peaceful wisdom makes us pray regularly so we can consistently interact with others with undisturbed sophistication.

PATIENT (Long-suffering) SERVICE

The Spirit’s fruit of patience means we are long-suffering or long-tempered.

The Spirit’s charisma of service means God births in us a persuasion creating a willing

attitude.

The dynamic, fruitful charisma of the Spirit’s patient service makes us appreciate the

opportunities and people around us so we are long-suffering and continue with a willing attitude.

KIND ADMINISTRATION

The Spirit’s fruit of kindness means having the integrity to do something helpful to meet real needs in God’s way in His timing, without harshness.

The Spirit’s charisma of administration means to steer or govern a ship at stormy seas to a safe harbor, bringing order to chaos.

This dynamic, fruitful charisma of the Spirit’s kind administration makes us have the integrity to respond to chaos without harshness and help the team make it to a safe harbor.

GOOD LEADERSHIP

The Spirit’s fruit of goodness means we have a moral excellence that resembles God’s.

The Spirit’s charisma of leadership means a well-established character and respected reputation which provides the needed model to inspire and influence others.

The dynamic, fruitful charisma of the Spirit’s good leadership makes us have the kind of character that can keep us wherever His charisma takes us, so we can inspire and influence others toward Christ-like moral excellence.

FAITHFUL FAITH

The Spirit’s fruit of faithfulness and the Spirit’s charisma of faith means a God-given persuasion or vision of His plan which leads us to confidently trust that He will come through. The Lord continuously births faith in the yielded believer so they can know what He prefers (1 John 5:4). In Scripture, faith is God’s warranty, certifying that the revelation He birthed in us will come to pass (His way).

The dynamic, fruitful charisma of the Spirit’s faithful faith makes us confidently hopeful.

GENTLE ENCOURAGEMENT

The Spirit’s fruit of gentleness or meekness means expressing the power of God with

reserve and humility.

The Spirit’s charisma of encouragement means to call close beside to be a legal

advocate.

The fruitful charisma of the Spirit’s gentle encouragement makes us humble and strong

to cheerfully and gently advocate for, and comfort, others.

SELF-CONTROLLED KNOWLEDGE

The Spirit’s fruit of self control or temperance means to have dominion from within for self mastery, creating a balanced or temperate disposition.

The Spirit’s charisma of knowledge means good doctrine, or having a biblical lifestyle gained from personal interaction with Christ and His Word.

The fruitful charisma of the Spirit’s temperate knowledge makes us repentant to change our minds and agree with God’s Word in our thoughts and attitudes, decisions, and actions.

A caterpillar needs 10 days inside the chrysalis (pupa) to be transformed into a monarch butterfly. A 1967 Corvette L88 needed 47 years to be transformed into a $3.5 million collectors’ car. How long does it take you and me to be transformed into the Spirit’s dynamic and fruitful charisma? Maybe our transformation is more like trying to figure out how many licks does it takes to get to the tootsie roll center of a tootsie pop?!! The Scriptures promises the God of peace Himself will sanctify completely those who trust Jesus as their Savior and Lord. He’s at work regenerating, renewing, and transforming us, because we have been predestined to be conformed into the image of Christ! May you and I desire the dynamic, fruitful charisma of the Holy Spirit!