We know that the fruit of the Spirit, is love,joy, peace, goodness, kindness, gentleness, patience, faith and self-control. But this is not the work of the Holy Spirit. People are very confused, and therefore treat the Holy Spirit as if He is a thing rather than Almighty God Himself. The Bible says that the Holy Spirit came to do what? Hear this: receive it and then think on it. The Holy Spirit came to reprove. His work is to reprove. To reprove of what? He came to reprove of sin, of righteousness, and of the judgment to come. So all of the lovely, soft, peaceable things that people love to attribute to the Holy Spirit, are not His purpose or work at all. But all these things that are the fruit of the Spirit, not fruits, but fruit, singular, are effects of the work of the Holy Spirit…they are the result of one who has been first reproved by Him.
I’ve often heard people say: “that person is filled with the Holy Spirit”. Then a closer look reveals that this very person is living in immorality and sin, yet very amiable and happy and exuberant…easy to get along with. The truth is, that this person, happy as they may be, if they have not first been reproved of sin, righteousness, and the judgment to come, which leads to walking in obedience to the Commandments of Christ, then they are not filled with the Holy Spirit, and have not even heard from Him. Now He is the Comforter, but who does He comfort? His own. So even as the Comforter, His comforting is also a by product of reproof.
We can say, I feel the Spirit’s presence when the situation is light and easy and warm. But we do not unless we have first been reproved by Him.
Likewise, If a person isn’t exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit, the effects of His reproof, then one wonders if they have been reproved yet?
Amen.