ESOCS Devotional 31 March 2026 – Spiritual Gifts For Spirit’s Fruit
MEMORY VERSE: “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.” 1 Corinthians 12:3 IKJV
TEXT: 1 CORINTHIANS 12:1-31
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.
12 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. 14 For in fact the body is not one member but many.
15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? 18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. 19 And if they were all one member, where would the body be?
20 But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. 23 And those members of the body which we think to be less honourable, on these we bestow greater honour; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, 24 but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, 25 that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. 28 And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.
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Reflecting specifically on our memory verse (v 3), one would adjudge that no minister or servant of God who truly speaks by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, would either speak or live his life contrary to the Word of God. That would mean or amount to subjecting the name of Jesus under curse. The minister, who is truly inspired by the Holy Spirit, will also live the life about which he speaks. In other words, he must bear the fruit of the Spirit under whose inspiration he speaks (Galatians 5:22-23).
Moreover, the main reason God gave out the gifts of the Holy Spirit is to equip ministers to testify to Christ, serve one another, and help build up the Church of Christ. Unfortunately, many have been misled to act otherwise. This misapplication of Spiritual gifts was responsible for the problem of the Church in Corinth. Church unity was threatened by factions lining up against one another by people acting selfishly with their spiritual gifts. Paul instructed them to put aside segregation or discrimination and rivalry, denoting that the Church is one body of Christ. He pleaded with them to maintain unity of faith in the one body.
It will be needless to mention here that division among different denominations is a major bane in the Body of Christ, in the present day. Members of the Church today ought to put as much priority on unity, as Paul emphasized in his letter to the Corinthian Church. The fundamental truth is that there is only one universal Body of Christ. Though the Body is made up of many individuals and/or denominations, it must function as a unit. Every member of the body, therefore, must strive to maintain the unity of the body throughout the world (1 Corinthians 1:10; Philippians 1:27).
It’s only by so doing that the Church and members alike would, for sure, bear the much needed fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), and do away with the monstrous works of the flesh, (Galatians 5:19-21). Ministers and Christians in general must necessarily walk in the Spirit, so as to avert the works of the flesh (Galatians 5:16).
Reflections
- State the differences between gifts of the Spirit and fruit of the Spirit.
Prayer
- Lord, may your gifts help build, and not tear the Church apart.
Further Reading: Isaiah 50:1-11; Amos 7:10-17; Luke 5:10-17
ESOCS Devotional 31 March 2026
