Daily Journal: 18 September

The Seven-Fold

Attitude We Carry

Being conscious of living my life according to the precepts of God, I lean into the knowledge that the same Spirit that was in Christ Jesus lives and functions in me. I consider how the seven-fold attitude we carry of the Holy Spirit – commonly known as the seven-fold attributes, or ministry, of the Holy Spirit – is practically lived out in my life.

Isaiah 11:2-3

(NLV) And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of wise words and strength, the spirit of much learning and the fear of the Lord. He will be glad in the fear of the Lord. He will not judge by what His eyes see, or decide by what His ears hear.

(AMPC) And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him—the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the reverential and obedient fear of the Lord—And shall make Him of quick understanding, and His delight shall be in the reverential and obedient fear of the Lord. And He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes, neither decide by the hearing of His ears; (verse 4 but with righteousness and justice shall he judge…)

We can learn to be directed in our daily life in the Holy Spirit’s seven-fold ministry, through the gifts He gives.

1 Corinthians 12:6,7 (AMPC)

And there are distinctive varieties of operation [of working to accomplish things], but it is the same God Who inspires and energizes them all in all. But to each one is given the manifestation of the [Holy] Spirit [the evidence, the spiritual illumination of the Spirit] for good and profit.

1 Corinthians 12:11 (AMPC)

All these [gifts, achievements, abilities] are inspired and brought to pass by one and the same [Holy] Spirit, who apportions to each person individually [exactly] as He chooses.

2 Timothy 1:6-7 (NCV)

This is why I remind you to keep using the gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. Now let it grow, as a small flame grows into a fire. God did not give us a spirit that makes us afraid but a spirit of power and love and self-control.

The seven-fold ministry of the Spirit of the Lord is given to function in every follower of Jesus Christ because Christ gave us His Spirit. When we understand we are equipped with His Spirit, His wisdom, His understanding, His counsel, His power, His knowledge and the fear of the Lord, we don’t have fear of people.

See how the Word comes together so beautifully.

We are not our own (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). We have been given more than what we are capable of on our own (Ephesians 3:20), to operate well in life (2 Corinthians 12:9). We carry His identity and His attributes (1 Corinthians 3:23). We become alive in Him despite our human weaknesses (Romans 8:10).

The attitude Paul counsels Timothy to have in 2 Timothy 1:6-7 (to move in his gift, given by the Holy Spirit, with power, love, and self-control) requires recognition of the seven-fold ministry of the one and same Holy Spirit in Isaiah 11 and how they function together to achieve the plan of God.