You will find it has nothing to do with our willpower. As we abide in Jesus, you will be surprised that you do not respond in the flesh as you once did. Joining up with Christian forums on the internet 20 years ago is the best place to grow, because you will be harassed, called names, and because of my new beliefs given to me by the Father of what the Word actually means, and not what false teachers claim, a heretic. Somehow, I don't react and can take the blows, giving them the other cheek as well, I guess.Yes, like yesterday. 40 yrs ago. I received the gift of Knowledge. The Holy Spirit speaks to me, Jesus speaks to me. I dream prophet dreams. Praise the Lord and Thank you Jesus.
You are an exceptional person not to battle the flesh. Not to feel anger at something, never upset because something happens at work, and not frustrated in long lines, or traffic when someone pulls out in front of you, or order a package that is delivered to someone else.
I'm 78 and my baptism in the Holy Spirit was in 1977. Jesus was the Author of my faith cleansing me of all the sins unto death - the desire to break one of the moral commandments of God - and now as the Finisher of my faith has had all this time to mature the fruit of the Spirit.
Revelation 22:11 shows the Author's first faith as righteousness; and the Finisher's second faith as holiness. Romans 1:16-17 "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”
2 Peter 1:5-7 and 10-11 "But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love....10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; 11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."
Like you I have gifts also. Actually I've experienced all but two, but in the last couple years I asked for a new gift of opening my eyes by the Spirit, and received it immediately. I can now judge a sermon being given if it is anointed or not. I can see the anointing. Some are white. And others are bright blue. Amazing. Others have no anointing at all. Probably plagiarized. Only once did I see dark smoke coming out of the pastor's head with a tornado in front of the smoke. It was hard to let that pastor know what I saw. He was hiding a terrible sin and it was tearing him up. I haven't been back, but would like to soon to see if he has repented of whatever evil was in his heart.
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