I agree totally. Now, with that, the Holy Spirit who is the one who produces the Fruit, also produces the gifts of the Spirit "as He wills". Fruit does not produce right away. Yes, when we repent we feel that overwhelming joy and peace, but that is only the result of being let out of a prison. But that wears away in a few weeks when we are faced with a trial or can't pay our bank loan.
Paul had a balance between the two. He had the fruit and the power, because he said "though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels and I have not Charity, I am just a tinkling sound of cymbal." So Paul knew that without the Fruit of the Spirit the power would be worthless. "Faith worketh by love".
Do we do away with the power of God because people are mishandling it? God forbid. They are like children with toys, they need to be taught some valuable truths about operating the gift that they have received (if indeed it is a gift from God) and the fruit of the Spirit, for they work hand in hand. The Corinthian Church was such a church, Paul was dealing with true believers that had the gifts but they were exhibiting and competing with one another before everyone and Paul had to rebuke them sharply, but he didn't want to discourage their faith from operating in the gifts, just to add to their faith which was gravely lacking. They didn't learn to love one another or those coming into the church. However, they were still God's children, and God loved them. And being a God of love He certainly corrected them and chastised them. Everyone of us has a gift of some sort, and it can be the miraculous, or having an ear to listen that gives the person speaking an understanding that the person listening does understand what they are saying, that can very comforting to know, that falls under the category of "helps". Being a "lesser servant" which what the true meaning of the word "Minister" is, having that spirit of meekness, is something we should all strive for.
For me, I want both the love of God and the compassion to see people healed and delivered by the power of God. I think we've had a lot of demonstration of nothing. People falling on the ground, (which can happen if you've truly been touched by God) but it's become an expected trend that when go up front to be prayed for that you just automatically fall. I remember a minister trying to push me down, He had a hold of my hand I had a firm grip on his, and I wasn't letting go. He looked at me and smiled and said, "Ok". Nothing was going on in his services of late so he was looking for anyone that he can get on the floor so that it would appear that God was moving in their midst. The brother wasn't a Charlton by no means, but no doubt he was discouraged by the lack of the power in his church and sometimes we take matters into our own hands.
But I also remember being in another meeting by a travelling evangelist and I did go up and when he touched me, my body felt limp and I fell, I couldn't stand up. (I am a big man to begin with so I don't readily have faith for the poor guys behind me to catch me, but they did). But it wasn't something that I was looking for, and I still don't look for it because it did nothing for me. For others it may, and I never knock those that do, because we just don't know until they open their mouths to tell of their experience, unless of course we have the God given ability to discern.
