The Fruit Of The Spirit In Your Life
Galatians 5:22-23
We often talk about the fruit of the Spirit in our discussions. We aspire to have them actuated in our lives. We say we want know the Lord and are working at conforming ourselves to the image and likeness of Jesus Christ, but are we? Oh, you can have a wonderful experience in the worship service, but does His presence remain with you when you leave church? The word of God says, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Heb. 13:5). You’re experience with God can be heightened if you will spend time seeking Him in His Word. As the Lord manifests His Spirit in you, you’ll begin to experience positive changes in your outlook and your life. The more time you spend in His Word and in prayer the more heightened your experience will be.
1. “The Fruit Of The Spirit Is Love.” We can find a broad description of what love is in 1Corinthians 13:4-7 and 13NLT. “Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged. Love rejoices. It is never glad about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love is unshakable. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. Love is permanent. God’s word tells us “There are three things that will endure – faith, hope, and love – and the greatest of these is love. Do you understand this kind of love? This is not sexual love or desire which is for the most part lust. This is a quiet and abiding love for each other and every creature God created. It’s the purist form of unselfish caring one for another.
2. “The Fruit Of The Spirit Is Joy.” When Jesus was born the angel told the shepherds, “Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy” (Luke 2:10). Jesus’ birth heralded God’s desire for mans salvation. It’s the best news ever and a great reason for joy that God took our salvation into His own hands and made a way for us to be set free from sin and guilt. When Jesus read from the scroll in Nazareth He was announcing His earthly purpose, but the towns-people rejected Him (see Luke 4:14-30). Jesus offered healing, forgiveness, and joy to all who would receive Him, just like He does today, but the results are the same. Many hear, but few believe, and for those who believe they enter into the joy of the Lord.
3. “The Fruit Of The Spirit Is Peace.” Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you” (John 14:27). Jesus had just revealed that His time on earth was about over and that it would be one of the disciples who would betray Him, but He knew complete peace within Himself as He spoke because He knew He was in the Father’s will. The revelation of Christ’s impending sacrifice brought sorrow to the hearts of His companions; yet at that very time He declared to them how glorious a peace would soon be theirs. When you’re in harmony with God’s will for your life, you’ll know the peace that surpasses human understanding.
4. “The Fruit Of The Spirit Is Patience.” This is a hard one. In order for us to be patient we need to reign in our need for self-rule and turn our will and life over to God Himself and trust Him for the results. The Christian who has patience, is like the quiet still waters of a pool in the park. We’re no longer the frantic, worried, chaotic control freaks we were. We are able to weather the storms of life because we’ve learned that we’re not alone. God is always with us and when God is with us, we can learn to be patient.
5. “The Fruit Of The Spirit Is Gentleness.” In every age there have been those who exemplified the kind of gentleness and kindness toward others I’m talking about. In the book of Genesis we read of Joseph who forgave his brothers after they sold him into slavery and exposed him to danger (see Gen. 50:18-24). If we look at the life of David we see another example of kindness. David was heartbroken over his son Absalom who conspired to steal the kingdom. David did more than could be expected of a man who had been wronged as he gave orders to his soldiers not to harm his son (see 2Sam. 18:5). Jesus Christ on the cross prayed that God would forgive the very people who were responsible for His crucifixion (see Luke 23:34). Christians pray for those who harm them and even for those who abuse them. Life is too short for us to carry hate or seek revenge. One of the great revelations we’ve received from God’s word is that when we seek harm for others, invariably we are the ones who get hurt.
6. “The Fruit Of The Spirit Is Goodness.” The dictionary says that Goodness means excellence of character and morals; virtuous, generous and kind. I hope that this description fits each of us today. Certainly in our own minds, each of us is good, but what do others think about us? How do other people see us? And more important, How does God see us? Jesus said there is only one righteous and that, that is God. As Christians we aspire to become what’s called conformity to Christ’s image. Any time we talk about conforming to His image we’re talking about a spiritual change within us expressed through a desire to live in Christ-like righteousness.
7. “The Fruit Of The Spirit Is Faithfulness.” Loyalty to the cause of Christ is one of the principal characteristics of a Christian. Faithfulness means walking like you’re talking, loving the Lord, and learning to walk like Jesus. It means doing whatever it takes to acquire the kind of loyalty Christ illustrated as He prayed in the garden of Gethsemane: He said, Father, your will be done. He said it without any thought of being disobedient or disloyal to God’s will. Had He been less than faithful to the end, we would not have a way out. We would be condemned to hell forever, but because Jesus finished His task, we can enter into God’s rest.
8. “The Fruit Of The Spirit Is Meekness.” Have you ever noticed how obnoxious people can be? I have to tell you the truth: “I’m guilty.” Most of the time I have no problem staying humble but every once in a while something pops in my brain and I go ballistic. We may be frustrated that things aren’t always going the way we planned, but since when did God give over His prerogative to you or me? It is our purpose to show everyone we meet God’s love. It would be wonderful if we could walk in humble meekness before those we meet. Proverbs 29:23 says, “A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.” Another aspect of the wonderful spirit of humility is unselfish service to God and to man in His name. Remember John the Baptist who said, “He must increase and I must decrease.” That’s how we need to walk.
9. “The Fruit Of The Spirit Is Self Control.” Self control is an illusive attribute. We all want more of it but we fall short when it comes to implementing it because so often the temptation in front of us seems more appealing. Self control means we take control of our time. Self control means we control our temper, and we control our tongues. We take control of our carnal selves for the benefit of attaining eternal life. We direct our studies to the things of God. We direct our activities toward things that are uplifting, encouraging and good.
Galatians 5:22-25 says, ” The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. This is the day to make it real in your life. Will you let the Holy Spirit have His way in your life? Will you yield to Him today?
