"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” (Gal 5:22-23 NIV)
Many years ago, I purchased an older ranch style home that needed fixing up. It had lots of potential and the charm of acres of multiple fruit trees, a fantastic Bonsai Garden with a massive Koi pond. All it needed to be brought back to its full glory was time and money. Seeing as how I didn't have much money or extra time, things continued on their 'natural' course.
In the back yard, next to the patio area, there was this knurled old tree with multiple branches that looked like dead driftwood someone had stuck into the ground. I put it on my growing 'to do' list to take care of it - eventually...
About a year later, we had a rainstorm that was so intense it washed out roads and homes along the river. Our basement had filled with so much water it needed to be pumped out continuously for days. Eventually, the rain stopped, and things settled back to normal.
A few months later, as I was making one of my rare journeys into the back yard, I noticed that some leaves were forming on that old tree. I was amazed and figured the rains we had were the reason. I also felt a little guilty for assuming it was dead because it looked so old and decrepit and that I had thought there was no hope for it.
Within a few weeks, the tree had fully blossomed, and the most incredible thing happened - peaches began appearing on its branches and using my 'amazing' deductive logic, I realized it was a peach tree! The peaches were giant and sweet to the taste - truly the best I had ever had.
Since God never lets a good life lesson opportunity go by, I began to get schooled in the Fruit of the Spirit, so here are the top four things I learned from that tree.
- First, I should never assume that a person's outward appearance is truly reflective of the potential they have for bearing fruit.
- Second, sometimes the storms of life can bring out the best in people.
- Third, I should never neglect to water others with the Word of God and with words of encouragement, hope, and peace.
- Fourth, I should cultivate the ground (life circumstances) people find themselves in and build them up with the gifts of grace God has given me no matter how hardened they have become.
The Fruit of Love
I am one of those that believe that there is just one 'fruit' of the Spirit, which is love. All the other eight so-called 'fruits' listed are its manifestations. The Fruit of the Spirit abides in every Born-Again Christian, but the bearing of the fruit requires the watering of the Word and cultivation through love. Every Born-Again Christian is to first and foremost: "Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts" (1 Cor 14:1 NASB).
Love ("agape" in Greek) is divine love that is unconditional, strong, passionate, committed, enthusiastic, tender and devoted to the well-being of another, wanting only the best for them. By its definition, it is impossible to manifest without the Holy Spirit's working in a person's life.
Without the fruit of love, the gifts become corrupted. Love is THE gift. Without it, joy doesn't work; peace doesn't come; patience isn't bearable, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control are hard work.
Joy
Joy ("chara" in Greek) is defined as constant and stable emotional excitement, gladness, and delight over blessings personally received or expected for others. It is far deeper than emotional experience because it is rooted in God and comes directly from Him as a byproduct of exercising trusting-faith (See Ps 30:11; Rom 14:17, 15:13; Phil 1:25).
Peace
Peace ("eirene" in Greek) is defined as the state of quietness, rest, repose, harmony, contentment, order, and security in the midst of turmoil, strife, and temptations. Jesus is the Prince of peace.
A person does not need to have an emotional or "mystical" encounter with Jesus Christ to experience His peace. Christians are to:
"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful." (Col 3:15 NIV)
It is His peace that "transcends all understanding" and will "guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Phil 4:7 NIV). It is not a state of being or a feeling.
In the Greek language, the word for "peace" is “eirene” which comes from the verb "eiro," and means to join or bind together that which has been separated. God's peace incorporates both an attitude of trusting-faith, which brings rest and security through a covenant with God.
Peace is a state of mind. "To be spiritually minded is life and peace" (Rom. 8:6 NIV). When people's hearts and minds are set on God, and He is in control of their life, He guards their "hearts and minds" (Phil 4:7). It doesn't matter how much turmoil and calamity surrounds them; their lives can have an inner calm that passes all human understanding.
Patience
Patience ("makrothumia" in Greek) is defined as patient endurance or longsuffering that gives the ability to forbear the frailties, offenses, difficulties, hardship, injuries of this life - as well as the provocations of others - without murmuring, retaliation, or resentment. This word is most often used in Scripture in reference to God and His attitude towards humankind (See 1 Cor 13:4-7; 2 Cor 6:4-6; Eph 4:1-2; Col. 1:11, 3:12-13; 1 Tim. 1:16; 2 Tim. 3:10, 4:2).
Kindness
Kindness ("chrestotes" in Greek) is defined as a disposition - or attitude - to be kind, gentle, soft-spoken, even-tempered, cultured, and refined in character and conduct beyond what is required in the workplace or social settings (See 2 Tim. 2: 24-26; Tit. 3:1-2; Jas 3:17).
Goodness
Goodness ("agathosune" in Greek) is defined as the state of being good, kind, virtuous, benevolent, generous, encouraging, reassuring, and doing what is right and best for others in every circumstance, including discipline or instruction in truth and trusting-faith (See Ex. 33:19; 34:6; Ps.23:6; 31:19; 33:5; 107:9; Rom. 2:4; Eph 5:9, Mt. 5:44-48; Lk. 6:27-32).
Faithfulness
Faith ("pistis" in Greek) is defined as the living, divinely implanted, acquired, and the created principle of inward and whole-hearted confidence, assurance, persuasion, trust, absolute reliance, dependence upon, (and belief in) God and all that He says in His Word.
The present tense of the Greek word "pistis" is the word 'believe.' It denotes the act and process of faith, which is trust, and must be continually exercised to experience its benefits. Those who live their life in trusting-faith will tend to be more trustworthy, reliable, and committed to fulfilling the tasks and responsibilities given them by the Holy Spirit (See Acts 14:22; Eph. 6:16; Col. 1:23; 2:57; 1 Th. 5: 8; l Tim.2:15, 3:9; 6:12. 2 Tim. 3:8; 4:7; Tit. 1:13; Heb 10:23-38; 2 Pet.1:5-10).
Gentleness
Gentleness ("praotes" in Greek) is defined as being submissive to God and living humbly before him and towards others. The natural outcome of daily walking in humility is the ability to be considerate, gentle, kind, patient, and tolerant towards others while being even-balanced in emotions and desires (See Isa. 42:1-4; 53:7; Matt. 11:28-30; 26:47-54).
Self-Control
Self-Control ("enkrateia" in Greek) is defined as temperance that has a mastery over the desire and appetite for pleasure, self-indulgence, and passion by exercising moderation and regulating them in daily life (See Pr. 23:13; 25:16; Dan. l:8-16; Rom. 13:14; 1 Cor. 9: 25-27; Phil 4:5; 1 Th. 5:6-8; Tit. 2:23, 11-12; 2 Pet. 1:5-10).
Conformed to His Image
Christians are predestined to be conformed to the literal image of Jesus so that they can begin affecting radical change in the world around them.
"For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren." (Rom 8:29 NIV)
The ultimate purpose of God's Word, the anointing, the gifts, and the Fruit of the Spirit, is to transform the Christian and make their character just like His. The Fruit is the image of Jesus because Jesus is love, and "he who dwells in love dwells in God and God in Him" (1 John 4:16 NIV). It is powerful because no law of man, or spiritual assault of the enemy, can be set against it.
The Fruit of the Spirit empowers the supernatural gifts because it is the very image of Jesus that is in every Born-Again Christian. If they are to be continuously empowered with the Holy Spirit and possessed with love, then it has to be Christ in them, who is the hope of glory. The quality that the Holy Spirit imparts is the fruit of His presence. It moves the Born-Again Christian from who they are to who He is.
Jesus is the Vine, and Christians are the branches that should naturally bear the fruit of love, which is joy, peace, patience, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (John 15:5). When the Fruit of the Spirit is utilized, it makes the Christian's character just like Jesus. It is virtually impossible to effectively minister to another using the supernatural gifts of grace if they don't have the Fruit of the Spirit naturally growing on their branches.
Just as with the story of the Peach tree, the simple truth is that the Born-Again Christian doesn't have to struggle, work hard, or force the fruit to grow; it will happen naturally when they are nourished and fed. When a Christian reads and studies the Bible daily, the river of life that flows from God's throne is the primary nourishment they need to grow the Fruit of the Spirit naturally.
