THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

WEDNESDAY AUGUST 09, 2023.

SUBJECT : THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT!

Memory verse: "(For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness and truth)." @

(Ephesians 5 vs 9.) 

READ: Galatians 5 vs 22 - 25:

5:22: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 

5:23: gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

5:24: And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its affections and desires.

5:25: If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

INTIMATION

The fruit of the Spirit is generated in the life of the one who lives after the principle of loving God with all his heart, soul, mind and strength, and his neighbor as himself. Those who have turned from depending on themselves, have turned to depend on the direction of God. Thus, the fruit of the Spirit is brought forth in the lives of those who seek direction from God for moral attitudes and behavior. This is a manifestation of those whose lives are motivated by thanksgiving. The fruit of the Spirit is the result of one’s recognition of God’s grace in his or her life. It is the result of recognizing God’s mercy and therefore, presenting oneself a living sacrifice (Romans 12 vs 1 - 2). 

The fruit of the Spirit is the spontaneous work of the Holy Spirit in us. The Spirit produces these character traits that are found in the nature of Christ. They are the by-products of Christ’s control—we can’t obtain them by trying to get them without His help. If we want the fruit of the Spirit to grow in us, we must join our lives to His: We must know Him, love Him, remember Him, and imitate Him. As a result, we will fulfill the intended purpose of the law—to love God and our neighbors.

As we study through the fruit of the Spirit, it is significant to note that love is the foundation upon which all the qualities of the fruit are built. If one loves his neighbor as himself, then he will bring forth in his life these characteristics of godly behavior. One fruit leads to another. We begin with love. The result of love is joy, then peace with our neighbor then longsuffering. 

God reached out to humanity with agape (love), that is, His grace was unconditional. We did not earn it. When one recognizes this degree of love, he will in turn express such to others. Love then becomes the foundation upon which we establish relationships with others. Love produces joy, for in giving unconditional love to others, the serendipity, or result, is joy in one’s own heart. The natural result of joy is peace in one’s heart, and also peace with others. 

The natural result of peace with God, because of His mercy and grace is, our own longsuffering and mercy toward others. This is the capacity to patiently endure with the faults of others. Then kindness is the inner gentle nature of the individual that is produced as a result of dependence on the grace of God. When one loves his neighbor he will seek to be kind in attitude toward his neighbor in order to guard the peace that exists between himself and his neighbor. 

Kindness then leads to doing good to our neighbor. The outward expression of inner kindness is doing good toward others. Since God was faithful in saving us by grace, recognition of such will produce faithfulness toward our fellow man. We become committed to our neighbor because we have developed a relationship that is based on love of one another. 

The spiritual nature of the saved is characterized by a meek or gentle attitude toward others. The meek is courteous and considerate of their neighbors. Gentleness refers to one’s ability to control outbursts of emotion in order to guard the relationship of peace that we have with our neighbor. The gentle person is in control of his being. Therefore, the natural result of the gentle person is self-control and self-discipline when it comes to maintaining the loving relationship we have established with others.

Law does not work against the preceding qualities, or those who possess them. In fact, the one who behaves after the fruit of the Spirit does not need law to tell him how he should behave in relation to his neighbor. Love motivates him to be considerate in all things in his relationship with others. The foundation upon which law stands is love. Law governs our interaction with one another. Love of our neighbor motivates us to act in a lawful manner in our relationship with one another as the organic body in society.  

Because the God who sent the law also sent the Spirit, the by-products of the Spirit-filled life are in perfect harmony with the intent of God’s law. A person who exhibits the fruit of the Spirit fulfills the law better than a person who observes the rituals but has little love in his or her heart. 

If your desire is to have the qualities listed in 5 vs 22 - 23, then you know that the Holy Spirit is leading you. At the same time, be careful not to confuse your subjective feelings with the Spirit’s leading. Being led by the Spirit involves the desire to hear, the readiness to obey God’s Word, and the sensitivity to discern between your feelings and His promptings. Live each day controlled and guided by the Holy Spirit. Then the words of Christ will be in your mind, the love of Christ will be behind your actions and the power of Christ will help you control your selfish desires.

Prayer: Abba Father, by Your faithfulness and mercy You gave us an Helper in the Person of the Holy Spirit m. My utmost heart desire is to be continually led by the Holy Spirit, and that I will have the qualities listed in the fruit of the Spirit manifested in my relationship with one another, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!