TUESDAY March 23, 2021
Fruit of the Spirit
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
Galatians 5:22-26
Paul gave a description of the fruit of the Spirit. There are nine characteristics of the fruit of the Spirit that are evident in the life of a true Christian. What is the main spiritual fruit to be found in a Christian’s life? It is love. Christians have the natural fruit of love. If a person loves God, then they are going to demonstrate love toward others. The Holy Spirit has empowered them to do so.
Therefore, love is the main evidence of the Holy Spirit working in and through their lives. Christ’s love, seen in the life of a Christian, identifies genuine evidence of Christian fruitfulness. God’s Holy Spirit dwells in them, and is working through them.
Paul also exhorted us to crucify our passions, lusts and desires. We can find instructions on how to do this in Romans 6-8. Christians should not be argumentive or fight with each other. As Christians, we are called into a life of unity––we work together in the love of Christ.
What about us? As believers in Christ, we are called to love one another. We should not determine in our hearts to provoke one another or envy others. Instead, as true children of the light, we should seek to be kind, loving, gentle, patient and longsuffering.
May the Holy Spirit empower us. We need all these qualities and characteristics in our lives. Whatever we are lacking, may the Holy Spirit anoint us to walk in the Spirit.
A fruitless person is not a failed Christian, but a false one — in other words, not a Christian at all.
~John Blanchard~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!