In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 NABRE
Paul writing to the Galatians informs them about the Spirit. He compares the flesh with the gifts of the Spirit. The desires of the flesh are against the Spirit and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh. The works of the flesh are immorality, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension and more. When acting in the flesh we are following instinct, we live for ourselves. The flesh is the whole person who is led by a disordered love for ourselves; we succumbed to flesh sins. But, when we let the Spirit guide us, letting reason inform our decisions, we live a supernatural life, more than human, divine. When we open up to the Spirit we receive nine fold characteristics leading to grace. They begin with love, loving we also have joy and from joy comes peace. We must cultivate these three fruits. The next fruits have the Christian bearing suffering for others, we are patient (enduring others), we are kind and generous. The last three fruits are faith (faithfulness, dependability), gentleness (the right use of authority) and self-control (control of our own behavior). The Spirit produces these fruits, God gets the glory and we are inwardly proud of ourselves.
We produce fruit so it may be taken in. But we do not bear fruit for our own consumption, we bear fruit that others might be fed and helped. The secret is the Holy Spirit, He enables us to love, overcome the flesh and to bear fruit. In others words we are strengthened by the Spirit to live our lives for others and be Chrsitlike. This requires prayer, worship and community.
Do you see the fruit of the Spirit within you? Do you live your life for others?
We produce fruit so it may be taken in. But we do not bear fruit for our own consumption, we bear fruit that others might be fed and helped. Click To Tweet#bible #godisgreat #jesus #christianity#dailybibleverse @youversion#BeAnEncourager #Spirit #fruit #Paul#everybodyalways #god #jesuschrist#jesussaves #godisgood #dailydevotion#biblestudy #scripture #bibleverse#verseoftheday #pray #prayer #goodnews#loveeachother #godisgreat #bocaraton#youversion #everythingalways