fruit of the Spirit Archives - Page 3 of 3

The first spring on our new acreage we wondered what some of the trees were. As the season wore on it soon became evident that two of the trees were apple trees. The blossoms were beautiful and fragrant. And at the end of the summer there was fruit to enjoy! As we bit into the sweet apples there was no doubt what kind of a tree we had.

God says we are much the same as that apple tree. His Word says that we will be known by the kind of fruit in our lives. In Matthew 7:15-29 God tells us that if our hearts are true or false it will be revealed in the fruit of our lives. We will be recognized by our fruit.

So what does the fruit of a Christian look like? Galatians 5:22 tells us what to look for:

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”

When we allow the Holy Spirit to have power in our life it shows in specific ways. There can be a difference in your life. It will be the difference the Holy Spirit makes as you invite His power to be active in your individual circumstances.

If you are a Christian, ask yourself which of these fruits is in short supply in your life right now?

Do you need more love in that challenging relationship?
Do you need more joy in life?
What about peace? Are you in knots as your head hits the pillow at night?
Is patience in short supply at your home or job? Or kindness, goodness, gentleness and self-control?

Sometimes I find life so consuming. Sometimes I feel there just isn’t enough of me to go around to cover all my responsibilities, never mind additional kindness and goodness! To have these various fruits in abundance almost seems like fairy tale stuff at some turbulent times in my life. Yet while I don’t have enough to go around, God does! When I take time to invite the life flowing power of the Spirit into each circumstance and decision, the fruit begins to show!

We make a choice each day as Christians to either operate in our own strength or to operate in the power of the Holy Spirit and to ask Him to bring an abundant harvest of fruit into our lives. The sweetness of this fruit will reveal Jesus to those around us.

Choose one fruit of the Spirit that you feel lacking in and ask God today to work in you to increase it. It’s His work. You just make the choice and send the invitation!

by Gail Rodgers
Used by Permission

We are filled with the Holy Spirit by faith alone. However, true prayer is one way of expressing your faith. The following is a suggested prayer:

“Dear Father, I need You. I acknowledge that I have been directing my own life and that, as a result, I have sinned against You. I thank You that You have forgiven my sins through Christ’s death on the cross for me. I now invite Christ to again take His place on the throne of my life. Fill me with the Holy Spirit as You commanded me to be filled, and as You promised in Your Word that You would do if I asked in faith. I now thank You for directing my life and for filling me with the Holy Spirit.”

Does this prayer express the desire of your heart? If so, ask God to fill you with the Holy Spirit right now and trust Him to do so.

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“When you enter the land and plant any kind of fruit tree, regard its fruit as forbidden. For three years you are to consider it forbidden; it must not be eaten. In the fourth year all its fruit will be holy, an offering of praise to the Lord. But in the fifth year you may eat its fruit. In this way your harvest will be increased. I am the Lord your God.” Leviticus 19:23-25

We live in a microwave world. People want instant gratification. Kids right out of college want the corner office with a view and the big paycheck. I see newbie writers convinced their work will be a bestseller… that is, until they join a critique group or submit it to an editor. Any seasoned author knows writing the first draft is only one-fifth of the work. It takes time and effort to develop it into a product ready for the market.

I think some Christians are too anxious to bear their fruit before it is ready. They don’t want to go through the hard work God has in store to prune, weed, and grow them. So they offer a pre-ripe, sour fruit to the world and then wonder why people scrunch their noses and back away.

Now, that is not to say God cannot use them. Of course He can. He uses all of us right where we are in our spiritual journey. But His timing is purposeful. If our spiritual skin has not thickened, we may get easily bruised and our fruit may be less attractive. The full sweetness may have not developed.

I know I have jumped the gun before He had fully prepared me for a mission. Perhaps you have as well. It may not take five years, but we all should wait until the time is ripe instead of rushing ahead of His schedule. That way, He will have fully prepared us to give Him glory, and the harvest of new souls won for Christ will be increased.

Father God, Creator of all. Help us to yield to Your timing before we bear fruit. Guide us by Your Spirit to maturity even though it may take longer and we may have to work harder. Keep us patient in the process and let us not become discouraged as we wait to see what wondrous things You will do through us. In Christ’s name. Amen.

By Julie Cosgrove
Used by permission

Fruit of the Spirit

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Fruit of the Spirit

FURTHER READING

Follow Us On:

Take Time to Ripen