Love – When I asked the Lord to reveal to me His Love, He said, “I already have, now go and love those who have been cast aside!” and He brought me to those in need of a simple touch of His love.

Joy – When I asked the Lord to restore to me my lost Joy, He said, “I already have, now go and seek those sad and dejected!” and He granted me openings to spread His joy.

Peace – When I asked the Lord to give me Peace, He said, “I already have, now go and find those in turmoil and unrest!” and He gave me opportunities to bring about peace to the dissention.

Patience –When I asked the Lord to give me Patience, He said, “I already have, now go and seek those living in turmoil and anger!” and He gave me opportunities to seek to understand and to reveal His grace and peace.

Kindness – When I asked the Lord for someone to show me Kindness, He said, “I already have, now go and find those surrounded by much sadness!” and He brought me to those so needing a kind word and a gentle smile.

Goodness – When I asked the Lord to show me His Goodness, He said, “I already have, now go and find those who believe they are nothing good and have been thrown away!” and He gave me those moments to seek and serve others in His goodness and honesty.

Faithfulness – When I asked the Lord to show me His Faithfulness, He said, “I already have, now go! you already know” and He gave me occasions to be Faithful to the call and mission He has placed on my life.

Gentleness – When I asked the Lord to be treated with Gentleness by those who insult me, He said, “I already have, now go! and find those hardened by their days” and He brought me those in need of a kind touch and a gentle word.

Self-Control – When I asked the Lord to give me Self–Control with those who have cancelled me, He said, “I have, now go! and find those living in rejection and strife” and He brought me to those who have been criticized and merely needing a simple hand to stand again.

The “Fruit of the Spirit” are a sign of a Spirit-led life: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These fruits serve as evidence of a heart transformation that takes place when a believer is in-dwelled of Holy Spirit.

The life of a Christ follower is not simply the avoidance of wrongdoing, but in the development of positive, Spirit-filled characteristics. Unlike the works of the flesh listed earlier in the chapter, (Galatians 5:19-21) which leads to conflict and destruction in the life of the unbeliever, the fruits of the Spirit bring harmony into the life of the believer, and by extension the lives of those they touch.

We have established a society where the emphasis for individual achievement and personal success, no matter the cost, is recognized, applauded, and encouraged. However, I contend the benefits gained from the developing the virtues of the Fruits of the Spirit serve as a reminder of the importance of our character over our accomplishments and relationships over connections.

Cultivating Spirit-Filled Fruits requires the believer to evaluate their lives and their interactions with all those around them, not just those who might offer some manner of financial or substantial backing – quid-pro-quo as it were. It is imperative as Spirit-Filled Children of God, that we must be concerned about how to cultivate and produce these fruits in our daily lives to bring the Kingdom of God into our midst fully and effectively.

©acs2024

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Scripture Verse taken from Berean Standard Bible. The Berean Bible and Majority Bible texts are officially dedicated to the public domain as of April 30, 2023. All uses are freely permitted.