Some things are so sweet they satisfy even the most hearty of cravings. Fruit is often one of them. Not only is this true in the natural, but it is true in the spiritual realm, as well. Who doesn’t want good, tasty, sweet-smelling fruit in their lives?
The fruit of God’s Spirit, we are told, are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. If we live with the first eight the last, self-control, is automatic because one way to define self-control is to show the fruit of God’s Spirit in our lives. And just as salvation is not something that we can acquire with our own works, neither are these 9 fruits of the Spirit. We can ask for them in faith, ask God to heighten and strengthen the Spirit he placed in us that we may please Him well and humbly accept the gift that they are to us in humble boldness.
The fruits of the Spirit are another way of saying we are taking upon ourselves the very character and heart of God. We are allowing him to help us die to self and live to Christ, for to live to Christ is our truest gain.
We must come to Him with right motive- a heart devoted to him that asks in faith and believes He can and will do it because He is Who He says He is and does what He says He can do and knowing we are Who He says we are and can do all things through Christ Who strengthens us. His Word is alive and active in us when we are filled with His Spirit and fruit of the Spirit is the evidence of His work in and through us.
We must also recall that He is the source of all power. It is Christ Who enables us to live godly lives full of His Spirit, and we are to ask Him to accomplish this, which He is faithful to do as we allow Him in. As a Gentleman, He will not force His will, ways, Spirit upon us but will woo us and guide us into all truth with the bonds of love.
Once we have been given the gift of the fruit of His Spirit, it is our responsibility to develop and display that fruit and all that He has placed within us. We know we are dependent on Him to do it, but have a part to play, by faith. This is where God’s call to action comes in. While it is true we are justified by faith, we’re told faith and works must work together. The works mentioned are works that occur because of and are based in faith in Him and His promises and through the Spirit’s leading and help.
We are also called to develop a godly character purposefully. We are called to put certain traits on – those of the Spirit – and to cast aside others – those of the flesh and the world.
Balanced growth is to ensue in every grace He gives us in these fruits and all things He has blessed us with, and this growth is to be progressive. It doesn’t mean we will never slip and fall, but that when we do, we are able and willing to come back to God admitting our downfall and need to get back on track. The sooner we get back on track, asking Him to help us forgive, release, let go of whatever hinders us and draws us from Him and His will and way and word for us, the sooner the fruit of His Spirit will begin to grow again and become fragrant and lovely to Him Who created us and gifted us with this fruit.
Of all the traits, the most important is love. Colossians 3:14 tells us that we are to “put on love” over every other virtue because it “binds them all together in perfect harmony.” We can read about God’s love in 1 John 1:5 and 4:8, as well as Exodus 33:18-22, 34:6-7, and 2 Chronicles 7:2, among other places. Jesus expounds on the importance of love in John 15:9-17 and Mark 12:28-34, and it is to be our motivation, as seen in 1 Corinthians 13, which many call the love chapter of the Bible. 1 Thessalonians 3:12 and 4:9-10, as well as Romans 13:8-10 help us better understand how to grow in love, and a myriad verses help us better understand love’s traits: John 3:16-18, 2 Cor. 2:4 and 8:2-3, Php. 2:20-21, 1 Jn. 4:7-11, 1 Pet. 1:22 and 3:8, Rom. 12:10, Heb. 13:1-2, and Gal. 4:19-20. Love helps us to do good towards others rather than expecting good from them.
Joy, on the other hand, helps us realize, see, and comprehend that all things truly do turn out to work for good to those who love God and do His commandments, trusting He will make all things right in the end. Peace brings the realization that He loves us as His children, not leaving us to fend for ourselves but being our defender and provider no matter what things look like in the natural. And patience is another way of saying joy and peace are being practiced in our lives. It is knowing, without a doubt, that all will work out for good for His glory in accord with His purposes for our lives individually as well as collectively.
When we treat others as God treats us, and as we wish to be treated – with love and respect – we are showing the goodness and kindness of God’s Spirit. This is true especially when we do so recalling we’ve been shown mercy, grace, love, respect and forgiveness unmerited by Him Who created us and loved us enough to DIE in our place and rise again to help us know we, too, will rise in Him for His glory based on what He did on our behalf, becoming the sacrifice to keep us in right standing with God the Father.
When we are faithful, loyal to and confident in God and the fact that He is Who He says He is and can and will do what He says He will do when we are in accord with His will and promises, this is showing faithfulness. God is not a man that He should lie or the son of man that He should make mistakes or tarry too long. He has proven Himself over and over again in the past and continues doing so in the present and future, and so we can know based on His track record and personality that He is faithful and we therefore can also be faithful with His help, in His Spirit. We can know we will see what we believe.
Gentleness is a trait of royalty. As children of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, adopted as His children into His kingdom and realm, we are called to behave in a humble, chivalrous and kindly manner toward others and ourselves. And as in the natural, we give reverence and honor to those in high positions, we are to do so with the Lord, whose position is higher than the highest above earth. To be gentle is to be reverent in this respect, and to show honor where it is due and not be rude or self-willed in the presence of others.
Finally, there is self-control, which as mentioned earlier, encompasses all eight other traits. We are not equipped to fully control ourselves and therefore God’s Spirit helps us control our lives, attitudes, thoughts, and actions. God created and loved us as we are and called us to higher and higher levels of glory in Him, and it is He alone Who can and will be able to do so, but we must be willing to allow Him to do this.
In all these things, the more we allow God to work in us the more we will show the family traits of God… the more we will be like Him and therefore also be able to minister in our calling, destiny, and purpose. We are also able to help guide others to seeing and hearing from Him in ways we cannot even imagine sometimes, because He is working all things in other people’s lives also for good, drawing them to Him through the testimony of who we are in Him and how sweet the Spirit’s fruit is in our lives.
