In the Amplified Bible, Galatians 5:22-23 reads, “But the fruit of the Spirit (the result of His presence with us) is love (unselfish concern for others), joy, (inner) peace, patience (not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
If you have been in Christian circles much at all, this passage from Galatians is taught on a familiar rotation. I have heard Pastor’s preach sermons on the FRUIT of the Spirit being singular fruit, and when we have the Spirit of God dwelling in us the Spirit gives us all of His attributes listed above.
On the day that I accepted Christ, I believe that the Spirit of God took up residence within me: my body is His temple. I tend to beat myself up over these verses, because I fall short often to live my life in a way the exemplifies the Spirit dwelling in me. I fail to exhibit unselfish concern for others, and joy and patience (and on and on). The question is, why? Why do I fail to exhibit the characteristics of this fruit that is alive in me? And I will go out on a limb and suspect, I am not alone on this one.
I suppose like the care and cultivation of any fruit tree, the Fruit of His Spirit also needs my focus and my attention. The fruit tree, fully capable of bearing fruit is planted in me but if I choose to ignore the fruit, ignore it exists, and never interact with it, then the fruit hangs there, falls to the ground, wasted. It sits. Available. Fully capable. Full of potential, but unused. The fruit is meaningless, unless I make the choice to pick it, eat it or use it.
On the other hand, the more aware I become of the Spirit’s fruit hanging on the tree the more likely I am to grab onto its potential. As the fruit is picked and used. The tree’s root system begins to takes hold and set up, soaking into the foundation. Now then the picked fruit is applied and used for His glory. The fruit is “the result of His presence” the Amplified Bible tells us. It is already there, it is already alive in me, just waiting to be used.
Let’s grab hold of the fruit and recognize we have the incredible Spirit alive in us that gives us the ability to act in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. Grab hold of the potential available to you by way of the fruit of His Spirit, apply it, use it, it’s available and full of potential for you to use for His glory.
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