Every person that abides in the Lord, also demonstrates the different fruits of the Spirit. You cannot say you are led by the Spirit of God and be without love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance. Only the spiritual person, that is adopted into the fold of Christ has these characteristics. Even more so, these qualities bring about what they do for others. It is their faith and hope in God, that leads them to show love towards one another and above all else, charity. When comparing faith, hope and charity, charity is the greatest of all. It is because, our belief has been put into action and true love is on display. If you are living a charitable life for God, then the fruits of the Spirit are on display in your life. This is doing God’s will and what God is looking for. He can use us all in a big way, if we let Him. If you do not already have these characteristics in your life, then repent and come to God. If you are sincere, the Lord will use you for His purpose, in the kingdom of God. He will move you to display His great love, while giving you gifts of the Spirit. Each one of You can be a great benefit to the Lord God and in bringing about His light to the world.
The Fruits Of The Spirit:
51. Love: “Agape” Love or goodwill, benevolence and delight towards people and God. You are selfless in your actions towards the person you admire. Jesus taught two important ways that we ought to show love. 1. 1“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” 2. 3“If ye love me, keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever.”
52. Joy: A good feeling that we feel in the soul, because of the Holy Spirit. We get these feelings while reading the Bible, prayer, worship, and doing good works.
53. Peace: A feeling of freedom from the storms of life. We are Free from our shame and guilt because of God’s mercy. Our soul is lifted up and we are able to think clearly, even among strife.
54. Longsuffering: Patiently endure life’s trials and hardships. As we suffer, we are patient even without complaining.
55. Gentleness: Kind or tender hearted towards others. Very careful in how we treat one another. We care for people with the uttermost of care. No harsh words are in our mouth.
56. Goodness: Acts of kindness towards one another. We are active in our selfless desires towards God and others. We long to help people when needs arise. 2Only God is good but we seek His goodness in our lives.
57. Faith: Paul taught two important things about faith. 1. 6“Is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” 2. 6“Without faith it is impossible to please him”
58. Meekness: God given power, even with the little that we have. Because they seek God, they have an infinite amount of resources from God, as He commands. God gives them strength and showcases his power within them.
59. Temperance: Self-control and much patience. We are able to control our appetites, emotions and attitudes for the glory of God. The Lord is what drives our decisions.
Those In the Spirit, abide in:
41. Faith: Paul taught two important things about faith. 1. 6“Faith Is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” 2. 6“Without faith it is impossible to please him”
42. Hope: To look to the future and endure in what has given us. We are certain in our faith in God, even without evidence. Hope bears us up when times are hard. Therefore, we are able to endure life’s trials.
43. Charity: Paul said that 4“faith, hope, charity, these three” are very important 4“but the greatest of these is charity.” He defines charity as 4“Suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth.”
Our belief in God is the first step of following Him. Our openness to God allows Him to pour into us and give us wisdom. Because of what He shows us in the Bible and prayer, we are able to live differently and have self-control. And to everyone that abides in the Lord, is also able to learn patience. And as we learn to restrain ourselves when during good and bad times, our faith grows. Soon, godly features start to form in our lives. This then helps us to show love and kindness towards everyone around us. If there are needs, we do what we can to help them. This then leads us to charity. We learn to suffer for the sake of God and be kind. We envy not and do not lift ourselves up when we do good. Our desires are for God and not the evils of this world. We love the truth and cannot help telling others about Jesus. We believe in the Lord. Our hope is in Him. We endure in Christ and are grateful for His mercy and grace. Paul spoke on this also, when he said, 7“add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.” Everything builds upon charity. If you love God, then also allow God to make you are charitable and loving person.
Let us pray:
Lord, I pray that everyone that has faith in You, will also build upon that belief. May our hearts be continually open to the truths of Your Words, in the Bible, and in prayer. Open our hearts and minds to knowledge that only comes from above. Help us learn how to have self-control and be patient. Give us over to live like You and be more selfless. We desire to live differently and know that You can help us do so. Shape our lives that we may shine brightly. Help us to show kindness and love towards everyone we meet. May forgiveness be in our hearts no matter the cause. And if someone is in need, bring us to care for them. We hope in You, Lord. Your love gives us reasons to endure in our faith. If there is any goodness in our lives it is from You. You are the reason why we are joyful. Your presence gives us peace. We love You Lord and our lives are to follow You, even till the ends of time. Amen.
Let us read the Bible:
Note: Any Numbered References, found above, are listed below.
1Matthew 22:35-40 (KJV)
35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,
36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
2Mark 10:17-23 (KJV)
17 And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?
18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.
19 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.
20 And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.
21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.
22 And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.
23 And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!
3John 14:15-24 (KJV)
15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.
21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
22 Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?
23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.
41 Corinthians 13 (KJV)
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
5Galatians 5:19-27 (KJV)
19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
6Hebrews 11:1-13 (KJV)
1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.
3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.
5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
11 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.
12 Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.
13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
72 Peter 1:1-11 (KJV)
1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:
2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
5 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;
6 And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;
7 And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.
8 For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
9 But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.
10 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
11 For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
