Page 62 - Personal Spiritual Life Syllabus w videos

Fruit of the Spirit

When we walk in the Spirit, we will see the results of His activity in our
lives producing what the Bible calls the Fruit of the Spirit. This
supernatural fruit is not a result of our own efforts, for in our flesh, we
cannot produce this fruit.

Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
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faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

The Greek word translated “fruit” refers to that which a living thing produces naturally. Paul is using this
metaphor to help us understand that the fruit described is the natural product of a living Holy Spirit
indwelling the believer. The fruit is created by the Holy Spirit. Notice that the verse does not say, the
“fruits” (plural) of the Spirit. He uses the singular word, “fruit” meaning a unified whole, not a bunch of
independent characteristics. As we yield our lives to God, ALL of the characteristics of Christ will
become evident in our lives. If they are not evident in your life, then ask yourself these questions: “Am I
really walking in the Spirit of Christ on a daily basis?” “Have I yielded my life to Christ in every area of my
life?” “Am I practicing “walking in the Spirit” on a daily basis?”

It takes time to grow fruit. After planting a tree, sometimes it takes years before the tree begins to bear
fruit. The same thing applies to this fruit. It will not appear in its fullest sense overnight. It will take
years of spiritual maturing before it becomes solidly manifested in our lives. And like a fruit tree, we
must continually remove the weeds that seek to choke out the nourishment to the tree. Our weeds are
the fruit of yielding to our Old Sin Nature. The fruit of our flesh opposes the fruit of the Spirit.

As we give the Spirit of God more control of our lives, He begins to do in us and through us only what He
can do, and His fruit will start to grow. Let’s briefly look at the fruit that is generated by the Holy Spirit:

1. Love – This is the love of choice, not the love of feeling. It is defined as self-sacrificial service and is
best demonstrated in Jesus Christ’s love for us. The Bible says, “While we were yet sinners, Christ died
for us.” Perhaps the best definition of this type of love can be seen in the following verse:

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should
not perish but have eternal life.

God demonstrated this special love by sacrificially giving Himself up for us. This love chooses to set
aside one’s own preferences, desires, and even personal needs to put the other person first (Philippians
2:1-3).

2. Joy – The Greek word for “joy” means “gladness and delight.” It is based on our relationship with
Christ, which is eternal. The world’s joy is based on circumstances which are fleeting. But the joy of the
Lord is established in our spiritual and eternal circumstances. We are a child of God and will live with
Him for all eternity.

3. Peace – This comes from knowing the One who is peace. Under any circumstances of life, we can
experience God’s peace. We can rejoice in God and who He is. We can bring our worries, fears, and
concerns to God in prayer. He is able to manage our lives because He is all powerful and all knowing.

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