How can I live a life that shows God wherever I go?
How can I be controlled by His power and not by my flesh?
How can the Fruit of the Spirit grow in my life?
Let’s us read Gal 5: 16-21
“So, I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit, what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.”
Galatians 5:16-21 NIV
It is clear that there is a fight between the flesh and the Spirit.
The Holy Spirit wants to work in our life preparing us for eternal life.
As we can read at the end of
Gal. 5.21
The Fruit of the Spirit are God’s qualities which He gives us when we surrender our lives to him and allow him to control us through the Holy Spirit.
We need to LIVE a life full of the Fear of God.
The Fear of the Lord is good; it brings us close to him and reminds us to not sin against him. – My testimony: after my encounter with God. I was full of the Holy Spirit. I wanted to stay close to him, not to lose his presence.
Only when we surrender and we choose to go down this path, can we produce the Fruit of the Spirit. Our flesh will call us to produce fleshy fruits – works of the flesh. Before we met God, this was our nature. We were mean, anxious, grumpy, full of fear, seeking our own pleasure.
But now we are called to live and walk a different life.
For me, the biggest challenge is walking. Living talks about something inside of me but walking talks about a lifestyle. It is my external expression.
A branch only produces fruits if it is alive. Jesus is the vine tree; we are the branches Jo 15: 1-17
If you have a relationship with God, your life will show it. You will be able to choose life, to choose to please God.
“But the Fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance(patience), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
Galatians 5:22-23 NIV
God does not make us like robots; he gives us free will. To grow, to produce fruits in our lives is also a choice. The Holy Spirit gives us the seeds and we as human beings, decided to produce Fruit, it is a rational decision, you use your mind for that.
When God called the Israelites out of Egypt in Deuteronomy 30:19 he asks to them to choose life instead of death.
When we talk about Galatians 5:22-23, we see nine characteristics or manifestations, of the Fruit of the Spirit. How do I grow the Fruit? The seed is already in you. You just need to prepare the environment and be connected to the fountain. A greenhouse needs a good temperature, good soil (clean heart) and water (Holy Spirit) do produce good fruits.
Remember it is a fruit (singular) with nine characteristics which will all be developed in our life at the same time.
All these nine characteristics of the Fruit are not actions. The work of the flesh are actions – murder, adultery, etc. The Fruits are attitudes.
The Holy Spirit is more concerned with how you say things than with how you do them.
Your attitude can smell good or bad, nobody can see it, but they can smell it, people can feel it.
The Fruit feeds your family. Your spouse, you will say – he is awesome, she is the best, she can understand me, she loves me. Jesus said Mt 7. 20 – we are known by our fruits. Read also Matheus 7- 22-23
If you have a horrible character, your people will starve to death because of you. With the Holy Spirit you feed each other.
Let us look to the nine characteristics of the Fruit.
But the Fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance(patience), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
Galatians 5:22-23 NIV
1- Love- you don’t need to feel it; it is a decision. You honour others; you are devoted to God, do not allow feelings to dictate your choices. Loves is hopeful, persevering, and trusting. Loving people keep hatred, apathy, and self-preservation far from you. When we do not love, we are keeping anger, hurt and resentment inside us. These will only produce indifference in our lives.
It is very important that we learn to love ourselves for then we will love our neighbours that we can see and at last our God that we do not see. (1 Co 13. 4-7)
Jo 13. 34-35
34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
2- Joy – it is a deep state of the soul that no circumstance, event, or human can steal away from us. It is when you can delight in God and choose to rejoice in all things. Is to be content even when things are not okay. Joyful people are not guided in their actions by misery, sorrow, sadness, or despair. There is no room for those feelings in their mind. If we allow sadness in, then we can become melancholic and then it turns into distress (when people cry without reason), next step is depression. All of these are absence of joy.
Be happy, smile. – (Ps 1.1; Rm 4. 7)
Phil.4.11-13 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
3- Peace comes from resting and trusting in the promises of God. Its choosing to work with others for a common goal instead of insisting on our own way. Peaceful people do not go to war with their actions or words.
A person with no peace is an anxious person when their anxiety gets bigger; they cannot sleep, they have racing thoughts, anxiety crises, racing hearts, shortness of breath, panic attacks and it can grow even to OCD (Obsessive-compulsive Disorder) TOC (Transtorno obessessivo compulsivo.) Anxiety starts in our thoughts, negative thoughts that are not good for our mind. Rage and greed take away our peace, we need to develop peaceful thoughts; (Pv 19. 23; Psl 4.8)
Rm 8.6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.
4- Patience is exhibiting calmness in the midst of stressful situations. When we accept the journey of growth which others are in and do not overreact when people are not doing things to our standard. You do not become easily annoyed, agitated, nor do they show intolerance or have a short fuse. When you are a stressed person, you can destroy your relationships, with family members, at work, with your friends – (Pv 16.32; Pv 19.11)
Psl 37.7 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.
5- Kindness is being genuinely kind to anyone and everyone. It is love in action, with attitude, in the family. Kindness speaks with a kind, gentle voice; it knows how to deal with people. Kindness has a good sense of humour. It looks out for the well-being of others and shows compassion when needed. It shows courtesy and benevolence to anyone. When there is a lack of humour, we become argumentative and are not kind (Psl 86.15, 1 Peter 3.8-12; Pv 11. 17)
Gl 6.9,10 – 9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
6- Goodness is truly desiring to help others. It does the right thing and challenges others to do the same. It is decent, honest, moral, honourable, virtuous and full of integrity. It is more than doing the right thing, it is making things right. When people are bad to others, they can feel hurt and have their hearts full of pain, and then bitterness grows. Our heart becomes hard. (Rm 12.13; Rm7.18-20; Pv 29.15)
James 3.13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.
7- Faithfulness, it is choosing to be true to our word and following through with our promises. Faithfull people are not disloyal, nor they are flippant with their commitments with family members, friends and with God. If you are not faithful, you cannot grow even in your faith. Doubts enter, fear, dread, and then phobias.
We then fear to trust again, to make mistakes. We can lose trust in ourselves, in the word of God and even in God. (2 Co 5.7; 1 Co 10.13; 2 Ts 3.3; Pv 20.6)
Hb 10. 38-39 38 And, but my righteous one will live by faith. And I take no pleasure in the one who shrinks back. 39 But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.
8- Gentleness is allowing God to deal with others so that we do not have to take matters into our own hands. They say it is like an assertiveness that does not impose. (forca revestida de veludo). It is the grace of the soul. It is being calm, serene and tranquil. To be gentle you need to be strong, because normally our flesh wants the opposite. It is not bitter and severe. It is choosing not to pay back in the same way people that mistreat us. (1 Pe 3. 15-17; Ph. 4.5; Tt 3: 1-2)
Eph 4.2 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.
9- Self-Control is not letting circumstances cause us to lose control. It is exhibiting moderation, temperance, and discipline. Its choosing, under significant pressure to go after the important instead of the urgent. It is not impulsive. It is being able to control your tongue, your thoughts, feelings, emotions and will. You do not sin, have no compulsive actions, you are a stable person with money and with people. (1 Co 6.12; Jm 3.2-11; 2 Pe 1.5-8; Psl 119.133)
1 Thess 4. 3,4 3 It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable,
How to grow the Fruit of the Spirit?
When we are truly guided by the Spirit, we will have this attitude naturally, but sometimes we relapse – it’s because we are allowing our flesh to make decisions for us again. We can change when we realize our mistakes by repentance. Then you will return to God’s presence.
1-Confession and repentance are the keys.(1 John 1:9)
Exam yourself.
We need to develop this habit of self-examination (1 Co 11:28-29)-
“Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves.”
“If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else,”
Galatians 6:3-4 NIV
How often do you examine yourself? Is it only on the Lord’s Supper on Sunday?
I suggest you do it daily. Your devotional cannot be just reading one chapter of the bible and doing intercessory prayer.
2-Devotional time must also be a time of self-reflection and repentance. A time of worship too. It must be a time of connection with your beloved.
When you leave your secret place, after this time, you should feel peaceful and ready for your day, with your mind renewed by the word of God. After all, you were talking to your Daddy, your beloved Father.
3- Walk with Jesus, walk with his people.
Jesus said
“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
Matthew 11:29 NIV
“When they saw Peter and John’s confidence and realized they were uneducated, ordinary men, they were very surprised. They also recognized them as Jesus’ companions.”
Acts 4:13
Paul said for us to imitate 1 Co 4. 16 our fathers in the faith. Those who discipled us.
We need role models, like the church, your leaders, can be examples. Also being present in the cell meeting and church meetings is a way to develop these relationships. When we get together God uses our beloved friends and family to sharpen our life. Pv 27.17
At the start, every Fruit is sour and then they become sweet, this is how every Fruit grows.
4-Situations- they will happen. Wait and watch!!!!
Like – if you want to be more patient, you will get stuck in traffic. You will wait for a long time in a long-time queue. Your mobile phone will freeze.
If God wants to get anger out of you, in order for you to be kind. He will create opportunities and make you face situations, that will make you tempted to hurt others or follow the Holy Spirit. 1 Co 10:13
The Fruit of the Spirit controls our emotions. We stop controlling people and we learn to control our emotions. You control your mouth; you do not control your kids, for example.
As you make the right choices, the seeds will grow, and the Fruit will appear.
Conclusion:
Through Your fruits and through your life when you walk with God, you can show God with your attitudes, manners, behavior. Because you have been walking with Him you will become like him.
We need to be connected.
“Remain in me, and I will remain in you. Just as a branch cannot produce Fruit unless it remains part of the vine, so it is for you: you cannot bear Fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine, you’re the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much Fruit—for apart from me you can’t do anything.” John 15: 4,5
If we want to produce the fruits of the Spirit, we need to be connected to God and deny our own pleasure. Then we will live the life he prepared for us. A life with no fear and anxiety. But a life of peace and connection.