(Gal 5:22-23) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
There’s nothing like fresh fruit. There’s something attractive about the look, smell, and taste of fruit. When the Holy Spirit controls our lives we will bear fruit for our Lord that builds up believers and attracts sinners to Christ. Pray over each one and you will be fruitful for our Lord!
- LOVE (agape) is listed first because it is the foundation of the other graces (1 Cor 13:4-8a).
(John 15:13) Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.
- JOY (chara) is a deep and abiding inner rejoicing, which was promised to those who abide in Christ. Different from happiness, which is based on happy circumstances. (John 15:11) "These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.
- PEACE (eirene) is an inner repose and quietness, even in the face of adverse circumstances.
(John 14:27) "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
- LONGSUFFERING (makrothumia) is patient forbearance towards others and slowness in avenging wrongs. (Eph 4:2) with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love.
- KINDNESS (chrestotes) is benevolence (love) in action. (1 John 3:18) My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.
- GOODNESS (agathosune) is uprightness of soul and an action reaching out to others to do good even when it is not deserved. (1 Sam 24:17) Then he (Saul) said to David: "You are more righteous than I; for you have rewarded me with good, whereas I have rewarded you with evil.
- FAITHFULNESS (pistis) is the quality which renders a person trustworthy or reliable. (1 Cor 4:2)
Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.
- GENTLENESS (praotes) is meekness; the right use of power and authority (power under control). (Phil 4:5) Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
- SELF-CONTROL (egkrateia) denotes self-mastery and relates to curbing the fleshly impulses just described in Galatians 5:19-21. (1 Cor 9:27) But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.
Louie
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