Galations 5:22-25- “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”
So often I find myself praying for God to help develop in me one or more of the above traits. I might one day be convicted that I need more gentleness, and another pray for circumstances that would grow my faithfulness. I believe it was during a Beth Moore bible study where I learned one of the most important things about the above verses.
Paul calls it the FRUIT of the Spirit. Not the fruitS of the Spirit. The traits combine to make one giant, mega-fruit of the Spirit. If we’re lacking in one area, chances are we aren’t living completely in the Spirit.
Romans 8:9-11 says, “You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.”
If we have accepted Christ and chosen life over death, we are called to live in the Spirit! And honestly, who wouldn’t want to. We have the opportunity to let the Spirit control us if we would just relinquish the control we hold onto so dearly. The Word says that the same Spirit that raised Christ lives in us! How much more effective would we be if we let a death-defeating Spirit lead our every step?....
When we chose to die to self and live by traits that are completely unnatural to us, we look more like Christ. We look more like the women that God created us to be. We are more beauty-full that way.
In Him,
Jill
2 comments:
Hey Jill,
That was so beau-ti-full! I have recently been running the train through my mind, this morning even and guess what the Lord had it all worked out for me before I even asked. I hope I can remember this when the next train wreck moment comes along. Love you Karen
Okay I put my post on the wrong blog but you know I meant the train one. LOL
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