Larry
Active Member
The main "fruit of the holy spirit" verse is Galatians 5:22–23, which lists the qualities: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." Other verses mention these fruits and discuss the empowering nature of the Holy Spirit that produces these qualities in believers.
We need the fruit of the Holy Spirit to push out the works of the flesh. They can’t coexist. When we live in the light of the gospel, selfish ambition dies. We stop using people to affirm our sense of self-importance. We stop needing people to affirm us by agreeing with all our posts and opinions. We stop needing people to affirm us by acknowledging all our gifts and ministries and accomplishments. We stop needing people to affirm us by conforming to us like cult leaders do. When we live in the light of the gospel, we accept people in Christ. This leaves no room for enmity, strife, jealousy, or fits of anger.
We see the full, complete, and perfect manifestation of the fruit of the Holy Spirit in Jesus. We see it in His dealings with the sick, the young, the difficult, and the lost. Christ abounds in the fruit of the Holy Spirit when the leper kneels before Him, when men lower the paralytic at His feet, when Jairus pleads with Him to heal His daughter, and when the woman with the hemorrhage touches His garment. We see it when He prostrates Himself to wash His disciples’ feet. And we see it when He stretches out His arms on Calvary’s cross and bears the sins of the world.
We need the fruit of the Holy Spirit to push out the works of the flesh. They can’t coexist. When we live in the light of the gospel, selfish ambition dies. We stop using people to affirm our sense of self-importance. We stop needing people to affirm us by agreeing with all our posts and opinions. We stop needing people to affirm us by acknowledging all our gifts and ministries and accomplishments. We stop needing people to affirm us by conforming to us like cult leaders do. When we live in the light of the gospel, we accept people in Christ. This leaves no room for enmity, strife, jealousy, or fits of anger.
We see the full, complete, and perfect manifestation of the fruit of the Holy Spirit in Jesus. We see it in His dealings with the sick, the young, the difficult, and the lost. Christ abounds in the fruit of the Holy Spirit when the leper kneels before Him, when men lower the paralytic at His feet, when Jairus pleads with Him to heal His daughter, and when the woman with the hemorrhage touches His garment. We see it when He prostrates Himself to wash His disciples’ feet. And we see it when He stretches out His arms on Calvary’s cross and bears the sins of the world.
