Fruit of the Spirit

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

The Holy Spirit dwells in those who are in Christ. The Holy Spirit was promised long ago by our heavenly Father to His people. Jesus Christ sends this Spirit to his followers so they can live for him and do the things he has done. Once we had lived apart from Christ. We didn't have the Holy Spirit. We had moments in which we felt like we saw in ourselves some of what we would come to see as the fruit of the Spirit. However, it wasn't the fruit of the Spirit for it was through our own efforts. What's more is that in our more honest moments we would have admitted that they were not part of our character or evident in us on a continuous basis. When we came to know and trust Christ we received the Holy Spirit. While guiding us into all truth and teaching us the things of Christ, the Spirit also began transforming our character. For a while we may not understand that it is the work of the Spirit in us, though we are recognizing the effects in and through us. Gradually we are able to identify the fruit of the Spirit within us. The further we mature in Christ, the more a part of our character the Spirit's fruit becomes in us. It is not our doing, but the Spirit dwelling in us. Those who know and interact with us, see a marked difference in us. We ourselves see the difference and give the glory to God for the changes that have taken place in us. We are looking like our Lord Jesus Christ for the Spirit that raised him from the dead is bearing in us love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Being in Christ, we have crucified our flesh along with its passions and desires, and in place of our flesh is the Holy Spirit bearing fruit to the glory of God.

Growth towards Christian maturity

Fruitless Spiritually

Unless we belong to Christ, the Holy Spirit is not a present and active agent in our life. Though there may be a glimpse in our life from time to time of the characteristics that are identified as the fruit of the Spirit, these are not a part of our character. At their best, they are produced by our own efforts and affections. They usually surface when things are going well for us, or when we really bear down and make a heroic effort to control ourselves. They are not the result of an ongoing internal transformation of our very nature and character. Spiritually speaking, we may look good from time to time on the outside, but we are spiritually dead on the inside and devoid of the Holy Spirit. The characteristics have no staying power. We may think of ourselves as loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, basically good, generally faithful, somewhat gentle, and having some semblance of control over ourselves, but even on our best days it pales in comparison to the fruit born in those who are mature in Christ.

Discovering the Promise

Recognizing My Need

Holy Spirit Comes

When we come to know the Lord Jesus Christ, experiencing the new birth, becoming a new creation in Christ, the promised Holy Spirit comes to dwell in us. We may not be aware of it when we receive the Spirit, but he has taken up residence in us. For a time we may not realize nor understand that we are a temple of the Holy Spirit, but as we grow in Christ, it becomes more evident to us. Initially the Spirit's work focuses on our discovering who Christ is and that we are in Christ. The Spirit doesn't call attention to himself. Rather, he teaches us the things of Christ and brings to mind the things that Jesus said. The Spirit is gradually guiding us into all truth. He is also stirring in us the desire to grow in our faith and walk with Christ. In the process, we start to recognize changes taking place in ourselves. It is quite possible that we don't yet understand that the Holy Spirit is the one who is bearing fruit in us, though we may notice some of the changes taking place within us. Those changes are producing the first fruits of the Holy Spirit that we eventually become part of our character. There is a growing sense of love that wasn't there before. The things of God that we would have cared less about before, now stir in us a deep sense of joy. We discover a sense of peace saturating our being as we focus on the Lord in challenging moments that used to cause us to unravel. Little things that used to cause us to become impatient are seen as opportunities to shift our focus towards our Lord. Acts of kindness, including going beyond our natural inclinations, helps us see that it is the Lord working in us and not our own efforts. An increasing sense of goodness permeates us and leads to our seeking the good of others over ourselves. Growing in our love and knowledge of Christ and his faithfulness, produces in us faithfulness to God that was never there in the past. No longer do we see meekness or gentleness as a weakness, but rather we see it as characteristic of our Lord's strength that is starting to show up from time to time in us. More and more we are learning to make choices that glorify God rather than satisfy our own desires, showing that the Spirit is producing in us a level of self-control. This fruit of the Spirit is becoming part of our character for the Holy Spirit is working in and through us producing it. What was once absent from us, or pale imitations of real character, are taking root in us and growing. Those around us are seeing this fruit in us. In some cases, people like the changes that are taking place in us. Others may be challenged because they see in us what is lacking in themselves and don't like the truth so clearly revealed to them. Though we may not be able to describe what is happening in us, or know that it is the work of the Spirit in us, we are hearing from others and seeing in ourselves evidence that the Holy Spirit is indeed at work in us, conforming us more and more in the likeness of Christ.

Spirit Bearing Fruit

As we grow in Christ, we continue to find the Spirit producing mature fruit in us. At times we may recognize the degree to which our character has changed. We are no longer the way we used to be. We know that it is not the result of our effort or our doing. We understand that we have been called by Christ to walk faithfully with him in the Spirit. Had we not been walking in the Spirit, we realize that there would not be fruit. But we don't take the credit. We ourselves have come to recognize that our character and the fruit that is born in us is the result of the Holy Spirit at work in and through us. Should the old characteristics of selfishness try to surface in our life, we are quick to fix our eyes on the author and perfecter of our faith, not submitting to our old nature which cannot honor God. In maturity, we recognize that the Spirit is continuously bearing fruit in our life and through us is also at work transforming the lives of those around us. We are disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. By divine choice and grace, people are learning about Christ and from Christ through us. Bearing the fruit of the Spirit is not a struggle or an unusual occurrence to us. Fruit is part of our character, part of who we have become by the power at work in us. The character that Jesus demonstrated when he walked this earth is found in us. We look like Christ because of the Holy Spirit dwelling in us.