Fruit of the Spirit - Part 1

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do....Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 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 5:16-26)

            When we accepted Christ into our hearts, we took up our crosses and "crucified" our ways, our desires, and our life to gain His Life. We put away our old ways and began a new walk with Jesus Christ; to be like him, to share the gospel with others and be a living testimony. 

            We can not do that by our selves. We have to choose to let Christ work in us. We can either choose to walk by the flesh (the natural, desires of the world, sin) or Walk in the Spirit. We can not walk in both, one or the other. To walk in the spirit is to follow Him. Submit to Him, Act how He does. We have to walk and do. Walk in love, Joy, peace, patience as He does. Now you may be thinking, “I already was joyful before I knew Jesus- I don’t need the Holy Spirit…” I would say to that, “it was not true joy then.” It was not perfect, complete, whole, everlasting Joy, if he was not living in you. Now if you still argue you were happier then before knowing Jesus, please tell me because I must be missing something…

            The devil tries to replace the true fruit of the Spirit and the characteristics of Jesus with false replicas of joy, of love and peace that make you feel at peace but 45 minutes later all hell is breaking loose again. The difference is that you are at peace. Peace in the heart, mind soul and body. So many people are out there just chasing and following little fish hooks that “promise” food, but hey, what else are they supposed to eat, if we “believers” are keeping our fruit to our selves. With this fruit, we give. With our new life, we shine.

“At one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.” (Ephesians 5:8-10)

Shine your light. The light He has given you.