Fruits of the Spirit

The fruits of the Spirit give us life and let us shine the light of Christ in this world. In Galatians, Paul tells us that the desires of the Spirit contrast and oppose the desires of the flesh. We are called to live and to walk by the Spirit, overflowing these fruits in our lives!

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.  If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.” Galatians 5:22-25

Day after day, these fruits allow us to become more like Jesus. They are essential in living a Christ centered life. By the Holy Spirit’s guidance and our daily surrender to God, we can cultivate and display these fruits in our daily lives and in our walk with the Lord. 

Let’s dive deeper into how each of these fruits apply to our lives, how they separate us from the world, and what it means to grow in each of the fruits.

Love

God is love! John 3:16 showcases how deeply intertwined love is within God’s being. God gave us the fruit of love by his action of sending us His Son and allowing Him to die on the cross for us.

Love is a choice and an action. We are called to love unconditionally just as God loves us. When we bear this fruit, we show love to our neighbor, enemy, and all we encounter.

Joy

As Christians walking in the Spirit and chasing Christ, joy is evident in our lives. Joy transcends circumstances because it is grounded in the knowledge of our salvation and God’s provisions over our lives. It is rooted in our understanding of God’s grace.  

Joy strengthens us to be content regardless of the challenge or trial we face. Nehemiah 8:10, “The joy of the Lord is my strength,” reigns true always!

By the power of the Holy Spirit, we pray Romans 15:13 over you. Let the joy and peace of the Lord overflow onto you and all you encounter, today, tomorrow, and forever. 

Peace

Peace is tranquility amidst chaos of the world that comes from our relationship with God. Peace causes us to be still and asks us to know that He is God, Psalm 46:10. Amidst trials and tribulations, we stand in our peace instead of participating in chaos. 

Peace from God shows us that we do not need to be troubled or afraid, despite what the world may say. Jesus tells us of His peace in 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 hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”

The peace we are given from Jesus makes us understand beyond the world’s capabilities. Though trials in our lives may seem irreparable, we know God restores all things better than before. We know He has a perfect plan and purpose for our lives, and that He works all things out for the good of those who love Him. Philippians 4:7, Romans 8:28, Isaiah 46:10

We pray that the peace of His Spirit flows over your life!

Patience

Patience teaches us to endure trials with grace and with composure. As moments in life test our bandwidth for patience, we are reminded how patient God has been with us. The Holy Spirit pushes us to extend the same patience for others. 

“But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.” Romans 8:25

Patience cultivates a hopeful mindset in waiting. It allows us to be content as we have hope in God’s faithful plan. Some of us are waiting for miracles in real time. We pray the Spirit will pour patience over you, and that hope, peace, and joy will wrap around you in this season of waiting. 

Kindness

Kindness calls us to show compassion and consideration toward others. It spurs us to be quick to help and quick to forgive. 

“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32

Kindness reflects God’s character. It is filled with tender, genuine concerns for the other that are followed by actions. Kindness seeks to lift burdens, share encouraging words, and give grace in difficult circumstances. 

Praise the Lord that we do not have to rely on our flesh to be kind to others!  And thank you, Holy Spirit, for filling us with kindness when we cannot find it in our own strength.

Goodness

Goodness is the fruit of integrity and righteousness. It is about living your life in a way that seeks doing what is good in God’s eyes, despite what the world says.

“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” Galatians 6:9

Do not worry that your good acts will be taken advantage of or used against you. Keep on doing good to your neighbor because you will reap the harvest. God sees your every action. You will see the good fruits of our labor! 

As David reminds us in Psalm 23, the goodness of God will follow you all the days of your life! 

Faithfulness

The Lord is faithful and He will be faithful to you. Faithfulness is a fruit that encourages us to be trustworthy and dependable in our relationship and commitment with Christ. It is about keeping our promise to God as he keeps his promise to us.

1 Corinthians 1:9 tells us that God is faithful and we also must stay faithful. The Holy Spirit strengthens us to develop our faith and remain still knowing He is God. 

Be faithful to what God calls you to do. Seek first the kingdom of God and all things will come to you! Stay faithful in the small and God will reward you with the big. Be encouraged and depend on God. He will never fail you! Matthew 6:33, Matthew 25:23, Psalm 37:5

Gentleness

Gentleness reminds us to be meek and humble. The Spirit gives us this fruit so that we may approach others with respect and understanding, despite the circumstances. In His sermon on the mount, Jesus gave us the beatitudes, telling us the importance of gentleness.

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” Matthew 5:5

As we look to be like Christ, gentle and humble, He will You will bring rest to our souls. Take your rest in Jesus!

“Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:29 

Self Control 

Self control is an essential for managing our desires of the flesh, resisting temptation, and making choices that honor the Lord. 

Self control protects us from the destructive desires of the flesh. Proverbs 25: 28 says, “A man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.”

Be encouraged! As you walk in the Spirit, you will be strengthened with the gift of self control.

”For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” 2 Timothy 1:7

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It takes time to grow fruits. If you need a specific fruit, pray and ask for the Holy Spirit to help you grow it. He will do the heavy lifting for you! Let us pray together for God to help us grow in these fruits and become more like Christ every day. 

Without knowing Christ, there is no way we are able to carry these fruits. In order for us to have these fruits in our life, we must know him, love him, imitate him, and walk with him.

“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:4-5 

If you do not know Jesus, you can invite Him to be the Lord of your life right now. 

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Written by: Catherine Carl