The Fruit of the Spirit

[thephnxman]

“For “the fruit of the Spirit is in all GOODNESS and RIGHTEOUSNESS
and TRUTH…”

To better understand how the Holy Spirit dwells in and operates in the believer,
we must first understand how man was created and formed. It really is going
back to basics.

Man was created in the image and likeness of God, a spirit-being; not as the
angels, for man has a higher calling. We are called to be sons of the most
High God: the creator of everything we see, and don’t see. We are created a
spirit-being, formed from the dust of the ground, and we have been instilled
with the breath of life. It is in each several part that God’s Spirit desires to
make itself manifest.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace…”

It is first in our spirit-being that God wants to make Himself known. It is there
that we feel His presence: His LOVE towards us; it is in our soul that we
experience the JOY of being called to Him; and finally, we have the PEACE…
we sense that God has not counted the sins we have committed in our bodies
against us. It is the place that we have reached as “…little children…”; where
we are being edified through the offices of the pastor and teacher. And that
is only the first phase of His operation in us!

“…longsuffering, gentleness, goodness…”

As we outgrow our childish nature, we are being prepared for the second
phase of God’s plan: how to “…work the ministry…”. Our spirit becomes
LONG-SUFFERING to those who are lost without the knowledge of God and
the hope for their lives. It is through the office and teaching of the evangelist
that our spirits are instilled with a GENTLENESS for our Brethren…and for the
lost. As our love and faith grow, we are able to display GOODNESS through
our ability to "…freely give…” what we have received! But it cannot be of
ourselves; it is not our goodness, but His!

“…faith, meekness, temperance…”

We first answered God’s call and received what the apostle called “…the
common faith…”; we all receive that faith. And now we come to the place of
our perfection. That is the work that the prophet must work in us. Now we
must learn how to develop and exercise our very own personal “…measure
of faith…”. It is the FAITH we use for prayer, witnessing, and the gifts of
the Spirit. It is a personal measure, one we must exercise daily. As we allow
faith to operate in us, we begin to develop MEEKNESS. Moses was called
the meekest of men. He learned to obey without hesitation! We must
never attempt to separate the two: meekness and obedience. If we are faithful
and obedient, we will most assuredly develop TEMPERANCE. Simply put,
it is self-control! It begins with bringing our thoughts captive to Christ; we are
then able to govern our conversation; and having done this, we are able also
to subject our own bodies to do His will. Remember: subjection is mandatory;
submitting is voluntary.

“For the perfection of the saints; for the work of the ministry; for the
edifying of the body of Christ.”