But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23)
When we first began Our Daily Bread, it was based off of a thing I was doing called 'Fruit of the Day'. It wasn't a daily devotional; rather, whenever the Lord pressed something on my hart, I shared it. The Lord then decided to expand that ministry into what it is today.
So in remembering how it began, I recalled 'Fruit', and decided what better thing to do but to analyze and apply the Fruits of the Spirit to our lives. This will cover about 10 days. Before we study on the nine fruits however, this daily bread will first reflect on the verse as a whole. Then we shall break it down.
First Paul describes the 'acts of the sinful nature'.
The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery, idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21)
Then a few verses later he says if you apply the Fruits of the Spirit to your life, you will, in a sense, 'crucify', or wipe away those sinful entities.
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. For we 'belong to Christ' by giving our hearts and confessing with our mouths that He is Lord; therefore, we now live by the Spirit by applying these fruits to our lives, and as Paul explains, must continue to apply them to our lives lest we fall and not 'inherit the kingdom of God'.
I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other. (Galatians 5:21-26)
Let us eat of the Fruits of the Spirit, for they are fruit for our souls.*
Eating the Fruit,
Whitney
