Spiritual Fruit

 In Daily Devotional

Galatians 5:22-23

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”

I have heard it taught that there is one Spiritual fruit, love, and that the other eight attributes flow from that one gift. Others teach that the word “fruit” here is actually plural in the Greek, and that all nine attributes are individual fruits the Spirit brings forth.

Either way, these attributes ought to be realized in us as character qualities of Christ. The Spirit desires to produce them in ever-increasing measure in the lives of fully surrendered believers. God’s will is that we be made into the image of His Son. See Romans 8:29.

As branches, we are to abide, or remain, in the Vine, Jesus. The life force, sap, flowing through the branches from the vine has been likened to the Holy Spirit. The believer does not strive to produce fruit by his own efforts. Rather, the Holy Spirit produces fruit naturally as we stay connected to Jesus.

The Word tells us as Jesus is, so are we in this world (1 John 4:17). When He is revealed, we shall be like Him (1 John 3:2). There is no natural law that would prevent the Holy Spirit from bringing forth in us all the character qualities of Christ.

TODAY’S CHALLENGE:

Thank the Father for the fruit He produces by His Holy Spirit in and through you to make you more like Jesus. Ask Him to help you intentionally abide in the Vine so that the Spirit flows.

Don’t get in His way. Allow Him to work.

Dive Deeper: Study Galatians 5; Colossians 3:12-14; John 15:1-17.