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INTRODUCTION:
The Fruit of the Holy Spirit is a biblical term that sums up nine attributes of a person or community living in accord with the Holy Spirit, according to chapter 5 of the Epistle to the Galatians. The fruit of the Holy Spirit is the product of the Holy Spirit’s presence in the life of a believer (Christian). The Greek word translated “fruit” refers to the natural product of a living thing. Paul used “fruit” to give us an understanding that the product of the Holy Spirit is should live or what lives inside every believer. The fruit of the Spirit is produced by the Spirit, not by the believer. The Greek word is singular, showing that “fruit” is a unified whole, not independent characteristics or self–governing traits. However, as the believer grows, all these characteristics of Christ should be manifested in our lives as proof of their rebirth. The Bible makes it known that everyone receives the Holy Spirit the moment they believe in and accepts Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. One of the primary purposes of the Holy Spirit coming into a believer’s life is to change that life for Kingdom service. It is the Holy Spirit’s profession to conform those individuals who accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior to the image of Christ, making them more like Him.
The fruit of the Holy Spirit is in direct opposite with the acts of the sinful nature in Galatians 5:19-21, “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” These characteristic traits come with many of us from birth, some come from our social upbringing, toxic relationships and learned behavior as a child. Also, like physical fruit needs time to grow, the fruit of the Spirit will not become ripe in our lives overnight. Like a successful gardener must battle against weeds and insect intruders in order to enjoy the sweet fruit they desire, we must constantly work to rid our lives of the “weeds” of our old sin natures and “harmful intruders” hinder our spiritual growth, all coming to choke out the work of the Spirit. “But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His” Romans 8:9 (NKJV). However, the Holy Spirit gives us the power and authority to reject those old sinful desires that are stemming from our old nature. Today, we have confidence in Christ by saying “no” to sin and accepting the “way out” God has faithfully provided for us to follow the Holy Spirit’s guidance and leading.
But the fruit of the Holy is in opposition to this old man or nature. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV). The life of a believer is in a consist spiritual battle between the sinful flesh and spirit man against the new nature given by Christ). As fallen human beings, believers will remain trapped in a body that desires sinful things while they are in the earth realm. “For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin” Romans 7:14–25 (NKJV). As Christians, we have the Holy Spirit producing His fruit in believers and the Holy Spirit has given us power available to conquer the acts of the sinful nature.
A Christian will never be completely victorious in always demonstrating the fruits of the Holy Spirit, because we have a carnal nature that is daily trying to pull us back or tempt us with things that pleased the old man or nature. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” Philippians 4:13 (NKJV). It is one of the main purposes of the Christian life, nevertheless, to progressively allow the Holy Spirit to produce more and more of His fruit in our lives, while allowing the Holy Spirit to conquer those opposing sinful desires and pleasures. “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit” 1 Corinthians 12:13 (NKJV). The fruit of the Spirit is what God requires our lives to exhibit and, with the Holy Spirit’s help, everything is possible. And, we can overcome the temptations that come against our body, mind and soul every day. The ultimate goal is for us to give the Spirit more control of our lives, so that He can begin to do in and through us what only He can do. It is all to shape us and grow us to look like Jesus and we are guarantee of inheritance. “In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory” Ephesians 1:13-14(NKJV).