A LIFE LIVED BY THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT
The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. A spirit filled life brings life and hope to the Believer. Love for others keeps our mind stayed on Christ grace and forgiveness. With joy we reach out and serve others with the tenacity we were first shown by our Savior. Peace is our portion as we understand He is ever present and walks with us throughout our days. Patience can be seen in our lives because we trust in what God is doing but might remain yet unseen. Others notice the kindness our actions exude because we have chosen to use Christ as our greatest example. As an outpouring of the goodness of God, our actions are an extension of Him who provides all things. Because of His faithfulness to us, even in difficult situations, we learn the ability to stay the course. We desire and can show the gentleness Christ at the moment we realize His gentleness is what made our hearts turn to Him. And, even in the face of temptation, because of the example of His overcoming power, we can experience self-control.
God tells us in all our getting, to get wisdom. Wisdom to live a life full of the fruit of the Spirit is not exempt from temptation or sin; the life full of the fruit of the Spirit is exempt from eternal death. The final result of sin is eternal death. The person who is full of the fruit of the Spirit has come to a point in time where he receives salvation through the blood of Jesus, our Savior. This Believer is never exempt from temptation or sin; however, they are able to use Christ’ example of the Fruits of the Spirit to guide them to a life including decisions and actions which lead them away from eternal death and destruction.
Are you looking to today and what life brings you? Are you living life with the fruits of the spirit vs a life of ETERNITY of torture and gnashing of teeth. Think of a life, today, with discretion, taking the time to read God’s Word, and, maybe singing a hymn of praise. Then, facing your temptation, pause and ask God to help bring you past the temptation, to consider how your life includes salvation and eternal life. This does not mean you are exempt from sin, it just means you have realized there is a Savior who has made a way for you to escape from the eternal result of sin.
The book of Romans gives us the steps to enjoy this life exempt from the consequence of sin. Romans 3:10 noone is perfect; Romans 3:23 everyone sins; Romans 5:8 Christ took our sins; Romans 6:23 sin is death, but, Jesus is life; Romans 8:1 people in Christ will be free; Romans 10:9 confess and believe to be saved. In this simple plan, Christ points us to Him, away from an eternal consequence of following our selfish desires. God has created us with a deliberate way to choose, that of our will. We either, follow our fleshly desires, and, reap eternal destruction. Or, we choose to yield to the Holy Spirit and say “yes” to eternal life.
Today, won’t you make the choice to turn away from your fleshly desires? Won’t you choose to follow the One who is waiting for you to call upon Him, so He can give you eternal life?
