FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT || CHARACTER OF A BELIEVER

The fruit of the Spirit or better called walking in the Spirit is the product of having the Spirit of God in us. An important truth you have to realize, actualize and come to terms with is that you are an actual new creation in Christ and what can easily deceive you as a Christian is your experience, this is the reason you must study to know the real you.

Galatians 5:22-23
[22]But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
[23]gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

All these expressions put together define the nature of a son of God; these are naturally in your new being. Every new creature has all these fruits and it will be foolishness to be praying for what you already have in you, but instead come into that awareness and walk in it.

A mango tree produces mango fruit on its own, you don’t fast for it to produce what it’s made to produce, same as a man in-Christ; if you’re not walking in the fruit of the Spirit then you’re either lacking in knowledge which is identity crisis or intentionally refusing to walk in them.

According to the prophecy of Ezekiel in chapter 36 verses 26-27 as one in Christ, the ability has been given before the instruction. Every instruction from God and His word is on the demand of the ability which He has put inside of you which is His Spirit.

As a child of God you cannot be given the ability to love more than that which is already in you, you cannot be given the ability to be kind more than that in you, so walking in the Spirit is an awareness thing; it is an understanding of your identity in your new nature, you need your eyes opened to what you have in your nature.

Ephesians 1:17-18
[17][For I always pray to] the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, that He may grant you a spirit of wisdom and revelation [of insight into mysteries and secrets] in the [deep and intimate] knowledge of Him,
[18]By having the eyes of your heart flooded with light, so that you can know and understand the hope to which He has called you, and how rich is His glorious inheritance in the saints (His set-apart ones),

In 1 Corinthians 1:13, the word love is called agape because it is gives, it’s a sacrificial act because you’re not a beneficiary instead, the people at the receiving end are.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8
[4]Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;
[5]does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;
[6]does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;
[7]bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
[8]Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.

The love here is described like a person with the character of Gal 5; 22-23.

Siblings in Christ, acting on the Word is never convenient but it is sacrificial, if you observe thoroughly, 1 Corinthians 13 is describing God in a believer.

Let’s practice it this way, let’s replace the word love or charity with “my nature”

1 corinthians 13:4-7

My nature is patient and kind,

My nature is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude,

My nature does not demand its own way,

My nature is not irritable, and keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever truth wins out,

My nature never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful and endures through every circumstance.

Galatians 5:22-23

My nature is love,

My nature is joy,

My nature is peace,

My nature is patience,

My nature is kindness,

My nature is goodness,

My nature is faithfulness,

My nature is gentleness,

My nature is self control/temperance.

So therefore, rise above yourself and walk in the Spirit, walking in the Spirit is walking in sacrifice.

The fruit of the Spirit does not function independently, they are connected to each other, and they are co-dependent on each other. The fruit of the Spirit like the gifts of the Spirit is used for service in relation to one another.

Everything written in verse 22 is how to relate with people and not God. Those nine abilities enable us have healthy and vibrant relationships with the brethren or people He brings into our lives, the fruit of the Spirit is walking in the Spirit amongst men which means the walk must affect your relationship with men.

You see, these things are what are naturally in us as new creatures; prayer does not change the conduct of a believer because his conduct has been changed in Christ. The fruit of the Spirit will not benefit God but help you stay in the Spirit as well as benefit others.

Galatians 5:16-17
[16]But I say, walk and live [habitually] in the [Holy] Spirit [responsive to and controlled and guided by the Spirit]; then you will certainly not gratify the cravings and desires of the flesh (of human nature without God).
[17]For the desires of the flesh are opposed to the [Holy] Spirit, and the [desires of the] Spirit are opposed to the flesh (godless human nature); for these are antagonistic to each other [continually withstanding and in conflict with each other], so that you are not free but are prevented from doing what you desire to do.

To effectively walk in the character of God, run far away from the ways of this world; it will become difficult to come to terms with the Word of God if your thinking pattern is influenced by the world. For example, a believer does not have weaknesses but the way of the world can point out weaknesses in you and give reasons you shouldn’t show love to that person, reasons you should run out of patience, reasons you can’t stay in joy, reasons you should give up on that person or thing.

Philippians 2:13
[13][Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight.

There is no weakness in our nature because we have enablement by the Spirit to do and express the character of God. We have to focus on the strength in our nature in-Christ Jesus and discover then develop our personalities in Christ Jesus, acknowledge everything that is good in us in Christ and not our culture or the traditions of the world, affirm them more aggressively and brutally.

The Word of God is our nature and character.

You are unstoppable!

Love X Uju.