6 Reasons Pursuing the Fruit of the Spirit Still Matters
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“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things, there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23).
The fruit of the Spirit are nine character traits: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Every believer has access to these traits, because they are products of the Holy Spirit of Christ working in them. Christ lived out these traits in His everyday life, and we are to strive to do the same as we spiritually mature.
Believers are not able to live out each trait or fruit without staying connected to Christ. Our flesh will fail us, and we will fall short in our attempts to live out the fruit that Paul lists in Galatians 5:22-23. We must rely on the guidance and direction of the Holy Spirit to help us live out each fruit with courage, conviction, and boldness. Each fruit is produced, nurtured, and developed over time.
In order to live out each fruit consistently, we must continue to surrender our desires to God’s will and trust Him. As we grow and continue to imitate Christ’s nature, we will activate and strengthen living out the fruit of the Spirit each day.
Living out each fruit is directly connected to our dependence on God’s spirit with our actions. The good news is that God desires for us to be spirit-filled.
The fruit of the Spirit is not an outdated list of traits, but are active, necessary, and relevant today. In a world where instant success and ambition often reign supreme, it is essential that we continue to live out each fruit of the Spirit with boldness and conviction. I will outline six reasons why living out the fruit of the Spirit is still relevant today.
1. We need restoration and hope in a broken world
Living out the fruit the Spirit represents an opportunity for God’s hope and restoration to permeate each believer. When challenges and difficulties attempt to consume us, we can depend on God’s spirit to help us respond with love, joy, peace, patience, and gentleness. It is so easy to allow our spirits to be burdened and broken down from life circumstances. However, I invite you to overcome your brokenness by living out the fruit of the spirit daily. Our faithfulness to God should not be dependent on our brokenness, but should be based on our gratitude.
2. Each fruit of the spirit represents Christ living inside of you
We cannot live out the fruit of the spirit on our own. Living out each fruit represents God working in and through you. It is another reason to give God praise for activating the fruit of the Spirit in your life. When we make decisions to live out our lives with more love, joy, peace, or patience, we are allowing Christ to shine through with our behaviors or actions. While our flesh will want to rise up and respond to different situations with haste, God’s spirit will slow us down and provide us with the strength to live out the fruit of the Spirit.
3. Each fruit reminds us there is another way to respond
Practicing the fruit of the spirit encourages us and others that there is another way to respond, behave, and live. Living out each fruit requires us to pause, pray to God for wisdom, and allow God to give us courage to choose differently. We have the responsibility to live out each fruit with a desire to choose a higher path and one that glorifies God and brings hope to others.
4. God’s spirit is living and active; our flesh is weak
The good news is that each fruit of the Spirit represents the active and dynamic nature of God. Apart from Christ, our flesh is weak and we must rely on God’s spirit to strengthen and encourage us to live out each fruit willingly, without compulsion. We are not called to live out each fruit of the spirit simultaneously, but we have the active power to represent Christ better when we respond with each fruit.
5. The world needs people with stronger character amidst confusion
In a world of ongoing confusion and strife, living out the fruits of the spirit is necessary to continue to be men and women of strong character. Our character and how we respond to varying situations is essential as believers to stay encouraged, and serve as a testimony to others who are struggling with hope. Living out the fruit of the Spirit consistently produces stronger character, endurance, and grace within the believer. Where there is confusion, we desperately need to walk in peace. Where there is division, the overflowing love of Christ builds up and doesn’t tear down. Where there is anxiety, we seek God’s patience. Where there is hate, we seek to live out God’s goodness and kindness.
6. We need to strengthen our attitudes and behaviors by living out each fruit consistently
As we rely on God’s spirit to strengthen and encourage us to live out each fruit consistently, we will find that our attitudes and behaviors will align more with Christ. Our households, relationships, and spiritual lives will strengthen, as well as our personal development. Living out the fruit of the spirit is not a one time occurrence, but a daily, renewing process that involves surrender, dedication and commitment.
Living out each fruit of the Spirit is not a legalistic command by God, but an open invitation for us to choose differently, represent God better, develop stronger character, strengthen our attitudes, and restore hope in a broken world. When we fall short within our own strength, it is God’s Holy Spirit that we must rely on for encouragement and strength to start anew. Whether it is love, joy, peace, patience, forbearance, gentleness, kindness, faithfulness, or self-control, we all have an opportunity to live out the positive traits of Christ each day. The fruit we bear will be a witness to the world that the God we serve is faithful.
Photo credit: Getty Images/IngridHS
